Macrumors iconMacrumorsSep 18, 2026 ~1 min source read

Apple Watch Series 12 vs. Ultra 4 Buyer's Guide

Ultra 4 bring new health sensors, a new chip, and more detailed recovery insights to Apple's smartwatch lineup, so how do they compare? Both models feature the S11 chip, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and the new Health Sensing System, which measures heart rate every five seconds throughout the day.

Apple Watch Series 12 vs. Ultra 4 Buyer's Guide

Share this story

Send the public story page.

Useful takeaways from this story.

Ultra 4 bring new health sensors, a new chip, and more detailed recovery insights to Apple's smartwatch lineup, so how do they compare?

Both models feature the S11 chip, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and the new Health Sensing System, which measures heart rate every five seconds throughout the day.

Building the complete brief

The page is ready to read now. The fuller skim-friendly version will appear here automatically.

The useful part

Ultra 4 bring new health sensors, a new chip, and more detailed recovery insights to Apple's smartwatch lineup, so how do they compare? Both models feature the S11 chip, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and the new Health Sensing System, which measures heart rate every five seconds throughout the day. They also share Readiness, Recovery HRV, daytime vitals, improved step tracking, hypertension notifications, sleep apnea notifications, Sleep Score, and more.

How it works

  • Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two Apple Watches is best for you.
  • The differences between the Apple Watch Series 12 and ‌Apple Watch Ultra 4‌ are as follows:
  • Series 12 starts at $399, while the Apple Watch Ultra 4 starts at $799.
  • This means that the Ultra 4's higher price does not buy you more advanced everyday health tracking.

What to take from it

The gap narrows if you want a premium case material, with the titanium Series 12 starting at $699. This year, the Series 12 also gains a ceramic option starting at $899, making it more expensive than the Ultra despite its smaller size and shorter battery life. Ultra continues to focus on durability, extended battery life, and additional capabilities for activities like diving and exploration.

Keep reading in the app

Open the app view to save this story, compare related coverage, and continue from the same source.

Open in app