Should You Buy the Apple Watch Ultra 3?
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is Apple&8217;s most expensive watch, starting at $799. It targets outdoor enthusiasts who need extra durability, longer battery, and advanced features beyond the standard Apple Watch. The model was refreshed in September 2025, making now an okay time to buy, as another update is unlikely before September 2026. Apple hasn&8217;t always updated the Ultra yearly, and even if a new model comes in 2026, hardware changes are expected to be minor.
Compared to the second-generation Ultra, the Ultra 3 offers a larger, brighter display with thinner bezels, 5G connectivity, and satellite communication. Against the Series 11, the Ultra provides superior water resistance, a more rugged case, and significantly longer battery life. However, its 49mm size may not fit smaller wrists. Those who don&8217;t need the Ultra&8217;s extreme features or prefer a compact watch should consider the Apple Watch Series 11.
Apple Watch Ultra 3: Overview
The third-generation Apple Watch Ultra follows the 2023 model, designed to compete with Garmin&8217;s premium fitness watches. It is aimed at sports enthusiasts and athletes who require extended battery life, reliable connectivity, and sport-specific performance. Apple describes the Ultra as built for endurance, exploration, and adventure. It remains the largest Apple Watch at 49mm.
The Ultra 3 runs the S10 chip, which supports the new Wrist Flick gesture (dismissing notifications or calls with a wrist flick) and Double Tap for one-handed interaction. Despite the chip upgrade, performance is similar to the S9. Storage is 64GB, unchanged from the Ultra 2.
The watch retains the same aerospace-grade titanium body, flat sapphire crystal display, and distinctive orange Action button. The Action button is programmable for workouts, compass waypoints, and more. The only exterior change is a slimmer bezel, increasing the viewable display area to 1,245 sq mm. The LTPO3 display reaches 3,000 nits brightness and can drop to 1 nit in dark environments, allowing an always-on second hand.
Three microphones with beamforming improve call quality, and an 86-decibel siren can be heard up to 600 feet away. Battery life is improved: up to 42 hours under normal use, and up to 72 hours in low-power mode. Fast charging reaches 80% in 45 minutes, and a 15-minute charge provides 12 hours of use.
How to Buy
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 can be ordered directly from Apple or other retailers. It launched on Friday, September 19, 2025.
Design
The Ultra 3 shares the same rounded rectangular shape as earlier models, with a rugged build. The case edges extend to the flat front crystal, and the Digital Crown and side button are in a raised, pill-shaped area. The Digital Crown has larger, coarser grooves for glove use. At 49mm by 44mm by 12mm and 61.6 grams, it is heavier than the 46mm titanium Series 11. The orange Action button on the left side is customizable.
Colors and Materials
Available in Natural Titanium and Black Titanium, both with a satin finish. The black finish uses a diamond-like carbon coating for scratch resistance. The titanium case is 3D printed from aerospace-grade powder, reducing material waste.
Exclusive Watch Faces
The Wayfinder face includes a built-in compass and up to eight complications, with a red night mode. The Modular Ultra face uses the outer edge for real-time data and offers the most complications of any Apple Watch face. New to the Ultra 3 is the Waypoint face with a live compass, and complications for satellite access and night mode.
Durability and Water Resistance
The Ultra works in extreme temperatures (-20°C to 55°C) and meets MIL-STD-810H standards. The flat sapphire crystal is more robust than the glass used on standard models. It is water-resistant to 100 meters and EN13319 certified for recreational scuba diving to 40 meters. It can handle kitesurfing and wakeboarding, unlike other Apple Watches.
Always-On Display
The LTPO3 OLED display has 24% thinner bezels, resulting in a 1,245 sq mm viewing area, larger than the 46mm Series 11. Brightness remains at 3,000 nits but is retained at wider angles. The always-on mode now shows a ticking seconds hand.
S10 Chip and Gestures
The S10 chip has a 64-bit dual-core processor and a four-core Neural Engine, though no performance boost over the S9. It enables Double Tap and the new Wrist Flick gesture. Double Tap lets users control the watch by tapping thumb and index finger together. Wrist Flick dismisses notifications or calls with a quick wrist motion.
Health Features
The Ultra 3 includes a third-generation optical heart rate sensor, an electrical sensor for ECG, and infrared LEDs for blood oxygen monitoring. It can detect low, high, and irregular heart rates, including atrial fibrillation. New in watchOS 26 is Hypertension Alerts, which uses 30 days of heart rate data to identify possible high blood pressure patterns.
Blood Oxygen
Due to a U.S. patent dispute, blood oxygen readings are evaluated on the iPhone rather than the watch. In other countries, data is available directly on the watch. The sensor measures oxygen saturation between 70% and 100%.
Sleep Apnea Detection
The accelerometer monitors breathing interruptions during sleep. After 30 days, the watch can alert users to potential sleep apnea, viewable in the Health app under Sleep Disturbances.
ECG, Sleep Tracking, and Fall Detection
The ECG app takes a single-lead electrocardiogram in 30 seconds, detecting atrial fibrillation or normal rhythm. Sleep tracking monitors REM, Core, and Deep sleep stages. A Sleep Score metric (available on Series 9 and later) provides a numerical quality rating. Fall and Crash Detection automatically alert emergency services when a hard fall or severe car crash is detected, with a 10-second countdown.
Temperature Sensing
Two temperature sensors track wrist temperature every five seconds during sleep, aiding women&8217;s health and fertility planning. The sensors also support the Depth app for water temperature readings.
Activity Features
The Ultra tracks steps, calories, workouts, and Activity rings. It includes a Depth app that displays current depth, water temperature, duration, and max depth using the depth gauge. The Oceanic+ app (by Huish Outdoors) turns the watch into a dive computer with decompression algorithms. The Tides app shows high/low tides, height, direction, and sunrise/sunset. The Compass app offers waypoints, real-time bearing, incline, altitude, and Backtrack GPS navigation.
Battery Life
The Ultra 3 delivers 42 hours of typical use (up from 36 hours on the Ultra 2). Low Power Mode extends to 72 hours for multi-day trips. Fast charging reaches 80% in 45 minutes; a 15-minute charge gives 12 hours of normal use, and 5 minutes provides 8 hours of sleep tracking.
Microphone and Speakers
Three microphones with adaptive beamforming reduce background noise, and wind noise-reduction algorithms improve call clarity in windy conditions. Dual speakers provide louder audio for calls and Siri.
Connectivity
All Ultra models include cellular connectivity; the Ultra 3 adds 5G support for faster data speeds. Satellite communication is new: Emergency SOS via satellite, satellite messaging, and Find My updates work without Wi-Fi or cellular. Emergency SOS is free without a plan; messaging and location sharing require an active cellular plan. The watch also includes a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for Precision Finding, AirTag tracking, and integration with HomePod and Car Keys.
GPS
Dual-frequency GPS (L1 and L5) with new algorithms provides the most accurate positioning of any Apple Watch, improving distance, pace, and route data, especially in urban or wooded areas.
Depth Gauge and Seal Check
Apple offers Depth and Water Seal Tests to ensure the depth gauge and seals function correctly for diving. This service is recommended after any damage that might affect the seal.
Comparison: Series 11 and SE 3
The Ultra 3 is sold alongside the Series 11 (starting at $399, 42mm/46mm) and the SE 3 (starting at $249). Compared to the Ultra, the Series 11 lacks satellite connectivity, a siren, and has shorter battery life and a less rugged case. The SE 3 omits the blood oxygen sensor and ECG app and uses an older design.
Future of Apple Watch Ultra
Major design changes are not expected until at least 2028. The 2026 update (if any) may include a redesigned Ultra 4 with enhanced sensing functions, such as a refined high blood pressure notification. Noninvasive blood glucose monitoring is still years away. Touch ID on the Apple Watch is also being explored, possibly integrated into the side button or under the display.
Source: MacRumors News