Best Apple Watch (2026): Series 11, SE 3, and Ultra 3

If you’ve ever gone camping, walked 20 yards from your campsite to sneak behind a tree, and looked up to find yourself lost in the dark, then the new Watch Ultra 3 is for you. Now it seems satellite communicationswhich I tried on a weekend off-grid camping trip. That’s a big change He became comms on your phonebecause you can have your watch on your body.

Battery life on the Watch Ultra 3 has also been improved – now up to 42 hours from just 36 on Apple Watch Ultra 2. During my weekend trip, I didn’t use the battery very much—using the Watch Ultra 3 off-grid for a couple of hours of easy car riding, tracking a few trips, climbing a few routes, and sending satellites—and it took me from Friday morning to Sunday morning.

It has the largest display of any Apple Watch, which is perfect for viewing offline maps. It also has a different design than the original, which includes a waterproof and triple mic layout for taking calls while skiing. Like the Series 11, it has 5G connectivity plus sat comms, blood pressure notifications, and all the features of watchOS 27.

Also like the Series 11, the Watch Ultra 3 has a titanium case 3D-printed for things to go well. It’s also the only Apple Watch with a siren. I never tried to get help from a passer-by with it, but I did scare my dog. Now it’s a true military watch of the week, fulfilling the promise that a See Ultra made a few years ago. –Adrienne Pa