Watch out, Apple Watch 10, there’s a new sheriff in town. Apple pulled the curtain back from the latest Apple Watch Series 11 during the company’s Sept 9 launch event, and even though it looks, well, exactly the same as the device before it, there are a handful of meaningful updates that might make the new model a must-buy.
From improvements to battery longevity to new, potentially life-saving health tools, here are the five biggest reasons to buy the new Apple Watch Series 11, along with two reasons you may want to skip it.
Buy: Better battery life
Has Apple Watch battery life got you down? Good news. The Series 11 boasts a much-needed and oh-so-welcomed increase in longevity, from 18 hours per charge on the Series 10 to 24 hours per charge on the latest model.
Now, that’s still behind the competition, namely, the Google Pixel Watch 4 (rated up to 40 hours) and Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (good for 30-40 hours in our testing). Still, surpassing the one-day mark is a big deal for Apple’s flagship smartwatch line.
Like the Series 10, the Apple Watch 11 can get from zero to an 80% charge in just 30 minutes.
Buy: Hypertension alerts
High blood pressure is a silent killer responsible for a huge number of preventable deaths annually. Rumors have been circulating for years that not just Apple, but Google, Oura, Garmin, and others were all working on some form of wrist/finger-based hypertension alerts.
Well, Apple beat the rest of the competition to the punch. Not only does the Series 11 offer this lifesaving tool, but the new Apple Watch Ultra 3 does as well.
It works by using the onboard optical heart rate sensor to identify potential signs of hypertension over a 30-day period. Similar to sleep apnea detection, if there’s anything to be concerned about, you’ll receive an alert recommending further medical assessment.
Apple estimates that hypertension alerts could tip off as many as one million users to a medical condition they might not otherwise be aware of, in the first year of its existence. FDA approval is still pending, but Cupertino expects the feature to be live before the month’s out in over 150 countries.
Buy: Daily sleep score
In 2025, the makers of the best smartwatch models and best smart rings all offer users a daily, numeric sleep score, often out of one hundred. Now, Apple is (finally) joining the party with a sleep score of its own, based on factors like time spent asleep, restfulness, time in deep sleep, and sleep consistency.
A user’s score is also accompanied by a rating, along with advice to help you make improvements, and/or positive affirmations if you’re supremely well-rested. No word yet on whether sleep scores for Apple Watch will come to older devices. For now, it appears to only be offered on the new models, including the Series 11, SE 3 and Ultra 3.
Buy: A tougher display
The Series 11 display is twice as scratch-resistant as the display on the Series 10.
The Series 11 has the same 50 meters of water resistance as its predecessor and makes use of the same case material in your choice of titanium or aluminum. The only real design change comes in the form of updated screen protection.
A ceramic coating and fancy new manufacturing process result in the Series 11 display being twice as scratch-resistant as the display on the Series 10. So, if you’re someone who’s prone to knocking your smartwatch into things, this small but important upgrade might be a deal-sealer for you.
Buy: 5G connectivity
Forget 4G LTE, the new Apple Watch Series 11 sports a 5G antenna, allowing for slightly faster and more reliable cellular coverage. 5G is also more power-efficient, allowing you to remain connected sans-iPhone for longer.
Skip: Same screen and brightness as Series 10
While the Series 11 got upgraded screen protection, the physical display remains identical to last year’s model. This means that the max brightness remains 2,000 nits, which is respectable, but considerably less than the competition.
Both the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Google Pixel Watch 4 max out at 3,000 nits, making them likely easier to read in direct sunlight than the Apple Watch 11.
Skip: No onboard AI assistant
Speaking of the best smartwatches for Android, both the latest Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel wearables ship with Google’s Gemini AI voice-activated assistant built in. The Apple Watch Series 11, meanwhile, is still stuck with a non-Apple Intelligence version of Siri, which feels straight out of 2016.
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