Apple Watch Ultra 4 vs. Series 12: The Gap Is Narrower Than Ever

Not much has changed about the Apple Watch Ultra since its debut in 2022. Apple’s rugged smartwatch is still large, wrapped in titanium, and packed with emergency features designed to make you feel slightly more prepared for the apocalypse than your average Joe. While each generation has brought incremental improvements, the Ultra has largely stayed true to its original formula—and this year’s release is no different.

After testing both the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and the new Apple Watch Series 12, I noticed very little difference between the two. The gap narrows a little more every year, giving shoppers less reason to pay $799 for the larger, more rugged model. The Series 12 now shares many of the Ultra 4’s health and safety features, leaving the Ultra’s biggest advantages—multi-day battery life, a dedicated Action button, and satellite messaging—for people who regularly spend time off-grid.

Who should buy the Apple Watch Ultra 4?

The Ultra 4 is now a more specialized smartwatch than ever, but that also makes it harder to recommend to everyone. Its benefits are clear for trail runners, divers, and anyone who regularly ventures beyond cell phone coverage. If your main priorities are health tracking, workout monitoring, and everyday tasks, however, the Series 12 delivers the same core experience for $400 less.

For current Ultra owners, the Ultra 4 offers fewer reasons to upgrade and more reasons to appreciate the generation they already own. There are no price changes, but there are also no new finishes.

Apple Watch Ultra 4 health and fitness tracking

The Ultra 4 shares the Series 12’s new health-sensing system, including Apple’s faster S11 chip and improved optical and electrical heart rate sensors. The system tracks heart rate every 5 seconds throughout the day and measures heart rate variability (HRV) every 5 minutes—up to 24 times more frequently than previous systems.

The watches also record two HRV measurements: recovery HRV, which aims to identify daily stressors, and overall HRV, which provides a broader view of cardiovascular health.

More detailed recovery and stress insights

High-frequency tracking benefits both new Apple Watch models, but it may be the more meaningful upgrade for people considering the Ultra 4 as a fitness tracker. The watch can now provide a more comprehensive picture of how your body recovers and responds to stress throughout the day.

Overnight Vitals compares your recovery HRV with your personal baseline. A new daytime view also lets you compare daytime and nighttime metrics, making it easier to see how your body changes throughout the day.