YouTubers test durability of Apple Watch Ultra in different ways

Apple launches are, as always, accompanied by a variety of teardowns and tests by tech vloggers, and in a variety of different ways. For the Apple Watch Ultra, billed as a durable diving-capable watch that adventurers could depend on, two videos neatly sum up the extremes of testing capability.

In a Sunday video, DC Rainmaker wanted to test out the diving capabilities of the Apple Watch Ultra, which is EN13319 certified, water resistant to 100 meters, and also offers a Depth app to show how far the user has descended.

However, based in Amsterdam, there are few opportunities to actually dive deep, so the test was conducted with a custom table-top dive chamber. Throughout the controlled "dive," the Depth app was shown to be accurate enough to use, as well as demonstrating the readings a user would see on completion.

In testing the app going to further depths than rated, the app changes to show a bright yellow background, along with the text "Beyond 130ft," indicating it has gone beyond the parameters of the app. The Apple Watch Ultra survived going to a simulated depth of 159 feet, before being returned to the "surface."

While the app didn't display depths after 130 feet on the screen, the Health app does show deeper depths for Underwater Depth. Unlike the watchOS app, the results show it went "beyond 144 feet," not quite the level the chamber was set to, but beyond what Apple uses in its marketing.

The more conventional and sensational testing of the Apple Watch Ultra was uploaded to YouTube on Saturday by TechRax. The same channel that wrecked a car to demonstrate the crash detection capability of the iPhone 14.

In a battery of tests right after unboxing, the YouTuber initially dropped the Apple Watch Ultra face-first onto concrete, with only minor scratches to the titanium case.

The second test involved dropping the Apple Watch Ultra into a jar full of screws, which was then vigorously shaken to try and scratch the device. Aside from a little dirt on the band, there was very little extra damage to the device.

Lastly, the YouTuber brought out a hammer and liberally applied it to the watch face, starting somewhat gently then ramping up in power. The screen turned off after 12 hits, but again, there was minimal external damage visible from the outside.

A further three hits caused the display glass to break, and a direct hit to the rear glass broke the back cover.

Amusingly, it seems that the Apple Watch Ultra is tougher than the YouTuber's furniture. After six hits, the surface of the table started cracking underneath the Apple Watch itself, forcing the YouTuber to reposition it and continue with the "testing."

While obviously attention-grabbing, the video does at least demonstrate that Apple really did make the Apple Watch Ultra a very rugged device. If it can shrug off a few hammer blows, it can certainly handle everyday life.

AppleInsider doesn't recommend conducting similar destructive testing at home. Partly because of the safety issues behind such activities, but mostly because it's a $799 smartwatch.