Apple Watch Ultra Review: Worth It Or Nah? 

This watch has an absolutely enormous pull for me as an astronomer. It has a red filter for the display, which is absolutely crucial for astronomy to protect night vision. My current Apple Watch, if I accidentally tilt my wrist, kills my night vision. However, the biggest reason is the waypoint markers. Often us astronomers need to travel far and to remote locations to find darker skies. My closest dark sky area is BEAUTIFUL, but has absolutely zero signal of any degree and can be pretty easy to get lost. Something like the waypoint markers (if accurate and reliable) would massively increase my confidence and enjoyment traveling to remote sites and further my enjoyment of astronomy.

As a person that works in construction, and also wears an Apple Watch every day while working I decided to upgrade from my series 5 to this. Will I ever use the marathon, the hiking or the diving features probably not. But the ruggedness, the battery life, the bright screen, and how big it is all speak to my needs. Keep up the good reviews MKBHD. 👍🏽

The reviews and the visuals to go along with them are always awesome. Appreciate Marques and the team

I really thought the Apple Watch was unnecessary at first but now after owning one I realized it is actually an extremely helpful and practical tool

You've missed out people who work in construction, like me! A more rugged Apple Watch with a bigger battery is hugely useful to me, which is why I ordered one.

Those intros never feel bored.😍 Hats off to the MKBHD editors

One of the best features to me is the flat screen. this makes it easy to put a protective glass on and not notice it. The ability to dive with it is also a big feature for some of us. I have now upgraded to cellular too. The side button does get pressed quite easily tho.

Very good review. I upgraded to the ultra from a 6 for the dive computer. We went on 9 dives with the oceanic App. You have to pay for the extra features of the app but it is very cool. It uploads everything to your phone. You can also add notes like visibility and marine life so you wouldn’t even need a log book anymore. I think 100% worth it for divers.

It seems no matter how crazy a tech can be thrown at mkbhd, he’ll always gonna go back at it with a “pretty good”

Those motion graphics were sick! Well done team, the video intro never disappoints.

I like what you've been doing video presentations. You are zeroing in the important questions and making it easier for the viewer to make a choice relevant to their personal situation and needs. Thank you.

Just bought one. First Apple Watch in years. Always wanted something a little bit more rugged with more battery

The quality of editing in these videos improves every single time, and with such little time between each one!

While I know I will never own this watch, I'll watch anything Marques makes. Always top tier content!

Great review in describing the pros and cons, when it comes to the extra features the Apple Watch Ultra provides. Well done.

The battery life on these are absolutely amazing for an apple product! Even if you aren’t an extreme athlete , it’s still great to have for just busy bodies always on the move.

As a longtime fan, I think the success of this channel lies in empathy: understanding that every product has a specific user in mind, and that different products make sense in different contexts for different people.

As someone who dives recreational, it probably won't replace my dive computer, yet. I am excited to see the next generation on what it can possibly do though. The current Pros I see: -Automatically log your dives if you do electronic dive logs -Share your dives with everyone else -Perhaps gives you more tangible feedback if you're ascending or descending too quickly, like bigger vibrations. Sometimes hearing the beeps in the ocean is quite hard What I hope it can do in the future: -GPS tracking of all of your dive buddies and group (if they wear the Ultra or some water-proof AirTag. There were moments where I dove with only 1m of visibility, so it can be hard to track anyone down there. If they had a radar display or an arrow that points where your dive buddy is and how far, that'll be neat).

To show how good this video his I was watching, slept, woke up and continued for 5 hours. Bro I couldn't even close the YT app. Excellent production bro. Man you and your crew are too good.

I just bought one a couple days ago. And I love it. I’m not a diver or climber or anything like that, so most of the features don’t really apply to me, but I love how big it is. And it actually makes me want to get out and run/exercise. When the weather gets a bit warmer, I’ll definitely be using the watch to more of its capabilities

As an ultra runner and an alpinist I've been waiting for this watch for quite some time. I love my series 7 but would have to put it in "theater" mode to extend the life over my ultras and even then it would die soon after the end of the run. I was about to order a Garmin when I got wind that Apple was making a watch for ultra athletes. They knocked it out of the park for the ultra athlete with this watch. For alpine settings we frequently get an "alpine start" when summiting a big mountain. Start around midnight, and climb all night to try and catch the sunrise. This extended battery life, red filter, and waypoints are perfect for big mountains. The only thing missing (which i'm sure will make it in the future) is the emergency satellite communication that iPhone 14 has.

The quality of these videos are insane, I feel like I’m watching an apple showcase. You even go on a trail just to show one of the features. Insane dedication. Love u mkbhd

Great and detailed review. Much appreciated! Thank you for taking the time to make it!

@MKBHD... regarding the option of having it in BLACK. It can be completely Anodized with "Type 2 anodizing" which build a thick oxidized layer on a very dark grey look into it, with the plus of adding "wear or scratch resistance". in my opinion to add this look actually would be pretty neat! but is up to apple to decide!

It's certainly an impressive watch, but I think most people will get it purely for the battery and increased screen brightness. Hopefully this trickles down to the regular watches in the future...

Yo! Man, I just want to say how supremely impressive your videos are. You cover every logical angle and your production value is equally pro. Outstanding work sir.

always with excellent reviews, thanks.

Just got the watch today so watching this has been a great help, many thanks

The production quality of your videos keep getting better and better. Love it.

The most compelling part, for me, is that it’s not really much more expensive for all you get extra. A stainless Apple Watch with their version of a sapphire crystal is already in that territory. You might as well get the one that does it all unless the size is just a no go. Giant watches are still popular, so it’s not as striking as you might think, but natural titanium’s finish is kind of more ‘rugged’ looking than classy on a watch. Titanium should anodize well, but the colors don’t pop the same way they do on aluminum. I keep looking for a reason to grab a smart watch, but… still waiting for a key feature like a glucose monitor or something. They’ve made it an interesting device, but there’s nothing on it I absolutely need. For this much money and considering it’s outdated in two-three years, it’s just still more of a luxury than a real necessity and I love tech.

Tbh this was is appealing simply because of the battery increase. Personally, I’d take a slightly chunkier watch for an extra while day of battery any day. My main gripe with my Apple Watch (45mm series 7 aluminum) is that if I wear it all day and sleep with it, the next day it is almost dead, and I have to charge it before going about my day. The 2 day life would be amazing

I ve got one for my husband as a birthday gift . He is not adventurous hiker or scuba diver the reason why i got this that he LOVED the design . He had been going to apple store and put the watch on Lol. He is very happy now . I hope he ll use it for hiking or any activities. 😅

Hearing Voices by 20syl come up and knowing that there will be an epic intro sequence is just so... You! Keep up the great work, Marques and co!

I’m an endurance cyclist and I have both an Apple Watch for everyday use and a Garmin Fenix Solar for trainig and workouts. I would have loved the Apple Watch Ultra to replace the two devices for someone like me, but it’s missing a few key features: 1] ANT+ and BT LE Sensor Connectivity for things like my rear radar (Garmin Varia) unit or my power meter pedals. 2] Broadcast HR data to other devices like my computer when I’m doing indoor cycling on a turbo trainer (like while using ZWIFT) or to a head unit on my bike when I cycle outdoors. 3] More performance and training analytics like Garmin Connect does which helps guide your workouts and training sessions to gauge your weekend load. 4] A few more buttons in addition to the touchscreen like the Fenix/EPIX/Enduro since a constantly moving wrist makes it hard to use a touchscreen soley (not to mention sweaty or wet fingers). This is a great first iteration for Apple to recruit someone like me full time to an Apple Watch, but with those four reasons above and a few more minor ones I’ll have to wait to see what Watch Ultra 2 brings to the table.

Finally I became the use case for this watch! I am training for an ultra marathon and I did a 13mi trail run last weekend... I came home with my SE at 25% and realized it was time. This watch is truly leaps and bounds ahead. My wife also loves that I have many protection features if I get lost out on the trail. It's pricey but data for training is invaluable for me improving my runs so I don't really care. I can also bang it on anything and the watch will be the last thing to deny in any situation. Great buy, do recommend to the right folks.

I just bought the Ultra 2, but not for any of the athlete stuff or anything, but for the larger more usable screen, battery and for the more premium looking design that separates the watch from the other standard ones.

The Apple Watch Ultra has a very specific target audience, it’s great if you’re a pro athlete, but someone like me who’d never need any of these features… still wants it.

I am really interested in this watch because of the longer battery life, the compass and the red light filter. While I understand that battery life is pretty limited on the normal apple watch, I find that the compass app and the filter are things they definitely could add. I am not into any extreme sports though, so I cannot justify buying an apple watch ultra.

Just discovering your channel, really nice review here. Also a former Ultimate player. Ankles and knees can't handle it anymore though. I miss those days. Plenty of rockstar moments, full field throws, and behind the back arcs into end zones. Much love.

I am a pilot. I can see this thing being really useful for us. The red dial is really good for protecting your night vision, which is very important for night flying. The longer battery life would be really good for long-haul flights as well.

Nice review. Upgrading my 6 Edition to this mainly for that L1 + L5 GPS tech. As an avid runner, I always felt Apple Watch was behind the Garmins etc. in distance/pace tracking but obviously exceeded those running-specific watches in daily livability. Looking forward to workouts with this thing.

Marques, I think you hit the nail on the head with your explanation. I recently completed a half Ironman and my Apple Watch died with 4 miles left on the run. Also, the new button to press transitioning from each portion of the race would be way easier than having to end the workout and start a new one with wet/sweaty fingers.

Thanks for the review! You’ve just convinced me to get on if I get some good news soon.

Excellent video . And great explanation of everything. I work outside as well and the durability ruggedness upgrades makes it worth buying and upgrading from my series 5 to this one in the near future.

My two cents as someone who is into watches (specifically mechanical watches): -This seems to be Apple's equivalent of a "field watch"; it's not specialized in any specific task but overall is rugged and can take a beating -100 meters of water resistance actually isn't super impressive for a dive watch. Most dive watches are rated to at least 200 meters. -Apple seems to be borrowing a marketing tactic from the rest of the watch industry by endorsing real athletes and professionals so that buyers can feel a little bit closer to their heroes (Rolex with Jaques Cousteau, Tag Heuer and Richard Mille in racing, Omega and the moon landing, etc.)

Before I purchased my series 7 graphite I tried a garmin. For me, Apple hit a sweet spot. I was already ready to pay this premium and I wanted something more rugged and had a longer battery. I’m hoping it arrives before this camping trip this weekend. 🙏🏽 keeping my series 7 for other occasions. Apple knew exactly what to give us and leave us wanting more. It’s “another” Apple Watch.

Your production quality always amazes me

Really great revuew, Bought watch, based on this review (and my wife's insistence). Thank you. Been a long time since I saw one of your reviews but you rock. Thank you!

The production of Marques’ videos are just excellent. This isn’t related to the topic, but thank you for your dedication to making your subscribers such wonderful content Marques

This was one of, if not, the best review of a piece of tech I’ve seen. Can’t believe how far he’s come. Incredible video man!

I am willing to bet you could use the Apple Watch as a complete dive computer replacement with Tank PSI integration. There are a bunch of wireless dive computers already. A developer or Dive gear company would just have to make a tank pressure transmitter that would communicate wirelessly with the Apple Watch Ultra. That would actually be incredibly cool and at $799 a rather inexpensive dive computer.

The opening animation could be easily mistaken for an Apple Watch Ultra ads, such amazing quality!

Hey Marques, if you're really after making it black, check out DLC (diamond-like coating). Uses a carbon coating with a Rockwell hardness above that of common metals to provide a scratch-resistant coating. Extremely popular for folding knives and EDC gear.

I have one of these Ultra watches and I completely agree with this video. It’s capabilities are definitely over kill for me. I would have been fine with the regular Iwatch. I hit the gym often and it is nice that it tracks everything for me but I don’t plan on hiking up a mountain, or diving in the ocean.

yours is by far the bast tech review channel!

I’m a watch enthusiast and a marathon runner. So the industrial design, the long battery and the running screen with all the info on at once tip the balance for me. Will wear it for the London marathon on October 2nd and see how it goes!

I have a series 5 and was looking to finally upgrade this generation, but had no idea there was an Ultra in the works. The main reason I preordered it instead of the series 8 is for the longer battery life and how rugged it is. I was looking at Garmin too for their super long battery life, but I like the LTE with the Apple Watch as that is only available like on one Garmin model.

Dope review as always. Glad I watched this. I was ready to purchase it at Costco today. In fact I already ordered a metal band for it. Oops. I felt I needed to do a little more research before pulling the trigger. So glad I did. Turns out the Ultra would be overkill for me. Going to pickup the 8 instead. Thanks MKBHD!

Yet another in a long line of fantastic videos. I honestly don’t think I buy anything before checking your channel first. Lee em coming - oh and dope catch!

As an avid hiker and fitness enthusiast I was drawn to the Ultra. While the battery life is a key feature for me, it’s the ruggedness and lightweight body sold it for me. I didn’t preorder at launch as I wanted to try it out and see how it looked. It’s a big watch and I have skinny wrists but I didn’t find it to be “too” big. It arrives in two days…so excited!

I have a lot of 20syl and AllttA music in my playlist, and I always get excited when I hear one of their tracks in these videos 🔥

I kind of want an ultra but it seems so bulky. I currently have a 7 and the main reason I would upgrade to an ultra is the battery life and it does look cool. It’ll sure this is hella overkill for me though 😂, might just wait to see if they release a new watch this year and go with that

Love your reviews. Honest and very helpful

MKBHD videos always have this professional feel to them. Other tech youtubers, even ones I like such as LTT, feel mass produced, but each of MKBHD and The Studio videos feel focused and like they have an extremely high production value. Anytime I click on a video from this team I know I am always going to get an enjoyable, visually appealing video with little to no bias towards a product. I love LTT but it’s clear Linus has some biases towards certain brands, Marques never gives off that vibe and it absolutely makes the video more enjoyable. I don’t feel like I’m being told that I need to buy the product he’s showcasing

There are several things I love about this watch, Thanks for the review your perspective is always valuable as a tool for tech purchases I'm considering. I'm upgrading from a series 5 to the Ultra.

You do some of the best reviews for Apple on the internet! I would you are #1 by far! 🙏 for doing what you do and speaking so we can understand you! 🫡 from a retired Navy Vet living in 🇬🇷🙌🏼🤛🏼👏🏼💪🏼 thank you brother!

My series 4 watch battery 🪫 dies pretty quick now, if I dont charge it one night it’s pretty much dead the next day which it sucks whenever I go camping for the weekend I have to bring my charger for it as well, plus the bigger screen definitely looks nice

MKBHD always gets my head out of the clouds and pulls me back into reality when I get too excited about a new piece of tech! 😁

Being a pilot I was super excited when I saw this watch. With the altimeter, compass, gps, emergency features, and the red night mode for night flights, this watch brings so much to aviation that the normal Apple Watch doesn’t have. However, knowing what Garmin does for aviation watches I was a little disappointed they didn’t have an angle for flying. Garmin gives you weather updates (METAR) and knows what airport you are at based on its identifier (KSBA). Apple could have worked a little harder to make this an aviation watch and it would be the most complete watch ever. All around though this watch looks still extremely useful for aviation and I will most likely be upgrading to it.

Apple needs to sign you. Or somebody, ur soooo good with content and delivery along with the picture. You Keep my attention, and your voice is soothing.😂❤

It’s all up to each person to determine wether the purchase of this watch is worth it to them. In my opinion it’s bigger, has a few more features, longer battery, more durable, and I think I was looking for something more that stood out. To me my current Apple Watch will suffice until something truly unique to me stands out and I cannot justify spending $800 on this watch when my significant other purchased one for about $500 for me as a Christmas present not even two years ago. Excellent review btw, I found this helpful.

I just received the new ultra and the size is not a surprise from a 45mm. I like the overall look, but the battery is what I'm waiting to see if it's going to do it for me. I can't wait for that software update that is suppose to add more battery life as well. The durability is what got me looking at this one as well. I banged up my series 7 the glass around the curve was always taking hits. I like the flat top with the protective rim of the ultra. It feels heavier to me than a 45mm. When I put it on I was like .... ok I thought the weight was not a thing, but it is noticeable.

From a diving perspective, once it can measure all the aspects needed for diving and replace my dive computer, I’m much more interested. It shouldn’t be too hard to do considering my current high pressure monitor is wireless.

I love your channel. Keep up the good work!

I grabbed it to test against my Garmin dive board / nab board. First HAHO jump in Yuma was flawless really impressed.

Apple has really upped their game with this watch, I am impressed! However, I am an avid Garmin Fenix 7x user and previous 6x owner. I know the Ultra should be compared to the Epix 2, based on battery life and screen, but I opted for the bigger and better for longevity. I think Apple is on the right track if their goal is to keep/gain even the extreme adventurer interested. I must say I am really digging the look of this Ultra and would love to see where they go with it. There are some small features on the Ultra I wish would be on the Fenix, but it goes both ways. Even though the Fenix 7x is a little overkill for my uses, it still brings an app that is as capable on Android as it is on iOS. It's not an amoled screen, but its still touch capable and the reflective display is super readable in sunlight and adds to the overall 28 day average batter life. Fenix 7x is a watch I know I can also make last 5 years minimum, with features that will be as strong then as they are now.

I’m definitely going to be picking this one up solely for the more durable build. I’ll use some of the new features as well but the larger beefier case by itself makes it worth it to me. Also as a side note, digging the use of the Peter McKinnon puzzle box in the pic 😏

Your reviews are the absolute best! I know that your opinion just really is based on facts

I've been wearing my Apple watch series 3 for the past 4ish years and it still receives updates and works excellent. The only thing on it which is starting to dwindle in power is the battery. Even still, it lasts about 1.5 days. I've been thinking about updating soon as I just recently also bought an iPhone 14 pro. I'm also going to be purchasing the newest M2 MacBook for college, so I might update/upgrade my watch while I'm at it.

Middle of nowhere, LOVE it! Gotta say that the sketch was perfect and clearly shows who this Apple Watch Ultra is built for. Off to listen to the podcast since I wanted to know exactly what you brought them in for. What do the experts in their respective fields think and even if the scuba support has zero relevance to most of us that doesn’t mean it’s not a valid design element.

20syl and MKBHD is Always Gonna be the Best Intro for sure!

Great review! I really appreciate how in-depth you have gone. It helped me to feel confident in my purchase decision. Thank you!

As someone who purchased their first apple watch series 8, I have been loving it so much, and dont see a need to upgrade anytime soon, until it breaks. Very much looking forward to see to future of apple watch.

I decided to charge my ultra and run it till the battery was dead. I performed my normal use, a few phone calls. Texting, daily work outs and kept on normal power mode and always on display. I got exactly 54 hours and 10 minutes. Big improvement!!!

I have the series 4 and used it everyday including sleep tracking, and yes, I have to charge it as soon as I get home from work and when I wake up. The new low power mode makes it last a lot longer which is a bonus, especially since the battery health is at 83% now. This new Apple Watch Ultra battery is amazing, but also heaps more expensive. I think Apple should improve the battery life for the regular Apple Watch, it would make it more attractive.

Very impressed woth the battery. Took it off it’s charger on Thursday morning used it as normal. Didn’t ever engage low power mode. Sunday morning still on 15%. Not bad !

what a great review, just perfect!

I'm very interested to see how well the battery holds up long term, my Series 4 apple watch barely lasts a full day now but when I got it, it would last a day and a half with my usage. Great video Marques!

The Ultra looks good, but there are some things I am still concerned about. The touchscreen of my current Applewatch becomes intermittently unresponsive when wet. As a swimmer/triathalete it is very frustrating. The option to use touch or buttons on the Garmin 955 is appealing. Additionally, I like the ability of the Garmin to show me structured workouts either from Garmin Connect,Training Peaks, or HumanGo.

Just ordered mine before the review haha thank God it’s a good review 😅

I have had mine for only a week and I love it. Looks beautiful, the brightness is INSANE, Little bulky at first but you get use to it since the watch is so light. The watch is very responsive compared to the 5 I upgraded from. It’s a major upgrade from that far back. Battery is going on day 3 now with minimal use. Can’t wait to start messing with the diving and hiking aspects when it’s nicer out

Honestly mainly interested in this for the battery life. Especially with the sleep tracking being updated so much right before this release I feel like something that lasts this long is the only way to get accurate info on that and the ruggedness as well I use my current Apple Watch to track and it’s definitely got some battle scars

Casio Pro Trek is my tried and true watch ! Currently I have my Apple Watch 7, which is my fitness & daily driver ; and the Timex expedition, which charges via solar ( but no gps or receivers) and use when I’m at work, rugged outdoors or even diving. For me it boils down to , how much tech do I need for the moment . I’m excited to eventually get the Ultra and test it myself… Still got to keep my Casio though, it’s been through ALOT and still works .

Your intros and presentation are the reason why you’re the 🐐

This is the first smart watch that has gotten my attention. I do wear a number of automatic watches and I'm a big G-Shock fan as well, all of which I own are solar. Both of these don't rely on replacing batteries and that's something that sticks out for a number of watch people. Unfortunately I think the only two things that will keep me from buying it is that I can't get a Bluetooth/Wifi only model and it's still largely a novelty because my career does not allow me to use it while working. It is very cool though. I just can't see paying for cellular service for a watch and there would never be a time that I could be wearing this watch that I don't also have my iPhone on me.

Even as a non Apple user the watch looks very impressive. Great features and a LOVELY screen. Shame you cannot use standard watch straps like you can with some other smart watches.

That battery life is UNBELIEVABLE!!! I play football and basketball and the way you used your Apple Watch is exactly how I would as a weekend sports watch. AMAZING!!!

Excellent review! I've been a Google Pixel fan boy for many years, but I absolutely love this watch. I don't have the biggest wrists and I'm not a big fan of IOS but this watch has me thinking.

Such a solid review. Thank you!

Great review, as always, Marques. Only thing I'd emphasize more is the incredible improvement in sound quality for anybody considering leaving their iPhone at home, occasionally, and relying on the "Ultra" as a standalone phone. With my Watch 7 -- tooling along in a Jeep with mud-terrain tires -- there was no way to keep hands positioned on steering wheel and hear what the person on the other end of the line was saying. Now, for me, that's totally doable. The "Ultra" is advertised as "40% louder," but it seems twice as loud a previous Apple Watches.