What AW are you using? The Ultra/2 has dual-band GPS, and it’s been incredibly accurate for me.

I remember MKBHD asking Tim Apple this question. I think his response was something along the lines of data not showing enough demand.

AOD was a major factor that determined whether my old S5 could make it through a marathon or not (regular power for proper HR tracking + onboard Spotify + AirPods).

With the AWU2 battery (same as AWU), I leave AOD on, even during training. Unless you’re running ultra marathons, or don’t have accessible charging for days, AOD is such a quality of life feature that should really be left on.

It’s a little exaggerated, but buying an AWU and kneecapping its features is like buying a Porsche and driving it exclusively in school zones.

Sorry to hear that.

Sounds like a miserable approach to life.

AWU2. I use mine indoor and outdoor rock climbing. No case or screen protector (it’s SAPPHIRE, for crying out loud). I’ve hit my wrist pretty hard multiple times on Squamish granite. I cannot find a single scratch on my screen under bright light and close inspection.

I’m sure the titanium casing will be the first to go, though. But I’ve seen pictures of the natural wear and tear on the Ultra’s titanium, and I think it actually looks significantly better than putting a whole circus tent on your wrist.

FWIW, back when I had a mainline series watch, I had one of those case and screen 2-in-1s. The transition has been very liberating.

for my iPhone

That should tell you everything you need to know. If you use an iPhone, nothing even comes close to an Apple Watch regardless of your use case. Seriously. Everything just works so well together in the ecosystem.

The only real point of consideration is battery.

“But XYZ watch has three weeks of battery life.” I regularly train for and run marathons. That’s why I have an Ultra 2. For most people, the SE/mainline series is more than capable to get you through the day.

Do you need the extra battery/dual GPS/etc, or is it just nice to have? If it’s the latter, stick with the main AW series. The AWU won’t change your life.

I run marathons, and I rock climb outdoors for hours. I also want to be in the Apple ecosystem. For these reasons, I have an AWU2.

With my use case, my previous Apple Watch would power out sometime throughout the day. If you’ve never experienced this, you don’t need the Ultra.