The premium smartwatch space isn’t exactly crowded. In fact, it really only has two main players – the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and the TAG Heuer Connected E5. Both have very different ideas of what a luxury smartwatch should be, and both are vying for a spot in our best smartwatch guide.
On one side, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 is keeping things as traditional as possible. It’s the Swiss watchmaker’s most polished Connected watch yet, with heritage and craftsmanship paired with modern fitness tracking and smart features.
On the other side is the Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple’s most capable wearable to date. It’s bigger, brighter, tougher, and more connected than ever. The Ultra is built for extremes – from off-grid adventures to everyday health monitoring.
Both are premium. Both are powerful. And both ask serious money. But they’re chasing very different ideas of what a smartwatch should be. So which one actually deserves space on your wrist? Let’s take a look…
Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs TAG Heuer Connected E5: Design
TAG Heuer’s Connected Calibre E5 looks like what it’s meant to be: a luxury timepiece that happens to be smart. It’s round, for a start, and more traditionally ‘watch’ shaped. Its case lines are crisp, with faceted lugs and reworked pushers that give it a sense of refinement.
You can choose between a bold 45mm size or a more classic 40mm size, and materials range from polished stainless steel with ceramic bezels to a sandblasted black DLC titanium.
The strap system has been redesigned from previous generations, aiming for a seamless flow from case to band and letting you swap between leather, rubber, metal, and nylon. It can be dressed up or down, depending what you’re doing.
It’s a great design and unmistakably TAG Heuer. If fact, from a distance, you could easily mistake this smartwatch for a more traditional mechanical watch.
On the other hand, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 plays a very different tune. It’s unmistakably Apple, with a modern industrial design. It’s just like a regular Apple Watch, but bigger, bolder, and built for utility first.
The case is made from Grade 5 titanium, available in natural or black finishes, and measures 49mm tall, 44mm wide, and 12mm deep.
The strap options lean heavily into sport and adventure use, including Trail Loop, Ocean Band, and Alpine Loop, emphasising utility over luxury.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs TAG Heuer Connected E5: Screen
The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 uses a round AMOLED display. On the 40mm model it measures 1.2in with a resolution of 390×390 (326 dpi) and on the 45mm models is measures 1.39in with a 454×454 resolution (326 dpi).
It’s bright and clear, legible, and fits neatly within the traditional TAG Heuer case shapes. The screen is surrounded by a printed bezel – a subtle nod to traditional watch aesthetics.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 goes big. Its always-on Retina display uses wide-angle OLED and LTPO3 tech, and measures 1.98in (422×514, 326 PPI).
The screen supports 1 Hz refresh for a real-time seconds hand, up to 3000 nits peak brightness, and 1 nit minimum brightness.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs TAG Heuer Connected E5: Software features and fitness tracking
Software is where these two watches really start to feel like different animals.
TAG Heuer’s Connected Calibre E5 runs the brand’s own TAG Heuer OS, and its the smartwatch’s biggest strength and its biggest weakness.
The standout here is compatibility. TAG Heuer OS is the first non-Apple smartwatch platform to earn full “Made for iPhone” certification. It’s a big upgrade from Google’s Wear OS, which TAG Heuer used in previous models. If you use an iPhone but don’t want an Apple Watch, that genuinely matters. Pairing is stable, notifications behave properly, and the experience doesn’t feel compromised.
Navigation is clean and intuitive, with widgets for key information like activity, heart rate, weather, and battery life.
You can take calls on the wrist, use a voice assistant via the built-in speaker and mic, and control everything using a mix of touchscreen, rotating crown, and two chronograph-style pushers — which helps it feel more like a traditional watch than a tiny smartphone.
Fitness and health tracking cover the essentials well. You get heart rate, blood oxygen, breathing rate, sleep tracking, heart rate variability, calories, steps, and a full suite of motion and location sensors, including dual-band GPS for improved accuracy. It’s reliable, clear, and easy to use.
Where it falls short is the ecosystem. There are no downloadable third-party apps. That means no music streaming from the likes of Spotify, no Strava on the wrist, and no contactless payments either. For some, that will be a deal-breaker. For others, it’s not much of an issue.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. Running watchOS 26, it’s deeply woven into Apple’s ecosystem and feels closer to a wrist-mounted computer than a traditional watch.
Health and wellness tracking is extensive, with ECG, advanced heart monitoring, blood oxygen, temperature sensing, cycle tracking, detailed sleep analysis, and proactive health notifications. Fitness tools go further too, with offline maps, advanced metrics, safety features like siren and high-g detection, and support for a huge range of third-party apps.
Controls are flexible, with touchscreen input joined by the Digital Crown, side button, and a customisable Action button designed for workouts and outdoor use.
Basically, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is a fully-fledged smartwatch ecosystem with apps, offline maps, and safety features. The TAG Heuer is great for everyday life and fitness tracking, but if you want a watch that can do everything, the Apple Watch Ultra is a better bet.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs TAG Heuer Connected E5: Performance and battery life
Both 45mm and 40mm TAG Heuer models use Qualcomm Snapdragon 5100+. It’s snappy, fluid, and exactly as fast as you’d need a smartwatch to be.
Battery life for the 45mm model is up to 48 hours full performance mode (72 hours in Low Power mode). The 40mm can achieve up to 36 hours in full performance more (48 hours in Low Power mode).
Fast charging delivers a day of battery life in 30 to 40 minutes, with a full charge in 90 minutes.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 runs smoothly on the S10 chip, with all sensors, connectivity, and apps running efficiently under heavy use.
The battery delivers up to 42 hours of normal use, or 72 hours in Low Power mode.
Fast charging reaches 80% in around 45 minutes, 12 hours of use in 15 minutes, or 8 hours of sleep tracking in 5 minutes.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs TAG Heuer Connected E5: Price
Let’s not pretend either of these smartwatches are cheap.
The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 starts at US$1600 / £1350 for the 40mm stainless steel model on a rubber strap, and climbs to US$2500 / £2150 for the 45mm Black DLC Titanium Golf Edition.
You’re paying luxury-watch money here (although this is the most affordable watch in TAG Heuer’s lineup). You’re paying for materials, finishing, and, of course, the brand name.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 sits much lower. It starts at US$799 / £749 on the Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, or Ocean Band, and rises to US$899 / £849 with the Titanium Milanese Loop. It’s premium tech pricing, but not haute horology pricing.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs TAG Heuer Connected E5: Technical specs
| Apple Watch Ultra 3 | TAG Heuer Connected Calibe E5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 49mm | 40mm or 45mm |
| Materials | Titanium | Steel or DLC Titanium |
| Display | 1.98in LTPO3 OLED, 422×514 (326 PPI) | 40mm: 1.2in AMOLED, 390×390 (326 dpi) 45mm: 1.39in AMOLED, 454×454 (326 dpi) |
| Chipset | S10 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 5100+ |
| Sensors | Electrical heart sensor (for ECG), 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, Dual-frequency GPS | Optical heart rate sensor, Blood oxygen (SpO₂) sensor, Breathing rate tracking, Heart rate variability (HRV), Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Barometer, Compass, Dual-band GPS |
| Battery life | Up to 42 hours (72 with LPM) | 40mm: Up to 36 hours (48 LPM) 45mm: Up to 48 hours (72 LPM) |
| Fast charging | Yes | Yes |
| Price | From US$799 / £749 | From US$1600 / £1350 |
Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs TAG Heuer Connected E5: Verdict
If you strip this battle back to first principles, the choice is clear.
The TAG Heuer Connected E5 is for those who care about watches first and smart features second. It’s refined, luxurious, and understated, and a very capable smartwatch, although it does have some limitations.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3, on the other hand, is a powerhouse of health tracking, safety, fitness tools, and connectivity – the most capable smartwatch for sport, adventure, and daily life.
Your choice depends on what you want on your wrist.
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