The current trend among Apple device users is using Apple Smartwatches. The Apple company has currently gone beyond the production of Apple iPhones, iPads, iPods, Mac laptops, & Mac computers, & they have currently focused on manufacturing Apple Smartwatches. As a result of that, they introduced three new Apple Smart Watches series in September 2022. They have named these watches as Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra, & Apple Watch SE. All these watch models are designed with modern high technology & can be easily connected & used with your Apple iPhones or other Apple devices.
But the doubt that many Apple users have with these new releases is which Smartwatch is the best to buy & use. In fact, Apple Watch Ultra is quite significant as the name suggests. If you have ever used an Apple watch before, you may already know that Apple Watches are quite small in size. However, this Apple Watch Ultra deviates from that norm & has been made slightly larger & with a different design. This is the reason we thought today to discuss which one is best for you to buy between Apple Watch Ultra & Apple Watch Series 8. So, here we definitely have to compare these two watches.

Apple Watch Series 8
This is available in 41mm & 45mm sizes made of aluminum or stainless steel. It has a good battery life of up to 18 hours & is available in Midnight, Space Black, Gold, Silver, Starlight, Graphite, & RED colors. Depending on the type of metal this Apple Watch Series 8 is made of, its total weight also takes different values. Accordingly, the watch made of 41mm aluminum weighs 32g and the watch made of stainless steel weighs 42.3g. The 45 mm size watch made of aluminum weighs 38.8 g & the stainless steel watch weighs 51.5 g. The display size of these watches also varies depending on the size change. Therefore, the display sizes of 41mm & 45 mm watches are 430 x 352 pixel resolution & 484 x 396 pixel resolution respectively.
Right, now you know all about the Apple Watch Series 8. Next, let’s see what are the specifications of the Apple Watch Ultra model.
Apple Watch Ultra
The major difference between this watch model & the Apple Watch Series 8 is the type of metal it is made of. This is designed exclusively from titanium metal. That’s why you can not buy this in multiple colors. Accordingly, this is in Natural Titanium color. Due to the titanium metal, this weight is much heavier than the Apple Watch Series 8. Accordingly, this Apple Watch Ultra weighs about 61.3 g.
The battery life is very high and it is around 36 hours. It measures 49mm & has a display with a resolution of 502 x 410 pixels. From this point of view, it is already clear to you that the Apple Watch Ultra is bigger in physical size & appearance than the Apple Watch Series 8 in all respects.
But to make it comparatively clear to you, we thought to present all these details with key differences to you by a summarizes table.
| Features | Apple Watch Series 8 | Apple Watch Ultra |
| Size | 41mm/45mm | 49mm |
| Weight | 31.8g/51.5g | 61.3g |
| Resolution | 430X352 & 484X396 pixel | 510X410 pixel |
| Battery life | 18 hours | 36 hours |
Colors |
Midnight, Space Black, Gold, Silver, Starlight, Graphite, & RED | Natural Titanium color |
| Brightness | 1000 nits | 2000 nits |
| Design | Smaller in Size & More stylish design | Larger in Size & not more stylish design |
| Storage | 16GB | 32GB |
| Processor | S8 Chip | S8 Chip |
| Software Updates | Up to 5 years | Up to 7 years |
Apple Watch Ultra & Apple Watch Series 8 have many different features as well as some other same features. In particular, the system performances of both of these smartwatches have been designed by Apple company in similar ways. Among them, W3 chip & U1 chip technology have been used for the CPU of both these watches. Also, from the software side, watchOS 9 has been used for the operating system. And Apple Pay is included for mobile payments services.
Both smartwatches also provide the facility to measure your body temperature, optical heart rate, electrical heart rate, & blood oxygen. Apart from this, Apple Watch Ultra also contains health sensors like an 86dB siren, depth gauge, etc. In fact, Apple Watch Ultra has many more sensors included. Here are the sensors.
- Accelerometer
- Always-on altimeter
- Ambient light
- Barometric altimeter
- Compass
- Depth gauge
- Gyroscope
- High-g accelerometer
- Precision dual-frequency GPS
- Water temperature sensor
Also, considering the connectivity features, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, LTE, GPS & Cellular as well as Bluetooth 5.3 have been included in both of these Apple watches.
These smartwatch models have an Always-on display, but the Apple Watch Ultra has a higher brightness value than the Apple Watch Series 8. Accordingly, Watch Ultra has a brightness of 2,000 nits, while Watch Series 8 has half of that or about 1,000 nits.
The basic features followed in Apple’s watch design are also seen in the Apple Watch Ultra. Accordingly, it has been prepared with a rectangular shape & rounded edges. But it’s bigger & sturdier than the Apple Watch Series 8 model.
Another main difference between Watch Series 8 & Watch Ultra is the water resistance value. Accordingly, the water-resistant value of Watch Series 8 is 50 meters & that value has been increased to 100 meters in Watch Ultra.
& also Apple Watch Ultra has a small Action button on the left side. It is a programmable button that allows you to easily interact with various functions of the apps.
If you are aware of the watch as well as its wristband &, you have the option to choose from several wristbands such as leather, nylon, or stainless steel in Watch Series 8. Also, three-band modes have been added to Apple Watch Ultra. It is special to have particular activities related to each wristband & option.
- Alpine Loop – Titanium G-hook that holds the watch securely around your wrist.
- Ocean Band – A rubber band with a titanium buckle that can be worn around a wet suit.
- Trail Loop – a thin & light band, you can quickly fit & wear the watch.
As we previously discussed about the battery life of the Watch Series 8 & Watch Ultra. Although the battery life of these two smartwatches is different, both of them have fast charging capabilities. However, Apple company only gives you one cable for charging. So, you have to buy a 20W adapter separately.
Price comparison of Apple Watch Ultra vs Series 8
Finally, we have to check about the price values of the Apple Watch Ultra & Apple Watch Series 8 watches. So, we know that the price ranges of Apple devices are always more expensive than other tech devices & brands. So, in the same way, the price of these Apple watches is more high. Meanwhile, you have to buy the Apple Watch Ultra with higher features & appearance at a higher price than the Apple Watch Series 8.
And also the starting price of the Apple Watch Series 8 at around $399 & there is a change in the price differs on the changes of the belt. So, Apple Watch Series 8 aluminum model costs roughly $399 & the stainless steel watch model is about $699. Apple Watch Ultra model starts at a very high price about $799.
Software support
The Apple Watch Ultra will receive software support for longer than the Apple Watch Series 8. The Ultra will receive software updates for up to 7 years, while the Series 8 will only receive software updates for up to 5 years.
Which one is the best?
At the end of all this discussion, you might be wondering which Apple watch should I buy & use. The Apple Watch Ultra & Series 8 are both great smartwatches, but they have different features. If you would like to use a smartwatch with a higher appearance & size, the Apple Watch Ultra is the most suitable device for you. But if you prefer a regular smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 8 will more suit you. Apple Watch Ultra is ahead in terms of battery life, durability, & features. But it has a high price tag, so you have to think again before buying.
If you want a smartwatch that can withstand & the elements & last for days on a single charge, the Apple Watch Ultra is the better choice. Then you’re looking for a stylish smartwatch with the latest features, the Apple Watch Series 8 is the better option.