Apple Watch Ultra is here! First impressions and photos thread

[NJRonbo]

Do you have two cellular watch lines on your carrier plan?

I love having cellular on my watch in those instances where I forget my phone.

I don't think anyone has mentioned this though...

When on cellular only, your watch battery is greatly taxed. I see my usage drain faster.

Not so much worried about it now that I have upgraded to the Ultra.

 

[ddsforlife]

Think the Alpine band should be attached the other way around. According to Apple though.

I prefer it this way. 👍🏻 thanks tho!

 

[Phil Holland]

Checked out AWU yesterday to see if I wanted to keep my AWU trail loop order. (I do). I thought the watch itself looks great and love the flat screen and extra button. (I wish the orange button could be programmed to a watch face like a complication). I put my 44mm S6 beside it w/ each displaying the Infographic face and the AWU was visibly larger. It was also wickedly fast. Made my S6 look like a sloth.

I have 160mm wrists so up until now fit was a concern. My own “line in the sand” was whether the lugs extended off my wrists. Happy to say they stopped just short of that. Yes, it still looked too big, but now clownish. It’s still hot where I am so I could not give the watch the long sleeve test, which is as equally important as any other fit test. If I can’t button my shirt sleeves or push my sleeve up to see my watch it’s not practical for me.

Last the bands. I probably diverge in opinion from most here but the Alpine Loop band is awful. It’s too much work to hook it on and off. This might be desirable for a mountain climbing but much less so for daily use. Honestly, it’s on a level of butterfly keyboard design. Apple could have come up with a more thoughtful, less frustrating enclosure for climbing. I also wonder if we‘ll see a lot of Alpine bands failing in a few months because of the way the loops are pushed and pulled during the hook-in/out process.

You probably have but double check you’ve put it on properly

 

[firstapple]

Just picked mine up from the Apple Store. Version came with the green alpine loop band, but for simplicity sake and likely personal preference I also picked up a midnight sport loop. So the photos here are with the Midnight Sport Loop, which I really like how it matches the oranges and greys a bit!

 

[0906742]

Ultra with Ink Leather Link.

I quite like this colour combination, what do others think?

Also I have a 178mm wrist. I’d like some honest feedback if the watch looks too big on my wrist or whether it looks fine?

I ordered with an Alpine Green Loop but don’t think the Alpine strap looks great on me due to the lugs.

Does look like this leather strap does not fit in the rails? Is that the same case with all non 49mm specific straps? I got plenty of good original 32 and 44mm straps I was looking forward to use with my Ultra (just ordered one) but those gaps and narrowness does not look very nice...

 

[fakestrawberryflavor]

I really want them to make an Ocean Band in the same orange as the Alpine Loop. One day hopefully.

 

[joefrank64k]

I really want them to make an Ocean Band in the same orange as the Alpine Loop. One day hopefully.

100%!!!

 

[jz0309]

I really want them to make an Ocean Band in the same orange as the Alpine Loop. One day hopefully.

that would be an instant buy, love my yellow but not sure I want to get the white or midnight

 

[RPhoto]

Anyone else notice “marks” / “abrasions” on the edge of the their AW Ultras?

I have two very small marks on my antenna as well. Same darker colour but as I say, small dots rather than long lines so they’re not as obvious as this.

Edit. Mine are in the same place as well. One on the bottom and one on the top.

 

[OneMike]

So far I’m loving this watch. I wore it to sleep last night and did a 2.5 hour workout this morning. Currently sitting at 78% battery.

I do not plan on charging it again unit at least some point tomorrow.

The only not negative but thing to get used to is the alpine loop. Specifically putting it on in the dark.

i came from a series 7 and I’m happy. I was looking for a change more than upgrade though.

 

[Fiona FTW]

If you are spending $800 on a watch and have reservations on spending $50 - $100 on a genuine band… then you probably shouldn’t be buying a $800 watch. I have never been left satisfied with an Amazon band. I stopped buying them in 2015/2016.

I hear and read this kind of comment a lot about a lot of expensive products and I find it a false rationalization. It's basically saying IF you can afford A THEN if you must buy only the expensive genuine accessory ELSE you are stretching yourself too thin. That is a nonsensical test. Except for maybe mega-multi-millionaires and up, a lot of people with decent disposable income understand it's neither unlimited nor guaranteed for life and that whatever $ can be saved buying cheaper substitutes is $ that can later be put to more satisfying uses.

On Apple products, sometimes the accessories are worth buying over 3rd parties -- the Magic Trackpad, for example. But when it comes to Apple Watch, the bands are expensive for what they are. I'm very happy with the $10-20 knock-offs on Amazon and eBay. The one I'm currently wearing is 3 years old and still has the grip of a gorilla. The differences between real and fake are minor for the sport loop types I wear, and, even if the fakes didn't last as long, they are exponentially less expensive so I could buy a replacement and still be ahead. (I would also add that the quality of knock-offs had much improved since Series 0, which is the 2015-16 timeframe you stopped buying 3rd party bands).

Then we get to the AWU bands. $100. I had to do a double take the first time I saw that. It's the same material that Apple uses in it's overpriced $50 bands. Zero way for Apple to justify that steep of a price hike. Apple just ginned up the price because they want everything AWU to seem "ultra" premium. It's a common marketing tactic to make people believe something that is actually average is higher quality than it actually is.

So thumbs up to those, like yourself, who prefer the genuine Apple bands. You gotta do what makes you happy and satisfied. But it doesn't mean that those who reject Apple's bands and buy the 3rd party instead can't actually afford the Apple bands or are financially stretched. Its just that we find them a waste of money -- money we have, but are not ready to let go of for something that wouldn't bring us anymore joy over the 3rd party ones.

 

[xxBlack]

Asked my GF to take a pic of the ultra. Looks awesome with the ocean band

 

[firstapple]

Asked my GF to take a pic of the ultra. Looks awesome with the ocean band

Looks great. Wish I could have found the Midnight Ocean band around me (I didn’t preorder), but will wait for the bands to be more readily available.

 

[richard371]

I know this is not apples design language, had it 24 hours and it’s already scratched can’t use the crown they easily and screen has dirt between glass and case, this has to be the worst Apple product of all time for me, the only thing I like is the extra brightness

Pics or it didn't happen lol. I can't see any gap at all between the case and crystal. I tried to slide a sticky note in between and unlike the iPhone it won't fit in at all.

 

[luann54]

Ultra with Ink Leather Link.

I quite like this colour combination, what do others think?

Also I have a 178mm wrist. I’d like some honest feedback if the watch looks too big on my wrist or whether it looks fine?

I ordered with an Alpine Green Loop but don’t think the Alpine strap looks great on me due to the lugs.

Nice

 

[jz0309]

So far I’m loving this watch. I wore it to sleep last night and did a 2.5 hour workout this morning. Currently sitting at 78% battery.

I do not plan on charging it again unit at least some point tomorrow.

The only not negative but thing to get used to is the alpine loop. Specifically putting it on in the dark.

i came from a series 7 and I’m happy. I was looking for a change more than upgrade though.

Similar here, I love it but struggling a bit with my ocean band but it’s starting to get easier. Thing is I put it in first thing, then tighten it an hour or so later for workout, then back to normal, then loosen it for the shower to clean the band and then back to normal… so 5 times on a normal day. Will continue using it for the next week or so and the. Decide what my daily band is. Meanwhile I will check the “look and feel” of my existing bands…

 

[wagmi]

Does look like this leather strap does not fit in the rails? Is that the same case with all non 49mm specific straps? I got plenty of good original 32 and 44mm straps I was looking forward to use with my Ultra (just ordered one) but those gaps and narrowness does not look very nice...

This is indeed correct and there is a small gap. It’s starting to bug me too!

 

[gatorknight904]

I hear and read this kind of comment a lot about a lot of expensive products and I find it a false rationalization. It's basically saying IF you can afford A THEN if you must buy only the expensive genuine accessory ELSE you are stretching yourself too thin. That is a nonsensical test. Except for maybe mega-multi-millionaires and up, a lot of people with decent disposable income understand it's neither unlimited nor guaranteed for life and that whatever $ can be saved buying cheaper substitutes is $ that can later be put to more satisfying uses.

On Apple products, sometimes the accessories are worth buying over 3rd parties -- the Magic Trackpad, for example. But when it comes to Apple Watch, the bands are expensive for what they are. I'm very happy with the $10-20 knock-offs on Amazon and eBay. The one I'm currently wearing is 3 years old and still has the grip of a gorilla. The differences between real and fake are minor for the sport loop types I wear, and, even if the fakes didn't last as long, they are exponentially less expensive so I could buy a replacement and still be ahead. (I would also add that the quality of knock-offs had much improved since Series 0, which is the 2015-16 timeframe you stopped buying 3rd party bands).

Then we get to the AWU bands. $100. I had to do a double take the first time I saw that. It's the same material that Apple uses in it's overpriced $50 bands. Zero way for Apple to justify that steep of a price hike. Apple just ginned up the price because they want everything AWU to seem "ultra" premium. It's a common marketing tactic to make people believe something that is actually average is higher quality than it actually is.

So thumbs up to those, like yourself, who prefer the genuine Apple bands. You gotta do what makes you happy and satisfied. But it doesn't mean that those who reject Apple's bands and buy the 3rd party instead can't actually afford the Apple bands or are financially stretched. Its just that we find them a waste of money -- money we have, but are not ready to let go of for something that wouldn't bring us anymore joy over the 3rd party ones.

There are plenty 3rd party QUALITY bands out there. I own some and enjoy them. The band that was posted and claimed to be a “perfect example” simply was not. That is where my comments were directed. You generalized & combined that cheap amazon band with an attack against all 3rd party bands. Not Me.

This is something you are obviously sensitive about so I know this next comment isnt going to change your mind but I will say it anyway….. This is an Apple Watch Ultra thread not a general Apple Watch thread. If you want to buy a $800 watch, use it in the extreme scenarios it was designed for and snap it onto a cheap watch band with no quality control you found on Amazon then go for it lol. It makes zero sense. Well I guess it does if you have Apple Care lol.

This isn’t false rationalization its simple logic and common sense.

Everything at Apple is overpriced, Nothing is worth its price…that‘s the whole point that I originally made.

 

[jz0309]

Everything at Apple is overpriced, Nothing is worth its price…that‘s the whole point that I originally made.

Now that is a very subjective statement, so if nothing is worth it’s price - I assume you do not own any Apple product???

 

[GuruZac]

Absolutely loving the way the color changes and how diverse the bands you can wear with it. Awesome watch!

 

[newellj]

Posted my first impressions in another thread but it is more on topic here. Mine arrived mid-day Friday. I ordered the green Alpine band, which I'm having serious reservations about...but here goes.

Stunning looks. I love titanium, and no one does industrial design as well as Apple.

The crown guards make a lot of sense for an "ultra" watch that may get rough use, but they do make crown access tougher. With gloves it might be almost impossible (haven't tested that).

The display panel looks really good, better than my S7. The resolution seems higher and the colors more vibrant. Maybe the panel is better, or maybe it's an illusion caused by the flat crystal, or...?

I really like the Wayfarer face but it can be crowded if you use all the complications. I removed three of them. I also really like being able to switch it to a the dim red version with a twist of the crown.

Battery life looks to be longer than advertised. I've never had a problem with the earlier watches, going back to Series 3, but this is a whole new game here.

Some negatives, too, though.

The 49mm size is not a problem in terms of its two-dimensional size, but the third dimension is surprising. This watch is really tall. Possibly enough to be really inconvenient...I have two weeks to decide.

The Alpine strap is (personal opinion warning) a nutty design that's hard to get on and off. Just give me my Nike bands and loops...by the way, the new blue Nike loop is really good looking with the titanium case. At an imputed cost of $100, I'm thinking that I dislike the Alpine lop enough that I will probably return this Ultra and get in line for one that comes with the trail loop. Question: is the band likely to be returnable without returning the Watch as well? Apple has had a few different return policies on the bands that come with the Watch, and I'm not sure where Apple is at on accepting returns on bands that shipped with a watch.

Oddly, I couldn't get my Nike sport bands to fit. The Nike loops are fine. It seems like the strap ends are too large for the slots in the Ultra case. Pretty odd, not sure why.

The engineers and design people deserve major kudos for managing to preserve compatibility with the 44mm and 45mm straps. It's really nice not to need to start again on straps.

Bottom line summary: fabulous esthetics and ergos; tall enough to cause some issues; fair price. Overall, if you need the battery life or other features, or just like the look, it's a keeper.

 

[GuruZac]

Rocking the Nike faces today!

View attachment 2078178

I love that we get the Nike faces included!

 

[rdavis41]

I really hope Apple optimizes the watch faces to actually use the 49mm screen. Some of them just look silly right now since they're not optimized for the bigger screen.

 

[newellj]

Just picked mine up from the Apple Store. Version came with the green alpine loop band, but for simplicity sake and likely personal preference I also picked up a midnight sport loop. So the photos here are with the Midnight Sport Loop, which I really like how it matches the oranges and greys a bit!

I like that loop a lot. I also really like the Nike version of the Pride loop (just axial color lines, no perpendicular lines). Last weekend I went back and forth between the midnight sport loop and the blue Nike "just do it" loop, which is the one I bought. I wore nothing but Nike bands for years. I was clearly missing out on a great alternative (the sport loops).

 

[macsplusmacs]

I love that we get the Nike faces included!

Forgot about this. Yes. very nice indeed!


Edit: LOL. one of the Nike faces jiggles its numbers. Never knew that since I never owned the Nike version of the watch.