Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2: Is the upgrade worth it?

Watch Ultra 3 vs Ultra 2

At its Awe Dropping event, Apple, alongside its latest iPhones, has also introduced the Watch Ultra 3, its third-generation adventure-focused premium smartwatch with promised upgrades in health, fitness, safety, and connectivity. It aims to knock its predecessor, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, off store shelves, which has been the flagship smartwatch from Apple for the last two years. Hence, you might be wondering if it’s worth the upgrade? Don’t worry, we've got you covered with our Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Watch Ultra comparison.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2: Price

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is priced at Rs 89,990 in India and will be available from September 19. It is similar to the launch price of the Watch Ultra 2, which was launched almost two years ago, in 2023. However, over the years, it has seen various price cuts and is now available for Rs 85,990.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2: Design and display

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 offers a slightly larger 1.98-inch (49mm) display with thinner bezels compared to the Watch Ultra 2. It also retains the titanium body, raised bezel and protruding Action Button, with similar 3,000 nit maximum brightness. The company suggests that the new model is made of 40% recycled titanium, using an ‘innovative 3D printing process.’

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2: Features

The Apple Watch Ultra 3, like its predecessor, includes a programmable action button, advanced dual-band GPS, and advanced health features like atrial fibrillation detection and sleep apnea detection. However, it runs the latest watchOS 26 out of the box, which includes an AI-powered Workout Buddy feature and a new Workout App that prompts you exercises based on contextual information.

The Watch Ultra 3 also has Apple's new blood pressure monitoring or Hypertension feature, which uses machine learning algorithms to spot potential signs of hypertension. However, the biggest upgrade over the Watch Ultra 2 is the inclusion of faster 5G cell service over LTE support on the Watch Ultra 2. The Watch Ultra 3 also offers satellite connectivity, which allows users to send an urgent message or their current location if they are stuck in a no-network zone.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2: Battery

Like the Watch Ultra 2, Apple promises that the Watch Ultra 3 will get up to 72 hours in its low power state. However, in normal mode, the Watch Ultra 3 promises 42 hours of backup, which is a big upgrade over the 36 hours of standby on the Watch Ultra 2. It also charges a bit faster, as Watch Ultra 3 can now charge up to 80% in just under 45 minutes, compared to 1 hour duration on the Watch Ultra 2.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2: Conclusion

The improved battery life and larger screen on the Apple Watch Ultra 3 are good enough upgrades for someone who wants to buy a new flagship Apple smartwatch. Moreover, the inclusion of the hypertension detection and sleep score features makes it great for users who love to track a lot of health features. However, for users who still own a Watch Ultra 2, they can still wait for another generation update before making a switch.