Apple Watch Ultra 3 ZDNET's key takeaways Apple's rugged smartwatch is now available to preorder.
The watch gets an additional six hours of battery life for a total of 42 hours of wear.
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If the new Apple Watch Series 11, Apple's baseline smartwatch, is the girl next door, then Apple's Ultra 3 is the Mt. Kilimanjaro-scaling, rugged neighbor. People might be using the Series 11 to train for their first marathon, but people are certainly using the Ultra 3 to record their fifth Ironman.
Apple unveiled its latest rugged smartwatch last week at the annual September iPhone event. The Ultra 3 arrives alongside two Apple Watch options - the affordable SE 3 and the baseline Series 11. Its biggest upgrades come in small but meaningful packages, like a wide-angle display for quicker viewability, longer battery life, and emergency features.
Also: The Apple Watch Series 11 is one feature away from making me ditch my Oura Ring
Over the past week, I tested all three to understand their capabilities, similarities, differences, and who would get the most out of which watch. So, how does the Ultra 3 stack up? Let's dive in.
After a week of use and tinkering, the Ultra 3's biggest selling point is its battery life. Apple includes the S10 chip in the Ultra 3, lengthening its battery life by six additional hours, for a total of 42 with regular use. I'm not religiously proactive about charging my smartwatch, but the 42-hour upgrade kept me ahead of battery drain and made continuous use simple.
Its second biggest selling point to the Ultra 3 was Emergency SOS, Location sharing, and messaging through Satellite. ZDNET contributor and hiker extraordinaire, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, goes on off-grid adventures regularly. He's tested the Apple Watch Ultra 2 on his hiking adventures, sent his location, and used satellite communications during his explorations.
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