Apple Watch Extremely evaluation: Rugged and prepared

Apple introduced three new smartwatches throughout an occasion in September 2022 and whereas two are upgrades to units we have seen earlier than, the third is a brand new child on the block. The Apple Watch Extremely is pitched as a smartwatch for excessive sports activities fanatics and its rugged casing and more durable shell strikes it into Garmin’s territory.

Does it have the minerals to compete although, and what’s it really like? I’ve examined the Apple Watch Extremely from an on a regular basis perspective relatively than the intense sports activities angle, although when you’re in search of the nitty-gritty particulars of how the Watch Extremely performs within the wilderness, our sister web site, The Gear Loop has an in-depth review that focuses on the GPS, diving capabilties and anything you may need to know. In case you’re contemplating shopping for the Apple Watch Extremely to put on as an on a regular basis system although, I’ve received you lined. Here is my evaluation.

Rugged, premium design

• 49mm casing, titanium
• IP6X, MIL-STD-810H, EN13319, WR100
• Customisable Motion button
• One color choice: Pure Titanium

The Apple Watch Extremely borrows from the tried and examined Apple Watch design that hasn’t actually modified a lot since its preliminary launch in 2015. Positive, the show house has expanded throughout the footprint out there and new sensors have been added, however the rectangular form with curved edges and rounded corners stays.

That design is super-sized on the Apple Watch Extremely although. It’s more durable, bulkier and fairly considerably bigger – probably too massive for some. The casing strikes from aluminium and chrome steel – each of which the Series 8 is obtainable in – to titanium, just like the older Apple Watch Version. Titanium is claimed to be extra immune to scratches and drops, which makes the Apple Watch Extremely extra appropriate for the tough terrain environments it is pitched in direction of. It is helpful in on a regular basis use too although, with not a scratch on it and I’ve had it since September 2022.

The bulkier 49mm casing has rounded edges with an additional part on the high main into the show, which is totally flat, relatively than rounded just like the Collection 8. The Extremely’s casing is deliberately not as streamlined because the Collection 8, with a bit extra about it. The Digital Crown has an additional layer, with extra ridges for a extra tactile strategy and the power to make use of it with gloves and it is beautiful in observe. There’s additionally an added customisable button on the left edge, which is vibrant orange and can be utilized to start out a exercise, a brand new dive, or a brand new phase, for instance. In case you press and maintain it, it should additionally activate the built-in siren, which is 86dB and designed to be heard 180-metres away – it is exceptionally loud so be ready when you’re giving it a go. Alongside that orange Motion button – as Apple calls it – are dual-speakers too, in addition to the GPS antenna so there’s a lot on provide right here.

The button on the fitting edge beneath the Digital Crown stays a perform button however it’s bigger and extra outstanding on the Watch Extremely than earlier Watch fashions. There are additionally lugs on the high and backside of the Watch Extremely, attaching the specially-designed straps – that are nonetheless interchangeable. There are three choices – Alpine Loop, Path Loop and Ocean Band – although the Watch Extremely can also be appropriate with the 44mm and 45mm straps out there for traditional Apple Watch fashions too, and truly I extremely advocate making an attempt out the straightforward Sport Loop choices with the Watch Extremely because it provides the system a really completely different really feel to the bulkier Ocean Band that got here with my evaluation mannequin.

The big measurement of the Watch Extremely does imply that it isn’t going to go well with dainty wrists fairly in addition to the smaller Watch Collection 8, however this all relies on the look you are going for, in addition to what you need out of your smartwatch. It’s totally snug to put on, surprisingly so the truth is, and the big format did not look terrible on our small wrists both. It is actually an announcement and this can be a watch that does not go unnoticed – I get day by day feedback about it after I put on it. I really like that although, and I really like the flat show and its unapologetic chunkiness. It is large, daring and it owns it.

The Apple Watch Extremely is waterproof to 100 metres, and additionally it is IP6X rated, presents a MIL-STD-810H ranking, and it’s EN13319 rated, which is the dive pc customary. That each one means the Watch Extremely is appropriate for many situations, so it’s greater than able to dealing with common environments.

Bigger, flatter show

• At all times-on Retina show, 410 x 502 pixels
• 2000nits brightness
• Flat Sapphire Crystal

The Apple Watch Extremely has the biggest show of the present Apple Watch fashions provided and it’s the brightest too at 2000nits – the identical as the iPhone 14 Pro. Protected by Sapphire Crystal – and flat as we talked about – the Extremely’s show is designed to have the ability to stand up to scratches and edge impacts. In my expertise, it achieves this too, as whereas my Watch Extremely’s physique has averted scratches and scruffs, the show has additionally managed to keep away from them. My Collection 8 is not doing too badly both for what it’s price, although it does have small scratch on it, whereas the Watch Extremely remains to be pristine.

There’s an At all times On Show too, just like the Collection 8, that means you may at all times see data on the display screen, such because the time or your Activity Rings for instance. There’s additionally a Night time Mode perform while you rotate the Digital Crown upwards when on the Wayfinder technical face, turning the small print of the face to a vibrant pink. The Wayfinder face presents as much as eight issues and it includes a time dial that may be switched to a dwell compass.

The borders across the show on the Watch Extremely are tremendous slim too, providing loads of display screen actual property throughout the footprint and it is a genuinely beautiful consumer expertise. The Retina show has a decision of 502 x 410 pixels that delivers a large amount of element on a vibrant and punchy display screen with vibrant colors and deep blacks. There’s additionally ample brightness, with completely no issues seeing the display screen in out of doors situations when the solar is shining at its brightest. As I mentioned although, I am coming at this evaluation from an on a regular basis utilization perspective so it may be completely different if browsing with the water reflection or up a mountain, however on the whole, the show on the Watch Extremely is superb in my expertise.

{Hardware} and options

• S8 with 64-bit dual-core processor
• W3 wi-fi chip, U1
• LTE and UMTS
• Bluetooth 5.3

The Apple Watch Extremely runs on the S8 chip, which is a 64-bit dual-core processor, and there’s a W3 wi-fi chip and U1 ultra-wide band chip on board too, just like the Apple Watch Collection 8. It additionally options the identical plethora of sensors just like the Collection 8, together with the usuals like an optical coronary heart price sensor, blood oxygen sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope and altimeter.

The accelerometer has been upgraded for the reason that Collection 7, providing as much as 256g-forces as an alternative of 32g-forces, and there’s a physique temperature sensor too. The physique temperature sensor aids the Watch Extremely – and the Collection 8 – in detecting when a girl ovulates. This function is extra helpful within the Watch Collection 8 although, for my part, because the Watch Extremely is not actually a tool you need to sleep with, very similar to the Garmin Fenix 6 is not. It is that little bit too massive, whereas the 45mm Apple Watch Collection 8 nearly will get away with it for me when it comes to measurement. Nonetheless, when you do resolve that sleeping with a chunky smartwatch in your wrist is one thing you need to do, the Watch Extremely presents nice sleep monitoring that’s considerably extra helpful with watchOS 9 than it was beforehand. There’s a separate feature on sleep tracking with the Apple Watch that is price a learn if you’re within the knowledge provided and the way you get probably the most out of it.

Alongside having the ability to take an ECG, observe blood oxygen, observe a large number of sports activities, obtain smartphone notifications and use varied apps, the Watch Extremely additionally detect when you’ve been in a automotive crash, calling and sending your location to the emergency providers and notifying your emergency contacts. It additionally has worldwide roaming. I fortunately have not needed to take a look at the Crash Detection feature, although efficiency of the opposite options on the Watch Extremely are glorious. The Apple Watch is implausible in the case of heart rate tracking and the Watch Extremely isn’t any completely different, whereas the multitude of exercises out there to trace and the Rings function make you need to rise up and transfer, even on the times that TV and the couch are extra interesting.

There’s additionally a compass on board the Watch Extremely – as you’d count on, a depth gauge, precision dual-frequency GPS that makes use of L1 and L5 GOS for extra exact metrics and there is a built-in siren too, as we talked about. It’s also LTE, with no GPS-only mannequin out there, as there’s with the Collection 8 and it has an working temperature between -20-degrees celcius to 55-degrees celcius.

Longer-lasting battery

• As much as 36-hours
• As much as 18-hours LTE
• As much as 60-hours in Low Energy Mode

The Apple Watch Extremely has a bigger battery than the Collection 8 – or another earlier Apple Watch, with claims of a 36-hour life in comparison with the 18-hours provided by the usual mannequin. That is nonetheless a far cry from the Garmin Fenix’s of the rugged smartwatch world, however considerably higher than the Apple Watch has provided prior to now and it is very refreshing in use.

Not having to cost the Watch Extremely each night time is nice and except for the completely different design, it is the perfect factor concerning the Watch Extremely in the case of on a regular basis use. In my expertise, I received slightly below the claimed 36-hours in customary use, however that features exercises, typically a number of in a day, and it is also two days greater than the Watch Collection 8 presents so it makes a giant distinction in day-to-day use. With thee Watch Collection 8, I’ve to recollect to cost it earlier than I am going to mattress. The Watch Extremely in the meantime, permits me to go at the least a few days while not having to be connected with its white disc, although GPS does influence battery life and what you get out of it should rely in your private utilization so hold that in thoughts.

There’s additionally a 60-hour promise when utilized in Low Energy mode, which arrived through a software program replace a number of months after the Watch Extremely launched. There is a separate feature all about the Low Power mode on Watch Ultra you may learn if you wish to study extra about what the right way to flip it on and what options you lose when it’s on.

Software program

• watchOS 9
• Will assist watchOS 10

The Apple Watch Extremely runs on watchOS 9 for now, although will probably be appropriate with watchOS 10 when that launches later this 12 months. WatchOS 10 was previewed throughout Apple’s Worldwide developer conference (WWDC) in June 2023 and it’ll deliver some large modifications to how you employ Apple Watch and the interface, with widgets enjoying a key position. There’s additionally a Snoopy watch face coming, which goes to look epic on the Watch Extremely’s massive show. You possibly can read more about watchOS 10 in our separate function however for now, it is watchOS 9 that runs the present on Watch Extremely and it is a fantastic present. The software program replace introduced extra superior sleep monitoring with sleep phases, as we talked about, together with a number of different options that I’ve detailed in the watchOS 9 feature, a lot of which you additionally get on the Watch Collection 8 so you do not essentially want a Watch Extremely to get entry to the options however the expertise on the Extremely is nice total, showcasing the software program capabilties brilliantly.

There are a few extras with the Watch Extremely although, together with the power to programme the orange Motion button. It means you may select to get that button to start out a exercise for instance, which stops you having to swipe the display screen – a lot handier when you’ve got moist fingers or it’s raining. There are additionally loads of different makes use of, as we talked about.

Verdict

The Apple Watch Extremely is the Apple Watch Collection 8 on steroids, plus a lot extra. It is bulked as much as provide a extra tough and prepared system with not solely a more durable casing, however an even bigger one too, alongside an even bigger and beautiful show, extra tactile buttons and additional buttons too. And that is with out the higher battery life in comparison with different Apple Watch fashions.

Its measurement and chunkiness imply it will not go well with everybody’s tastes, and for some, will probably be overkill for what you want when it comes to options, or maybe effectively out of price range as let’s face it, it is not low-cost. For others although, the Apple Watch Extremely is the Apple Watch you have been ready a very long time for, particularly with all the additional options and the differentiation in design. Whether or not you can purchase it rather than a Garmin Fenix mannequin when you’re fascinated about excessive sports activities is probably controversial, and the Watch Collection 8 presents just about all the identical sensors for half the value, however if you’d like an Apple Watch that stands out from the remainder of the portfolio, delivers nice efficiency and presents a fantastic design, that is it. You will simply must dig deep to get it.