Apple Watch Ultra 4 Struggles to Justify $799 as Series 12 Closes $400 Feature Gap

3 articles · Updated · WIRED · Sep 18

$799 buys fewer clear upgrades in Apple’s new Watch Ultra 4, as testing found the Series 12 delivers much of the same health, safety and daily-use experience for $400 less.
Series 12 now shares the Ultra 4’s new Health Sensing System, S11 chip and upgraded heart-rate sensors, shrinking one of the Ultra line’s main advantages.
Ultra 4 still stands out with multiday battery life, an Action button and satellite messaging, but those features mainly target trail runners, divers and users who go beyond cellular coverage.
Health tracking did improve: the Ultra 4 now checks heart rate every 5 seconds, measures HRV every 5 minutes—up to 24 times more often than before—and adds Recovery HRV and daytime-versus-overnight views.
With no price cut or new finish, the latest Ultra looks more like a specialized upgrade for off-grid athletes than a must-buy for mainstream users or current Ultra owners.

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