Apple Watch Ultra 2 Review: Is It Still Worth Buying in 2026? (Ultra 3 Now Available)

Last updated: March 2026. Important update: Apple launched the Apple Watch Ultra 3 in September 2025 at A$1,399 RRP. The Ultra 2 has since been discontinued by Apple but can still be found through third-party retailers at reduced prices. We've updated the comparisons below to reflect the current Apple Watch lineup (SE 3, Series 11, Ultra 3) and added a dedicated section on Ultra 2 vs Ultra 3. Check Apple Watch Ultra 3 price on Amazon AU.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 — Is It Still Worth Buying?

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 was Apple's most capable wearable, and in Australia, it launched at A$1,299. That's more than some laptops. More than a return flight to Bali. More than a year of gym membership. Now that the Ultra 3 has arrived at A$1,399, the question is slightly different: can you still find a Ultra 2 at a meaningful discount, and is it worth buying over the newer model? That's more than some laptops. More than a return flight to Bali. More than a year of gym membership. So the question isn't whether it's a good smartwatch — it obviously is. The question is whether it's A$1,299 good, or whether you'd be better served by something cheaper.

We've worn the Ultra 2 daily for three months across Sydney summers, bushwalking in the Blue Mountains, ocean swims at Bondi, and regular gym sessions. Here's the honest take.

Design and Build

The Ultra 2 is a big watch. The 49mm titanium case makes a statement on your wrist — if you've got smaller wrists, try it on before committing. At 61.4 grams, it's noticeably heavier than the standard Apple Watch Series 10 (36.4g), but you adjust after a few days.

The titanium construction is genuinely rugged. After three months of daily wear including beach swims, bushwalks, and weights at the gym, the case shows zero scratches. The flat sapphire crystal is tough — we're not gentle with it, and it's survived without a mark. The standard Apple Watch's Ion-X glass can't match this durability.

The Action Button on the left side is the Ultra's signature hardware feature. You can map it to start a workout, launch a specific app, toggle the torch, or trigger a Shortcut. Once you set it up for your most-used function, it becomes genuinely useful — especially mid-exercise when you don't want to fumble with the touchscreen.

Display

The display is brilliant. The 3,000-nit maximum brightness means you can read it clearly in direct Australian midday sun — a genuine problem with dimmer watches. The always-on display is sharp and vibrant, and the larger screen real estate compared to standard Apple Watch models makes complications and workout metrics much easier to read at a glance.

Night mode (press the crown in always-on mode) switches the display to red-on-black, which is handy for early morning runs without destroying your night vision. It's also useful for camping trips — checking the time at 3am without blinding yourself is a small but appreciated touch.

Health and Fitness

The health tracking suite is comprehensive and, importantly, accurate. The optical heart rate sensor delivered consistent readings that closely matched a chest strap during interval training. Blood oxygen monitoring works reliably, and the temperature sensor enables cycle tracking and can flag potential illness.

For runners, the dual-frequency GPS (L1 + L5) is a meaningful upgrade. In our testing through the Sydney CBD — tall buildings, narrow streets — the Ultra 2 maintained GPS accuracy where the standard Apple Watch occasionally wobbled. Trail runs through dense bushland also tracked more accurately. If you're a serious runner who cares about pace and distance data, this matters.

The depth gauge and water temperature sensor are unique to the Ultra line. For recreational diving and snorkelling (certified to 100 metres WR, recreational dive to 40 metres with the Oceanic+ app), it's a legitimate dive computer on your wrist. For Australian ocean swimmers and surfers, the water temperature readout is a neat feature — though hardly essential.

Battery Life

Apple claims 36 hours of normal use, and that's roughly accurate. With always-on display, regular notifications, a daily 45-minute GPS workout, and sleep tracking, we consistently got through a full day and night with 20–30% remaining by morning. That's enough to sleep-track and still have juice for a morning workout before charging.

Low Power Mode extends this to around 60 hours. It disables always-on display and reduces background updates, but core functionality remains intact. For weekend bushwalks or multi-day trips where charging isn't convenient, it's a practical option.

Compared to Garmin watches that last weeks, the Ultra 2's battery life is modest. But compared to every other Apple Watch model, it's a significant improvement.

Ultra 2 vs Ultra 3: Should You Buy the Newer Model?

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 launched in September 2025 at A$1,399 — A$100 more than the Ultra 2's launch price. Apple hasn't published a full spec comparison, but the Ultra 3 brings improved ANC for the built-in speaker, a brighter display (reportedly 3,000+ nits), refined health sensors, and a new black titanium option.

If you can find an Ultra 2 at a meaningful discount — say A$1,000–$1,100 — and you don't need the latest iteration, it remains an excellent watch. If the discount is A$50–$100, just pay up for the Ultra 3. The Ultra 3 is available on Amazon AU in natural and black titanium variants.

The Ultra 2 vs the Current Lineup

vs Apple Watch SE 3 (A$399–$449)

The SE 3 does about 80% of what the Ultra 2 does for less than a third of the price. You get heart rate monitoring, GPS workout tracking, fall detection, crash detection, and the full suite of Apple Watch apps. What you lose: the larger, brighter display, titanium build, dual-frequency GPS, depth gauge, temperature sensor, Action Button, and the extra battery life. For most people — including most regular gym-goers and casual runners — the SE 3 is more than enough.

vs Apple Watch Series 11 (A$679)

The Series 11 sits in the middle. You get blood oxygen monitoring, temperature sensing, ECG, a hypertension monitoring notification, and a thin design that many people prefer for everyday wear. Battery life is around 18 hours — fine for daytime use but you'll need to charge nightly. If you don't need extreme durability or extended battery, the Series 11 is the better daily driver for most people.

vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (A$899)

Samsung's answer to the Ultra is significantly cheaper and offers a similar rugged titanium design with a larger battery. If you're on Android, it's the obvious choice. But if you're in the Apple ecosystem, it's not a real alternative — Wear OS and watchOS are different worlds, and Galaxy Watch doesn't integrate meaningfully with iPhone.

vs Garmin Fenix 8 (A$1,199)

The Garmin Fenix 8 is the Ultra 2's real competitor for serious athletes. Battery life is vastly superior (weeks vs days), and Garmin's training metrics (Training Load, Recovery Advisor, Hill Score) are deeper than Apple's. But you lose the smart features — Apple Watch's app ecosystem, notifications, Apple Pay, and Siri integration are leagues ahead. Choose the Ultra 2 if you want a smartwatch that's good at fitness. Choose the Fenix 8 if you want a fitness watch that's okay at smart features.

Who Should Buy the Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Ultra 2 makes sense for a specific type of buyer: someone deep in the Apple ecosystem who is also genuinely active outdoors — trail runners, ocean swimmers, divers, hikers, or people who regularly push their gear hard in harsh conditions. The durability, GPS accuracy, water features, and battery life justify the premium for this group.

It does not make sense for: casual fitness users, people who mostly work out in a gym, or anyone who just wants a smartwatch for notifications and health basics. The Apple Watch SE 3 or Series 11 covers those use cases perfectly at a fraction of the cost.

👉 See our full Top 7 Wearables list | Not sure whether you need a smartwatch at all? Our fitness tracker vs smartwatch guide breaks down the right choice for different budgets and lifestyles.

Australian Buying Advice

The Ultra 2 is discontinued at Apple but can still be found through third-party retailers and resellers. If you find one at A$1,000 or less, that's reasonable value. For the Ultra 3 (A$1,399 RRP), you can save slightly by buying through the Apple Education Store (valid uni student email), using cashback platforms like ShopBack or Cashrewards, or checking Amazon AU for any deals. JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys occasionally bundle free bands or accessories.

AppleCare+ is an additional A$129 and covers accidental damage. Given the price of the watch and the activities it's designed for, it's worth considering — a cracked sapphire crystal without AppleCare+ will cost you significantly more to repair.

The Verdict

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 was Apple's best watch when it launched, and it remains excellent hardware. If you find one significantly discounted (A$1,000 or less), it's a worthy purchase for serious outdoor athletes in the Apple ecosystem. However, if you're buying new and the price gap between Ultra 2 and Ultra 3 is small, buy the Ultra 3 — it's the current model with better long-term support and software updates.

If you're mostly checking notifications and logging the occasional gym session, save A$900+ and grab the SE 3 instead. No shame in that — the SE 3 does the important stuff at A$399.