Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Watch Ultra 2 specs comparison
The Ultra 3 is the better buy if the price difference is modest, mainly because you get the newer generation and longer support runway. The Ultra 2 still makes plenty of sense at a substantial discount, as the core Ultra experience, rugged build, large display and endurance focus remain very similar.
Full comparison
The full record
77 specifications across 6 areas, with 15 genuine differences.
1. Design & display No clear edge
Fact
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Release date
2025-09-19
2023-09-22
Physical size
49 x 44 x 12 mm
49 x 44 x 12 mm
Weight
61.6 g (Natural), 61.8 g (Black)
61.4 g (Natural), 61.8 g (Black)
Material
Grade 5 titanium case
Grade 5 titanium case
Water resistance
10 ATM; IP6X; MIL-STD 810H; recreational scuba diving to 40 m
10 ATM; IP6X; MIL-STD 810H; recreational scuba diving to 40 m
Color options
Natural Titanium, Black Titanium
Natural Titanium, Black Titanium
Display type
Always-On Retina LTPO3 wide-angle OLED
Always-On Retina LTPO2 OLED
Display size
49 mm case
49 mm case
Display resolution
422 x 514 pixels
410 x 502 pixels
Display brightness
Up to 3,000 nits
Up to 3,000 nits
Display protection
Flat sapphire crystal display
Flat sapphire crystal display
2. Battery & charging Apple Watch Ultra 3
Fact
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Battery
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Battery life
Up to 42 hours; up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode
Up to 36 hours; up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode
Charging
USB-C magnetic fast charging; up to 80% in about 45 minutes
USB-C magnetic fast charging; up to 80% in about 1 hour
3. Sensors & positioning Even
Fact
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple Watch Ultra 2
GNSS type
Built-in dual-band GNSS
Built-in dual-band GNSS
GPS
Yes
Yes
GALILEO
Yes
Yes
GLONASS
Yes
Yes
QZSS
Yes
Yes
Beidou
Yes
Yes
Accelerometer
Yes
Yes
Gyroscope
Yes
Yes
Barometric altimeter
Yes
Yes
Compass
Yes
Yes
Ambient light sensor
Yes
Yes
Optical heart rate
Yes
Yes
Electrical heart rate
Yes
Yes
SpO2
Yes
Yes
Temperature
Yes
Yes
Galvanic skin response
No
No
Microphone
Yes
Yes
Speakers
Yes
Yes
Vibration motor
Yes
Yes
No significant differences in this area.
4. Health & activity Even
Fact
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Steps
Yes
Yes
Distance
Yes
Yes
Calories burned
Yes
Yes
Floors
Yes
Yes
Sports tracking
Yes
Yes
Sleep
Yes
Yes
Heart rate
Yes
Yes
HRV
Yes
Yes
Stress
No
No
Blood oxygen
Yes
Yes
Respiration rate
Yes
Yes
Skin temperature
Yes
Yes
ECG
Yes
Yes
Blood pressure
Hypertension notifications (no direct blood-pressure measurement)
Hypertension notifications (no direct blood-pressure measurement)
Body composition
No
No
Glucose
No
No
Hydration level
No
No
UV exposure
No
No
Calorie intake
No
No
Hyperglycemia risk assessment
No
No
Arterial stiffness detection
No
No
Pulse wave arrhythmia analysis
Yes
Yes
No significant differences in this area.
5. Smart features No clear edge
Fact
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Smartphone compatibility
iPhone 11 or later with iOS 26 or later
iPhone Xs or later with iOS 17 or later at launch
Operating system at launch
watchOS 26
watchOS
Processor
Apple S10, 64-bit dual-core; 4-core Neural Engine
Apple S9, 64-bit dual-core; 4-core Neural Engine
Storage
64 GB
64 GB
Bluetooth
Yes (5.3)
Yes (5.3)
Wi-Fi
Yes (Wi-Fi 4 / 802.11n, 2.4/5 GHz)
Yes (Wi-Fi 4 / 802.11n)
NFC / connected pay
Yes (Apple Pay)
Yes (Apple Pay)
UWB
Yes (2nd-generation UWB)
Yes (2nd-generation UWB)
Cellular
Yes (5G RedCap and LTE on supported regional models)
Yes (LTE/UMTS)
Smartphone notifications
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth calling
Yes (standalone on cellular models; via paired iPhone otherwise)
Yes (standalone on cellular models; via paired iPhone otherwise)
Smartphone music control
Yes
Yes
On-board music storage
Yes
Yes
Voice assistant
Siri
Siri
6. Navigation & safety Apple Watch Ultra 3
Fact
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Maps
Yes
Yes (Apple Maps)
Offline maps
Yes
Yes (synced from iPhone)
Navigation
Yes
Yes (Apple Maps turn-by-turn)
Emergency SOS
Yes
Yes
Satellite SOS
Yes
No
Fall detection
Yes
Yes
LED flashlight
No
No
Diving
Yes
Yes (recreational scuba to 40 m with compatible app)