If you're still rocking an Apple Watch Series 1 or original model, the Apple Watch Series 3 is worth the upgrade, LTE or not. For Series 2 owners, you're looking at almost the same smartwatch, so an update will depend on how much you value LTE on the wrist.

LTE brings new freedom; Faster performance; Call quality is very good

Additional monthly cost to have LTE; Third-party apps are lacking; The curious case of the red dot

The cellular Apple Watch Series 3 looks largely identical to the previous model (except for a red spot that we don't entirely like), and has a weaker battery life and a far more complicated setup process.

Is the third-generation Apple Watch the big overhaul we’ve been expecting? Parent company Apple swears it is

Apple announced the third generation Apple Watch alongside new iPhones last month. What sets the Series 3 model apart from previous iterations is that it comes with the option to connect it to a cellular network, breaking the requirement to always have an iPhone nearby.

Battery life; Bright; sharp display; Siri integration is much better; Capable of ditching iPhone for short periods of time

It's more expensive than the non-LTE Apple Watch Series 3; A monthly fee is a non-starter for some

Walking the dog and leaving the phone at home

Slow third party apps and only 24 hours battery life

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 smartwatches, this is a solid purchase.

Cellular support; Excellent health tracking; Same sleek design

The Apple Watch Series 3 is essentially a suped up Series 2 with improved battery life and performance. Apps load faster, Siri is smarter, and the sports/activity tracking features are better.

Improved battery life over Series 2; though still not that great; Large ecosystem of apps and accessories; Much faster than the Series 2; Water resistant with plenty of sport features; Very helpful smart features including notifications; music playback; and Siri

Still requires phone to be helpful (this is not the Cellular version; Expensive; Always looks like a smartwatch; Not terribly durable

Apple is good at making you want things you may not need or want in your life. Adding 4G to the Apple Watch might be another instance of this, even if it is technically great

The biggest feature is the addition of cellular capability which makes it possible to use the Watch independently of paired iPhones.

The Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular takes a major step forward in making Apple's wrist-worn device its own independent, connected computing platform. Simply put, it's a must-have for athletes in the Apple ecosystem, and a wearable device worth considering for many other non-fitness use cases.