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If the new Apple Watch Series 11, Apple’s baseline smartwatch, is the girl next door, then Apple’s Ultra 3 is the Mt. Kilimanjaro-scaling, rugged neighbor. People might be using the Series 11 to train for their first marathon, but people are certainly using the Ultra 3 to record their fifth Ironman.
Apple unveiled its latest rugged smartwatch last week at the annual September iPhone event. The Ultra 3 arrives alongside two Apple Watch options – the affordable SE 3 and the baseline Series 11. Its biggest upgrades come in small but meaningful packages, like a wide-angle display for quicker viewability, longer battery life, and emergency features.
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Over the past week, I tested all three to understand their capabilities, similarities, differences, and who would get the most out of which watch. So, how does the Ultra 3 stack up? Let’s dive in.
After a week of use and tinkering, the Ultra 3’s biggest selling point is its battery life. Apple includes the S10 chip in the Ultra 3, lengthening its battery life by six additional hours, for a total of 42 with regular use. I’m not religiously proactive about charging my smartwatch, but the 42-hour upgrade kept me ahead of battery drain and made continuous use simple.
Its second biggest selling point to the Ultra 3 was Emergency SOS, Location sharing, and messaging through Satellite. ZDNET contributor and hiker extraordinaire, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, goes on off-grid adventures regularly. He’s tested the Apple Watch Ultra 2 on his hiking adventures, sent his location, and used satellite communications during his explorations.
The Ultra 2’s satellite communications didn’t perform as well as his Garmin inReach Messenger or Spot X satellite messenger, though. “It’s a faff finding satellites” on the Ultra 2, he tells me. The Ultra 3’s upgrade could change that.
When used in an emergency, Apple has designed a questionnaire that Ultra 3 users can click through to quickly and effectively receive help. Users can call 911, then select options about their predicament, like whether they’re in a car crash, someone is sick, or they’re lost. The watch user can describe their situation, like if they’re stranded or trapped on steep terrain. Apple also asks to notify emergency contacts through Satellite communications.
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Once all this is filled in, the watch will instruct you to move to get a direct connection with the satellites 800 miles above. In my demo, we moved left and right (because the satellites are not stagnant and actively orbiting) to get a proper view of the satellite and send that report. The report includes a user’s location, their medical ID, battery level, and the details of the questionnaire.
Then, a user is connected with an employee at a relay center for additional assistance. The Satellite connectivity feature could help people on hikes, in emergencies like car crashes, or in rural areas where service is scarce.
Kingsley-Hughes told me that these features are like security blankets that give users peace of mind while they’re off-grid. Still, the main sell remains the battery life upgrades. While Emergency SOS via Satellite is a feature that will save Apple’s hikers and off-grid adventurers, it’s one that could be useful once in a blue moon — when disaster strikes. But battery life makes a daily difference in the watch’s usability and is one reason Adrian and I recommend the new watch.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 (left) and Series 11 (right).
Nina Raemont/ZDNET
Other nice-to-have features include the Ultra 3’s ginormous screen, which could easily function as a standalone phone. It now incorporates a wide-angle OLED display and LTPO3, which improves the display’s power and energy efficiency. Typing messages on it was easy, and I could pack tons of complications on the Ultra 3’s display.
Like the Series 11, the Ultra 3 also comes with Apple’s recently FDA-cleared Hypertension Detection. This feature doesn’t provide by-the-minute blood pressure readings. Instead, it uses Apple’s PPG sensors to take a 30-day average, which its algorithm determines is either above or below the hypertension threshold. Because I had only a few days with the watch, I wasn’t able to use the feature yet. I’ll report back in a month once I have further experience with it.
Also: Apple just got FDA clearance for Hypertension Detection – does your watch support it?
The recently announced Sleep Scores also arrive on the Ultra 3, though this smartwatch, in particular, was the hardest to sleep with. Its bulky nature and huge screen made its existence on my wrist nearly unforgettable throughout the night. This is not the ideal watch for sleep-tracking, and I’d recommend the lighter Series 11 or SE 3 instead.
It might not be the best for sleeping, but the Ultra 3 is my favorite watch out of the lineup to exercise in. I get a great view of my exercise stats on the larger screen, and the Action Button makes initiating a workout quick. It’s also water-resistant for up to 100m, IP6X dust-resistant, and tested to endure extreme temperatures, shock, altitude, and other rugged conditions.
ZDNET’s buying advice
While the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is certainly Apple’s most advanced hardware out of the watch lineup, it’s the smartwatch I’d recommend least to the average person due to its high price point. The Ultra has a devout following and user base of rugged exercisers, hikers, and off-grid explorers, and the recent updates will undoubtedly please them.
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I wouldn’t say the Ultra 3 is a worthy upgrade for Ultra 2 users, as it shares similar, if not negligible, specs that, in my opinion, don’t make the near $800 investment worth it, unless they are chiefly purchasing it for the Emergency SOS through Satellite services or need six more hours of battery, both of which the Ultra 2 does not have.
However, the Ultra 3 would be ideal for Ultra users or first-time buyers of rugged smartwatches who want to get the most advanced features Apple offers.
I’d recommend the Ultra 3 most to the aforementioned demographic and people intent on using the watch for health-tracking features because the watch offers Apple’s whole array of health-tracking features, including sleep apnea detection, blood oxygen monitoring, hypertension detection, ECG, and more.
