Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Watch Series 12
Verified 2026-10-03
A factual specification comparison between the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and the Apple Watch Series 12.
Image: Apple Inc.
AppleApple Watch Ultra 3
Fully verifiedSmartwatchReleased · 2025-09-19Announced 2025-09-09
Specs: source
View full specs
Image: Apple
Fully verifiedSmartwatchReleased · 2026-09-18Announced 2026-09-09
Specs: source
View full specsKey differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 3 | Apple Watch Series 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistance | 100m water resistance (ISO 22810:2010); recreational scuba diving to 40m; IP6X dust resistance; MIL-STD-810H tested | 50m (ISO 22810:2010), IP6X dust resistance |
| Display | Always-On Retina display, wide-angle OLEDs, LTPO3, 1Hz refresh, flat sapphire crystal, up to 3000 nits peak brightness | Always-On Retina OLED, LTPO3, 2000 nits peak brightness |
| Chipset | S10 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) | S11 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) |
| Battery life | Multiday battery life, up to 42 hours of normal use, up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode | Up to 24 hours normal use, up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), 2.4/5GHz |
| Health sensors | Electrical heart sensor, Third-generation optical heart sensor, Blood oxygen sensor, Temperature sensor, Depth gauge, Water temperature sensor, Compass, Always-on altimeter, High-g accelerometer, High dynamic range gyroscope, Ambient light sensor | Electrical heart sensor (2nd generation), Optical heart sensor, Blood oxygen sensor, Skin temperature sensor |
| Colors | Natural, Black | Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black, Space Gray, Radiant Gold, Natural, Pearl White, Night Blue |
| Resolution | 422×514 pixels at 326 ppi, 1245 sq mm display area | 42mm: 374×446 px, 46mm: 416×496 px |
| Contactless payments | NFC for Apple Pay and GymKit | Apple Pay (NFC) |
| Weight | Natural titanium: 61.6 g, Black titanium: 61.8 g | 42mm aluminum (GPS): 32.2 g, 46mm aluminum (GPS): 39.5 g |
Facts shown above are the specifications where both devices have a confirmed value and those values differ — not an indication that either device is better. Showing 10 of 12 differing facts, spread across categories — see the full specification table below for the rest.
Specifications
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 3 | Apple Watch Series 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Design & Build | ||
| Water resistance | 100m water resistance (ISO 22810:2010); recreational scuba diving to 40m; IP6X dust resistance; MIL-STD-810H tested | 50m (ISO 22810:2010), IP6X dust resistance |
| Colors | Natural, Black | Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black, Space Gray, Radiant Gold, Natural, Pearl White, Night Blue |
| Weight | Natural titanium: 61.6 g, Black titanium: 61.8 g | 42mm aluminum (GPS): 32.2 g, 46mm aluminum (GPS): 39.5 g |
| Case dimensions | 49mm: Height 49mm, Width 44mm, Depth 12mm | 42mm case (aluminum/titanium): 42 x 37 x 9.7mm; 46mm case (aluminum/titanium): 46 x 40 x 9.7mm; ceramic case: 47 x 41 x 9.85mm |
| Build materials | Titanium case (Grade 5), sapphire crystal front, ceramic back | Aluminum, titanium, or ceramic case |
| Display | ||
| Display | Always-On Retina display, wide-angle OLEDs, LTPO3, 1Hz refresh, flat sapphire crystal, up to 3000 nits peak brightness | Always-On Retina OLED, LTPO3, 2000 nits peak brightness |
| Peak brightness (nits) | — | 2000 |
| Resolution | 422×514 pixels at 326 ppi, 1245 sq mm display area | 42mm: 374×446 px, 46mm: 416×496 px |
| Performance | ||
| Chipset model name | — | S11 |
| Chipset | S10 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) | S11 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) |
| Memory & Storage | ||
| Storage (GB) | 64 | 64 |
| Battery & Charging | ||
| Charging time | — | Up to 80% charge in about 30 minutes (fast charging) |
| Battery life | Multiday battery life, up to 42 hours of normal use, up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode | Up to 24 hours normal use, up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), 2.4/5GHz |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Contactless payments | NFC for Apple Pay and GymKit | Apple Pay (NFC) |
| Cellular connectivity | — | Cellular models (A3582, A3587) support RedCap 5G and LTE |
| Software | ||
| Operating system at launch | watchOS | watchOS |
| Phone compatibility | — | iPhone 11 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 27 or later |
| Security & Sensors | ||
| Health sensors | Electrical heart sensor, Third-generation optical heart sensor, Blood oxygen sensor, Temperature sensor, Depth gauge, Water temperature sensor, Compass, Always-on altimeter, High-g accelerometer, High dynamic range gyroscope, Ambient light sensor | Electrical heart sensor (2nd generation), Optical heart sensor, Blood oxygen sensor, Skin temperature sensor |
Sources & verification
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Verified 2026-10-02- Apple Inc.Manufacturer support documentationTier 1
- Apple Inc.Manufacturer newsroomTier 1
- Apple Inc.Manufacturer support documentationTier 1
Apple Watch Series 12
Verified 2026-09-30- AppleManufacturer newsroomTier 1
- Apple Inc.Manufacturer specificationsTier 1
Tier 1 sources are the manufacturer's own product pages, technical specification sheets, or support documentation. Tier 2 sources are reputable independent technical references, used only for facts that couldn't be confirmed from official documentation.