The Apple Watch Series 11 doesn't rock the boat, but it doesn't need to. Apple's latest Series smartwatch is identical in many ways to the Series 10, with the same display, measurements, processor, and sensors. On the other hand, the changes it offers are important, especially a bump in battery life. Other upgrades for this generation include a harder glass screen cover for improved scratch resistance, 5G for faster cellular connectivity, and a wealth of new software features via watchOS 26. Starting at the same $399 as the last generation, it's a polished upgrade and remains ahead of the competition in terms of quality and performance, earning it our Editors' Choice award as the best smartwatch for most iPhone users.

Price and Materials: Same Cost, More Variety

Starting at $399, the Series 11 is the middle option in Apple’s smartwatch lineup. The Apple Watch SE 3 (starting at $249) is a compelling alternative for those shopping on a budget, as it has an always-on display and the same chip as Series 11, though it still lacks features like the ability to provide blood oxygen levels and ECGs. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 ($799) has satellite connectivity for emergency communication and even longer battery life, making it the best-suited model for adventurers.

The Series 11 is arguably the nicest-looking of the bunch, with an excellent 2,000-nit LTPO3 wide-angle OLED display for improved brightness and off-angle visibility compared with the SE 3, and a sleeker design than the bulky Ultra 3. The Series 11 also offers the widest variety of colors and case options of the lineup. It’s available in 42 or 46mm sizes with the cases made of either 100% recycled aluminum or 100% recycled titanium. For comparison, the SE 3 is available with a 40mm or 44mm aluminum case, while the Ultra 3 only comes in one 49mm titanium case option.

For this review, I tested the 46mm aluminum Series 11 in the Space Gray colorway. The aluminum version also comes in Jet Black, Rose Gold, or Silver, and the titanium version in Gold, Natural, or Slate.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

Of the Series 11 models, the 42mm aluminum is the most affordable at $399, while the 46mm variant starts at $429. You’ll need to pay a $100 premium for cellular connectivity in addition to GPS. Pricing for titanium Series 11 models skews much closer to the $799 Ultra 3. In titanium, the 42mm Series 11 starts at $699 and the 46mm size at $749. As with the Ultra 3, cellular connectivity comes standard on the titanium Series 11.

In addition to case finish and size, you also get to choose from a wide variety of band materials and colors, including rubber, textile, and stainless steel. This year, Apple has added some new color options to the mix, including forest green, neon yellow, anchor blue, and purple fog. The sporty Nike bands come in new colors as well, and the premium Apple Watch Hermès collection has been refreshed with new band designs and colors and a matching watch face that evokes the Hermès store in Paris.

While the Series 11 doesn't get a price increase over the Series 10, Apple’s flagship is more expensive than the Android competition. Both the Google Pixel Watch 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 start at $349.99, with similar price increases for cellular options and bigger sizes.

Design and Specs: Comfortably Familiar

For the most part, the Series 11 retains the sleek design of last year’s Apple Watch Series 10. The previous generation shaved off a full millimeter of depth compared with the Series 9, and introduced the LTPO3 display with a wider viewing angle, more active area, and smaller bezels. The Series 10 also switched the material for the premium versions from stainless steel to lightweight titanium. The results earned positive marks from us across the board.

(Credit: Andrew Gebhart)

For the Series 11, Apple has updated the display cover to Ion-X glass, which the company says is twice as scratch-resistant as the glass on the previous generation. Otherwise, the Series 11 design matches the Series 10 exactly, including IP6X dust protection and water resistance to a depth of 164 feet.

It measures 1.65 by 1.41 by 0.38 inches (or 42mm by 36mm by 9.7mm, HWD) for the smaller version and 1.81 by 1.53 by 0.38 inches (46mm by 39mm by 9.7mm) for the larger variant. The display area and resolution match last year as well: The 42mm version has 374 by 446 pixels with a 989-square-millimeter display area, and the larger holds 416 by 496 pixels with 1,220mm^2.

Aside from the new bands and color options, you’d have a hard time telling the Series 10 and the Series 11 apart, but both are attractive watches with slick performance and beautiful screens.

On the inside, the similarities continue. The Series 11 carries forward the S10 chip with a 64-bit dual-core processor, a quad-core neural engine for machine learning tasks, and 64GB of storage. I would have expected Apple to update the processor this generation, but the S10 chip still performs smoothly.

Connectivity comes via dual-band Wi-Fi and optional 5G cell service, upgrades from the Series 10, which only has 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and LTE cellular. Otherwise, the wireless toolkits are identical between the watches: Bluetooth 5.3, L1 GPS, NFC for Apple Pay, and second-generation ultra-wideband for precise location tracking. Both have a built-in microphone with noise isolation for calls and a speaker for media playback.

The Series 11 has the same sensor suite as the last generation, including Apple's third-gen optical heart rate sensor plus an electrical heart sensor for ECG. It also packs an altimeter, ambient light sensor, compass, gyroscope, underwater depth gauge, and water temperature sensor.

(Credit: Andrew Gebhart)

Setup and Controls: Easy as Ever

The Series 11 comes packaged with your watch strap of choice as well as a puck-shaped charger. The strap ends easily slide into place on the side of the watch and secure with a satisfying click. You can remove them to swap in a new one with the buttons on the bottom of the watch.

Getting started with the Apple Watch hasn’t changed much in a while, which is fine, as the process is quick and easy. Press the side button on the watch to turn it on, and then it’ll ask you to select your language and region. Next, open the Apple Watch app on your phone, and it’ll walk you through the pairing and setup process. You can set a passcode and default text size, and Apple will ask for your demographic details, such as age, weight, and sex, information it uses to calibrate your health metrics.

During setup, you can also set activity goals, configure Siri, and optionally set up cellular service. You also have the option to enable safety features, including fall and crash detection, and easy access to Emergency SOS via a press and hold of the side button.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

After setup, the Apple Watch will install updates and walk you through tips and tricks. Once the watch is up and running, you can press the crown button to open your app drawer from the watch face, or to quickly return to the watch face from any other screen. Press and hold the crown button to access Siri. The side button opens the Control Center (where you can check your connection, battery life, and more) with a single press, or you can double-tap it to open Apple Pay.

Swipe down from the top of the watch face for notifications or swipe up to see your Smart Stack. Press and hold the watch face to customize its look and complications or to switch to a different one.

(Credit: Apple/PCMag)

The iOS Watch app offers even more options for your watch face. You can also use it to configure settings for any of your apps, customize your Smart Stack, check for updates, and manage notifications.

The iOS Health app lets you set up a Medical ID so first responders can quickly find relevant information via your phone and watch. This app also houses your ECG results, biometrics like blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), your sleep data, and more.

Finally, while you can see some cursory workout information in the Health app, you’ll need to use the iOS Fitness app if you want to dive into the data. You can also optionally subscribe to Fitness+ for $9.99 per month and access its services with a tab at the bottom of this app. Fitness+ offers a library of guided workouts and meditations along with personalized recommendations. You can select the ones you want à la carte, or let the app construct daily plans to help keep you motivated.

While I dislike needing to use three different companion apps to manage all of the watch functions, that's par for the course given that Samsung’s smartwatches utilize just as many.

WatchOS 26: A Clear Change

The Series 11 launches with Apple’s latest smartwatch software, watchOS 26. It brings a number of updates to the platform, including an optional Liquid Glass look that turns certain watch elements translucent. The Smart Stack, which offers a customizable list of widgets and updates them automatically based on your current activity and location, now shows hints on the watch face to highlight particularly timely suggestions, like enabling Do Not Disturb when a meeting on your calendar is about to start.

WatchOS 26 includes a new wrist flick gesture for dismissing calls and returning to the home screen. On the gesture control front, the Series 11 carries forward the double-tap gesture introduced with the Series 9, which lets you make selections in certain apps by tapping your index finger to your thumb twice without needing your other hand. In testing, I used the wrist flick gesture more often than double-tap and found it performed reliably.

As part of the watchOS 26 update, the watch will now automatically raise and lower the volume of notifications based on the level of background noise. In the Phone app, you can initiate Call Screening for unknown numbers, Hold Assist for customer service calls, and Live Listen for real-time captions. Additionally, Live Translation is now available in the Messages app, so incoming texts can be shown in your preferred language.

The software also includes updates to sleep and exercise tracking, which I detail below.

Battery Life: A Distinct Improvement

The biggest functional difference between the Series 11 and the Series 10 is battery life. The Series 11 introduces the first substantial increase in capacity for the mainline series since the very first Apple Watch. Various models have offered gradual increases thanks to improved efficiency, but Apple estimates 18 hours of power on a charge with typical use for the Series 10 and every Series model dating back to the original. The Series 11 bumps that to 24 hours.

Apple’s estimates have proven increasingly conservative over the past three generations. In our real-world testing, the Series 11 lasted 43 hours on a charge with the always-on display enabled, up from 36 hours for the Series 10 and 32.5 hours for the Series 9.

While the 7-hour real-world battery increase from the last generation isn’t quite the 33% improvement promised by the estimate, the result is better and confirms that Apple is still lowballing its watch battery stats. During my battery tests on the Series 11, I downloaded apps on the watch, sent texts, used GPS for a workout, and regularly checked my activity stats and sleep score.

The Series 11's battery gives you some flexibility in terms of when to plug it in each day, and it charges quickly when you do. Apple estimates you can get up to eight hours of battery life with 15 minutes of charging, or 80% in 30 minutes. In testing, with the included cable and an 18W brick (not included), the Series 11 recharged from 0 to 100% in 77 minutes, though the latter half definitely moved more slowly than the first 50%.

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Cellular Connectivity: A Step Up to 5G

The Series 11's 5G antenna is a big upgrade from the Series 10 for those needing cell service. Its 5G dual-antenna architecture consistently searches for the best signal, and can combine multiple signals into one in areas with a weaker connection. When receiving a strong connection, the watch uses the antenna with the best signal automatically, and the other side of the architecture starts saving power to keep battery life consistent between the cellular and Bluetooth-only models.

(Credit: Andrew Gebhart)

5G makes it easier to use several features when separated from your phone or Wi-Fi. While testing the watch in Chicago, I downloaded a few apps over 5G and noticed particularly snappy speeds.

Apps and Watch Faces: A Smart Everyday Companion

Like its predecessor, the Apple Watch Series 11 has a long list of lifestyle features. You can use it to send texts, make calls, and listen to music. Siri comes built-in, and you can simply raise your wrist to issue commands. The watch works with Apple Pay and supports contactless payments.

You can also download a huge variety of apps via the App Store. Android watches and their Wear OS software have been catching up on this front to an extent, but Apple is still the winner in terms of sheer volume.

(Credit: Andrew Gebhart)

Apple offers a larger variety of watch faces as well, and the Series 11 launches with a pair of new ones. Flow looks cool with its stylized and boxy numbers, but I found myself occasionally needing an extra moment to interpret exactly what time it was. I like the Exactograph watch face quite a bit; it clearly shows the time and offers customizable complications in every corner.

Like the Series 10, the Series 11 has a 1Hz refresh rate when dormant in always-on mode, so it updates once a second when your wrist is down. The Exactograph watch face takes advantage of this refresh rate, and support is rolling out to the Stopwatch and Timer apps, which should make it easier to check them at a glance and get an accurate count in the middle of a workout.

Hypertension Notifications: Potentially Lifesaving

Apple’s latest safety feature, hypertension notifications, won’t show up during the initial setup. The FDA-approved feature instead pops up in the Apple Health app. To get started with it, you go through a brief questionnaire in which Apple will confirm you’re at least 22 years old and check for a history of blood pressure problems. Once enabled, the feature will, for the most part, operate invisibly in the background.

After 30 days, you’ll receive a notification telling you whether hypertension (or high blood pressure) was detected. If so, the app advises you to get your blood pressure checked and consult with your doctor. If not, the app will continue to monitor for it in the background in case signs of it pop up in the future.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

Hypertension detection doesn’t actually have a home in a watch app or within the iOS Health app. It’s not meant to be something that you actively check on, but a background operation with a simple yes or no response. The goal is to warn you about signs of hypertension so that you can take care of it before it causes bigger issues.

At launch, Apple is rolling it out to 150 countries. It won’t be available on any SE models, but it's also available on the Ultra 3 and will roll back to the Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2.

Since I’ve only been testing the Series 11 for a week, I haven’t received that first notification yet, but I saw a demo of it in action at the Apple Event. It will certainly be a sobering experience to see the big alert on your watch telling you to talk to your doctor, but that’s the point. When announcing the feature, Apple cited that 1.3 billion people in the world have hypertension, and almost half are undiagnosed. I’ll be curious to see if this feature helps spur people to the doctor and reduces the number of undiagnosed cases of hypertension.

Exercise Monitoring: Running With an AI Workout Buddy

For exercise, the Series 11 will automatically start tracking an activity after five to ten minutes, or you can manually start tracking dozens of different types of workouts. Options for tracking include basics like walking, running, and biking, as well as a number of different sports such as basketball, pickleball, and soccer, and other activities like elliptical workouts, high-intensity interval training, pilates, and yoga.

The Workout app has a refreshed look as part of watchOS 26. Once you select your activity of choice, buttons in each corner help you refine and personalize the experience. The upper-left button lets you customize which metrics you see during your workout. You can set up different screens of metrics and customize their order for scrolling. The lower-left button lets you set media or have Apple choose for you based on your preferences and workout type. The upper-right button lets you set goals and targets for metrics such as time, distance, and pace.

(Credit: Andrew Gebhart)

The lower-right button houses the app’s coolest new feature: Workout Buddy. Tap the button to turn the feature on and customize the voice, and then set criteria for updates throughout your routine. You can have it alert you about your cadence, heart rate zones, pace, and any targets you set under goals with the upper-right button.

To use Workout Buddy, you’ll need an iPhone 15 Pro or later equipped with Apple Intelligence and Bluetooth earbuds such as the AirPods Pro 3. Once enabled, Workout Buddy provides feedback throughout your exercise with an encouraging, AI-generated voice. Since Workout Buddy uses Apple Intelligence to provide feedback, it relies on a consistent cloud connection via your phone to work.

I tested Workout Buddy during a 30-minute run with an iPhone 17 and a pair of AirPods Pro 3, and let Apple curate the music. As I got started, Workout Buddy chimed in with a friendly greeting and thanked me for getting my workout in. It then encouraged me to enjoy the run and groove to the music of DJ Khaled as one of his tunes started playing.

The music was mostly a mix of upbeat hip-hop and rock, which did keep me motivated throughout the workout. I had Workout Buddy set to keep me notified when I was within my target heart rate zone, and it otherwise chimed in when I passed certain distances like my first mile. Its heart rate zone notifications proved to be somewhat annoying, particularly when I was near the upper or lower threshold, as it would repeatedly alert me that I was above or below as I bounced back and forth. I would have liked a little bit more of a cooldown between these utterances.

(Credit: Andrew Gebhart)

While testing the beta version of Workout Buddy on the Ultra 2, I noticed a similar occurrence when I had set a pace goal. When I ran near the target pace, it kept piping up to tell me I was just above or below it. I wish it would instead stay quiet when you're within a certain range.

When I completed a mile, it compared my time with past runs, an insight I liked. It also ran through my stats when I completed my workout. For the most part, though, outside of its initial encouraging statement, the AI's personality doesn’t shine through all that much. Instead, Workout Buddy mostly just kept me posted on my real-time stats and the goals I had set.

In terms of overall experience, I prefer Samsung’s Running Coach. It requires less hardware, as you simply need the watch, and it can work even without a phone connection. It has a slightly different goal, as it's meant to help you build toward an event like a 5K or a marathon, and you need to take a running test when you first use the feature to gauge your current skill level. At that point, it creates a recommended running program including a target pace for specific workouts, and its goals prescribe a range to hit instead of a static value.

However, Samsung’s Running Coach can similarly become redundant over the course of a long workout. It has a bit less personality than Apple's Workout Buddy, and it's not as versatile since it's only available for running. Workout Buddy is available for outdoor and indoor runs and walks, outdoor cycling, high-intensity interval training, and both traditional and functional strength-training workouts.

Because Apple’s Workout Buddy can be customized with your own Pacer routes and goals, it’s likely the better fit for you if you already know what you’re doing and how you want to tailor your exercise. On the other hand, Samsung's Running Coach is intentionally prescriptive and probably a better fit if you’re a beginner looking for guidance to get started.

Whether you use Workout Buddy or not, the Series 11 tracks a wealth of metrics during workouts. For outdoor running, that includes your distance, calories, elevation gain, heart rate, pace, time, and advanced form metrics like power, vertical oscillation, ground contact time, and stride length.

During my 30-minute test run, I wore the Apple Watch Series 11 alongside the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic ($499.99) on my other wrist. The Series 11's heart rate values showed some variance at the beginning of my run, bouncing up and down a bit as it calibrated itself to me, but that’s somewhat typical with a new device. It evened out after five minutes or so, and stayed within 5 to 10 beats per minute (bpm) of the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic the rest of the time. I incorporated sprinting intervals toward the end of the run, and the Series 11 exhibited no lag in detecting my heart rate spikes and dips. After the run, my average heart rate matched the one from the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic exactly.

Sleep Tracking: Straightforward Slumber Scores

I consistently slept well while testing the Series 11, and the watch verified that with its new Sleep Score metric. The Series 11 accurately measures the duration of your shut-eye, time spent in each sleep stage, other health metrics such as respiration rate and resting heart rate, and even monitors for sleep apnea. I verified its stats by wearing the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic on my other wrist overnight, and both devices' heart rate numbers and sleep stage charts lined up reasonably well. New to watchOS 26, the Apple Watch takes those overnight metrics and turns them into a holistic Sleep Score.

(Credit: Andrew Gebhart)

Sleep Score grades your slumber on a scale from 0 to 100, and gives it a classification spanning five levels: Very Low (0 to 29), Low (30 to 49), OK (50 to 69), High (70 to 89), and Excellent (90 to 100). I consistently earned an excellent rating in my testing, and by tapping the information button near the classification, Apple shows the exact breakdown of the score.

You can earn up to 50 points for duration, up to 30 for keeping a consistent bedtime, and up to 20 for minimizing interruptions. Your score in each adds up to your total out of 100. After showing how I earned my sleep scores in the 90s, the score page informed me that getting rest like that should provide long-term benefits for my health.

Both Google and Samsung provide sleep scores on their respective smartwatches, but Apple provides the clearest framework for calculating this metric. As with Workout Buddy, Apple's Sleep Score is less prescriptive than it is informative. It lets you see exactly where you fell short, so you know what's preventing you from getting a good night's rest.

Samsung debuted a Sleep Coach on its latest Galaxy Watches that approaches sleep from the opposite angle. It offers lots of prescriptive advice, including checklists for activities to relax before bed. The Samsung Sleep Coach strikes a good balance with its advice, as it doesn't offer negative feedback for missing items from the checklist but simply encourages taking whatever steps you can.

Apple’s Sleep Score deserves credit for being the most straightforward of the bunch, and it provides enough data if you’d like to come up with your own steps to improve your sleep, but Samsung’s Sleep Coach offers more tangible guidance if you do want that help.