Apple Watch Series 11 review: Same, but different

Like clockwork, Apple launched its latest lineup of wearables in September 2025. These include three new products, of which I have already reviewed two. I left the mainline Apple Watch until last, partly because it felt like the safest bet of the bunch, and in many ways, that assumption proved accurate.

That said, and as is always the case, one has to take out their magnifying glass from their drawer to see what’s changed between the Apple Watch Series 10 and the Series 11. Both watches use the same design and the same size, as well as the S10 chip, among other key similarities.

Even though strapping the Series 11 on my wrist felt like a familiar sensation, I can’t say I disliked the experience. Apple still isn’t behind the competition too much with its watches, except maybe battery life, which it really needs to work on and even though the Series 11 introduces a longer battery life compared to all other Apple Watches that preceded it.

I've been wearing the watch for the last few weeks to find out if it’s worth the upgrade or if you’re better off sticking with your older Apple Watches. Spoiler alert: I wouldn’t rush to the nearest Genius Bar to order the watch, but it might be worth the upgrade if you have an older Apple Watch (no surprise there).

Apple Watch Series 11 review

Price and availability

The Apple Watch Series 11 comes in two sizes, 42 mm and 46 mm, with prices from £369 / $399 / €449 / AU$679 for the more affordable aluminium model. The titanium model adds a significant premium and is selling for £649 / $699 / €799 / AU$1,249 (42 mm model).

The watches are available now at Apple UK, Apple US, Apple EU, and Apple AU.

As before, the Series 11 is available in GPS-only and GPS+Cellular versions, the latter of which allows you to make and receive phone calls and messages with an iPhone in sight.

Since the watch has been out for a few months, it’s not impossible to find good discounts. In fact, Apple seems to have shifted its strict pricing policy we’ve seen for yours, allowing third-party retailers such as Amazon to sell the Series 11 at a heavily discounted price.

So much so that these days, you can own the latest Apple Watch Series 11 for as little as $300 in the US. Prices in other countries vary; the semi-permanent price cut seems to focus only on the brand’s largest market (i.e., the USA). Having said that, the UK has seen some price drops in recent weeks.

Design and materials

As mentioned above, the Series 11 is a spitting image of the Series 10. It comes in the same two sizes, 42 mm and 46 mm, and feels identical to its predecessor. As such, it has the same dimensions, including the ultra-thin case depth of 9.7 mm, and weight as the Series 10.

The main (only?) physical difference is the tougher Ion-X glass on the aluminium models, featuring a new ceramic coating. This new layer is said to make the screen twice as scratch-resistant as before. The watch also comes in a new colour, Space Grey, which joins the Jet Black, Silver, and Rose Gold trio.

Another, admittedly less visible, update is the 5G modem, an upgrade from the Series 10’s 4G modem. This is said to improve performance and provide better coverage when using the Apple Watch for calls and messages. Needless to say, this new feature only concerns the GPS+Cellular model.

This really is all there is to new design elements. The watch still features the same smooth latch mechanism that easily attaches and detaches the straps, as well as the digital crown and push button. The sensors and the chip (S10 SiP) are also the same as in the Series 10.

Features

There aren’t any exclusive features to the Apple Watch Series 11, but watchOS 26 introduced a few new additions to the already robust health and fitness offerings on the Apple Watch.

Chiefly among these is Sleep Score, a feature everyone’s been begging Apple for. The feature has recently been updated to make it less misleading by suggesting that lower sleep scores are bad.

Apple’s Sleep Score isn’t as robust as those from other brands, such as Samsung or Huawei, but it’s a good start, and I look forward to seeing many more refinements in the coming years.

Liquid Glass is another addition to the mix, which made its way over from iPhones. It’s much subtler on the Apple Watch due to the smaller screen and processor. I’d go so far as to say it makes little difference in everyday use, but maybe it's just me.

Workout Buddy has also been introduced with watchOS 26. This AI-powered feature is fully in line with Apple’s approach to workouts and turns solitary workouts into quasi-studio sessions by offering personalised motivation, encouragement, and real-time feedback.

I’m not a person who enjoys random bits of motivation coming from an algorithm mid-run, but I’m sure many people appreciate this. After all, Apple Watch is the most-used wearable on Strava, and given how popular the Apple AirPods Pro 3 are, I wouldn’t be surprised if most Apple Watch users use Workout Buddy.

Hypertension Notifications join the ranks of Apple’s health features. It looks for patterns consistent with high blood pressure over time (using the optical heart sensor) and can notify you if such patterns are detected. I apparently don’t have these, so I can’t really comment on them.

Similar to Crash or Fall Detection, I’m certain some Apple Watch users will appreciate Hypertension Notifications and will be able to use this information to better address blood pressure issues.

Of course, the Apple Watch can’t actually measure high blood pressure – it doesn’t have an inflatable cuff, for one – so Hypertension Notifications look for the signs of high pressure in the data the watch can collect.

Apple has finally brought the Notes app to Apple Watch, letting you view notes, pin items, and check off checklists right from your wrist. This is a fun addition, and I have been using it while testing the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Double-tap has been the only gesture control option on Apple Watches before watchOS 26. Now, Wrist Flick is also available, allowing you to – well – flick your wrist dismiss notifications/calls, silence alerts and return to the watchface

I still think that Gesture control holds great promise, but, admittedly, Apple hasn’t been rolling it out as quickly as I'd hoped. Both Double Tap and Wrist Flick are only available with a handful of Apple Watch apps, and unless you’re in very specific situations, it’s unlikely you’ll remember to use them. At least, that’s what happens to me most of the time.

I wish Apple championed accessibility by extending gesture control and introducing new features and apps that work with it. Great, now I can dismiss a timer by flicking my wrist or double-tapping my fingers – so what?

Why can’t we have more features connected to these? How about other options, maybe shaking the watch, or circling your wrist? Gesture control has almost endless potential, but unless it’s acted on by the company, it’ll stay just that.

Battery life and charging

One of the most significant Series 11 upgrades over previous Apple Watch iterations is battery life. After 11 years (!), Apple decided to extend the ‘all day’ 18-hour battery life to 24 whole hours. Better still, in my experience, the watch can last nearly two days if you turn off features such as blood oxygen monitoring and the always-on display.

To paraphrase Neil Armstrong, the Series 11’s extended battery life is a huge leap for the Apple Watch, but only a tiny step for smartwatches. Many (most) AMOLED smartwatches have week-long battery life these days, not to mention some Garmin watches, including the microLED Fenix 8 Pro, that can go for weeks without needing a charge.

Luckily, fast charging is still available, providing up to 8 hours of battery life with just 15 minutes on the puck. Charging is fast, in general, which is even better. However, it would be much better if I didn’t have to charge the watch more than once or twice a week.

At this point, Apple’s battery life feels increasingly out of step with the rest of the smartwatch market. Brands started to overtake Apple with their smartwatches, offering deeper health features, better fitness functionality, and even more premium builds.

Verdict

The Apple Watch Series 11 is a reminder of how polished Apple’s smartwatch has become, and how cautious its evolution now feels. The changes over the Series 10 are real but modest, making this a sensible upgrade for owners of much older models rather than anyone already on recent hardware.

Battery life improvements and watchOS 26 refinements keep the Series 11 competitive, but rivals are pushing ahead in areas Apple once dominated. The foundations are all here for something bolder. For now, the Series 11 feels less like a leap forward and more like Apple catching its breath.