The perfect Apple Watch in 2025

Apple launched a completely new lineup of Apple Watches throughout its “Awe dropping” launch event in mid September. There’s now a brand new flagship, Apple Watch Sequence 11, a revamped entry-level mannequin, Apple Watch SE 3, and the following technology of the premium wearable, Apple Watch Extremely 3. We didn’t get a brand new model of both the SE or the Extremely final 12 months, and Apple made up for the wait by giving these two important updates. The Sequence 11 remains to be what we advocate for most individuals, however the different two are extra compelling than ever. Right here, we break down the variations between the fashions so you possibly can decide the perfect Apple Watch on your wrist pc wants.

Desk of contents

Finest Apple Watch in 2025

Apple

Chip: S10 SiP | Sensors: Optical coronary heart, temperature, compass, altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, mild | Show: All the time‑on Retina wide-angle OLED show, max 1,000 nits brightness | Battery life: 18 hours | Case measurement: 40mm or 44mm

Learn our Apple Watch SE vs Series 11 comparison

The second-generation SE was getting fairly dusty after three years with no refresh. However now we’ve the Apple Watch SE 3, which begins at $150 lower than the Sequence 11, however you get most of the similar options because the dearer mannequin together with the identical S10 chip, seven of the 11 sensors, an always-on show and on-device Siri processing.

The SE 3 helps a lot of the new watchOS 26 options, together with the brand new sleep rating and wrist flick gesture, in addition to the brand new Exercise Buddy. It will probably deal with Emergency SOS options, wrist temperature monitoring and fall and crash detection. One among our biggest gripes with the outdated mannequin — painfully gradual charging — has been changed with quick charging capabilities that may attain 80 p.c in about 45 minutes. And in case you go for the cellular-enabled mannequin, your watch can entry 5G networks.

Right here’s what you don’t get: Hypertension alerts, a blood oxygen sensor, the ECG app and an even bigger battery. The display on the Apple Watch SE 3 is smaller, too, with the identical show space because the SE 2 (and the Sequence 4 for that matter) and the brightness maxes out at 1,000 nits as an alternative of two,000. The case is a full millimeter thicker and there’s no ceramic coating on the glass. The SE 3 coloration and case materials choices are extra restricted, with simply two finishes and aluminum-only instances.

Nonetheless, in case you’re in search of an entry-level smartwatch, and don’t thoughts a smaller display, the Apple Watch SE is a good selection at a pretty worth.

Professionals

• Makes use of the identical chip because the Sequence 11 and Extremely 3 fashions
• Handles a lot of the similar health and well being options because the Sequence 11
• Quite a lot of look ahead to simply $250
• Quick charging makes it extra viable as a sleep tracker
• Now has an always-on show

Cons

• No hypertension alerts or blood oxygen monitoring
• Display is small

$249 at Adorama

Cherlynn Low for Engadget

Chip: S10 SiP | Sensors: Electrical coronary heart, optical coronary heart, blood oxygen, temperature, compass, altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, mild, depth gauge, water temp | Show: All the time‑on Retina wide-angle OLED show, max 3,000 nits brightness | Battery life: 42 hours | Case measurement: 49mm

Learn our satellite assessment of the Apple Watch Ultra 3

The Apple Watch Ultra 3, like its predecessors, is geared in direction of the outside adventurer, with perks like a siren, depth gauge, evening mode and now satellite SOS, Find My and messaging connectivity. The titanium case, sapphire crystal show and raised edges make it more durable than different fashions and it might deal with water depths of as much as 100 meters. It additionally has the biggest case of all Apple Watch fashions at 49mm and the best peak display brightness at 3,000 nits.

All of this provides as much as a watch that may deal with the trials of open-air escapades — but it surely may be decide for many who desire a timepiece with a roomier display and higher-than-standard sturdiness.

The brand new options this time round are the bigger display, which Apple achieved with no improve to the scale of the case by decreasing the width of the bezels by 24 p.c. The always-on show now has a faster refresh fee, and 5G entry comes commonplace. The listed battery life has gone up by six for a complete of 42 hours, and the watch can now refill to 80 p.c in 45 minutes as an alternative of an hour.

All the brand new watchOS options are right here, together with sleep rating, hypertension alerts, Exercise Buddy and wrist flick gesture help. As all the time, the primary downside for the Extremely mannequin is the value. It nonetheless begins at $799, just like the earlier mannequin, and a trade-in, when you’ve got one, will deliver the associated fee down. In any other case it’s one expensive smartwatch — with loads of deluxe options.

Professionals

• Rugged however comfy design
• Bigger display did not improve case measurement
• Satellite tv for pc connectivity
• Complete exercise and well being monitoring

$799 at Adorama

What to search for in an Apple Watch

Like all Apple merchandise, Apple Watches will solely work with different gadgets from the model’s ecosystem. You will not be capable of pair any Apple Watch to your Android cellphone. Word that you simply can pair different wearables (like a Garmin tracker or a Fitbit band) together with your iPhone. There are some extra options which can be particular to Apple Watches and that set every of the three fashions aside from each other.

Chips and sensors

All three fashions within the present lineup have the identical S10 SiP (system in a bundle) chip with a four-core Neural Engine. The chip permits for on-device processing of Siri requests in addition to dictation, translation, computerized exercise detection and the double faucet and wrist flick gestures that allow you to management your watch hands-free.

You get an optical coronary heart fee sensor, temperature sensor, compass, altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope and lightweight sensor in each Apple Watch mannequin, however the Sequence 11 and Extremely 3 have a extra superior coronary heart monitor that partly allows the brand new hypertension detection function. The 2 higher-end watches even have sensors that may generate an ECG and detect blood oxygen, water temperature and water depth.

Fall and crash detection come commonplace irrespective of which Apple wearable you decide and all help close to subject communication (NFC) for Apple Pay. Should you go for the mobile variations of the Sequence 11 or SE 3, your watch can have entry to 5G networks. Cell connectivity comes commonplace on the Extremely 3 and the watch now additionally has satellite-enabled SOS, messaging and Discover My talents.

Shows and case choices

Each Apple Watch mannequin now has an always-on show. The wide-angle OLED show on the Apple Watch 11 and Extremely 3 allows you to see the always-on show from extra angles. The SE can attain a most brightness of 1,000 nits, the Sequence 11 can get as brilliant as 2,000 and the Extremely 3 hits 3,000 nits. Each higher-end screens can dim to a single nit, making them much less distracting at midnight. And the Extremely mannequin has the added evening mode function on sure watch faces that turns the dial purple to protect your evening imaginative and prescient.

As for case sizes, the SE 3 is offered in 40 or 44mm. The Sequence 11 has a selection of a 42 or 46mm case. The Extremely 3 is available in only one measurement measuring 49mm. The SE 3 has an aluminum case in two colours (Starlight or Midnight). The Sequence 11 allows you to decide from aluminum (in Rose Gold, Silver, House Grey or Jet Black) or titanium (in Pure, Gold or Slate). And the Extremely 3 solely is available in titanium (both Pure or Black).

Battery life

The Apple Watch Extremely 3 sports activities the largest battery and might final for a claimed 42 hours on a cost. The Apple Watch 11 is rated to go for twenty-four hours and the SE 3 will get an estimated 18 hours earlier than it wants a go to to the charger. Low energy mode will get you a lot extra hours, going for so long as 72 hours for the Extremely 3, 38 hours on the Sequence 11 and 32 hours on the SE 3. All three are actually able to quick charging and Apple states an 80 p.c cost in 45 minutes for the SE 3 and Extremely 3 and 80 p.c in half-hour for the Sequence 11.

Health and wellness options

All three Apple Watches have comparable health monitoring chops. The Exercise app makes use of three “rings” to maintain tabs on how a lot you’re shifting in a day: The Transfer ring tracks your energetic energy; the Train ring screens the minutes you’ve spent strolling, working, doing yoga and so forth; and the Stand ring tells you what number of hours in a day you’ve stood up and moved round for at the least one minute.

Completely different inner sensors detect these actions, for instance the accelerometer senses once you’re shifting versus sitting nonetheless, and the optical coronary heart fee sensor judges how onerous you are understanding and what number of energy you’ve burned. You’ll be able to set your objectives for every ring and also you’ll earn badges and animations once you hit them.

The Workout Buddy will work with all three watches, however you’ll must have an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone close by in addition to Bluetooth headphones to make use of it. All three can entry offline maps, which might show helpful when mountaineering removed from mobile protection. But when going off-grid is one thing you propose to do typically, it’s possible you’ll respect the satellite connectivity of the Apple Watch Extremely 3.

Siri

You may get the climate, begin a exercise, determine a tune and dictate a textual content simply by asking Siri. All Apple Watch fashions help the Increase to Communicate function that bypasses the necessity to say “Hey Siri” and can as an alternative hear on your request once you carry your wrist close to your mouth.

Each Apple Watch mannequin makes use of onboard processing of Siri requests now, too. Which means executing easy requests like beginning exercises and timers are faster, as they gained’t must entry exterior networks. Nonetheless, requests like sending texts or getting climate forecasts nonetheless want to speak with Wi-Fi or mobile, so that you’ll must have your cellphone close by when you’ve got a GPS-only mannequin.

Carbon impartial claims

Apple declared the Sequence 9 with the aluminum case its first carbon impartial product. However has since dropped those claims, probably because of authorized challenges in a German court. As a substitute, Apple states that each one three watches have been designed to “cut back environmental impression” and the corporate nonetheless maintains its dedication to changing into carbon neutral by 2030.

Value

Maybe essentially the most shocking factor concerning the three new wearables was the dearth of worth improve from earlier fashions. The Apple Watch SE nonetheless begins at $249, the Sequence 11 goes for $399 and up, and the Extremely 3 begins at $799. That places a $550 distinction between entry costs for the most cost effective and most costly Apple Watches.

For $250 you may get the 40mm Apple Watch SE 3 with GPS-only connectivity; including mobile connectivity ups the value by $50. The Apple Watch Sequence 11 begins at $399 for the 42mm, non-cellular mannequin in aluminum and goes as excessive as $749 for the 46mm titanium case (which comes with mobile). The Apple Watch Extremely 3 is $799 for a titanium 49mm case with each GPS and mobile, however the worth goes up with totally different bands. You might also want just a few Apple Watch accessories, in that case, you possibly can issue that into your buying determination.

How we examined Apple Watches

Engadget has been reviewing Apple Watches because the first one came out in 2015. Since then, we’ve tested every subsequent model Apple has released, including the Ultra and SE models, spending at the least just a few days or perhaps a couple weeks with one strapped to our wrists. Throughout that point, we run, hit the gymnasium, go on hikes and put on it whereas sleeping, all of the whereas gauging the way it tracks numerous metrics, integrates with the iPhone and performs each different trick Apple claims its smartwatches can do.

Since we additionally evaluate smartwatches from different corporations, equivalent to Samsung‘s Galaxy Watches and Google Pixels, our editors can evaluate Apple Watches not simply to earlier generations, but in addition to different wearables available on the market. Our purchasing guides and suggestions depend on first-hand testing by Engadget workers.

Apple Watch comparability chart

Apple Watch FAQs

What are the perfect Apple Watch apps for health monitoring?

All three watches use the identical Health and Exercise apps to trace your progress, they usually all have sensors to trace velocity, cadence, distance and coronary heart fee. However the Apple Watch Extremely 3 and the Apple Watch Sequence 11 have extra sensors than the Apple Watch SE 3.

Further tech contains {an electrical} coronary heart fee sensor and a depth gauge. The 2 pricier watches even have a blood oxygen app and an ECG app, all of which can offer you a greater image of your total well being. All three fashions are suitable with the AI-powered Exercise Buddy from watchOS 26 (the function additionally requires an AI-compatible iPhone).

Are any of the Apple Watch sequence waterproof?

All three fashions are water resistant. However they will all deal with immersion in water, together with a swim. The Apple Watch SE 3 and Sequence 11 can deal with a depth of as much as 50 meters whereas the Extremely 3 may be submerged as much as 100 meters.