Apple Watch Extremely Overview – iRunFar

The Apple Watch Extremely ($800) is our favourite smartwatch in our Finest GPS Working Watches information.

On this video, iRunFar explores its options and limitations, and the professionals and cons of choosing the Apple Watch Extremely over an alternate high-end GPS operating look ahead to lengthy distance operating.

[Editor’s Note: The Apple Watch Ultra 2 releases in September, 2023, and we’ll be testing it just as soon as we can get our hands on it. It appears that the most significant changes to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 are a new chip, new sensors, and a brighter screen. According to Apple, we’ll see the same battery life and lack of native mapping abilities in the second version.]

Store the Apple Watch Extremely

Apple Watch Extremely Overview Transcript

Hey and welcome to Path Trials, the video assessment part of iRunFar. My identify is Travis Liles. On this video, we have a look at the Apple Watch Extremely. We ask the query, is it “extremely?” This query applies to iRunFar readers particularly, is that this one thing you’ll put on for an ultramarathon and lengthy distance run coaching? Let’s test it out.

Earlier than we dig in, let’s discuss what this assessment is and isn’t. This system has been out for some time. Updates are coming to it. I’m recording this in roughly the center of July, 2023. There have been some updates since I received it. I’ll be as correct as I can about the place we’re right this moment. I additionally plan on recording a supplemental video as time goes on, when options are added on which might be relevant to both my critiques, or to our sport of ultrarunning usually.

That’s the distinction between this and one thing like a shoe. A shoe is a shoe, till a brand new model comes out. This watch will get software program updates, firmware updates, issues can change, and be added over time.

Due to that, we’ve to think about this as a point-in-time assessment. Additionally, this isn’t an exhaustive expertise assessment. There are a bunch of these on the market already that discuss Apple watches, their well being options, their smartwatch options.

I’m making an attempt to condense this down into — if I’m an ultrarunner, what do I take into consideration this watch? How does it match into my world? If I’m going to spend on a high-end system to trace my runs, is that this one which is smart, given what I do? I hope to reply that by the top of this assessment.

Apple Watch Extremely Specs and Operation

Let’s begin by trying on the total structure of the Apple Watch Extremely. First, that is an all-titanium case. It’s 49 millimeters in diameter, and for a reference level, that’s a reasonably large sports activities watch.

I’m a small particular person. I’m 5 foot, 5 inches. I’m 135 kilos. I’ve received pretty small wrists. These watches have presence, however they’re not loopy massive. In case you have a look at the 2 of those in contrast [shows two watches], that is the Garmin fēnix 7 — Sapphire Photo voltaic Version — you possibly can try our Garmin fēnix 7 — Sapphire Photo voltaic Version assessment, too. Plenty of phrases there. And right here is the Apple Watch Extremely.

The distinction is, one’s sq. and one’s round. For a reference level, these fall on the bigger measurement of the sports-watch class. There’s loads occurring right here by way of sensors, and GPS, and a much bigger battery. Particularly in case you’ve solely used a daily Apple Watch. However the case is made out of all titanium and it’s an enormous, chunky case. Titanium is a reasonably light-weight steel. It’s mild for the dimensions that it’s. It has a really giant and vibrant OLED display screen, which simply means blacks are actually black. In case you’ve received an iPhone Professional, this is similar sort of display screen, clearly a lot smaller. It’s actually vibrant and vivid.

By way of working the watch, you’ve a few issues to work with. One is the digital crown, and it does a pair issues. One, as you possibly can see, it offers you a pink face, which is cool. In case you don’t need one thing tremendous vibrant, you possibly can flip to that. In case you’re tenting or no matter, that’s a enjoyable operate to have. However the crown additionally works for scrolling by means of the apps. Once more, this can be a smartwatch, so that you work together with it by means of purposes. In fact, it has touchscreen, in addition to the crown button.

Over right here on the precise, there’s one other button, and that pops you into your just lately opened purposes. Once more, you should use that crown to scroll. Contact continues to be a reasonably respectable interplay level with this watch, and that’s undoubtedly one thing to remember. For instance, if we go into the Climate app, you possibly can scroll by means of some data. But when I need to return to the checklist of places, I’ve to the touch on the display screen, and hit that time to get again. So, contact is a requirement as you’re employed with this, and we’ll discuss extra about that later.

Over right here on the facet, the factor that’s totally different from the remainder of the Apple line is that this Motion button. The Motion button is, for all intents and functions, a shortcut — a deep shortcut button into the Exercise utility, in my case. After I hit that button, it goes into the Exercise app, and now it waits for a GPS sign. That could be a operate you can activate or flip off. It may possibly simply begin routinely once you hit that, or you possibly can wait on your sign to be totally intact. When you’ve received that able to go, you’re good. You hit that button once more, and that can begin your exercise. Or you possibly can edit this button to do various things, nevertheless it’s successfully going to right here, and I’ve it mapped to the Exercise app. Then Outside Run is the precise type of exercise that I’ve it go to once I begin the system.

Apple Watch Extremely Options

We have now a pair different issues to name out on the Apple Watch Extremely. You’ll discover these massive holes right here — this can be a speaker. There are microphones on this as properly. These act in a few features, however primarily for speaking to your voice assistant on the Apple world.

It additionally acts as a siren. You possibly can take a telephone name on this system as properly, and discuss to your wrist, which is oddly satisfying.

The display screen is made with sapphire glass, and that’s, for probably the most half, not scratchable, or extraordinarily onerous to scratch. I’m certain there are situations, however I’ve had many sports activities watches and mechanical watches by means of the years with sapphire glass, and I don’t know of any of them that’s scratched.

Listed here are a couple of notes on the straps. These straps are all detachable. That is the Path Loop right here. In all probability the one which’s most viable, I’d say, for most individuals, particularly with operating. It’s stretchy. It conforms to the wrist. It’s received stretch to it, nevertheless it will get a pleasant, cosy match, which implies that it locks down and get your coronary heart charge readings pretty properly. You need it to be as darkish as might be beneath the watch to guarantee that it’s doing what it must, to take these coronary heart charge readings, these pulse readings, all that sort of stuff.

They’re simply modified out. You push these little buttons right here on the backside. This one is known as an Alpine Loop. I just like the aesthetic of this, that’s simply private choice right here. However they’re quite simple to vary out and in. There are many third-party choices. Apple makes an entire bunch you can go check out, to vary the appear and feel of the system as you see match.

Utilizing the Apple Watch Extremely to Work Out

Let’s have a look at what it’s prefer to work out with the Apple Watch Extremely. In case you’re going out on your run, you hit your button. It opens the Exercise app. You possibly can map it to about no matter you need right here, even third-party purposes, which we’ll discuss in a bit. That arrow signifies that I’ve received my GPS sign.

What I’ll say about that is, I turned on mobile as an possibility, as a result of I needed to place this factor by means of the paces. So, it will use the GPS, mobile, and pedometer features. It lays down actually good GPS tracks.

After I evaluate it to different gadgets, I’ve by no means seen any massive swings by hook or by crook by way of the standard of the monitor, or shedding sign. In actual fact, it’ll even do some actually good issues. In case you’re in crowded downtown areas — as a result of Apple Maps has integration right here, like the identical one which’s in your telephone — it will possibly fill in gaps and determine issues out.

Now, you should use your digital crown and work your approach by means of your totally different screens right here. Coronary heart charge coaching, various kinds of splits, your tempo, no matter it’s, there are loads of choices right here you can customise to make it look the way in which that you really want. That is one which’s particular to elevation, and it’ll present like a chart. You then’ve received your music choices additionally, as a result of this can be a smartwatch, and you’ll simply plug your headphones in and take off from there.

What you’ll in all probability discover by means of all of that is it’s simply base-function-type monitoring. Once more, coronary heart charge, all that data, will likely be precisely such as you count on it to be. It tracks. It offers you your tempo. It does an incredible job of protecting all that data in. Once you’re performed, it uploads into Apple Well being. You might have a pair interplay factors right here whereas it’s taking that information. On the one facet, let’s proceed speaking about after I’ve performed a exercise. That goes into Health.

The way in which Health works is rather like Garmin Join. It’s identical to the Coros app, or the Suunto app, no matter you’re utilizing. This syncs that information right here, after which from right here, it comes to a decision on what to do with it.

Right here’s an instance of an Outside Run exercise. I can see my exercise time, distance, common tempo, coronary heart charge, and it’s damaged up into splits. All that information that you’d count on to see. Even actually fascinating issues like vertical oscillations, are you off the bottom an excessive amount of or not, what’s your common cadence, floor contact, stride size. There’s loads of stuff in right here to actually dig into and get details about what it’s that you just’re doing.

The opposite facet although, is what about sharing this information? On the social facet of issues, you possibly can sync all this data to Strava. It actually goes by means of this setting right here, which is your system settings. You simply join Apple Well being. When you try this, the entire exercises add into Strava within the background. You possibly can inform it to do its factor. As a result of the watch has Wi-Fi and mobile, it’s a really fast course of.

There’s a little bit little bit of the app interface. Principally, you’ve received all that wealthy information, identical to you’ve on all of your different apps which might be on the market, once more, like Garmin Join or the Coros app. For getting that information after which for sharing that externally, it will possibly go to these different purposes. I’m utilizing Strava like I feel nearly all of persons are, however there are different platforms, and also you simply have to see if Apple Well being is a sync goal.

Apple Watch Extremely Security and Navigation

Let’s discuss security. The Apple Watch Extremely is a smartwatch, so it has mobile connectivity. Due to that, it has fascinating ideas not in different sport watches in the marketplace.

You understand, the Apple commercials you’ve seen the place a man runs into the again of a automobile and his watch says, “I detect a crash.” Similar factor applies right here. It has crash and fall detection. Additionally, with this massive speaker on right here, it truly has a siren inbuilt and I’ll hit that in 3, 2, 1. [Beeping siren sound] What that does is, in case you fall or get harm, you’ve received this siren, versus continually screaming, you possibly can set that, flip it on, and it beeps repeatedly. The siren, and the frequency, and the loudness, and the way it cascades and goes up and goes down — that’s purported to be consideration grabbing. It’s not as loud as a whistle, nevertheless it does continually go, it takes the “you” out of getting to continually blow into one thing. You possibly can truly flip that siren on and it does that for you. It’s received mobile, and due to that, if by probability I crashed right into a tree — I truly had a coworker do that on his bike. His Apple Watch known as for an emergency, and he received pulled out due to that.

The opposite factor I’ll name out right here is the Compass app. In case you have a look at any Apple advertising, you’ll see the place you should use the Compass app’s Backtrack function. I can hit that and mainly begin laying down a footpath. Or I can go into the all app display screen, and discover my approach to Compass. You possibly can see why that motion button is basically useful in there.

Leaping to the display screen, and this has a few features which might be which might be constructed into it. One is that Backtrack operate. As a observe, this watch doesn’t lay down a monitor for you routinely. Once you begin a run, you might be operating within the Exercise app. It’s monitoring your tempo, it’s monitoring your distance, it’s laying down a map within the background, however it isn’t laying down a map you can, if by probability you are taking a flawed flip, return and comply with. There are triggers within the Compass app that can search for connection. When’s the final time it was in a position to discuss to mobile, and different issues, or discuss to your telephone over mobile, after which will supposedly lay down a pin. However probably the most surefire approach to be sure you have a Backtrack is actually to come back into this app that’s Compass. Begin that, and lay down this Backtrack.

You are able to do fascinating issues within this app. It permits for scrolling proper out and in. I don’t get loads of data right here essentially. Consider it extra as a, because the crow flies, as the way in which the information is introduced on right here. And actually, I can lay down, , numerous factors of curiosity and such to return to a spot. If I parked my automobile, it often leaves a parked automobile spot by default. However in case you begin at a trailhead that’s farther away, you may lay that down and return to it.

But it surely lacks within the particulars of knowledge. You don’t get a lot in approach of contour. It’s primarily only a line. It doesn’t offer you intersecting information that you just’ve gone by means of, trails that you just’ve handed, or something like that. It’s very a lot simply laying down a monitor as you go.

That is a type of issues that I feel from a security standpoint, is simply too sophisticated. I might have appreciated to have seen this Compass app and the Backtrack operate like an choice to activate routinely within a exercise. As a result of in case you don’t flip it on prematurely, it doesn’t do it.

Or it’s a must to depend on a bunch of different elements. It’s important to hope that it begins the Backtrack function for you. That’s one half. The second half is as a result of it’s an app, the way in which that you just interface between this, if you’re misplaced on a path run, and also you need to get again to the place you began, you’re bouncing out and in of those two. Okay, I’m again right here. I see how lengthy I’ve ran. I feel it was a few mile again, proper, for example. I’m going again into the Compass app. As a reference level, in case your palms are moist, or sweaty, otherwise you’re sporting gloves, all this turns into more durable to navigate by means of. But it surely does serve a base performance for the Backtrack. Once more, you simply need to just remember to keep in mind to show it on.

Talking of maps and Backtrack, let’s discuss what I might say might be the most important evident gap on this system, because it stands. That’s the truth that you would not have maps inbuilt. You don’t lay down a monitor as I discussed within the Compass half. There’s nowhere in these screens the place you’re getting the route that you just simply did, or are operating. That doesn’t seem anyplace the place that line is laying down a breadcrumb behind you. Once more, until you utilize that Compass operate that I simply talked about.

When you find yourself operating a route, let’s use an instance right here of, let’s say I need to do that out of doors run. Possibly I need to run a route that I’ve performed earlier than. There isn’t any operate of importing a GPX file to this. In case you get a race route or one thing alongside these traces, or buddies going out on a run collectively, and also you guys are all operating the identical route and put that in your watch. Otherwise you’re going someplace you don’t know. That’s not a base operate of the watch.

What it does have is that this means to hint a route that you just’ve already run. You possibly can see right here, scrolling by means of, there are a few routes that from my home will likely be part of this that I’ve performed up to now. The set off is basically easy. You’ve needed to have performed the route a number of instances, I consider twice, after which it’s a must to be near that begin spot. When you do, it presents itself.

This menu solely consists of those couple of routes right here, once I’m near the place to begin. Then when you’re in it, it solely tells you in case you’re off target. It doesn’t let you know the best way to get again on to it. That’s one of many main misses, I feel, because it pertains to path operating, is there isn’t any performance out of field for this system to present you that mapping that you really want.

Then there’s an enormous a part of my day-to-day coaching that it data properly. You’ve received the Compass app. It’s simply all type of clunky, bouncing out and in of a few totally different locations.

Apple Watch Extremely Smartwatch Options

What I didn’t count on with the Apple Watch Extremely was that the smartwatch options would play fairly as massive a task as they did. I didn’t count on the extent of “wow” that I, for lack of a greater time period, skilled from utilizing this watch every day. I feel that’s the true energy of that is, , what it lacks in these different areas for, it makes up for within the smartwatch facet of issues. You understand, I’ve every thing I want with me. If I need to verify into my flight, it’s on my watch. If I need to, discover out the place my automobile is parked, this factor remembers the place it was. It’s a smartwatch, proper, and that’s what you’re getting. You’re getting all of this actually nice — let’s name it shopper, or high quality of life — stuff that’s inbuilt, like messaging, and mindfulness. There’s simply a lot right here — Spotify, the information, I can use my electronic mail from work. There’s simply all these actually nice issues which might be right here for me to reap the benefits of, that I can look by means of actually simply, and see all my stuff. I can obtain these on the fly. I can take and make telephone calls by means of it. I will pay for meals.

Once more, what this watch lacks within the different half, I used to be mesmerized, if you’ll, with the opposite features that got here in with it that I wasn’t anticipating. Once you evaluate that to one thing just like the Garmin equal, you notice simply how binary a majority of these gadgets are because it pertains to the smartwatch operate. These two should not even in the identical ballpark, proper? This will settle for a name or deny a name. This may give me a notification that somebody despatched me a textual content. I may even learn that textual content, however I can’t actually reply in a full constancy approach. I’m caught with a sure or a no, or pre-canned-type of knowledge.

This, to me, was actually an sudden profit, I feel, of what got here out of utilizing a smartwatch. That’s that I didn’t should have my telephone with me on a regular basis. There was a degree of freedom there that was simply sudden. Once you pair this with headphones for example, it’s proper there in your wrist. Going out for my run, I can rapidly swipe over, seize my music, and join it to no matter headphones that I may need. Once more, something with Bluetooth connects proper up. I can begin listening to that, and if somebody calls, I get the decision.

Just like the workflow, or lack thereof, is fairly engaging. I might say at the same time as somebody that’s in expertise, that didn’t historically use this, I used to be very a lot impressed with the mixing. You’ve received to be within the Apple ecosystem to actually reap the benefits of it. However lots of people in america and past are. That’s one thing to remember.

Apple Watch Extremely Use with Exterior Apps

The very last thing that I need to discuss is filling the hole with the Apple Watch Extremely. What do I imply by that? Properly, I discussed the dearth of maps difficulty, and what an enormous miss for me. However I discovered apps on-line that fill that hole. There are a few apps that work very well, and the one I’ll discuss right here is WorkOutDoors.

WorkOutDoors is mainly a full-blown sport watch utility. And also you get to decide on what it’s that you just’re doing. However the place this fills the hole is on this map. This map space helps you to go in your telephone, choose a location, add that map. It sends over the tiles, after which you’ll be able to add a route from beneath. We are able to go to settings. I can hit considered one of my routes. I’ve considered one of them on right here. The Nasty Junior is the identify of my route. I can drop that route on there. Now it’s chosen. If I head again right here to my map. Alright, we are able to see this route is on the watch. Now I can actually go right here. I can park. It’ll give me turn-by-turn instructions, the maps there, all of the stuff that was lacking earlier than, is right here.

There are a few totally different apps that use this, and there’s totally different ways in which you are able to do this. I’ve talked an entire lot about core performance. That is the distinction right here, between [the Garmin fēnix 7 — Sapphire Solar Edition] and [the Apple Watch Ultra.] If [the Garmin] doesn’t have what you need, you’re caught, proper? On the Apple watch, you possibly can change screens. You are able to do this, you are able to do that. This factor actually has 1000’s of apps that you should use to make the system work in a approach that matches for you. The WorkOutDoors app is a first-rate instance of how that occurs.

What I’ll level out although, is that it’s a third-party utility. What which means is that you just’re reliant on updates from this app. You’re reliant on, , it sustaining the identical battery requirements because the Apple Exercise app does, and people forms of issues. I discovered that to be the case, nevertheless it’s one thing to consider, as a result of it’s not the native operate of the system to do the forms of issues. At the least the mapping in the way in which that that is, however in case you really need plenty of screens and totally different choices in your watch, I’d advocate this to take a look at. I’ve no monetary curiosity or something like that.

There’s a few different apps that enable for drawing of routes, and people forms of issues. However this one let me get the screens I needed. It let me do the mapping that I needed, and allowed me to get nearer, if you’ll, to the Garmin, which I’ve received very snug with, due to having that map information at all times obtainable. Once you’re off the grid, or at the very least out of mobile vary, this, to me, was a recreation changer by way of utilizing the system.

Apple Watch Extremely Total Impressions

In closing, what’s my ultimate impression of the Apple Watch Extremely? If the query is, do you have to purchase this watch versus a high-end Garmin, Coros, Polar, or Suunto — it’s not a straightforward reply. That’s not usually the reply that folks need to hear.

But it surely actually is dependent upon what it’s that you just want. This system has been actually nice for Monday by means of Friday. After I know what I’m doing, once I know what I’m stepping into, once I want to have the ability to probably take a telephone name as a result of my oldest daughter must come up with me whereas she’s watching my youngest daughter, or the college has to name me, or one thing occurs. I’m out and about as a result of I’ve received a free afternoon to go for a run. I can nonetheless be linked to work. I can obtain a podcast. I can take heed to music. I’ve entry to do what I have to do, and nonetheless be linked with out having to hold a telephone in my again pocket, or placed on a waistbelt, to have that storage.

That’s a really liberating feeling that you just simply don’t get with common GPS watches. Sure, different watches in the marketplace enable for notifications and lightweight interactions. However I can actually take a telephone name on this watch by placing my wrist as much as my mouth. I can have earbuds on, and I can ship out a textual content message. That could be a feeling of freedom and engagement that, on one hand, is perhaps too linked. However alternatively is like, Wow, I see how that is nice.

The place it misses is all of the maps. I don’t belief what it has on it for maps, the dearth of the flexibility to place a GPX file on there and comply with a route natively, I simply don’t have the consolation in that third-party ecosystem. I would like that to be a core operate of the watch. As of proper now, it isn’t.

Once more, you are able to do it. I’m certain people will say, “You are able to do that like this.” I’ve used this app, and I did it. I simply have apprehension about it, as a result of it feels prefer it must be there, and it feels prefer it must be a much bigger a part of the bundle.

So, the place to go together with that? In case you’re an Apple consumer, clearly that’s a step in. In case you’ve been utilizing an Apple Look ahead to coaching and also you assume, I might actually simply use higher battery life, or perhaps you need one thing extra rugged, additionally an possibility. Or in case you’re coming from that entry degree watch area, and now you’re making an attempt to assume, Do I would like this Apple Watch that’s a smartwatch, that does all these items, that may monitor my runs? Or do I would like this Garmin or Coros that may monitor all my runs?

It comes all the way down to this. Would you like a sports activities watch that has some smartwatch performance, or would you like a smartwatch that has some sport watch performance?

This can be a smartwatch first. You possibly can inform that by the way in which that you just work together with it, by the touch-first design, by bouncing out and in of apps, by the way in which that the Compass app is disconnected from the run program within the Exercise app, and it’s a must to bounce backwards and forwards if you wish to use these two independently. If it’s moist otherwise you’re sweaty, use points might include that. How usually does that occur? These are questions to remember as you’re fascinated with shopping for this.

Whereas these different watches are constructed sport first. My location is already there, the map is getting laid down as I run, and I don’t have to fret about sweating. They’ve contact, however my most important interplay is thru buttons that I can simply navigate up and down. However then I can’t simply stroll away from the home and never take my telephone. I’ve to be linked. I can’t obtain music as I’m going.

In order that’s your resolution level. As a result of you may get by means of a extremely long-distance race utilizing this Apple Watch Extremely. You possibly can even use the outdated battery trick, the place you plug it in whilst you’re going, and it retains recording. That every one is there to do and have. However how a lot fuss would you like?

For me, at this level, I’m extra of a set it and neglect it. I need to begin my watch. I need to know that it’s working. I would like to have the ability to look down. I would like to have the ability to see that my map is accessible to me. I don’t need to have to consider, like, Did I begin this? Did I begin that? Will my battery final for twenty-four, 30 hours, no matter that quantity is likely to be. That’s the choice level for me.

However in case you’re solely doing that a few times a 12 months, then this can be a fairly superior setup. That is the query: the place would you like your performance to go?

I’ll shut with this. That is model considered one of this watch. Apple is a big firm. They’ve a market cap of shut to a few trillion {dollars}. They’ve received plenty of analysis and growth, and many issues that they will do. In a conventional Apple sense, they work their approach into issues slowly, after which change into the usual. Will that occur right here? That’s onerous to say. However foundationally you possibly can see the place that is going, and know that that may be a firm that has deep sufficient pockets that if they’re so interested by actually going all in, they’ve that means to take action.

[Editor’s Note: Again, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 releases in September, 2023, and we’ll be testing it just as soon as we can get our hands on it. It appears that the most significant changes to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 are a new chip, new sensors, and a brighter screen. According to Apple, we’ll see the same battery life and lack of native mapping abilities in the second version.]

It’s also possible to verify our information to the Finest GPS Working Watches to see how we in contrast the Apple Watch Extremely with different market leaders.

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Name for Feedback

So, with that stated, questions? Feedback? Are you utilizing a smartwatch on your coaching? Do you’ve these splits that you concentrate on? What’s your system of alternative proper now and why? Go away these within the feedback beneath. Thanks for watching. We’ll catch you subsequent time.

[Editor’s Note: If you’re affiliated (i.e., an employee, ambassador, etc.) with a brand, please share your relation in each of your comments on this article. Thanks!]

Our Favourite GPS Working Watches

Try our Finest GPS Working Watches article to find out about our present favourite GPS operating watches for operating!