Apple Watch Series 3 (2017)

Good smartwatch battery life Clear, bright screen Fantastic fitness features

Only iPhone compatible Siri still patchy High price for 4G model

The two versions of the Apple Watch 3 impress - but the cheaper, non-4G version of the wearable delivers good value for money and top fitness capabilities from the wrist.

Still a great smartwatch ; Ability to leave your iPhone at home ; Ease of making calls ; Improved fitness features

No international roaming ; Series 4's bigger screen sizes make it more compelling

If you aren't compelled by the Series 4's bigger display, there's nothing that should stop you plumping for the Series 3. Thanks to the upgraded watchOS it has most of the same features and is now available for a great price.

The fact remains, though, that the Apple Watch Series 3 in either 4G or GPS-only guise is the best smartwatch you can buy, regardless of platform, and for most people the best all-round fitness tracker as well. If you own an iPhone and you’re looking...

Cellular support ; Excellent health tracking ; Same sleek design

Not much of an upgrade ; Confusing number of models

The Series 3 Watch isn’t an essential upgrade for Series 2 owners, unless you’re desperate for that cellular connectivity to free you from your smartphone. However, for owners of the original Apple Watch and anyone who’s yet to make the jump to...

The Series 3 with LTE does what it set out to do, but it is a bridge product. We are not in a sci-fi world where everyone wants a watch to make calls instead of a smartphone.

Incredibly small for a 4G smartwatch ; Still the best fitness tracker around ; Voice calls work surprisingly well ; Battery life holds up, even when using 4G ; Huge array of bands means you can make it your own

Only available on one carrier in the UK ; Apple Music streaming not yet available on 4G ; Not all apps work on 4G without your phone ; You still need an iPhone to use it ; Overkill if you mainly want fitness tracking

A genuine gadget marvel, but its 4G smarts just need a little longer in the tech oven

Cellular connection works well for phone calls, email, Siri and messages. Music now syncs more easily. Improvements in fitness tracking and added watch faces. Adds barometer to GPS and swimproofing. Same overall size as last year’s watch.

Battery life takes a major hit when making calls or during GPS workouts. 42mm cellular model is expensive, and that’s before monthly wireless service and Apple Music fees. Still requires an iPhone to set up and pair with.

The Apple Watch Series 3 is the best overall smartwatch you can buy, but battery limitations and add-on fees keep it from being a must-have upgrade.