Apple Watch Ultra with Orange Alpine Loop.
The Apple Watch Ultra arrives on Friday, September 23. It’s the high-end Watch designed for those who love extreme sports, with a bigger display than before, buttons designed to be pressed even through the thickest gloves and lots of features.
But it now appears there’s one aspect we didn’t know until now: the size of the battery. According to MySmartPrice, it’s pretty huge.
Apple already told us that the Ultra has up to 60 hours battery life possible on the Ultra, when Low Power Mode is activated, or 36 hours of normal usage. Now, it’s clear why that might be possible.
According to the new information which was revealed on a certification website, the Ultra has a 542mAh battery. If that doesn’t mean much, compare it to the battery in the just-released Apple Watch Series 8, which in its 45mm case size includes a 308mAh cell.
In other words, the Ultra has a battery 1.76x the size of the larger-sized Series 8.
Since Series 8 offers 18 hours battery life, the Ultra is promising double that, from a battery that’s not quite twice the size, but not far off. The smaller sized Series 8 has a 282mAh battery, so the Ultra is even closer to double the battery capacity in that case.
For the sake of completists, Apple Watch SE’s battery size is also revealed. The 40mm version has a 245mAh battery and the larger 296mAh.
The main thrust of the story, then, is that the Ultra’s battery dwarfs all the others.
And it makes the Ultra seem rather good value: the pricing is $799, pricey next to the $399 and up aluminum Series 8, but not that much more if a stainless-steel model tempts you. That starts at $699 for the 41mm size, $749 for 45mm. With the right strap combination, Series 8 can soar above the cost of the Ultra. And that’s before we get to the Hermes editions, which can set you back as much as $1,759.
The Apple Watch Ultra goes on sale on September 23. Please check back for a full review.