Sure, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the hot new thing, but I’m still pretty happy with my original Apple Watch Ultra. Here’s why.
When Apple launched the original Apple Watch Ultra in 2022, it wasn’t a complete surprise since Apple had been rumored to have a more “rugged” Apple Watch model coming for a couple of years. But what was surprising was just how good the original Apple Watch Ultra was — even for people who never plan to go scuba diving or climb a mountain.
In 2023, Apple released the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which is identical to the original on the surface. But on the inside, it has the new S9 chip for localized Siri requests and the Double Tap gesture. Other than that, there’s really very little difference between the two; there wasn’t even a new color to differentiate between the original and the new one.
As great as the new S9 chip and Double Tap are, I am still sticking with my original Apple Watch Ultra, which I only got earlier this year as an upgrade from my old Apple Watch Series 5. Though I typically love getting the latest and greatest, the first Apple Watch Ultra is still fantastic here in late 2023.Battery life is still outstanding
When I was still using my Apple Watch Series 5, I was content with it for tracking my active calories and steps, heart rate, workouts, and other basics that you’d expect from a health tracker. But the biggest annoyance I was having was with the battery life. Its battery would be completely depleted by dinnertime, and I’d need to put it back on the charger before the end of the day.
Going from that to the Apple Watch Ultra was a huge upgrade from the not even 12 full hours I was getting on the Series 5. One of my favorite things about it is the incredible battery life. That was true when I first got the Ultra, and it hasn’t changed now that we’re at the end of the year.
As someone who was used to having to charge up the Apple Watch in the middle of the day, the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra has been a game changer. By the time I put my Apple Watch Ultra on the charger each night before I go to sleep, it still has at least 50% battery or more. Yes, I know I don’t need to put it on the charger each night, but I don’t wear it to sleep, and it comes off while I shower, so topping it off at night makes the most sense for me.
