Apple just dropped the Watch Ultra 3 with satellite connectivity and 5G, but The Verge's comprehensive review reveals a harsh truth: this $799 smartwatch is really only worth it if you don't already own one. While the improvements are real - longer battery life, satellite emergency features, and a marginally bigger display - they're not game-changing enough to justify upgrading from the Ultra 2.
Apple's latest Ultra 3 smartwatch lands in a peculiar market position. Victoria Song from The Verge spent three weeks testing the $799 device and reached a blunt conclusion: "anyone who wants one but doesn't have one yet" should consider it, but existing Ultra owners can safely skip this generation.
The improvements are modest but measurable. The display grew marginally thanks to thinner bezels, though Song notes you'll only notice "if you happen to have an older model on hand for comparison." The battery life bump proves more substantial - Apple officially rates it at 42 hours versus the Ultra 2's 36 hours, but real-world testing delivered 60-70 hours on a single charge.
The headline feature - satellite connectivity for emergency SOS, texting, and location sharing - faces practical limitations. During three weeks of testing across mountains and state forests in New Jersey and New York, Song struggled to find areas without cell coverage where satellite would actually matter. "At no point did I ever fully lose cellular coverage," she reports, though she acknowledges this varies dramatically by location.
Apple demonstrated the emergency satellite features at Apple Park, but the real-world utility depends heavily on your geographic situation and hiking habits. For weekend warriors with good local cell coverage, the feature feels more like insurance than necessity. Serious thru-hikers will likely still need dedicated satellite devices that offer weather forecasts, route tracking, and longer battery life.
The 5G upgrade delivers faster downloads when leaving your phone behind, but Song found minimal practical difference during runs or daily use. "It's easier to just download everything on Wi-Fi beforehand," she notes, echoing the experience many users have with cellular-connected watches.
What the Ultra 3 does deliver is an undeniable premium feel that distinguishes it from the Apple Watch Series 11. Song observed journalists and influencers audibly excited about the Ultra 3 announcement at the iPhone 17 event in ways they weren't for the standard Series model.
