Apple Watch Ultra Stands Up to Major Abuse in Latest Durability Test

[MacRumors]

Inspired by "the most extreme activities," the Apple Watch Ultra features a rugged design with a titanium case and a flat display with a sapphire crystal cover. Apple says the watch is built to help users "push their boundaries with adventure, endurance, and exploration."

In his latest YouTube video, Sam Kohl assessed the Apple Watch Ultra's durability by subjecting the watch to some major abuse, as part of an unscientific but entertaining test. Kohl dragged the Apple Watch through some rocks on the ground, smashed it against hard objects like a concrete wall and metal pole over 50 times, and more. In the end, the titanium case was quite scuffed, but the sapphire crystal cover was still intact.

Durability tests on YouTube are often quite silly, but it is still impressive that the Apple Watch Ultra held up to this much intentional mishandling.

Apple Watch Ultra launched last Friday. In addition to having a rugged design, the high-end watch features improved water resistance up to a depth of 100 meters, a customizable bright orange "Action" button, up to 60 hours of battery life with an upcoming low power setting, a Night mode, an 86-decibel siren for emergencies, and more.

If these durability tests are your sort of thing, the Apple Watch Ultra was smashed with a sledgehammer in another recent video.

Article Link: Apple Watch Ultra Stands Up to Major Abuse in Latest Durability Test

 

[ct2k7]

How many more do we need?

 

[mikeb13]

i find Sam Kohl very annoying.

 

[jz0309]

ok, thanks for posting, more useful than the "deugly" article earlier today

 

[Joe Rossignol]

How many more do we need?

About 8 more should to the trick.

 

[jz0309]

How many more do we need?

I think there are a few more YouTubers out there - at least so I've been told

 

[ponzicoinbro]

I also gave it major abuse and Siri told me to watch my mouth.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

It seems like these YouTubers want to prove Apple wrong.

This Apple Watch Ultra has been through hell. I don't understand what these YouTubers are trying to prove. It's clear that Apple Watch Ultra is "rugged", & "durable".

 

[DolphinEyes]

Brutal tests! I found myself feeling bad for the watches! 🤣

 

[matrix6028]

Got my first Apple Watch, the Ultra version. Received last night, set it all up but noticed the watch band I ordered was too large. Being that it’s Apple, have products from the since 1984, I could do a simple exchange for a smaller band….not TRUE!!! Very UN Apple like with their process.
The only way to exchange to band was return everything back to Apple…..what?
I asked the Apple Rep that seemed silly. If I did what Apple wanted, I would be without the watch for over a month because of all the back orders!!
Come on Man?!??

 

[USB-Adapter]

But will it blend?

 

[CharlesShaw]

I’m reminded of the recent trend for kids having cracked iPhone screens as a fashion statement. Maybe a scratched up Ultra can be the new thing?

 

[Arran]

Impressive how much more abuse it survived compared to the regular watch.

Very impressive.

 

[HappyDude20]

...bright orange "Action" button...

It's actually called International Orange.

It's not bright orange.

It's International Orange, akin to the orange on space suits and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Edit: This is also the first time I've ever seen Luke Miani outside. That one time years ago he gave away used iMacs doesn't count.

 

[MVMNT]

I'm awaiting Jerry Rig with great anticipation for that real scratch test.

 

[vegetassj4]

In other words, the color of the sky is due to Rayleigh scattering.

 

[azentropy]

Ridiculous they haven't moved to the Sapphire glass across all the lines.

 

[Whathappened]

Ridiculous they haven't moved to the Sapphire glass across all the lines.

Ever heard of upselling?

 

[azentropy]

Ever heard of upselling?

More like lack of competition.

 

[Radeon85]

Ever heard of upselling?

They can still upsell based on the case type, even if all the watches had sapphire screens I'd still pay more for a more premium quality case.

 

[tivoboy]

First pass on the wall slam test, he wasn’t really slamming the ULTRA as much as he slammed the regular AW that cracked the screen…. but yeah, he really did put the ULTRA through the rigor going forward and yes the Sapphire screen held up well.

nothing Rolex hasn’t know for ~ 80 years?

 

[SamRyouji]

God, I miss those days when this "durability test" videos on YouTube got lots of limelights and users on almost every major internet forums flocking to them and treat it like some gospels to further their fanboism. Reading through their obnoxious holy war used to be my kind of stress relief.

PS: Yeah, treating fanboy wars to be a stress relief is a twisted behavior. I know.

 

[duervo]

About 8 more should to the trick.

I’d like to see at least another 10 to 12.

 

[G.McGilli]

Now I regret getting Applecare+ lol

 

[ralphthemagi]

Even the regular Apple Watch screen is basically indestructible unless you happen to just get unlucky and hit it with an object of the right hardness at just the right angle.

What these tests don't tell you is that the ceramic back is… ceramic. Ceramic is hard, but extremely brittle. I found out the hard way that if an Apple Watch falls with the back side down it cracks/shatters with very little force. A 3' drop onto a concrete floor is enough to have it break into shards. Dropping it in a ceramic sink while washing it is also enough to crack it.

If you use a Solo Loop, be careful. Sometimes the watch slips off, and if it lands face up… it's done.