5

Apple Watch Ultra review: A big smartwatch with some little quirks

 1 year ago
source link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-watch-ultra-review-battery-life-compass-gps-hike-130055477.html
Go to the source link to view the article. You can view the picture content, updated content and better typesetting reading experience. If the link is broken, please click the button below to view the snapshot at that time.
neoserver,ios ssh client

Apple Watch Ultra review: A big smartwatch with some little quirks

Cherlynn Low
·Deputy Editor, Reviews
Wed, October 5, 2022, 10:00 PM·13 min read
c4b01300-441c-11ed-bf3f-06c39c3fdb69
Cherlynn Low / Engadget

It’s embarrassing to admit, but I frequently get lost. Even in the middle of well laid-out Manhattan, my friends cannot trust me with directions. So while the idea of wandering in the wilderness with nothing but the stars and a compass to guide me is alluring, I’ve never dared to actually do it. When Apple launched the Watch Ultra and showed off its navigation and compass-based features, I was intrigued. And though I’m not a fan of underwater activities, I was still impressed to learn about the diver-specific features.

But Apple didn’t just design the Watch Ultra for explorers and divers. It also built some special features for endurance athletes, like dual-frequency GPS for more accurate route tracking and pace calculations. The Watch Ultra is packed to the brim with tools for various outdoor use cases, but are all the bells and whistles worth its $800 price?

Design

My immediate thought when I first saw the Watch Ultra was “This is the Cat phone of smartwatches.” It’s a monster truck of a watch. Not only does it have a bigger screen than most wearables on the market, it’s also heavier. The Watch Ultra weighs a whopping 61.3 grams (2.16 ounces), which is almost 20 grams (0.7 ounces) more than Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. Meanwhile, the stainless steel 45mm Series 8, which is the next heaviest Apple Watch, comes in at 51.5 grams (1.81 ounces).

But despite sporting a 49mm screen, the Watch Ultra actually feels less clunky than Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which uses a 45mm titanium case. I found the Watch 5 Pro uncomfortable compared to the Ultra. This is most likely because Samsung’s lugs and band curve in a way that makes it feel like a cuff. Even if you swapped out the band for something thinner, the curve is built into the frame and hugs your wrist like a vice grip.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra’s underside is just like those on the Series 8 and SE. It’s mostly flat with slightly curved edges, and you attach straps by sliding them into a groove. I used the company’s ocean band when I first started testing the Ultra, and its “tubular geometry” (Apple’s words, not mine) is supposed to help it stretch over wetsuits while resisting water.


report

Recommend

About Joyk


Aggregate valuable and interesting links.
Joyk means Joy of geeK