Apple Watch Ultra gets up to 32% off in Cyber Monday Amazon deal; here's why I'd buy it (again) in a heartbeat
(Image credit: Apple)
Black Friday might technically be over, but the Black Friday sales are in full swing and most of the deals remain available as retailers build up to Cyber Monday tomorrow. The Apple Watch Ultra 1 smartwatch was heavily discounted in the US at Best Buy but that deal has now finished and the watch is back at $799 rrp. It is still on sale in the UK for £599.99 in the UK at Amazon though. There's also a refurb unit at an even better price of $569.00 at Amazon USA.
All of these deals are the lowest price they've ever been, according to the price-checking tool Camelcamelcamel, showing that the UK price is £50 cheaper now than ever recorded before.
The Watch Ultra is technically not the latest model in the Apple lineup after it was superseded by the Watch Ultra 2, but it's still a seriously well-specced smartwatch with good battery life and features that integrate it into your life both at home, when exercising when working and more.
I've been using one since summer to see if it's worth including in our guide to the best cycling watches and even though I also have a Fenix 7 in my possession, I've not used it since the Apple Watch arrived, such is my preference for the Apple device.
It's usage goes well beyond cycling too. It serves as a comprehensive 24/7 health tracker and integrates seamlessly with my iPhone to provide notifications, Apple Pay and more.
UK: Apple Watch Ultra 1:£699.00 £599.00 at Amazon Save 14% This is £50 cheaper than it's ever been before, and although £599 is still a lot of money, if you've been considering treating yourself, this deal could be the catalyst you need to make it happen.
The price applies to a specific colour option, the green 'Alpine Loop' fabric strap, but is available in three strap sizes so it should be suitable for all.
USA: Apple Watch Ultra 1 (renewed):$799.00 $539.99 at Amazon Save 32% - If you're willing to accept a refurbished product, then you can save even more at Amazon, with the best deal coming with 32% ($259) off.
Why I'd buy this Apple Watch Ultra Cyber Monday deal
As I mentioned, I've been using the Apple Watch Ultra since early Summer this year. Prior to that I was testing the Fenix 7 and the Epix Gen 2. Both are great watches, but since the Watch Ultra arrived, they've both languished on my desk unworn and untouched (besides some head to head tests on battery life and GPS accuracy).
The reason is that the Watch Ultra, in my opinion, is a higher quality product that's better at integrating into your day to day life, while also being on par with Garmin's sport tracking capabilities for the few sports I do: cycling, running, walking the dogs (does this count as sport?) and going to the gym.
It offers all the bells and whistles that you'd expect from a smartwatch, including Apple Pay, Spotify integration with on-device storage, comprehensive mapping and navigation, Apple Find My, and health metrics like heart rate too.
In terms of the quality of design, construction and 'finish', the difference is night and day. The buttons on the Apple Watch Ultra's titanium body are beautifully well made, premium, I'd even go so far as to say they're luxurious to use, with the 'Crown' (the scrolling wheel on the side) using a feather-light vibration to mark each click.
By contrast, the buttons on both of the similarly-priced Garmins feel less well-finished, and they have a slight side-to-side wobble. If you own a Garmin watch, you're probably screaming at the screen now, because in use, they are fine. They're good. But the Apple Watch Ultra is incredible.
I find the touchscreen has a similar level of quality, too. If you own a bike computer, you'll know that the touchscreen on that isn't quite as good as your smartphone, and most smartwatches have the same shortcoming. Given this is an Apple product, the Watch Ultra's touchscreen is just as responsive and accurate as my iPhone 13.
On the features front, I really like how the Apple Watch Ultra connects with my phone and integrates with my day to day life. Whether that's being reminded of upcoming meetings, deleting junk emails without having to take my phone out of my pocket, or being reminded to record activities when I've inevitibly forgotten.
Somewhat dangerously, it also lets you snooze your phone's alarm clock, and I've definitely taken advantage of that feature in my morning slumber and then been late for work. Sorry boss.
Some reasons not to buy it
It's fairly obvious that I'm a fan of the Watch Ultra, but there are some reasons why you might want to avoid it.
One of those is the battery life, which on a good stint will last around three days. This is good by Apple Watch standards, but the aforementioned Garmin models go closer to three weeks between charges. It's become a fairly natural process to charge it, so I don't notice it as a problem anymore, but those who want to take their Watch Ultra on a long trip away might find it frustrating.
The second is the ability to integrate with third-party sensors. The Garmin watches can integrate with the HRM Pro heart rate monitor, in turn adding more sensors to track running metrics like vertical oscillation and stride length. The Watch Ultra can now connect to power meters and even turn your smartphone into a makeshift bike computer, but the process is slicker in the Garmin camp.
The third is that there is a hoard of Garmin smartwatch deals to consider too, as you'll find in this separate Garmin Fenix Cyber Monday roundup.
Another is probably the most important: Even with this Cyber Monday deal, it's still a lot of money, and you might be able to get similar specs in the lower-tier Apple Watch devices. The Apple Watch Series 9, for example, is also on offer at its lowest-ever price in the USA, down from $399.00 to $329.00 at Amazon.
And the final reason takes that same thinking in the opposite direction. It's a lot of money, and if you're considering spending this much on an Apple Watch, you might prefer to spend a little more and get the latest model. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is also on offer at Amazon this Black Friday weekend, as outlined below.
UK: Apple Watch Ultra 2:£799.00 £769.00 at Amazon Save 4% - It's £170 more than the older model. At this price difference and considering the spec differences, I'd personally stick with the older model, but if you want the better chip, on-device Siri, and gesture control feature, then this is the best deal around at the moment.
USA: Apple Watch Ultra 2:$799.00 $739.00 at Amazon Save 8% - This is actually the best price the Watch Ultra 2 has ever been, and is priced at $90 more than the older model. Only you can decide whether that's a price you're willing to pay for the latest model.
Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton.
Josh has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews. On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years.
He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000.
These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.
