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The Apple Watch Ultra 4 lasts about twice as long as the Series 12. I tested both of these for over a week, and I was getting over 50 hours of battery life on the Ultra 4 on one charge. The Series 12 hit over 24 hours with me.
Battery is the biggest difference between these two, but it’s not the only one. Here’s everything that’s different between the Ultra 4 and the Series 12, and which one I’d actually buy.
Get the Series 12 if you want the best everyday watch. It has every health feature the Ultra 4 has, it’s more comfortable, and it’s half the price. Get the Ultra 4 if you hate charging, you’re outdoors a lot, or you want the bigger, brighter screen.
- Over 24 hours of battery in my test
- Same health features as the Ultra
- Rounded design, more comfortable for sleep
- Starts at $400
- Over 50 hours of battery in my test
- Bigger, brighter screen
- Action button, siren, satellite SOS
- $800, thicker and heavier
Specs and price
| Series 12 | Ultra 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Starts at $400 (42mm), $450 for 46mm | $800 |
| Sizes | 42mm and 46mm | 49mm |
| Weight | About 39 grams (46mm) | About 63 grams, about 12mm thick |
| Chip | S11 | S11 |
| Apple battery rating | 24 hours | 50 hours |
| My battery test | Over 24 hours | Over 50 hours |
| Peak brightness | 2000 nits | 3000 nits |
| Front | Ceramic Shield 2 (aluminum) | Sapphire |
| Water rating | 50 meters | 100 meters |
Need help picking any Apple gear? Tell me how you’d use it and I’ll give you a personalized pick.
Battery life
This is the big one. Over a week of wearing both, I got over 50 hours on the Ultra 4 on one charge, and over 24 hours on the Series 12. The Series 12 also has fast charging, so a quick top-up during the day goes a long way.
Health features
Both of these have the same processor, the new S11 chip, and the same new sensors. You get Readiness, hypertension and sleep apnea notifications, the ECG and crash detection on both. For health tracking alone, the Series 12 isn’t missing anything that the Ultra has.
Size, weight and comfort
The Series 12 comes in 42mm and 46mm, and the 46mm weighs about 39 grams. The Ultra 4 is 49mm, about 12mm thick, and about 63 grams. You definitely feel that extra weight, and even after wearing it for a while, I still felt like it was bulky.
The hard edges on the top of the Ultra could be a little annoying too. It just seemed like I would snag them on things.
After wearing the Ultra 4 and going back to the Series 12, the Series 12 feels so much more comfortable because of its completely rounded design. If you’re going to wear your watch to sleep, I think the Series 12 is a much better choice.
Materials, colors and bands
The Series 12 comes in a few materials. Mine is the base aluminum model in space gray, and you can also get it in titanium or ceramic. Ceramic actually costs more than the Ultra, but a lot of people love that material. Apple added a couple of new colors this year too, and I kind of wish I’d gotten the new bronze.
The Ultra has a titanium body with a ceramic back by the health sensors. I had the black titanium Ultra 3, and I’m really liking the natural titanium look on this one.
With the Ultra, be careful which band you get. The Alpine Loop has been a lot more comfortable for me than some of the others, and I really didn’t care for the Ocean Band I had on my Ultra 3. On the Series 12, I’ve always liked the Sport Loop. It’s soft and the Velcro is easy to use.
Screen and toughness
The Ultra 4 goes up to 3000 nits of brightness and the Series 12 goes up to 2000. Inside, you’re not really going to notice the difference. The Ultra’s screen is also harder, with a sapphire front, while the aluminum Series 12 has Ceramic Shield 2.
If you’re into diving, the Ultra is rated to 100 meters. The Series 12 is rated to 50 meters, which is totally fine for swimming.
What only the Ultra has
The Ultra 4 has dual-band GPS, the Action button, a siren, and Emergency SOS via satellite for texting when you don’t have a signal. I set my Action button up as a flashlight, which comes in clutch sometimes, and you can also have it start a voice memo or a workout.
The thing I appreciated most about the Ultra, though, was the bigger, brighter screen. I’ve really come to love it.
Which one should you buy?
| Get the Series 12 if | Get the Ultra 4 if |
|---|---|
| You want the best everyday watch | You hate charging |
| You want it more comfortable, especially for sleep | You’re outdoors a lot or off the grid |
| You want to save money | You want the bigger, brighter screen |
Skip both if you’ve got a Series 11 or an Ultra 3. Neither of these made my life better than my Series 11 or Ultra 3. The two features you’d miss are coming later this year: conversation rewind, where you press the button and get a summary of the last 15 seconds, and the daily summary. You need a Series 12 or Ultra 4 for those.
The bottom line
It’s hard to go wrong with either of these. Get the Series 12 if you care most about comfort and saving money, and get the Ultra 4 if you want that rugged build and extreme battery life. I’ve got full reviews of both coming soon.
Still deciding? See which Apple Watch to buy, SE 3 vs Series 12 vs Ultra 4, or tell me how you’d use it and I’ll give you a personalized pick.
