Apple Watch Series 11 review: Still the best in the business

How often do people update their smartwatch? I know that people tend to update their smartphone every three years these days, but I doubt the update between smartwatches is as frequent.

I’m pondering this question because as I transitioned to this year’s Apple Watch Series 11, I was surprised by how little seemed to have changed over the Series 10.

This year’s model has the same processor and design as last year’s model. On the wrist, they are difficult to tell apart.

But the Series 11 does have one significant advantage: 24-hour battery life. For the first time since the Apple Watch first launched, I’ve been able to comfortably get a full day between charges every day since I started testing the Series 11.

It’s not enough to warrant an upgrade from last year’s model. But if your current Apple Watch is a Series 5 or Series 6, the upgrade is definitely going to be noticeable.

What makes the Apple Watch Series 11 stand out?

Visually, there’s not a huge amount that separates the Series 11 from last year’s Series 10.

But under the hood, the key advantage is a big update to the battery life. Where last year’s Series 10 offered up to 18 hours between charges, Apple has increased the capacity and improved the software to get the S11 to a full 24 hours between charges.

Now, obviously, this will depend on your individual usage. But over the course of the six weeks or so I’ve been testing this smartwatch, I’ve comfortably managed to get the watch to last a full day.

It also has the Apple Watch fast-charging support, which means you should be able to get from 0% to 80% in just 30 minutes.

The other big step up this year is in the connectivity department, with the Series 11 finally offering 5G connectivity on its Cellular models. If you only opt for the Wi-Fi model, that’s less of a selling point, though all S11 models also get dual-band Wi-Fi for the first time this year as well.

Apple Watch Series 11 smartwatch specs

Design and build quality

The Apple Watch hasn’t significantly changed its design for 11 generations. Sure, there have been subtle tweaks and refinements, but the Apple Watch has always looked like an Apple Watch.

The Series 11 is remarkably similar to the Series 10. The aluminium models have an upgraded scratch-resistant Ion-X glass this year, and there’s a new space grey aluminium colour option, but even so, you would be hard-pressed to tell the S11 and S10 models apart.

Under the hood, there are a few additional modifications. While the S11 uses the same S10 chip to power the watch, and the same always-on OLED display with 2,000 nits of peak brightness, the S11 gets a bigger battery.

But the W3 wireless chip is the same, the UWB chip is the same, the four-core neural engine is the same and both models have 64 GB of storage.

The similarities to the last generation aren’t necessarily a bad thing, though. The Series 10 was a much more comfortable fit than the Series 9, and the improvements to watchOS this year apply to both models equally.

Which is to say that Apple has made some minor improvements to the Series 11, without pushing things too aggressively. Given the Series 10 is comfortably one of the best smartwatches on the market, why would Apple radically change a winning formula.

Performance and software

Given the Series 11 is rocking the same S10 chip inside as last year’s Apple Watch, it’s hardly a surprise that across the performance space, there’s not a lot to talk about.

The watch tracks your physical activity and your sleep, with apps for ECG and Blood Oxygen readings and notifications for high and low heart rate, and irregular rhythms, plus low cardio fitness.

Like previous Apple Watch models, you can also track your sleep, including notifications for sleep apnoea. Sensors track your sleep temperature to give you insights into your health, as well as the quality of your sleep.

But these features aren’t unique to the Series 11. Even the new features Apple launched in watchOS 26 this year, including the sleep score and the ability to flick your wrist to dismiss notifications, are all available to previous generations.

But I believe this is a bit of a case of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Apple’s Series 10 was a great device, so Apple hasn’t done too much to play around with the winning formula here.

Battery life and connectivity

The one area Apple did play around with the formula this year was with the battery. And it’s been a long time coming.

By increasing the battery capacity and optimising the software, the Apple Watch Series 11 will get you through the whole day on a single charge for the first time.

That’s a six-hour improvement over the S10 with standard use. It’s a big step-up – maybe not enough to warrant a year-on-year update, but a significant improvement nonetheless.

The battery improvements also extend to fast charging. While the past few models have offered fast charging, getting you to 80% charge from flat in about 30 minutes, the Series 11 goes one step further.

With just 15 minutes on the charger, you’ll get enough charge to get you through an eight-hour workday of normal use.

Or even better – if you forget to charge and are about to go to bed, five minutes on the charger will give the watch enough battery life to get you through an 8-hour sleep.

On the connectivity front, the dual-band Wi-Fi support is nice to have, though you won’t notice it in your daily use.

And while the Series 11 I was sent to review was the cellular model, I have never found any need to pay for an additional SIM plan to use the watch without my phone. In other words, I didn’t test the 5G connectivity performance.

Verdict

Apple has made the best Apple Watch even better with the Series 11. But the improvements are minor, almost indiscernible.

If Apple were a normal brand, the arrival of a newer, better model would mean the previous generation would get its price slashed as retailers try to clear out stock. And that would normally provide a great opportunity for customers to get the remarkably similar but slightly older Series 10 Apple Watch for a bargain.

But Apple isn’t a regular brand. As I write this, the Series 10 is selling for prices starting at $589, which is just $90 cheaper than the Series 11 starting price of $679.

For $90, I’d argue that the Series 11 is better value thanks to that battery improvement and more robust display.

But if you ever find the Series 10 for under $500, it suddenly becomes a very different story.

Buy the Apple Watch Series 11 if:

• You haven’t updated your Apple Watch since the Series 5 or Series 6
• You really want all-day battery life
• You tend to scratch the crap out of your watch’s screen

Skip the Apple Watch Series 11 if:

• You have a Series 10 already – It’s effectively the same watch!
• You’re looking for a sub-$500 Apple Watch
• You need a watch for extreme sporting conditions – go with the Ultra 3 instead

Where to buy

The Apple Watch Series 11 comes in numerous combinations, with different screen sizes, Wi-Fi only or mobile network support, and multiple colours.

Here’s what the pricing looks like across variants:

You can buy the Apple Watch Series 11 from the following retailers:

• Amazon
• The Good Guys
• Mobileciti
• Apple
• JB Hi-Fi
• Rebel Sport
• Officeworks
• Harvey Norman
• Big W
• Bing Lee

Frequently Asked Questions