I am having a tough time deciding which Apple watch to get, I keep going back and forth between the Series 9 and the Ultra 2. I currently have a series 6 that I bought brand new when it came out and the battery capacity is now at 82%. It is also only GPS and I would like to upgrade to a watch with cellular. I originally got the watch at the recommendation of my electrocardiologist for the ECG abilities and I use the health features regularly.
So again, the reason for upgrade is a watch with cellular, but I would also like a better battery life. I am a fairly small woman, and my series 6 is the 44 inch sized screen, I think I could handle going up to larger sizes though. I am not an outdoorsy type of person and when I exercise it is nearly always indoors but I am a little bit seduced by the better battery life of the ultra 2 - especially since I want a cellular watch this time. However, I have seen conflicting information as to whether or not the health data is better on the series 9 or the Ultra 2.
Anyway, this is all to ask, which would you all get? Below is a pic of my current watch on my wrist. Thanks!
What did you decide on?
I think series 9 would totally suit you. I’m a woman and quite tall (171cm) but ultra looks huge on me, and I’m thinking to get Apple Watch 9. Ultra and AW9 share the same fitness features , except that ultra has longer battery and some outdoors stuff like siren and diving ability.
Have you thought about a refurb series 7? You get your quick charging, it doesn’t look massive compared to the Ultra and when you look at price, it’s £799 vs a refurbished Stainless Steel model for about £260. Check out eBay for companies which offer 12 month warrenty with it too. I got quite lucky with mine, I got 20% off bringing it down to £210 and I have the option to renew Apple Care.
You seems to be able to get way more value with the Series than the Ultra. Not to mention, you probably won’t sell your S6 for much so you can use that for sleep tracking while your S7 is on charge.
Back onto the Series 9. In terms of health tracking they have the same metrics but Apple Watch Ultra is a little less accurate when it comes to HR data due to the size and weight of the watch.
I’ve had my Ultra 2 for about 2 weeks now, coming from a S7. Initially I was worried about the size, as my wrists aren’t that big. But it turns out it was a non issue, as it looks great. The best thing is the battery life. I was getting a day of normal use with the S7, but now I get almost 2 and a half days, and it charges up super quick as well, so I’ve had zero worries on that front. I love the extra complications that you get with the ultra, but in all honesty I don’t use mine for those types of outdoor activities. They just look cool. Outside of those dedicated functions, I think they both operate the same, so it’s down to personal preference and what you want to get out of the watch. The price will also play a factor, as it’s a big jump up from the S9! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the upgrade, whichever option you pick.
I went with an Ultra 2 from a series 7. 2 weeks in and by far my favorite design. The flat display allows you to put a glass screen protector on (instead of the flimsy plastic). Might not be as necessary with the sapphire glass… I love the brighter and larger display as well as the titanium housing.
I just got an Ultra 2 and have a Series 6. I love the Ultra series for a few reasons. I am a 44yo engineer/cyclist.
- Flat display, I didn’t think it was a big deal, but I JUST LOVE IT.
- Larger Text. I need reading glasses, and most of the day I don’t need them, the larger display makes reading my watch possible all day, with or without glasses.
- Larger Text. I need reading glasses, and most of the day, I don’t need them; the larger display makes reading my watch possible all day, with or without glasses. I suspect the battery will age a lot slower.
I like the brighter display on the Ultra 2 over the Series 9 and or Series 6, this also comes in handy as a fairly bright flashlight.
If you can tolerate the size, the Ultra 2 will have better sleep tracking because of the temp sensor and battery life.
Love the flat display. It’s just so much more aesthetically pleasing to me. I upgraded from S4 and love my ultra 2 even as a woman with slim wrists. Battery life is great. The size only bothers me at times at night (mainly how thick the watch is) but I hadn’t been wearing a watch to sleep at all before since my s4 didn’t do sleep tracking and battery didn’t last a day in the past few years.
I was where you are but I came from a 6 and just said why not and got the U2 lol most of the features are wasted on me since I don’t dive or hike crazy miles BUT I do run and never regretted it. Just my two cents
I will tell you why I went with ultra (gen 1)…
- price wise it compares to series 9 steel with LTE and the diffère is only about 100 bucks in Canada So really not that much more…
- I liked bigger screen
- I like bigger battery
- I liked better screen brightness
- I like sapphire because I tend to hit all sorts of o f things with my wrist
- I like that is made to play in water and outdoor even if I’m just a weekend warrior for outdoor Titanium is a bonus but it did not weight in on my decision at all. (I have no need for thought outdoor watch)
All in all if money is no object I think it’s worth it. I like mine. No regrets.
I’ve been with a series 4 for five years now, and finally picked up a new one - I got a series 8 (brand new) at a steep discount. From all I read there is very little difference between an 8 & a 9 - so if you decide to not get ultra, it may be worth looking into getting an 8 and saving some money.
If money was no object, Ultra 2. I like premise of a much improved battery life over any other, and likely at least still have minimum one day battery life @ year 6 of the device. But it’s a big price bump, plus paying for a monthly cellular plan over any gps only model.
If you’re even debating this you probably don’t have a strong enough use case to justify the cost of the ultra.
Actually I had planned on the ultra until I heard that the health features didn’t work as well on some reviews. It was my plan because I wanted the better battery life due to wanting cellular. I don’t know anyone personally with either new watch so I came here for opinions. My next stop is to see if I can try on an ultra in store to see if the size and weight will bother me.
If you are into the Adventure lifestyle and/or want a bigger and brighter display, longer battery life, better durability, and/or simply like it (and can afford it), get the Apple Watch Ultra, if not get the regular Apple Watch.