1 hour ago
2
The Apple Watch SE 3 (left), Apple Watch Ultra 3 (middle), Apple Watch Series 11 (right).
Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.
Apple released three caller smartwatches successful September, and portion they whitethorn look similar, their differences are stark. I've tested each 3 to get a consciousness of which watches enactment champion for antithetic people. Cyber Week discounts chopped the terms of each smartwatch down substantially, truthful it's a large clip to shop. If you're gift-shopping for the Apple obsessive successful your beingness up of the engaged vacation season, you whitethorn beryllium disoriented by the disposable options. Which, retired of the 3 Apple Watches, should you buy?
Also: The 5 tech splurges that are 100% worthy it (and connected sale, thankfully)
I've adjacent included 1 Apple Watch exemplary from 2024 that, acknowledgment to immoderate retroactive updates done WatchOS 26, is simply a worthy contender for acquisition this year. Here's the breakdown.
1. Who should bargain the Apple Watch SE 3?
The Apple Watch SE 3 is an entry-level smartwatch built for beginners. They whitethorn beryllium unsure whether they'll truly usage a smartwatch time successful and time retired and don't privation to splurge connected a pricier exemplary conscionable yet.
The instrumentality inactive packs galore upgrades and, contempt its affordable price, comes with galore of the upgrades that the different watches successful the lineup include. In galore ways, the SE 3 takes the specs of past year's Series 10 and implements them successful this affordable smartwatch -- an 18-hour artillery life, Sleep Apnea Detection, and its latest chip, the S10.
Also: I compared each Apple Watch successful 2025 - here's wherefore I urge this exemplary the most
The surface is the smallest retired of the lineup, and communicating done substance tin beryllium annoying with lone a letter-drawing diagnostic oregon speak-to-text available.
Best features
- 18-hour artillery life
- Sleep Apnea Detection
- Sleep Scores
- Apple's latest S10 chip
What Apple Watch SE 3 doesn't have
- Hypertension Detection, humor oxygen monitoring, ECG
- The Series 11's 24-hour artillery life
- The brightest show (only 1,000 nits)
Who is the Apple Watch SE 3 champion for?
First-time smartwatch users, kids and teens, budget-conscious shoppers, radical who privation to show slumber and enactment (but not show much precocious metrics similar hypertension, humor oxygen, oregon by-the-minute bosom complaint data).
2. Who should bargain the Apple Watch Series 11?
Apple's flagship smartwatch has the second-longest artillery beingness retired of the lineup (and it's $400 little than the Ultra 3 with the longest artillery life). I spot the Series 11 arsenic the Apple Watch that powerfulness users with older models would upgrade to.
As idiosyncratic with a smaller wrist, the Series 11 and SE 3 are cleanable sizes for my wrist, portion the Ultra 3 took up excessively overmuch aboveground country and weighed my limb down. For this reason, I'd urge the Series 11 implicit the Ultra 3 to women.
Also: I tested the Apple Watch Series 11 for a week - here's my buying proposal now
Compared to its Series 10 predecessor, determination isn't overmuch of a difference, too the 24-hour artillery beingness and durable display. But software-wise, everything is practically the same.
Best features
- 24-hour artillery life
- Hypertension Detection
- More durable display
- Sleep Scores
What Apple Watch Series 11 doesn't have
- The Ultra 3's Emergency SOS via Satellite
- The Ultra 3's 3,000 nits display
Who is the Apple Watch Series 11 champion for?
Owners of Apple Watch Series 8 oregon earlier seeking an upgrade, radical who privation to regularly way each aspects of their health, radical who volition deterioration the ticker nonstop -- some during the time and to way their slumber astatine night.
3. Who should bargain the Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple's astir costly and feature-rich smartwatch has the largest screen, the longest artillery life, each wellness feature, large durability, and off-grid functionalities, similar Emergency SOS via outer for outdoor enthusiasts.
Best features
- 42-hour artillery life
- Satellite connectivity
- Hypertension Detection
- Largest screen
- Sleep Scores
What the Apple Watch Ultra 3 doesn't have
- A bladed physique (sleeping with the instrumentality is simply a pain)
- An affordable terms (Without a discount, it's $799. With a discount it's $700.)
Who is the Apple Watch Ultra 3 champion for?
Outdoor enthusiasts and off-grid hikers, radical who privation a ample ticker display, radical who tin spend a $700 watch, and radical who privation each of Apple Watch's best, newest, and precocious features.
4. Who should bargain the Apple Watch Series 10?
You mightiness beryllium scratching your caput speechmaking this. Wasn't the Series 10 unveiled past year? Yes. But I'd reason it's a worthy bargain this twelvemonth for deal-grabbing Apple Watch customers. Thanks to immoderate of the retroactive upgrades coming to earlier smartwatch models, including the Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2, you tin get overmuch of the aforesaid bundle connected a cheaper Apple Watch.
Also: Should you upgrade to Apple Watch Series 11? Here's however it compares to older models
You won't get the Series 11's 24-hour artillery life, but if you don't caput charging your ticker up of bedtime sleep-tracking, this astir apt won't beryllium an issue.
Best features
- Hypertension Detection
- Sleep Scores
- WatchOS 26 (available connected the caller watches)
- Same physique and thinness arsenic Series 11
What Apple Watch Series 10 doesn't have
- Watch Series 11's 24-hour artillery life
- A much durable display
Who is the Apple Watch Series 10 champion for?
Smartwatch shoppers connected a budget, radical who don't attraction astir the latest lineup, radical who volition deterioration their ticker during the time and occasionally slumber track, radical who are connected apical of charging their instrumentality if they privation continual usage (because the ticker lone lasts 18 hours).
English (US) ·