The Apple Watch Series 11 isn't a big upgrade, but its small tweaks prove you don't need to reinvent a winning formula

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If you want a versatile wearable for everyday use and health monitoring, the Apple Watch Series 11 is the smartwatch to beat. It features a sleek design, bright screen, comprehensive array of sensors, and a wide range of apps. It also has enough battery life to keep you powered throughout the day — and night.

I've been covering smartwatches for over a decade, since their earliest days. One of the few complaints I can levy against the Apple Watch Series 11 is that it's a little boring. It lacks major year-over-year changes. Chronic upgraders will find it hard to move from the Series 10 to Series 11. In fact, I don't recommend doing that.

For newcomers, however, the Series 11 is a stunningly capable piece of hardware. Here's why it's my top smartwatch recommendation for iPhone users.

The Series 11 basics

The Apple Watch Series 11 is well-equipped for communication, apps, and monitoring your vitals. It features electrical and optical heart sensors, a blood-oxygen sensor, and a body-temperature sensor, among others. For use in the water, there's a depth gauge (up to six meters) and a temperature sensor.

With all that tech, you can use the watch to perform an ECG (electrocardiogram), check your blood oxygen levels, alert you to high or low heart rates, monitor irregular rhythms, notify you of sleep disturbances, or just let you know when your surroundings are too loud. And of course, the watch covers all the basics you'd expect from an Apple wearable, including support for texts, calls, music, and tons of apps when paired with an iPhone, WiFi, or cellular connection.

The Series 11 starts at $399 for the 42mm aluminum configuration. If you want the larger 46mm size, a titanium case, or cellular connectivity, then those options will add to the base price. Various loop styles are also available, and you can always upgrade to a different band later on. For recommendations, check out our guide to the best leather Apple Watch bands.

The 42mm and 46mm sizes are both 9.7mm thick, have 64GB of storage, and feature a wide-angle OLED display with peak brightness of 2,000 nits. The size and case material are mostly a matter of personal preference, but opting for cellular connectivity could change how or when you use the watch.

What's new with the Apple Watch Series 11?

The Apple Watch Series 11 is easily one of the best smartwatches available, but that's largely because the Series 10 was so good — and the Series 9 before it. The Series 11 only tweaks a few items. In fact, if you already have a recent Apple Watch, you almost certainly don't need to upgrade unless something is broken.

The most substantial update won't even be relevant for everyone. Support for 5G connectivity replaces LTE on the cellular model. That means the Series 11 could get better reception and faster speeds when out of WiFi range. But if you don't buy the cellular model and pay the monthly carrier fee, then the 5G feature is moot.

Apple also touts that the Ion-X glass used on the Series 11's screen is twice as scratch-resistant as the Series 10 (on aluminum models). Historically, I haven't had many scratches show up on my watches. I also didn't feel comfortable dragging my review unit across hard surfaces. I used the Series 11 as I would any smartwatch that I'd buy myself, and haven't noticed any screen damage. I believe the glass is stronger, but I didn't purposefully put it in harm's way.

The battery life and charging speeds are the final notable changes. The Series 11 is listed at 24 hours of use, compared to 18 with the Series 10. The new one is also listed as getting two more hours, up to 38, in low power mode. While previous Apple Watches supported fast charging, the Series 11 can deliver eight hours of regular use from 15 minutes of charging, as well as eight hours of sleep tracking from five minutes on the charger.

Battery life is good, but not a huge upgrade during everyday use

I got good battery life with the Series 11 during my daily routine, which often consisted of 30 minutes of exercise and 12 to 15 hours of everyday use. The battery was low at the end of the day, but it never died on me. Using GPS, receiving constant notifications, and streaming music over cellular will have the biggest impact on battery life. When I used the watch sparingly, it easily lasted from one day to the next.

When I wanted to track my sleep, I usually dropped the watch on the charger for 10 or 15 minutes in the morning and again in the evening before bed. Otherwise, I charged the device overnight as usual. If you do need every ounce of battery life the Series 11 offers, then you'll want to dig into the settings, as the watch may limit its full charge to 80% by default. This practice can help extend a battery's lifespan, which is why this setting is typically toggled out of the box.

Though I didn't have a Series 10 on hand for direct comparisons, I previously used a Series 10 for a full year. Although the Series 10 has a lower stated battery life, I found the Series 11 lasted about the same during my daily use. Depending on my fitness routine, I used to end my day with 20-30% battery life remaining on the Series 10. My testing with the Series 11 has yielded similar results.

The Series 10 and Series 11 both use an S10 chip. So, the extra battery life estimates from Apple could partly result from the company's use of new testing methodologies. That said, the Series 11's 5G chip may improve battery efficiency in the cellular model. Ultimately, battery life depends heavily on how you use your watch, and the Series 11 certainly lasts at least as long as the Series 10. But in my use, its battery life improvements haven't been as dramatic as the listed specs suggest.

A solid fitness watch for casual use

Though it lacks the rugged build, satellite connectivity, longer battery life, and more advanced GPS that you'd get with Apple's pricier Ultra 3, the Series 11 is a capable fitness wearable. The 46mm version even offers the Ultra's screen size without its extra bulk.

I run regularly, a little over 100 miles each month, but don't think of myself as a hardcore athlete. I'm not overly fitness-focused beyond daily running. The Series 11 worked fine for me for this use. The regular aluminum casing is lightweight and disappears on my wrist.

Much like with the Series 10, however, I found the Series 11 a little hard to use while running. Its curved screen looks nice, but it's tricky to tap while on the move. The pricier Ultra 3's flat screen is a little easier to use in this regard. I also like the Ultra 3's Action button for starting workouts and setting markers, which the Series 11 lacks.

I suspect anyone who regularly engages in fitness activities (four or more days a week) might feel similar. For people walking or doing more casual activities, the Series 11 will be fine. You don't need to jump to the Ultra 3, unless you want its extra features, of course.

Where the Apple Watch Series 11 outshines the Ultra 3, however, is sleep tracking. The Ultra is just too heavy and bulky for me to wear while sleeping. Using the Series 11 was much more manageable. I typically prefer to sleep without a watch or jewelry, but I never had to take the Series 11 off in the middle of the night because it was too uncomfortable. Your mileage will vary in this area, but if you're specifically interested in tracking sleep, then I recommend the Apple Watch Series 11 over the Ultra.

You can learn more about the Apple Watch Series 11's fitness capabilities in our guide to the best fitness trackers.

New software features on watchOS 26

With watchOS 26, released in September 2025, Apple added hypertension notifications and a sleep score. These might seem like new features of the Series 11, but they're also backward-compatible with older Apple Watches.

The sleep score is a single number based on estimates of sleep duration, ongoing sleep consistency, and wake-up periods during sleep. This can help distill multiple metrics into a glanceable score. These software features are great for new users, but you don't need to buy the Series 11 to get them.

Should you buy the Apple Watch Series 11?

With its sleek design, bright screen, and reliable health tracking, the Apple Watch Series 11 cements itself as the new pinnacle of smartwatches.

However, because it's so similar to the Series 10, I don't recommend upgrading from that model. Even owners of the Series 9 who aren't having any specific issues should probably wait to see what comes after the 11.

The Series 10 also remains a great buy if you happen to find it in stock at a discount, but inventory is limited, and recent sale prices have actually made the Series 11 cheaper in many cases.

If you don't already have a recent Apple Watch and you want the best overall value in Apple's lineup, the Series 11 is now the model to get. Though dedicated Android users will of course be better off with a smartwatch from Google or Samsung, for those plugged into Apple's ecosystem, the Series 11 is almost impossible to beat.