Video Review: Apple Watch Ultra After a Year

Apple's bigger, more expensive Apple Watch Ultra has been out for nearly a year now, and with a second-generation version on the horizon, MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera decided to do a long term review and take a look back at what it's been like using the current model since last September.


Measuring in at 49mm, the Apple Watch Ultra is the largest Apple Watch that's come out to date. Apple marketed it toward people who need something that can handle more extreme activities than the standard Apple Watch, and it has better durability and features for more specialized endeavors like diving and hiking.

The titanium material has held up well, though there are some small scratches and scuffs. The screen has remained scratch free, and in Dan's case, it was able to resist scratching better than the standard Apple Watch models.

Battery life is one of the major selling points of the Apple Watch Ultra, and it is easily able to last for two to three days. On an average day, Dan hits about 70 or 80 percent battery at the end of the day. The long battery life is worth the extra weight and bulk of the Ultra for those who prioritize battery.

The Action Button is another Apple Watch Ultra exclusive feature, but it has limited functionality on the Apple Watch. It can start a dive, a workout, or execute compass functions like setting a way point, but there aren't a lot of options beyond that for those who don't use the Apple Watch Ultra for those activities. It can, however, activate any Shortcut, which is the most useful way to get more out of it.

If you're thinking about buying an Apple Watch Ultra with the upgrade this year, it's worth it for the larger display and the battery life, so long as you don't mind the size and bulk of the larger casing.

Make sure to watch Dan's full video to get his complete overview, and let us know how the Apple Watch Ultra has worked out for you if you already have one.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Ultra 3
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iOS 26.1 Beta Liquid Glass Battery Drain Test: Tinted vs Clear Mode

Friday October 24, 2025 2:30 pm PDT by
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing. Test Settings I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Says U.S. Passport Feature on iPhone is Coming Soon

Monday October 27, 2025 7:41 am PDT by
You will "soon" be able to add a digital version of your U.S. passport to your iPhone, according to Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. Bailey reiterated that the feature is coming soon during her keynote at the Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Sunday. On its iOS 26 page, Apple says the delayed feature will be "coming later this year." Apple's...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

iPhone XX? 6 Features Rumored for Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday October 27, 2025 4:01 pm PDT by
For the 10th anniversary iPhone that came out in 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X with Face ID, notch, and minimized bezels, providing more display space than ever before. The 20th iPhone anniversary is approaching and Apple wants to take the iPhone X design even further. We're two years away from the 2027 iPhone, but it's tough for Apple to keep major changes under wraps. We've rounded...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...

Top Rated Comments

macsplusmacs Avatar
29 months ago
Product of the Year (2022-2023) for me for sure.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
29 months ago
I love my Apple Watch Ultra. The battery life has been amazing.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HorstBockman Avatar
29 months ago

Buy a Rolex and keep it for a lifetime.
Buy an Apple Watch and another a few years later and another and another and another.
It’s the  way.
Better yet: invest that Rolex money in AAPL and use the earnings to buy a new Ultra and iPhone Pro MAX every year.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
29 months ago
It's been my favorite Apple Watch by far. A really underrated feature is the 2,000 nits of brightness. You can easily see the screen in the harshest sun, and I didn't fully appreciate that until I put on my Series 7 Apple Watch one day and had trouble using it outside.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
surfzen21 Avatar
29 months ago

Product of the Year (2022-2023) for me for sure.
Agree.

Best tech purchase Ive made in years.

I'm more likely to upgrade this over a phone in the future. If I get the 15 Pro, I can see holding onto it for 4-5 years but I'd upgrade my AWU every 2-3.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tdar Avatar
29 months ago
I have worn an Apple Watch since version two. And my ultra is the best watch I have ever owned. It’s just a great watch!
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)