Apple Watch Ultra 3 / Samsung Galaxy Watch8 44 mm Bluetooth (SM-L330)

Apple Watch Ultra 3: 49 mm titanium case, GPS + Cellular (A3281); natural or black finish. Ultra 2 and Ultra 4 are separate models.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 44 mm Bluetooth (SM-L330): SM-L330 (44 mm, Bluetooth/Wi-Fi), aluminium case; Graphite and Silver. The 40 mm SM-L320, the LTE SM-L335 and the rotating-bezel Galaxy Watch8 Classic are separate models.

SpecificationApple Watch Ultra 3Samsung Galaxy Watch8 44 mm Bluetooth (SM-L330)
Release year20252025
Case49 mm Grade 5 titanium; natural or black finish; flat sapphire front crystal

Ultra 3 is sold only as a 49 mm GPS + Cellular watch; bands fit 130–210 mm wrists.

Apple
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DisplayAlways-On Retina with wide-angle OLED and LTPO3; 422 × 514 pixels, 326 ppi; 1245 mm² active area; up to 3000 nits, minimum 1 nit

Apple says the wide-angle OLED pixels emit light at wider angles, so the screen stays readable without fully turning the wrist. LTPO3 allows thinner borders and lets the always-on mode refresh once per second, so a seconds hand is visible without raising the wrist. The 1-nit minimum reduces glare in the dark.

Apple
1.47-inch Super AMOLED, 480 × 480; full-colour Always On Display

Always On Display keeps the watch face visible but shortens battery life; when off, the screen wakes on wrist raise.

Samsung
Chip and storageS10 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor; 4-core Neural Engine; 64 GB storage Apple—
Cellular and satellite5G RedCap and LTE (A3281); international roaming; satellite connectivity for Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My

RedCap is a reduced form of 5G for low-data devices such as watches. Satellite connectivity lets you call for emergency help and send short messages outside cellular coverage; Apple says Find My shares location via satellite every 15 minutes. Satellite services are free for two years from activation; Find My and Messages need a carrier plan, and availability varies by region.

Apple
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Wireless and locationWi-Fi 4 (802.11n) 2.4 and 5 GHz; Bluetooth 5.3; second-generation Ultra Wideband; L1 and L5 dual-frequency GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou)

Using L1 and L5 together helps reduce reflected-signal errors near tall buildings and under tree cover. Ultra Wideband availability varies by region.

Apple
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SensorsElectrical heart sensor; third-generation optical heart sensor; blood oxygen; temperature; depth gauge and water temperature; compass; always-on altimeter; high-g accelerometer; high dynamic range gyroscope

The electrical heart sensor powers the ECG app; the optical sensor drives heart rate and Apple’s hypertension notifications. Hypertension notifications passively analyse 30-day periods and are not intended for people under 22, during pregnancy or for those already diagnosed. The temperature sensor is not for medical use; the Blood Oxygen app is for wellness use.

Apple
Samsung BioActive Sensor (optical heart rate, electrical heart signal, bioelectrical impedance); temperature, accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, light

The electrical heart signal enables ECG and bioelectrical impedance enables body composition readings. ECG and blood pressure need a Samsung phone and country approval.

Samsung
Durability100 m water resistance under ISO 22810:2010; recreational scuba diving to 40 m under EN13319; IP6X dust; tested to MIL-STD 810H

Diving needs a compatible third-party app; the depth gauge is accurate to ±1 m. MIL-STD 810H covers altitude, high/low temperature, temperature shock, immersion, freeze/thaw, ice and freezing rain, shock and vibration. Passing these tests does not mean the watch cannot be damaged.

Apple
5ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810H

5ATM means water resistance suitable for swimming, not diving or high-speed water sports. MIL-STD-810H refers to selected environmental tests from the military standard and is no guarantee against impacts.

Samsung
Battery and chargingBuilt-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery; up to 42 hours normal use, up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode; about 80% in 45 minutes; Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C cable (1 m)

Apple says 15 minutes of charging gives 12 hours of normal use and 5 minutes gives 8 hours of sleep tracking. Apple’s 80% in 45 minutes figure is based on its 20 W USB-C power adapter. Low Power Mode is rated at 20 hours of continuous outdoor workout with full GPS and heart rate.

Apple
435 mAh (typical); WPC-based fast wireless charging

The watch charges only wirelessly; it must align with Samsung’s charging puck, and some wireless chargers may not sit flat because of the band.

Samsung
AudioThree-mic array with beamforming and wind noise mitigation; dual speakers; siren

The siren helps people nearby locate a user who is lost or needs help.

Apple
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Size and weight49 × 44 × 12 mm; 61.6 g (natural), 61.8 g (black) Apple—
Software and compatibilitywatchOS 26; requires iPhone 11 or later (iPhone SE 2nd generation or later) running iOS 26 or later

The watch does not pair with Android phones; setup and most features require an iPhone.

Apple
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Operating conditionsOn wrist −20 to 55 °C; operating 0–35 °C; diving 0–40 °C; altitude −500 to 9000 m Apple—
Glass and case—Sapphire crystal glass; 43.7 × 46 × 8.6 mm (excluding health sensors)

Sapphire crystal resists scratches better than ordinary glass. The 8.6 mm thickness excludes the sensor bump on the back.

Samsung
Processor and memory—Exynos W1000 (5-core, 3 nm); 2 GB RAM, 32 GB storage

32 GB of storage is enough to keep music and apps on the watch for phone-free runs.

Samsung
Health features—Antioxidant Index (carotenoid measurement), Bedtime Guidance, Vascular Load, Running Coach

Antioxidant Index is measured by holding a fingertip on the sensor for about five seconds; Vascular Load needs the watch to be worn to sleep on at least 3 of the last 14 days. These are wellness indicators, not medical diagnoses.

Samsung
Location—L1 + L5 dual-frequency GPS (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo)

The L5 band helps reduce route drift caused by reflections among tall buildings and trees.

Samsung
Connectivity—Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4 + 5 GHz, NFC; this model has no LTE (Bluetooth)

On the Bluetooth model calls and notifications work while connected to the phone; NFC contactless payments depend on country and bank.

Samsung
Software and assistant—One UI 8 Watch on Wear OS 6; first smartwatch series to ship with Gemini

Gemini can act in Samsung Health, Calendar and Clock via voice; availability varies by device, language and country.

Samsung
Compatibility—Android 12 or later phones with more than 1.5 GB RAM

It cannot be used with an iPhone.

Samsung
Weight and colours—34.0 g (without band); Graphite, Silver Samsung