The Apple Watch Ultra 2 Is The Premium Smartwatch I Prefer (especially At $150 Off)

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Apple Watch Ultra 2 features a rugged creation that's perfect for adventurists, and it's connected waste for $650.
• It has a gorgeous 49mm watch look that gets plentifulness agleam for outdoor use.
• The bulky creation won't beryllium everyone's cup of tea.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is connected waste for $649 ($150 off) during Amazon Prime Day.

The multitude of upgrades, from its reliable exterior to a wide array of features, let nan Apple Watch Ultra 2 to present nan definitive smartwatch experience.

Also: Best early Prime Day deals 2025: 55+ income connected tech products unrecorded now

Around this clip past year, it had conscionable been a time since I received my caller Apple Watch Ultra, and it was already strapped onto my wrist, fresh to tackle a 15K Tough Mudder obstacle people event. 12 months of surviving pinch nan Watch Ultra later, it has proven to beryllium nan most complete smartwatch Apple has ever made, and 1 of nan champion smartwatches successful wide for me.

Over nan past year, I've been exercising, traveling, and sleeping pinch nan latest Apple Watch Ultra 2 to find retired precisely wherever nan institution has pushed nan letter cover this clip around. 

Also: Best Apple Watches of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

I'll trim correct to nan chase: If you already ain an Apple Watch Ultra, location is nary compelling logic to upgrade to nan Ultra 2. But if you're 1 of nan galore who are readying to bargain an Ultra wearable for nan first time, this is arsenic bully arsenic it gets. Here's why.

Given today's economical situation pinch rising user prices, I americium a spot amazed that Apple was capable to clasp nan value of nan caller Watch Ultra 2 astatine nan aforesaid level arsenic past year. When you see nan titanium construction, integrated LTE radio, and sapphire solid display, $799 is very reasonable for a high-performance sports watch. That's much existent erstwhile you comparison nan Apple Watch Ultra 2 to different flagship GPS sports watches. 

As acold arsenic what's caller pinch nan model, nan Apple Watch Ultra 2 incorporates a faster S9 processor, a brighter display, doubly nan soul storage, and a bid of recycled materials that someway don't make nan wearable consciousness terrible.

Also: The champion smartwatches 2025: I wore these for weeks and recovered nan cleanable 1 for your wrist

WatchOS 10 was released erstwhile nan Watch Ultra 2 was announced, and it's made nan Apple Watch acquisition an absolute joyousness to use. It has caller functions for nan broadside fastener and integer crown (Smart Stack), on pinch freely and info-rich watch faces that are optimized for nan Watch Ultra models. Since then, WatchOS 11 has been released with improvements to workout and fittingness modes and modes. WatchOS 26, expected to merchandise this fall, will make it an moreover stronger health-tracking device.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

Naturally, I placed nan Watch Ultra 2 adjacent to my first-gen Watch Ultra, and they were virtually indistinguishable from each other. After cranking up nan brightness of both, I could hardly show nan quality successful modular lighting conditions owed to Apple's implementation of nan aforesaid ambient ray sensor. But successful nan outdoors, which is wherever you'll beryllium leveraging nan Watch Ultra's technologies nan most, it was evident that nan Ultra 2 was importantly brighter (3,000 nits compared to 2,000 nits).

Also: Finally, a fund smartwatch that's conscionable arsenic durable arsenic my Garmin (and it's connected sale)

Prior to nan Watch Ultra 2 launch, I listed three features that I wanted to see successful bid to warrant an upgrade, and while Apple did not supply them, it did reside 1 of my desires successful a unsocial manner. The LED flashlight connected Garmin watches is simply a instrumentality that I usage daily. On nan Watch Ultra 2, erstwhile you move connected nan flashlight, spinning nan integer crown now ups nan maximum brightness, making usage of nan other nits. 

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

It still doesn't hit retired nan Garmin LED, but it is overmuch much applicable than past year's for uncovering things successful nan car shed aliases nether nan bed, illuminating rooms astatine night, and uncovering your measurement successful nan acheronian outside.

Mapping, unfortunately, is still constricted connected nan Apple Watch Ultra 2, pinch nan astir notable alteration being offline maps support, provided you person an iPhone connected astatine slightest iOS 17. However, nan Compass app has besides received a subtle yet important upgrade acknowledgment to WatchOS 10. On nan Watch Ultra 2, it now shows a waypoint for nan last-detected cellular and emergency SOS locations, truthful you cognize precisely wherever to return to if you find yourself successful a dormant zone. The Compass app besides lets you people your camping spot, parking spot, and different useful waypoints.

Also: Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Watch Ultra: Is it clip to upgrade?

Alongside Watch Ultra 2, Apple released caller carbon-neutral watch bands, pinch 3 colors being offered crossed nan Alpine Loop and Trail Loop bands. I had a chance to trial nan gray/green Trail Loop pinch nan Watch Ultra 2, and each I tin opportunity is that it's highly comfortable. I bought my Watch Ultra pinch an Ocean set past twelvemonth but will apt prime up nan Trail Loop this clip astir owed to its easy Velcro unafraid support. For much casual outings, it's nan perfect watch band.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

Finally, arsenic overmuch arsenic I bask nan Apple Watch Ultra 2 for its agelong artillery life, brighter display, expanded connectivity, and caller watch bands, I've besides been enjoying nan improved intelligence wellness functionality via nan Mindfulness app. It has now earned a salient spot successful my app list, and I've been entering my authorities of mind connected a regular basis. 

Also: I switched to nan Apple Watch aft a four-year hiatus - here's why it's adjacent cleanable now

I now often usage nan Reflect and Breathe utilities, which person slow but surely reduced my stress, proving to beryllium a invited summation to my Apple Watch use. (Of course, you only request an Apple Watch moving connected WatchOS 10 to usage nan Mindfulness app. I conscionable for illustration utilizing it connected nan larger show of nan Ultra!)

ZDNET's buying advice

With my superior SIM now surviving arsenic an eSIM successful nan iPhone 16 Pro Max, nan Apple Watch Ultra 2 will beryllium staying connected my wrist for an extended play of clip -- apt until nan adjacent Ultra type comes out. Apple's improvements past twelvemonth didn't push nan letter cover successful immoderate peculiar way, but they're well-rounded capable to make nan Watch Ultra still nan champion flagship sports watch that enthusiasts should buy.

Also: The champion smartwatches you tin buy

If you don't person an Apple Watch Ultra but are willing successful buying one, nan Ultra 2 is nan champion option. If you tin unrecorded pinch a dimmer show and technically slower performance, picking up past year's Watch Ultra astatine a discount is not nan worst thought either. 

For me, nan Boost Flashlight is simply a invited addition, arsenic good arsenic nan faster processor supporting Siri connected board. Apple's move to carbon-free products is besides a bully move for nan situation and is thing we tin each support.

This article was primitively published connected September 29, 2023, and updated connected July 6, 2025.