Love to hear it. It's really great hearing stories how the Apple Watch has helped people get and stay fit.
My only real gripe with the Ultra is when I do push ups, the digital crown hits my wrist and activates Siri.
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Returning the Ultra? [MERGED]
- Thread starter durangojim
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My only real gripe with the Ultra is when I do push ups, the digital crown hits my wrist and activates Siri.
I know some of you folks may think it is blasphemy but I have found the Ultra, a year in, to be kind of 'meh'... It is great at what it does, and the battery is great for an Apple Watch, but it has become a device I use, and has less of the 'oh wow' that some apple products have.
I put on my titanium series 7 the other day, and was struck by the charm and beauty of it. I used it for a day, enjoyed the heck out of it, and then put the Ultra on the next day because the battery is just so much better.
No 'oh wow", I knew I was going to have a longer day, and needed the battery capacity...so there it was.
But, that is why we have choices. Happy it is here, but wondering if the series 10 knocks our socks off.
I put on my titanium series 7 the other day, and was struck by the charm and beauty of it. I used it for a day, enjoyed the heck out of it, and then put the Ultra on the next day because the battery is just so much better.
No 'oh wow", I knew I was going to have a longer day, and needed the battery capacity...so there it was.
But, that is why we have choices. Happy it is here, but wondering if the series 10 knocks our socks off.
I picked up the Ultra 2 with ocean band yesterday to upgrade my old Series 4. I still don't know if I like it yet or not and I'm on the fence with returning for a Series 9. It is a beast of a watch and somewhat uncomfortable and very heavy compared to the standard Apple Watch. I have smaller wrists too, but I'll give it more time though. I also have the trail loop band on order so I'm hoping a lighter band will help. I mainly wanted this watch for two reasons.
1. To future proof myself as much as possible. If I can get 5+ years out of it like I did with my old Series 4, I would be happy.
2. The ruggedness of it is appealing as my job is not a desk job and I've scratched my old series 4 a few times working with my hands and not even realizing it. Not bad scratches, but enough to notice the hairline scratches in the glass after 5 years. A few are deeper than others.
So I will give it some more time to keep trying it out. I hope it will grow on me, but I'm not sure.
1. To future proof myself as much as possible. If I can get 5+ years out of it like I did with my old Series 4, I would be happy.
2. The ruggedness of it is appealing as my job is not a desk job and I've scratched my old series 4 a few times working with my hands and not even realizing it. Not bad scratches, but enough to notice the hairline scratches in the glass after 5 years. A few are deeper than others.
So I will give it some more time to keep trying it out. I hope it will grow on me, but I'm not sure.
A really valid and serious point, often a quick glance at my AWU will tell me if I actually need to get my phone out or not.
And simple things like checking weather or messages don’t need the phone.
Moving from using a Garmin when I ran to having a more detailed view on my health and fitness has been a great move.
As you say I like the metrics so easily to hand regardless of whether I’m running, walking the dog or simply out and about.
Indeed, especially when using the Modular Ultra face as it displays so much information. I think I could easily go a full day without my phone now that I have a celluar watch.
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Exactly this. I see people in bars and coffee shops, pulling their phones out all the time to check for messages etc. I don’t have to do that as any notifications or messages that come through is a quick flick of the wrist to see what it is.
It’s exactly the same with Apple Pay. The number of times I see people pulling their phones out then unlocking their phones and double pressing a button to make a payment. With the watch, it’s press one button twice and a flick of the wrist and payment is made.
You should be doing pushups on your knuckles.
The bend in the wrist is bad for wrist health. Imagine trying to bench press with a bent wrist. 🥲
best is to buy those shorter parallets that calisthenic athletes use and out them at a slight angle for pushups. this way you close fist and also get deeper pushups. I pushup this way and no pain or injuries since.
I finally got the Ultra 2. I wanted to try the Ultra last year but talked myself out of it because of the size and got the AW8 45mm. The AW8 is a great watch and quickly became my favorite Apple device.
I have 165mm wrists, with a height of around 2.1 inches. As the Ultra 2 has a height of 1.93 inches, I decided to try it. And I am glad I did. It’s quite large and it looks large on my wrist but in spite of that, it doesn’t look bad. Large, but not ridiculous. I am 90% sure that I am going to keep it. I could have gotten $320 from BB as a trade in but I decided to keep it for those times when I want a smaller watch. It already looks really small to me and when I first got it last year it looked huge because I’ve never worn a watch that big.
The only thing that makes me think of returning it is the price tag. I could probably wait a few months and get a decent sale on it around the holidays.
I have 165mm wrists, with a height of around 2.1 inches. As the Ultra 2 has a height of 1.93 inches, I decided to try it. And I am glad I did. It’s quite large and it looks large on my wrist but in spite of that, it doesn’t look bad. Large, but not ridiculous. I am 90% sure that I am going to keep it. I could have gotten $320 from BB as a trade in but I decided to keep it for those times when I want a smaller watch. It already looks really small to me and when I first got it last year it looked huge because I’ve never worn a watch that big.
The only thing that makes me think of returning it is the price tag. I could probably wait a few months and get a decent sale on it around the holidays.
I usually do but I currently have a sprained finger and it’s quite uncomfortable.
I have to say I didn't expect browsing on this kind of device, and the app-based approach of the watch is overall superior in the context, so on the news update side that's where I'd focus -- apps. Apple News or other such stuff.
But much more importantly for you I think is the text. The thing is, the watch fully supports the swipe-type form of texting first debuted on Android a decade ago, and it does so astonishingly accurately given the small size of the display. That's where I'd go; it has turned out to be surprisingly handy. You don't need to be thinking about pressing virtual keys to within a millimeter or two of accuracy; if you learn swipe type, which is effectively commensurate with touch-typing but dragging your finger around the screen in the touch type sequence, that's what makes it useful. Also impressive is how effectively it manages phone calling; it has saved me from missing important phone calls a lot.
My frustration with it is that the fitness monitoring and battery life are still well behind Garmin, and it's almost purely because of primitive software, not the very mature-feeling and well-specced hardware. Apple could integrate things far better into a single app, but they don't; they could under clock the processor much more aggressively in power-saving modes, but they don't; they could make data-sharing work much more smoothly but so far they haven't.
After one week with the ultra 2, I sent it back. My series 7 cellular still had decent battery life. The action button I tried out. Didn’t find any real use for it and finally just turned it off. I checked the speakers on both, and there was not much of any of a difference. For me I’ll just wait it out another year and see what’s next.
Ultra 2 was my first stab at AWU, coming from Stainless S4. I loved the performance leap and overall experience, though could not help but notice the Watch's footprint almost every part of my day. It's a chunky boy! Taking it off felt like taking a huge burden off my wrist, and that's even with the Trail Loop.
Ordering a S9 with with either Milanese or Link Bracelet. Can't force myself to love it just for some extra battery life, though I can totally see why people love the Ultra. Also stoked to have something a little bit more aesthetically pleasing (that is all subjective though!)
Ordering a S9 with with either Milanese or Link Bracelet. Can't force myself to love it just for some extra battery life, though I can totally see why people love the Ultra. Also stoked to have something a little bit more aesthetically pleasing (that is all subjective though!)
I can see your point. I actually upgraded from an S4 as well but the aluminum which is even lighter(didn't buy the SS cause I thought I would only keep it a year... lol)
Went back and forth for a minute between the S9 and Ultra 2 and decided the Ultra 2 would be so different from the S4 that it would feel like more of an upgrade. I was right!
What made me love the Ultra 2 is I lost my S4 for about 2 weeks until a few days before I got the new watch. That forced me to go back to my Citizen World Chronograph Radio Controlled Atomic watch. Its a big boy... That's what I bought for traveling constantly without needing to charge a watch but still had accurate time in any time zone I was in. Loved that thing. still like it, just rarely wear it anymore.
It weighs considerably more than any Apple Watch and the face is easily as big as the Ultra, but not quite as tall or "top to bottom chunky..." Around 11.5-12 MM thick vs 14.4 of AWU 2.
I thought I might hate the Alpine Loop but I really like it. it is very comfortable. I don't have big wrists but after watching all the reviews online it would seem they aren't as tiny and narrow as I thought at 185mm. While the difference in size between the S9 and Ultra 2 is somewhat significant, it is not worth loosing the benefits(battery/display/gps/etc) gained from the bigger watch. I'm actually going to try and carry a phone with me less and just use the AWU 2.
Soon as my SO saw it she said, "Oh, that looks good on you. That's more your deal, I like that band." No S9 for me. (If I had unlimited funds I would have bought an SS S9 as well and just wore what I felt like each day.)
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Any update on this? I'm contemplating upgrading my Series 4 as well and am considering the Ultra vs standard 45mm watch. How has the adjustment period gone?
If you want to minimize the bulkiness of the Ultra, DEFINITELY do not get the Ocean Band. Worst of the the default bands for bulkiness by FAR. I've been sleeping with the Alpine loop each night and it is comfortable to me. (I haven't slept with my S4 in a LONG time). Admittedly, sleeping with the Ultra is not amazing, but it is not terrible either.
worn an ocean band ever since I got the Ultra last year, totally comfortable, day and night, and certainly not bulky, but entitled to our opinions are we, both of us
lol. 100%
Since I have never worn an ocean band, I really don't deserve an opinion... it just looks bulky and I have heard reviewers say that it is a chonky boy.
Although the ocean band is a bit heavier than the other two Apple Ultra bands, the advantage is has is that the band part connects directly to the watch without using lugs. For that reason, I tended to get fewer HR dropouts with it while running compared to the other bands.
I honestly intend to get one before my next Snorkeling/Scuba vacation, I just hate bands with 2 straps for daily wear for some reason.
maybe read this, but, bands are quite a personal thing
Apple Watch Ultra Bands - Which One Did You Buy?, Rate it Please
I have ocesn band and I have tiny wrist but I do not problem with bulkoness at all. The size is the main factor why I rhink not return Ultra 2. During weekšnd I was in marketing course and some random guy told me that I jave nice watch.
I hate small watches that was the reason I get rid of AW7, it looks childish but I am a bodybuilder so I like to wear dominant accessories.. still thinking about trying alpine or trail loop but I am afraid it is the same as AW7 bands, which are narrow for me.
So you are telling people not to buy a band that you've never even worn? SMH. 🤦 You can't make definitive statements like that with no actual experience. Come On Man. LOL
As someone with all three bands for the Ultra, I agree with this. If you were long sleeves often, the Ocean Band is the hardest to fit under a cuff. It’s internally made to be extra long for when it’s adjusted to go over a wetsuit.
The alpine loop and the trail loop are much thinner and less obtrusive.