![]() In addition to the regular digital crown and side button (which have been raised and ruggedized so as to be better accessible when wearing gloves), there’s an international orange action button on the opposite side, which can be customized to start and stop workouts or the stopwatch, set a waypoint when hiking, help you retrace your steps if you find yourself lost, start a dive (more on that below), turn on the watch’s “flashlight,” or run a Shortcut that you’ve preprogrammed. The blacks were deep and inky, and while I wouldn’t read a novel on the watch, looking at big, bold notifications was a pleasure. I had no trouble reading its 2000-nit display in bright midday light, and my aging eyes appreciated its larger type. Combine a simple band with the Apple Watch Ultra’s ability to change its face from a USS Enterprise-like data-dense display to a simple, stylish California face, and you have a chunky high-end watch that won’t make you look like a sports bro. And Apple was smart in making sure you can use existing 44mm and 45mm Apple Watch bands instead of just offering the highly conspicuous bands designed for this watch. It’s handsome, with a muted silver finish that will go a long way in not making you look like a jerk with an expensive sports watch on your wrist. It is the quiet professional of Apple Watches. Its bright, always-on screen is easy to glance at and then dismiss. It’s big but doesn’t rest heavily on the wrist. ![]() The Apple Watch Ultra may target adventurers and hardcore athletes, but its real secret, and what I loved about it, is that this “extreme” watch doesn’t feel extreme. (The Apple Watch Series 8 is 45mm and 51.5 grams.) The silver titanium casing helps with the weight, and its graceful curves and flat face help offset the relative height (14.4mm). Yet despite its size - at 49mm and 61.3 grams, it’s larger than any other Apple Watch - it doesn’t feel like a huge, chunky watch. Here’s why I think this is the Apple Watch to buy for those with higher budgets, even if you’re not ready to paraglide off Mount Everest just yet. If you aren’t already on the bandwagon, and decide it’s time to get in better shape or finally want to tackle something like kayaking or scuba diving, the Ultra is here for you. While its lack of workout recovery data is not going to challenge Garmin for the extreme sports enthusiast market just yet, it should cause its competitors to take note. ![]() It even holds the tantalizing promise of replacing your dive computer later this fall. Not only does it offer a significant battery life upgrade over the Apple Watch Series 7 and even the new $399 Series 8, but it also comes with more-precise GPS and features for outdoor enthusiasts like waypoints and an enhanced compass app. In fact, it’s the best smartwatch for someone willing to splurge, despite being oversized, chunky and considerably more expensive ($799) than all the other Apple Watches, save for the luxury Hermes Edition. I’ll cut to the chase: the Apple Watch Ultra is the best Apple Watch you can buy right now. Your CNN account Log in to your CNN account ![]()
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