Apple Watch Ultra 4 vs Apple Watch Ultra 3
Verified 2026-10-03
A factual specification comparison between the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Image: Apple Inc.
Apple · SmartwatchApple Watch Ultra 4
- Status
- Released · 2026-09-19
- Announced
- Announced 2026-09-09
- Verification
- Verified
- Last checked
- Checked 2026-10-03
Image: Apple Inc.
Apple · SmartwatchApple Watch Ultra 3
- Status
- Released · 2025-09-19
- Announced
- Announced 2025-09-09
- Verification
- Verified
- Last checked
- Checked 2026-10-02
Key differences
SpecificationApple Watch Ultra 4Apple Watch Ultra 3
Design & Build
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistance (differs) | 100m water resistance (ISO standard 22810:2010), IP6X dust resistance (IEC 60529), EN13319 recreational scuba diving to 40m, tested to MIL-STD-810H | 100m water resistance (ISO 22810:2010); recreational scuba diving to 40m; IP6X dust resistance; MIL-STD-810H tested |
| Weight (differs) | Natural: 63.0 g, Black: 63.1 g | Natural titanium: 61.6 g, Black titanium: 61.8 g |
Display
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Display (differs) | Always-On Retina display, wide-angle OLED, LTPO3 (1Hz minimum refresh), flat sapphire crystal | Always-On Retina display, wide-angle OLEDs, LTPO3, 1Hz refresh, flat sapphire crystal, up to 3000 nits peak brightness |
| Resolution (differs) | 422x514 px (326 ppi) | 422×514 pixels at 326 ppi, 1245 sq mm display area |
Performance
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset (differs) | Apple S11: 64-bit dual-core processor, 4-core Neural Engine | S10 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) |
Battery & Charging
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life (differs) | Up to 50 hours normal use; up to 84 hours in Low Power Mode; up to 18 hours workout tracking; up to 25 hours Extended Workout; up to 45 hours Max Extended Workout | Multiday battery life, up to 42 hours of normal use, up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode |
Connectivity
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi (differs) | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), 2.4GHz and 5GHz | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) |
| Contactless payments (differs) | Apple Pay | NFC for Apple Pay and GymKit |
Software
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system at launch (differs) | watchOS 27 | watchOS |
Security & Sensors
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Health sensors (differs) | Second-generation electrical heart sensor, Always-on 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, 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 |
These are specifications where both devices have a confirmed value and the values differ. A difference is not a judgement that either device is better. Showing 10 of 12 differences; the full specifications below include all of them.
Full specifications
differs · Not disclosed: not published by the manufacturer · —: not recorded
SpecificationApple Watch Ultra 4Apple Watch Ultra 3
Design & Build
4 differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistance (differs) | 100m water resistance (ISO standard 22810:2010), IP6X dust resistance (IEC 60529), EN13319 recreational scuba diving to 40m, tested to MIL-STD-810H | 100m water resistance (ISO 22810:2010); recreational scuba diving to 40m; IP6X dust resistance; MIL-STD-810H tested |
| Colors | Natural, Black · same on both | |
| Weight (differs) | Natural: 63.0 g, Black: 63.1 g | Natural titanium: 61.6 g, Black titanium: 61.8 g |
| Case dimensions (differs) | 49mm height x 44mm width x 12mm depth; fits 130-210mm wrists | 49mm: Height 49mm, Width 44mm, Depth 12mm |
| Build materials (differs) | Titanium case (Grade 5) | Titanium case (Grade 5), sapphire crystal front, ceramic back |
Display
2 differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Display (differs) | Always-On Retina display, wide-angle OLED, LTPO3 (1Hz minimum refresh), flat sapphire crystal | Always-On Retina display, wide-angle OLEDs, LTPO3, 1Hz refresh, flat sapphire crystal, up to 3000 nits peak brightness |
| Peak brightness (nits) | 3000 | Not recorded |
| Resolution (differs) | 422x514 px (326 ppi) | 422×514 pixels at 326 ppi, 1245 sq mm display area |
Performance
1 difference
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset model name | S11 | Not recorded |
| Chipset (differs) | Apple S11: 64-bit dual-core processor, 4-core Neural Engine | S10 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) |
Memory & Storage
No differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Storage (GB) | 64 · same on both | |
Battery & Charging
1 difference
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Charging time | Up to 80% charge in about 45 minutes (fast-charge capable) | Not recorded |
| Battery life (differs) | Up to 50 hours normal use; up to 84 hours in Low Power Mode; up to 18 hours workout tracking; up to 25 hours Extended Workout; up to 45 hours Max Extended Workout | Multiday battery life, up to 42 hours of normal use, up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode |
Connectivity
2 differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi (differs) | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), 2.4GHz and 5GHz | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 · same on both | |
| Contactless payments (differs) | Apple Pay | NFC for Apple Pay and GymKit |
| Cellular connectivity | 5G RedCap and LTE (cellular model, Model A3579) | Not recorded |
| Positioning | Precision dual-frequency GPS (GPS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou), second-generation Ultra Wideband chip | Not recorded |
Software
1 difference
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system at launch (differs) | watchOS 27 | watchOS |
| Phone compatibility | iPhone 11 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 27 or later | Not recorded |
Security & Sensors
1 difference
| Specification | Apple Watch Ultra 4 | Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Health sensors (differs) | Second-generation electrical heart sensor, Always-on 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, 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 |
Terms used on this page (6)
- ppi
- Pixels per inch: how densely pixels are packed on the screen.
- Nits
- A unit of screen brightness (candela per square metre). Typical, HDR and outdoor peak figures are measured under different conditions.
- Refresh rate (Hz)
- How many times per second the display can redraw the image.
- IP rating
- Ingress protection under IEC 60529: the first digit rates dust protection, the second water protection, each under the manufacturer's stated test conditions.
- OLED
- A display whose pixels emit their own light, so black areas can be fully dark; LCDs use a separate backlight.
- MIL-STD-810H
- A US military test standard. Manufacturers choose which of its tests to run, so it does not imply a specific level of durability.
Sources & verification
Apple Watch Ultra 4
Verified 2026-10-03- Apple Inc.Manufacturer specificationsTier 1
- Apple Inc.ManufacturerTier 1
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
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.