Hy everyone. I’m recently felt in love with running and I want to ask if upgrading my AW4 for an Ultra will worth it.
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Ultra for runner
- Thread starter stanza.richi
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Hi,
Not at this point. The AWU is a great watch but it's not a better sport watch then any other Apple Watch, other then the slightly better battery life and the extra button, which is not that big of an upgrade.
Your AW4 is already a good watch for running.
Not at this point. The AWU is a great watch but it's not a better sport watch then any other Apple Watch, other then the slightly better battery life and the extra button, which is not that big of an upgrade.
Your AW4 is already a good watch for running.
Depends quite a lot. I run a couple of marathons a year and obviously train for them throughout the year. I LOVE the Ultra for a couple of reasons - Battery Life, Precision Start to runs, quicker GPS location and more accurate GPS signal is some of them.
That said - The normal Apple Watches are already great running watches, so if your S4 has resonable battery health it might be great already. Great heart rate and GPS and getting all the new awesome running features in WatchOS 9
Agree on the above! Battery life is stellar, action button is great and the large brighter screen obviously a bonus when checking your stats.
However, as said above, the normal watches are also up to the task, so really depend on you.
However, as said above, the normal watches are also up to the task, so really depend on you.
If you have the means, it's a worthy upgrade for sure. I went from the 4 to the Ultra as well, and as the others have noted, the battery life and GPS accuracy are very much superior to the 4. If you're doing speed workouts, the action button is quite useful to split your intervals.
To me it was worth it. I upgraded from S4 to the Ultra. It was worth it in terms of the experience, but whether it's worth it in terms of the price is a different thing.
I love the Action button and that for me is the main thing. It can be used to start a workout and mark laps.
At this point in the year though, if you can wait until they announce the next version of the Ultra, it might be worth the wait.
Depending on the kind of runner you are, the Series 4 may not be a good watch for running.
I've found using the Series 4 to do precise track workouts or fartleks rather difficult because using the touchscreen to mark the end/beginning of a next lap is impossible to do with accuracy. Often you might find that instead of marking a lap you have swiped the screen to the next page. Terrible.
If you're the kind of runner who only does runs that you don't need to frequently mark laps, especially not when you're running the laps hard, then it's fine.
Over the past few years I have done extensive running with a 4 a 7 and now the Ultra. I still have the 4 and ran with it a few weeks ago. Ultra is at least for me a major step up. Even the 7 - I was doing 20k runs and by the evening I already had to pop it on the charger. Recently ran a marathon with the 7 and I didn’t have that much left.
Don’t want to worry about these things - Ultra gets it done for me - batter life, brightness, bigger screen, easier to read. Did not run today but I am going on 30 hours since last charge and I have 52% left.
AWU is not everything « I want », but it’s more than a 4. The running experience is more enjoyable. Just my POV.
Don’t want to worry about these things - Ultra gets it done for me - batter life, brightness, bigger screen, easier to read. Did not run today but I am going on 30 hours since last charge and I have 52% left.
AWU is not everything « I want », but it’s more than a 4. The running experience is more enjoyable. Just my POV.
At the moment I’m running less than 10 kilometres, so the battery isn’t a real problem yet 😅
But I want to improve 💪🏻 and maybe I’m looking for an excuse to buy a new toy 😂
But I want to improve 💪🏻 and maybe I’m looking for an excuse to buy a new toy 😂
As others have pointed out, the GPS on the AWU (currently the only AW with multiband) is much more accurate, especially if you enjoy any trail running. And, of course, the increased battery life is great.
For me, though, the Ultra was just too big to be comfortable while running. I have thin wrists, though. I now double-wrist it while running: a Garmin 955 (with multiband GPS) on one arm and an AW7 cellular for connectivity on the other.
For me, though, the Ultra was just too big to be comfortable while running. I have thin wrists, though. I now double-wrist it while running: a Garmin 955 (with multiband GPS) on one arm and an AW7 cellular for connectivity on the other.
Not a running specific consideration, but... You'll be getting a sapphire screen on the AWU, which is nearly impossible to mar up during normal use. The glass on an aluminum AW will develop scratches no matter how careful you are with it.
Mine hasn't. It's almost like if you take care of your stuff then that doesn't happen.
That's a dick thing to say. You don't know me. Sheesh.
I'm careful with my stuff too, but your ion-x glass will scratch someday. Don't come crying to me when it does.
It's nothing personal, it's a general statement. It's not inevitable that it will scratch. Just like it's not inevitable that you'll crash your car, rip your jeans, smash your phone, or break a bone. Yes, these things certainly do happen to a portion of people, but they don't happen to everyone.
Not everyone scratches their watch either.
And incredibly, some people do even manage to scratch their sapphire glass watches too.
To the OP, @stanza.richi , the sapphire screen on the AWU will very likely stay scratch-free throughout your ownership, while the ion-x glass of the Alu AW will very likely scratch at some point, because as @Howard2k so eloquently states, accidents happen regardless of how careful you are with your things.
As a serious runner who bought and returned an Apple Watch, I would say that if you want a watch for running, get a Garmin.
If what you really want is an excuse to get an AW Ultra though, then I think it should be an improvement on the AW4 for running. It has better GPS, better battery life, and (I think?) a better HR sensor too, as well as the always-on screen.
If what you really want is an excuse to get an AW Ultra though, then I think it should be an improvement on the AW4 for running. It has better GPS, better battery life, and (I think?) a better HR sensor too, as well as the always-on screen.
I’ve had 4-8 for running 10km each day and found it perfect for my requirements but the battery, at times, was an issue as not only did I run each day but also strength training, yoga, core and maybe a walk. I have the Ultra now and battery life is outstanding never get to 50% on big work out days. No going back.
I've had multiple Garmin's and found their software VERY inconsistent, especially the HR.
You can be a "serious runner" and use an Apple Watch.
I much prefer running with a Garmin and so I have both, but I can see someone else with limited funds or a desire for simplicity choosing a AW instead.
If you want a better AW experience than the by now rather old series 4, why not get a new model SE? It’s comparable to the series 8, without costing close to a thousand dollars/euros/your currency and in my experience will be an excellent watch for running… just an idea 
True. Just imagine, there are professional runners without a GPS watch, not even a Garmin. But maybe these pros are not meant with the term "serious". Maybe they are the guys I beat in races?
I run between 60 and 80 kilometres a week, so would consider myself a pretty serious runner. I have been running with an Apple Watch for almost 8 years now