I just went hands-on with the Amazfit T-Rex 2 Ultra — and it beats the Apple Watch Ultra 3 in 5 big ways

Close-up of the Amazfit T-Rex 2 Ultra next to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 — (Image credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide)

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Lower cost
Better battery
More tracking modes
LED flashlight
Preloaded hiking maps

The ground-shaking, terror-inducing Amazfit T-Rex series is the brand's answer to the rugged-built Apple Watch Ultra series, and the newest Amazfit T-Rex 2 Ultra is Amazfit's priciest and most impressive smartwatch yet, with a large, ultrabright screen, a massive battery, preloaded maps for offline navigation, and support for over 180 workout types.

I’ve only begun testing this tough-built wearable, aimed at outdoor enthusiasts like myself, but I can already think of five key ways it beats the latest Apple Watch Ultra 3, one of the best smartwatches in 2026, and also one of my favorite wearables for tracking hikes.

1. Lower cost

Close-up of the Amazfit T-Rex 2 Ultra smartwatch — (Image credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide)

While Amazfit is better known for wallet-friendly wearables, like the Amazfit Active 2, my favorite smartwatch under $100, and the best cheap smartwatch in 2026, the new Amazfit T-Rex 2 Ultra costs considerably more: $549.

The good news is that the folks at Amazfit have assured me this is not a sign of the brand abandoning the price-conscious, entry-level smartwatch market. Rather, this is the brand's take on an ultra-premium model that can go toe-to-toe with not just the Apple Watch Ultra 3 but the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, and high-end Garmins as well.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 costs $799, making the T-Rex 2 Ultra a slight bargain in comparison. It's also cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, which costs $649.

2. Better battery performance

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the brand's longest-lasting smartwatch, averaging roughly 42 hours per charge in normal conditions, or 72 hours when using low-power mode. If you're tracking an outdoor activity using the onboard GPS, you can expect around 20 hours of power.

Those stats are pretty solid, especially for a full-featured smartwatch, but the T-Rex 2 Ultra (which is notably less 'smart' than its Apple counterpart) has the Apple Watch Ultra 2 beat by a long shot.

Under standard conditions, the T-Rex 2 Ultra should provide up to four weeks of usage before needing to visit a charger or up to 50 hours of power when using the GPS to log an outdoor workout or adventure.

3. More workout tracking modes

Apple has increased the number of tracking modes in the default fitness app over the past few years, with welcomed additions like snowboarding and surfing. However, Apple's list ultimately pales in comparison to that of the T-Rex 2 Ultra, especially if you love extreme outdoor activities.

While the Apple Watch Ultra 3 supports 77 workout types (by my count), the Amazfit T-Rex 2 Ultra supports over 180, including highly nuanced ones (absent from the latest Apple Watches), like spearfishing, free diving, trail running, snorkeling, and parkour.

4. An onboard LED flashlight

Amazfit lovingly borrowed the concept of an onboard LED flashlight from Garmin, and I, for one, am glad they did. When I first tested an LED flashlight-sporting smartwatch — the outstanding Garmin Instinct 3 — I was truly blown away by the usefulness of the simple yet brilliant feature.

Suddenly, I could navigate my darkened bedroom with ease, without waking my sleeping partner or tripping over the dog.

The LED flashlight on the T-Rex 2 Ultra is tucked into the titanium alloy bezel at the 12:00 position and supports multiple output options, as well as red and green light modes.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3, on the other hand, technically has a flashlight function, but it simply uses a white screen at max brightness, rather than a dedicated LED. By comparison, it's dimmer, less directional, and ultimately, much less useful.

5. Preloaded hiking maps

While the Apple Watch Ultra 3 supports downloading and saving maps for offline navigational use, whether you're going on a roadtrip or a hike, the Amazfit T-Rex 2 Ultra ships with navigational hiking maps preloaded on the watch. Better yet, Amazfit's maps provide a greater level of contour detail and elevation markings for hikers compared to Apple's.

Ultimately, the new Amazfit T-Rex 2 Ultra has a lot going for it, and even though it beats the Apple Watch Ultra 3 in several key areas on paper, we won't know if it really competes with the other 'Ultras' until I've had a chance to fully test it.

With that in mind, stay tuned for my complete Amafit T-Rex 2 Ultra review, along with head-to-head fitness tracking accuracy testing versus the Apple Watch Ultra 3, the best Garmin smartwatches, and more.

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Dan Bracaglia is the Tom’s Guide editorial lead for all things smartwatches, fitness trackers and outdoor gear. With 15 years of experience as a consumer technology journalist testing everything from Oura Rings to instant cameras, Dan is deeply passionate about helping readers save money and make informed purchasing decisions. In the past year alone, Dan has assessed major product releases from the likes of Apple, Garmin, Google, Samsung, Polar and many others.

An avid outdoor adventurer, Dan is based in the U.S. Pacific Northwest where he takes advantage of the beautiful surroundings every chance he gets. A lover of kayaking, hiking, swimming, biking, snowboarding and exploring, he also makes every effort to combine his day job with his passions. When not assessing the sleep tracking and heart rate accuracy of the latest tach gadgets, you can find him photographing Seattle’s vibrant underground music community.

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