The Apple Watch Ultra 3, launched in September 2025, is Apple's most expensive and feature-packed smartwatch, starting at $799. It is designed specifically for outdoor enthusiasts, athletes, and adventurers who demand durability, extended battery life, and advanced connectivity. This third-generation model builds on the Ultra 2 with key upgrades while maintaining a familiar design.
Should You Buy the Apple Watch Ultra 3?
Priced at $799, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is targeted at users who need more than the standard Apple Watch offers. It is ideal for those who engage in extreme sports, frequent off-the-grid travel, or multi-day endurance events. The watch is now an &8220;okay time to buy&8221; since a refresh is not expected until September 2026. Compared to the Ultra 2, the Ultra 3 brings a larger and brighter display, 5G support, satellite connectivity for emergency SOS, and improved battery life—up to 42 hours normal use or 72 hours in low-power mode. For users with smaller wrists or those who don&8217;t need rugged features, the Apple Watch Series 11 is a more appropriate choice.
Design
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 retains the same overall design as its predecessor: a 49mm aerospace-grade titanium case with a flat sapphire crystal display. The only change is slimmer bezels, which increase the viewable screen area to 1,245 sq mm—the largest of any Apple Watch. The watch is available in Natural Titanium or Black Titanium (with a scratch-resistant diamond-like carbon coating). It includes the signature orange Action button on the left side, a raised Digital Crown with coarser grooves for use with gloves, and a side button. Exclusive watch faces like Wayfinder and Modular Ultra leverage the larger display, with features like a live compass and night mode that turns red for low-light visibility. The watch is certified to MIL-STD-810H, meaning it can withstand extreme temperatures (-4°F to 131°F), shock, vibration, and immersion. Water resistance is rated WR100 (100 meters) and EN13319 for recreational scuba diving to 40 meters.
Display
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 features an LTPO3 wide-angle OLED display that reaches 3,000 nits peak brightness—the same as the Ultra 2—but with improved off-axis viewing. The always-on display now shows a ticking seconds hand without raising the wrist, thanks to a faster refresh rate. The resolution is 422x512 pixels with 24% thinner bezels, making the screen area significantly larger than the Ultra 2.
S10 Chip and Gestures
Under the hood, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 uses the S10 chip, which is a smaller but not faster version of the S9. It powers two new gestures: Double Tap (tap index finger and thumb together to control the watch one-handed) and Wrist Flick (a flick of the wrist to dismiss notifications or decline calls). Both gestures work in third-party apps. The chip also enables a 64-bit dual-core processor, a 4-core Neural Engine, and 64GB of storage.
Health Features
The Ultra 3 includes all the health sensors of its predecessor: a third-generation optical heart rate sensor, electrical heart rate sensor for ECG, blood oxygen monitoring (with US limitations due to patent issues), and temperature sensing for sleep tracking and fertility planning. New with watchOS 26 are Hypertension Alerts, which analyze 30 days of heart rate data to detect possible high blood pressure, and Sleep Score, a numerical metric for sleep quality. Sleep apnea detection uses the accelerometer to monitor breathing interruptions over 30 days. Fall detection, crash detection, and the usual heart rate notifications (low, high, irregular) are also present. Women&8217;s health features include retrospective ovulation estimates and improved period predictions.
Activity Features
For outdoor enthusiasts, the Ultra 3 comes with a Depth app that displays current depth, water temperature, and max depth when diving. The Oceanic+ app (from Huish Outdoors) turns the watch into a dive computer. A Tides app provides high/low tide information, and the Compass app supports Waypoints and Backtrack for navigation. Dual-frequency GPS (L1 + L5) provides the most accurate positioning of any Apple Watch, essential for precise distance and route tracking during workouts.
Battery Life and Charging
The battery life is one of the standout improvements: up to 42 hours on a single charge (compared to 36 hours on the Ultra 2), and up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode. Fast charging can reach 80% in 45 minutes, with a 15-minute charge providing 12 hours of normal use. This makes the watch suitable for long-course triathlons and multi-day adventures.
Connectivity
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 includes 5G cellular connectivity, satellite communications (for emergency SOS, text messaging, and Find My when off the grid), a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for Precision Finding, Bluetooth 5.3, and an 86-decibel siren that can be heard up to 600 feet away. The siren features two patterns: a distress pattern and an SOS pattern.
Microphones and Speakers
Three built-in microphones use beamforming to capture the user&8217;s voice while reducing wind and background noise. Dual speakers provide louder audio for calls and Siri. The audio system is optimized for outdoor use.
Depth Gauge and Seal Check
Apple offers depth and water seal tests through authorized service providers to ensure the watch remains watertight for diving. This is a free service for Ultra owners and can be requested if damage occurs.
Comparison with Series 11 and SE 3
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is sold alongside the Series 11 (starting at $399, available in 42mm and 46mm, aluminum or titanium) and the SE 3 (starting at $249, older design, fewer sensors). The Ultra 3 offers the most rugged build, longest battery life, satellite connectivity, and the siren—features the lower-tier models lack.
What&8217;s Next?
Rumors point to a potential design overhaul for the Apple Watch Ultra 4 in 2028, with possible noninvasive blood glucose monitoring further out. The next iteration may bring a full redesign and improved high blood pressure detection. For now, the Ultra 3 represents the most advanced Apple Watch available.
Source:MacRumors News