5 reasons I bought the Apple Watch Ultra 2 instead of the Series 10

Initially, I was planning to skip buying a new Apple Watch in 2024. My Series 6 was working well enough, even if it wasn’t the fastest or brightest model anymore, and its battery life was shrinking. I also wasn’t overwhelmed by the Apple Watch Series 10, so I figured it would make more sense to wait another year, especially to see what a now-delayed Ultra 3 might bring.

That changed a few days after I installed watchOS 11. The Series 6’s battery seemed to evaporate, forcing me to switch on Low Power Mode just to make it to the end of the day. Luckily, though, I managed to find a refurbished Apple Watch Ultra 2 for a few hundred dollars off — aside from price, though, here’s why I chose a 2023 device over Apple’s latest and greatest.

1 Battery life for long trips and workout days

No more living on the edge

Battery life was always my biggest gripe with the Series 6. Even when its battery was healthy, I’d end weightlifting days with about 20% power or less. The product was launched before Apple added fast charging support, too, so there was often little choice but to wear the watch all day and charge overnight. That might not sound like a big deal — and it wasn’t, for the most part — but I like having juice in reserve for emergencies, and when nights went long, all I could do was flip on Low Power Mode and hope for the best.

Low Power was an absolute necessity for travel. I don’t travel frequently, but when I do, it tends to involve three- or four-hour flights paired with smaller hops. I can spend whole days in transit, and my Series 6 wasn’t keeping up without switching on Low Power for at least an hour or two. No one should have to cripple features on a $400-plus smartwatch to make it through 24 hours.

In that sense, the Ultra 2 has the battery life I feel every Apple Watch should have — enough for at least two straight days, workouts included, possibly three or four if I take it easy. Anecdotes suggest the Series 10 has better longevity than my Series 6, but a minor improvement isn’t compelling when you’re stretching the limits.

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2 Durability for extreme activities

Fragility means anxiety

Let’s be clear — for most people, the Ultra 2’s ruggedness is overkill. It has a titanium chassis, a sapphire screen, and enough waterproofing that you can dive to 40 meters (about 131 feet). None of these things are essential for a neighborhood jog or a pool swim, much less dropping your kid off at school.

Personally, though, I take my weightlifting pretty seriously, so one of my constant concerns is that I’m going to smash or scrape my watch in the gym. On top of that, I’ve started riding electric unicycles in recent months. Even with wrist guards, I need a tough watch (paired with a case) to ensure it’ll survive any crashes. The Ultra 2 gives me all-around peace of mind.

You can upgrade the Series 10 to a model with titanium and sapphire, but if you want a version with a 46mm screen, you’re looking at spending $749. That’s only $50 less than a new Ultra 2, and a refurbished one is, of course, far cheaper.

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3 Sleep tracking (and other overnight uses)

Getting the most out of a smartwatch

Sleep tracking can sometimes be little more than a perk with smartwatches, but I knew that if I bought a Series 10, there was a chance I’d never bother with the feature. Series-level Apple Watches need to be charged twice a day to deal with the battery drain, which for me is inconvenient at best, and sometimes impossible. Wearing an Ultra, overnight battery is never a concern as long as I charge for 30-45 minutes every day or two.

As it turns out, Apple’s sleep tracking is more useful than I expected. I’m discovering just how much sleep I’m really getting, and what’s depriving me on some nights. Typically, it’s a matter of anxious dreams — there’s often a lot of REM activity before I wake up prematurely. Getting to bed earlier and/or taking more melatonin has boosted my energy levels and gym recovery.

There are other advantages to a watch that lasts overnight, such as a flashlight whenever I need it, and silent alarms so I don’t wake up my wife. With watchOS 11, I also get access to Overnight Vitals, letting me know if I’m sick, too hot or cold, or dealing with chronic conditions. So far, Apple’s heart rate and sleep apnea warnings haven’t triggered — knock on wood.

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4 An ultra-bright display

No pun intended, I swear

A memory that sticks out for me is wearing my then-new Series 6 on a trip to Disney World. Apple touted its display as brighter than ever at 1,000 nits, but out in the Florida sun, it still looked pretty dim. This wasn’t great when I needed to check the time or the weather quickly.

The Series 10 can get twice as bright at 2,000 nits, but the Ultra 2 peaks at a whopping 3,000. There’s no amount of sun that can drown it out, and with a large battery, it can keep that brightness going for as long as it needs to. I’m counting on my Ultra to deliver the next time I travel close to the equator, which will probably mean visiting friends and family in Texas.

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5 Putting more content onscreen

Improving at-a-glance convenience

While the Series 10 technically has a larger display area, it uses a lower resolution. Simply put, the Ultra 2 can show you more content in some circumstances, the highlight for me being the Workout app. I’ve been able to add a Max HR metric to my strength training readout, which gives me a better sense of whether I’m pushing too hard, or not hard enough.

The Ultra also enjoys two unique high-resolution watchfaces, Modular Ultra and Wayfinder. I was always interested in using those, since a denser watchface means more info at a glance, and less time spent fumbling with apps. I almost always use Modular Ultra, in fact, since it crams in a surprising amount of data and shortcuts while remaining stylish. It makes the Series 10’s display look like a waste of space.