The Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Introduces the Holy Grail of Health Metrics
Last year, the Apple Watch celebrated its 10th anniversary with the all-killer, no-filler Series 10. Thinner, lighter and finally sporting an always-on second hand, it was a smartwatch worth the decade-long wait. So its beefy, Garmin-rivaling brother, the Watch Ultra, ceded the spotlight and took the year off to prep for a more meaningful upgrade in 2025. Now, the Watch Ultra Series 3, which launched alongside the new iPhone 17 and Apple AirPods Pro 3, looks well worth the pay-off.
Made for all the Ironman-running, Hyrox-competing sickos out there, the Watch Ultra 3 lasts longer and goes much harder than previous iterations. And since you’re just as likely to see this thing in the Ryder Cup hospitality suites as you are in the midst of the Great North Run, it also gains several design tweaks that make it more wearable in day-to-day buffet-pounding situations. From its much-improved screen tech to the long-awaited ability to monitor blood pressure, here’s what I made of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 after getting hands-on with the device at its launch event in Apple Park, Cupertino.
Bigger screen. Bumper battery
Since the Watch Ultra 3 took a year off, it’s actually got a little catching up to do with the standard Watch Series 11. That means anyone making the upgrade from 2022’s OG Apple Watch Ultra will benefit from an always-on OLED Retina display that’s significantly brighter when viewed at off-axis angles and can showcase a continuous seconds hand, something that sounds like a small deal but makes a huge difference to its day-to-day wearability. Of course, compared to the Watch Series 11, the 49-millimeter Watch Ultra has substantially more largesse. That’s especially the case for the Ultra 3, whose screen has grown slightly in size thanks to its trimmed-down bezels to become the biggest-ever Apple Watch display.
Although the Ultra is largely sold on the basis of its athletic pursuits, to a lot of people, it’s the Apple Watch you don’t have to charge every day. That’s especially the case for the Ultra 3, which claims a battery life of up to 42 hours, the longest yet on a Watch. Whether your idea of a weekend well spent is a trail run to the middle of nowhere or otherwise, anyone picking up a Watch Ultra 3 will appreciate this device’s recent design tweaks. Especially if you’ve not yet caught onto its slick new new PVD black colourway and titanium Milanese loop that first debuted last year. Make no mistake, this is still a big ‘ol chunk of smartwatch, but you’ll be far more comfortable wearing it when you’re not running at pace past someone in the great outdoors.
SOS texts and blood pressure monitoring
Since the Watch Ultra 3 is a big, serious, survivalist smartwatch, it’s got a couple of notable new features to underline its prepper instincts. The most impressive of which is the introduction of blood pressure monitoring, the latest preventive health feature for Watch. Although it won’t be quite as precise as a proper, medical-grade cuff, blood pressure monitoring on the Ultra 3 can monitor trends blood pressure over time and alert you to any possible cases of hypertension. Much like single-lead ECG and atrial fibrillation detection on the Apple Watch, this is one of those features that’s not a big deal for most users until it becomes a potentially life-saving deal. For now, it’s another string to the Watch Ultra 3’s bow, given how notoriously tricky blood pressure monitoring can be on a wearable.
There’s also the ability to text via satellite should you find yourself completely off-grid by choice or otherwise. Effectively, this mirrors a feature that’s already available on iPhone, but means you can do the same if your phone runs out of battery at the worst possible moment. Alas, testing this feature IRL isn’t quite possible within the shining confines of the Apple Park, but it could well be a lifesaver for those in need.
And the Apple Watch Series 11?
As you might have guessed from the Apple Watch Ultra 3’s prominence, this is a low-key year for the regular Apple Watch Series 11. Of course, anyone who skipped on an upgrade in 2024 will benefit from that model’s smaller profile, faster charging and always-on Retina display. The Series 11 isn’t totally devoid of newness though; it’s got a new 5G modem for faster connectivity, up to 24 hours of battery life, all the sleep scoring benefits of watchOS 26, and the same high blood pressure detection capabilities as the Ultra 3.
