# Apple Watch Series 12 vs Ultra 4: which one wins > Same chip, same heart tracking, wildly different price. Here is where the Ultra 4 actually earns its $400 premium. - Title: Apple Watch Series 12 vs Ultra 4: which one wins · PCMAG - Summary: Same chip, same heart tracking, wildly different price. Here is where the Ultra 4 actually earns its $400 premium. Unless you dive, hike off-grid, or need… - Keywords: apple watch, wearables, smartwatch, buying guide, apple, technology, Watch, Series, Ultra, which, one, wins - Source: PCMAG — https://pcmag.com/comparisons/apple-watch-series-12-vs-ultra-4-7-key-differences-you-need-to-know-before - Author: Will Greenwald - Published: 2026-09-14T15:55:10+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: apple watch, wearables, smartwatch, buying guide, apple, technology ## Two watches, one chip The Series 12 and Ultra 4 both run Apple's new S11 chip, so their everyday smarts are identical. The split is price, size options, and how far off the grid you plan to go. ## Price: $399 vs $799 The Series 12 starts at $399 for a 42mm aluminum GPS model. The Ultra 4 comes one way only: 49mm titanium with cellular, at $799. ## The Series 12 can get pricey Add size and cellular and the titanium Series 12 hits $749. The new ceramic version runs $899 to $949, and the Hermes editions reach $1,399. ## Design: pick your flavor Series 12 comes in aluminum, titanium, or ceramic, two sizes each, in colors from bronze to blue. The Ultra 4 offers one size and two titanium shades. > If you want some color or have smaller wrists, the Series 12 is the watch to go with. ## Audio Intelligence listens all day The S11 unlocks a feature that hears your conversations and surroundings, then rewinds the last 15 seconds as text or summarizes a whole talk with key points. ## Apple's privacy promise Apple says a dedicated part of the S11 processes audio locally then deletes it, with no speaker identification and no sensitive data kept. You can switch the whole thing off. > I'm leery of any always-on AI, but you should be able to just turn it off on either watch. ## A readiness score for training Both watches give you a zero to 10 energy score with a recommendation for how hard to train. The Health app adds a Longevity tab that estimates your body's Health Age. ## Heart rate every five seconds Redesigned always-on sensors read your heart rate continuously instead of periodically, and capture heart rate variability up to 24 times more often than before. ## Satellite messaging is Ultra only Both share Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, and 5G. The Ultra 4 adds satellite messages and emergency signals beyond cell coverage, plus dual L1/L5 GPS for sharper positioning. ## Only one is dive rated Both are IP6X. The Series 12 handles 164 feet of submersion but is not for diving. The Ultra 4 survives 328 feet, dives to 141, and carries EN13319 and MIL-STD 810H testing. ## Battery: 24 vs 50 hours Apple claims 50 hours for the Ultra 4 against 24 for the Series 12. Apple usually lowballs: the Series 11 hit 43 hours on a 24-hour claim, the Ultra 3 hit 63 on a 42-hour claim. ## Always-on sensors may cost you With heart rate now sampling constantly, real-world battery on both new models could land closer to Apple's estimates than past generations did. ## Who should buy which Buy the Ultra 4 for multi-day battery, off-grid navigation, or ocean diving. Otherwise the Series 12 has the same brains in a friendlier size at a friendlier price. > The Series 12 offers all the smarts you actually need in a far more wrist-friendly design. ## Key takeaway Unless you dive, hike off-grid, or need multi-day battery, the Series 12 does everything the Ultra 4 does for half the money.