Apple Watch Series 11

Series 12 replaced it at the same price

Series 11 was announced on 9 September 2025 at $399, and Series 12 took its place a year later at the same $399. They share a lot, so the question is whether Series 12’s additions are worth paying for:

Spec	Series 11	Series 12
US launch price	$399 (2025)	$399 (2026)
Case	42mm or 46mm; aluminum or titanium	42mm or 46mm; aluminum, titanium or ceramic
42mm screen area	989 sq mm	970 sq mm
42mm aluminum GPS weight	30.3 g	32.2 g
Chip	S10	S11
Health Sensing System, readiness, Audio Intelligence	No	Yes
Sleep score, hypertension notifications	Yes	Yes
Battery	Up to 24 hours; 38 in Low Power Mode	Same
Outdoor workout rating	None given	Up to 10 hours
5G RedCap	Yes	Yes

Battery, sleep features, hypertension notifications and 5G are a wash, and the 42mm Series 11 even has slightly more screen and weighs a little less. What Series 12 adds is the Health Sensing System, readiness and Audio Intelligence on S11, plus a flashlight, a ceramic option and a 10-hour outdoor workout rating. Series 11 vs Series 12 goes through it in detail.

What changed from Series 10

Series 10 introduced the once-a-second Always On screen, and Series 11 kept it. The changes are elsewhere: up to 24 hours instead of 18 (38 instead of 36 in Low Power Mode), 5G RedCap, a depth gauge rated to 6 meters, wrist flick, and Ion-X glass Apple says is 2× more scratch resistant. Hypertension notifications also reach Series 9 or later with watchOS 26, so they’re not a reason to pick Series 11 over Series 10.

Where the Ultra fits

The Ultra is the step beyond: an Action Button, satellite messaging, a 100m water rating with 40m dives, dual-frequency GPS, a 3,000-nit screen, and ratings down to −20°C on the wrist and up to 9,000m. Series 11 vs Ultra 4 compares the two.

The screen

The wide-angle LTPO3 OLED peaks at 2,000 nits and dims to 1 nit. It’s 374 × 446 pixels on the 42mm (989 sq mm) and 416 × 496 on the 46mm (1,220 sq mm), at 326 ppi. Aluminum models use Ion-X glass with a ceramic coating; titanium models get a sapphire crystal. Always On updates once a second, so a seconds hand keeps moving with your wrist down.

Health and sleep

Series 11 has the third-generation optical heart sensor and the electrical sensor for ECG, Blood Oxygen, a wrist temperature sensor, hypertension notifications, and sleep stages with a Sleep score and sleep apnea notifications. What it doesn’t have is Series 12’s Health Sensing System or the readiness score.

Battery and charging

Mode	Series 11
Normal use	Up to 24 hours
Low Power Mode	Up to 38 hours
Fast charge	About 80% in 30 minutes
15-minute charge	Up to 8 hours of normal use
5-minute charge	Up to 8 hours of sleep tracking

Apple’s 24-hour figure includes a 60-minute workout. A full day plus sleep tracking is realistic with a short top-up, and Low Power Mode stretches it to 38 hours.

Software, safety and payments

Series 11 launched on watchOS 26 and gets watchOS 27. Double tap and wrist flick both work, and Siri runs on-device; Audio Intelligence needs S11, so it stays on Series 12 and Ultra 4. For safety it has Fall Detection, Crash Detection, Emergency SOS, international emergency calling, noise monitoring and Backtrack, and Apple Pay and GymKit are built in.

Price

Series 11 started at $399 in the US. Pre-orders opened on 9 September 2025 and it reached stores on 19 September 2025. Cellular and titanium models, bands and AppleCare cost more, and the box has one band and a Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C cable (1m). Since Series 12 launched at the same $399, look up both current prices before you choose.