Early in release cycle
Best for: Serious athletes, trail runners, triathletes, and outdoor adventurers who need the most durable, most accurate GPS watch Apple makes. Also for iPhone users who simply want the best Apple Watch regardless of sport, and value the extra battery life over the Series 11.
Full details →Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Anyone who wants serious health and fitness tracking without the bulk or cost of a full smartwatch. Works with both Android and iPhone, making it the most accessible Fitbit tracker in the lineup.
Full details →| Apple Watch Ultra | Fitbit Charge | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Sports GPS | Fitness Tracker |
| Platform | iOS only | iOS & Android |
| Battery | 1.75 days | 7 days |
| Always-on display | ✅ | ❌ |
| GPS | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cellular | ✅ | ❌ |
| Health sensors | ecg, spo2, skin temp, hrv, blood pressure | ecg, spo2, eda stress, hr |
| Released | Sep 19, 2025 | Sep 28, 2023 |
| Cycle length | 727 days | 731 days |
| Cycle advice | good | bad |
| Deals advice | neutral | good |
| Next model | Apple Watch Ultra 4 (Expected fall 2026) | — |
The Ultra 3 nearly doubles the Series 11 battery life, and satellite emergency SOS works even without cellular or WiFi coverage.
More precise GPS tracking in urban canyons and dense forests — critical for trail running, mountaineering, and triathlon.
The 49mm titanium case and 3000-nit display make this watch usable in full direct sunlight and water depths up to 100m (EN13319 certified for diving).
Full ECG, electrodermal activity stress sensing, SpO2, and continuous heart rate in a tracker thinner than most smartwatches.
Google Maps navigation, Google Wallet NFC payments, and YouTube Music controls — more useful on-device apps than any previous Charge.
7 days of typical use, dropping to around 30 minutes per GPS workout session before needing a charge.