Apple Watch Ultra 3 review: The best gets slightly better

Ever since the first Apple Watch Ultra was unveiled back in 2022, it's become my go-to Apple wearable. I'm addicted to the bigger and brighter screen, its longer battery life makes it much more convenient and bonus features such as the must-have Action Button (which instantly launches my workouts) and toughened titanium design all add to the appeal. The original Watch Ultra was replaced by the Watch Ultra 2 in 2023, which added a new black titanium colour, a better processor, and bonus features such as sleep apnoea notifications.

It wasn't the biggest change and probably not worth the upgrade if you already owned the original. Now Apple is back with another enhancement to the Watch Ultra and this 3rd generation certainly gives things a significant boost. Before you get too excited, there's no major design refresh in 2025, plus, just like the Ultra 2, the Watch 3 still only comes in two colours, Natural or Black titanium.

Despite a slight £50 price cut, it's still expensive. This latest device will set you back a whopping £749 - that's over three times the cost of the new Watch SE 3.

So, is it worth the upgrade? I've been testing out the Watch Ultra 3, and there's no doubt that it remains the best wearable from Apple.

It now has an even better screen, extended battery life of up to 42 hours and more upgrades that could genuinely save your life.

Let's start with that new display, which now gets the same smart LTPO3 technology as last year's Apple Watch Series 10 and also-new Series 11.

This has not only allowed Apple to make it ever so slightly bigger (it's now the largest screen of any Apple Watch) but also brings better power efficiency.

Just like the Series 10 and 1, the Ultra 3's less power-hungry display can refresh once a second when in always-on mode - it used to be once a minute.

This update allows you to see the clock's seconds ticking at all times. That might sound like a pretty insignificant change, but it makes this digital wearable feel far more like a real watch. There are also some new faces - including a smart Waypoint option with a compass - that take full advantage of this faster refresh technology.

The display was already good on the Watch Ultra 2, but the 3rd generation is now even better.

Along with the new panel, battery life is also improved and I'm easily getting over 48 hours of usage from a single charge.

No, it won't beat the likes of Garmin, which can last for well over a week, but you should be able to head away for a weekend and not worry if you've forgotten the charger. In fact, put the device in battery saving mode, and things can keep going for over 70 hours.

If juice does run flat, you can get an extra 12 hours of life from just 15 minutes of charging time.

Those who have owned an Apple Watch before will be well aware of the health, fitness and emergency features tucked inside.

The Watch Ultra 3 elevates this further. You now get two-way satellite communications as standard which allows the watch to send SOS warnings when off the beaten track.

I live in the suburbs of London, so I haven't needed to whizz an alert to space. However, I have seen it in action during a full live demo in California, and it's pretty incredible. You simply point the device at the sky, find a satellite and then begin communicating with the emergency services.

It will be free for two years. Apple hasn't said how much it will cost after that, but there could be a monthly subscription once the initial period ends.

Hopefully it's an upgrade you'll never need but it could be a game changer for those who enjoy a bit of time in the wild.

Users in the USA, Canada and Mexico can also use this new technology to send messages to friends and family when out of cellular service, but that feature isn't coming to the UK just yet.

The next bonus that could save your life is hypertension notifications, which can alert you if signs of chronic high blood pressure are spotted.

It's not available right now as it's still going through the regulatory process but the idea is that the device keeps an eye on how a user's blood vessels respond to the beats of the heart.

This data - which is monitored via the optical heart sensor - is then used to alert users if things don't look right.

Apple isn't measuring actual blood pressure; this is simply a guide to say you should get it checked. As someone who is prone to high readings at times, this is a feature I'll be keeping a close eye on and will update this review once I've given it a test.

This hypertension feature isn't exclusive to the Ultra 3 and will be coming to other models as well, including the Watch Series 10, 11 and Ultra 2.

When it's time to exercise, this device offers a new tool called Workout Buddy, which provides motivation using a generative voice powered by Apple Intelligence. Workout Buddy analyses and compares your fitness history to your current workout to provide personalised insights. So, you get a little pep talk to kick it off, key moments during your workout, and a summary of your effort once you finish. I'm still testing this out properly, but it certainly helps if you aren't feeling in the mood for a run.

The final health boost is improved sleep tracking with a more useful score appearing when you wake up each morning.

I'm still not sure I need this tracking in my life, as I generally know when I haven't slept well, but it might be helpful for some, as it does reveal how often you've been disturbed and how long you've slept.

Other extras include a faster S10 processor inside and full 5G connectivity (the Ultra 2 was only 4G compatible), should you decide to pay for a monthly cellular plan.

There's also Crash Detection, Fall Detection, constant heart monitoring and swathes of fitness tracking features.

All of these new features add to what I already loved about the Ultra, including its SOS alarm, better GPS, more rugged styling and its ability to survive tougher conditions.

Is the Apple Watch Ultra 3 a radical overhaul of Apple's biggest and best wearable? Not really.

It still looks pretty much the same as the original, but it now packs even more features under its titanium body, including some updates that might just save your life., all for the same price.

If you still love your original Ultra, I wouldn't say you need to rush out and grab the Ultra 3.

But if you're wrist is looking empty and you want the best smartwatch Apple has ever made, then the Ultra 3 comes highly recommended.