Apple just stunned the world unveiling a new Apple Watch Ultra alongside the Apple Watch 8 at its Far Out event.
But with Apple having rushed through the launch, leaving key details like both Watches’ specs up in the air, you may have struggled to keep track of what exactly is different between the two. Here to help we’ve created this early versus guide detailing the biggest differences between the two based on the information Apple’s released.
Make sure to keep checking this page as we’ll update it as new information about the Apple Watch 8 and Apple Watch Ultra becomes available. We’ll also update with our definitive verdict later in the year once we’ve had the two in for testing and have had a chance to check their features and performance in the real world.
Apple Watch 8
The Apple Watch Ultra has a very different design
The Apple Watch 8 looks very similar to past Apple Watches, featuring a pebble shaped main chassis, crown control and variable refresh rate OLED screen.
The Ultra has a slightly different design. Specifically, it’s been designed to be far more rugged featuring a large 49mm case that’s built of Titanium and can survive at extreme sub zero temperatures and heats as high as 139 degrees.
The chassis also has a larger bezel that wraps around the Ultra’s flat sapphire glass screen. The wider bezel aims to help protect the screen from damage when engaging in extreme sports, like mountain climbing. Apple also claims it’s “twice as water resistant” as the base Apple Watch 8 which has a 50 ATM water resistance.
The Ultra’s larger chassis also features an extra speaker and 3 mic setup which Apple claims is louder and offers clearer voice audio during calls than the base Apple Watch 8. The screen is also quoted as being twice as bright featuring a quoted 2000 nit max brightness. To put that in context that makes it twice as bright as some of the best TVs we test.
As a final major differentiator, the Ultra features an extra “action” button that you won’t find on the base Apple Watch 8. Housed in the crown this is a customisable control that can be set to enact various actions. At the event Apple showed it being used to change sport when engaged in a multisport activity and activate a custom siren, which Apple claims is loud enough to be heard 80m away.
Apple Watch Ultra action button
The Ultra features longer battery and a more advanced GPS
The Ultra also features “the longest battery” ever seen in an Apple Watch, with the firm quoting it as offering 36 hours regular use (GPS) and 60 hours if you take advantage of the wearable’s new low power mode. The Watch 8 by comparison only features a quoted “all day” battery life.
GPS and sports tracking is also more advanced on the Ultra. For starters it features more advanced distance tracking featuring an advanced compass with “precision views” for things like your campsite and a track back feature. The latter works like the feature we tested on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and uses the more advanced GPS to automatically plot markers on your route that you can then follow back if lost.
Outside of this they share the same core internals
Despite the design differences, outside of its fitness tracking services the Ultra and Watch 8 share the same core DNA. Both run using the same silicon and WatchOS 9 software. This means you’ll get the same consumer app library and wellness features on both. Highlights include advanced heart rate monitoring, ECG and Blood Oxygen tracking, plus Apple’s new woman’s health/fertility temperature tracking as well as fall and crash detection.
You will have to wait longer for the Apple Watch Ultra
The Apple Watch Ultra is set to launch after the base Apple Watch 8, despite both being available for pre-order now. Specifically it will ship on 23 September carrying a retail price of $799. The Apple Watch 8 will ship on 16 September with pricing starting from $399 for the Bluetooth model, and $499 for the cellular option.
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