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An Apple Watch isn't conscionable an accessory oregon an excuse for a 2nd screen. After much than a twelvemonth of investigating Apple Watches, I've recovered them to beryllium adjuvant slumber trackers, convenient timers successful the kitchen, phone-free connection tools, arsenic good arsenic workout motivators and mid-workout monitors.
The Apple Watch started retired arsenic a fittingness tracker and evolved into an indispensable companion for iPhone users. Apple's smartwatches person an arsenal of convenient capabilities, similar lodging your boarding walk for a flight, identifying songs, opening your store door, and providing upwind alerts. These watches are besides expansive wellness monitoring systems with FDA-cleared features that tin cheque your bosom rate, notify you of hypertension, oregon observe slumber apnea.
Best smartwatch deals of the week
Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and whitethorn beryllium unrelated to this article.
What is the champion Apple Watch close now?
My prime for the champion Apple Watch is the Apple Watch Series 11, the platonic perfect of an Apple Watch. It's got astir each diagnostic the luxurious and rugged $700 Ultra 3 does but for a much approachable price. It's the archetypal Series Apple Watch with a 24-hour artillery life. It besides adds an FDA-cleared Hypertension Detection to Apple's slate of wellness tracking features.
Also: The champion iPhones of 2026: Which exemplary should you buy?
The champion Apple Watches of 2026
Nina Raemont/ZDNET
What we like: Apple unveiled 3 caller smartwatches past year: the Apple Watch Series 11, the Apple Watch Ultra 3, and the Apple Watch SE 3. The Series 11 costs $399 and is the Apple Watch astir radical should buy. This device's terms sits successful the mediate betwixt the $250 SE 3 and the $800 Ultra 3.
The Series 11 offers each the health-tracking capabilities of the Ultra 3 and a longer artillery beingness than the SE 3. This makes it the champion prime retired of the 3 for health-conscious users looking to deterioration their smartwatch astir the clock.
Apple adds 5G to Series 11 for businesslike connectivity, Ion-X solid for durability -- doubly that of the Series 10, and a wrist-flicking motion to disregard messages oregon calls.
Coming from the Series 10's 18-hour artillery life, the Series 11 gains six much hours. That's 24 hours of bosom complaint tracking, phone-free notification delivery, and uninterrupted slumber monitoring. Speaking of slumber monitoring, the WatchOS 26 bundle update brings the long-awaited slumber scores to Apple Watches, truthful radical tin much easy spot if they got a bully oregon mediocre nighttime of rest.
The Series 11 besides receives a large wellness diagnostic upgrade, FDA-cleared Hypertension Detection, which tin show and observe precocious humor unit implicit 30 days. The diagnostic doesn't supply by-the-minute readings connected humor pressure. Instead, it uses Apple's PPG bosom sensor to instrumentality a 30-day mean speechmaking that its algorithm determines is either supra oregon beneath the hypertension threshold. This is different diagnostic the much affordable SE 3 lacks.
Also: I tested the Apple Watch Series 11. Here's who should bargain it
Who should bargain it: I urge the Series 11 to radical who person already utilized an Apple smartwatch earlier and privation to upgrade artillery and wellness features. This is the ticker to bargain if you privation to way your sleep, debar changeless charging, a afloat scope of wellness tracking features.
Who should look elsewhere: If you privation the Hypertension Detection diagnostic but don't request a 24-hour artillery capacity, I suggest buying the Series 10 instead, which has dropped successful price.
If you privation a much affordable smartwatch for enactment and slumber tracking, I urge the SE 3. Alternatively, if you privation to splurge connected a bigger surface show and the afloat suite of Apple Watch's champion features, I urge the $800 Ultra 3. It comes with standalone outer communication, each the wellness tracking features, and a 42-hour artillery life.
Apple Watch Series 11 tech specs: Display size: 42mm oregon 46mm | Chip: S10 spot with 64-bit dual-core processor | Battery life: 24 hours | Storage capacity: 64GB | Sensors: Optical and electrical bosom sensor, somesthesia sensor, accelerometer, humor oxygen, gyroscope, h2o somesthesia sensor | Price: $398
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Nina Raemont/ZDNET
Why we similar it: At $800, Apple's feature-rich smartwatch mightiness beryllium the toughest statement to marque for consumers. Still, outdoor enthusiasts, Apple Watch obsessives, and activity-tracking devotees bargain the smartwatch successful spite of its precocious terms tag due to the fact that the Ultra 3 has a batch to offer.
The 2 astir important features that abstracted the Ultra 3 from its siblings are its 42-hour artillery beingness and wide, vivid display. The Ultra 3 feels much similar a mini telephone with a responsive, wide surface area. It's besides the brightest ticker retired of the lineup, astatine 3,000 nits. There's little finagling with oregon fumbling with buttons connected the Ultra 3 due to the fact that of the surface size.
Apple adds Emergency SOS via Satellite to the Ultra 3 for outdoor explorers looking to permission their telephone astatine location but enactment connected if catastrophe strikes. Hypertension Detection and Sleep Scores are besides disposable connected the Ultra 3.
The Ultra 3 besides comes with an Action Button, unsocial to the Ultra lineup. Initiate a workout oregon crook connected the watch's flashlight with the interaction of a button.
Who should bargain it: I urge this watch, archetypal and foremost, to radical with ample wrists. The show is monolithic and takes up tons of existent property connected a tiny arm. I'd besides urge the Ultra 3 to those who perpetually usage their smartwatch and request reliability -- whether that's with a multi-day artillery life, each wellness and information diagnostic nether the sun, and a durable, ample screen. Outdoor hikers and explorers volition get the astir retired of the exigency connectivity features.
Who should look elsewhere: The Ultra 2 gets the aforesaid WatchOS 26 updates that see Hypertension Detection and Sleep Scores. If you don't request Emergency SOS via Satellite connection oregon a lengthy artillery life, you could astir apt drawback a bully woody connected the earlier Ultra exemplary instead.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 tech specs: Display size: 49mm | Chip: S10 spot with 64-bit dual-core processor | Battery life: 24 hours | Storage capacity: 64GB | Sensors: Electrical bosom sensor, third-generation optical bosom sensor, humor oxygen sensor, somesthesia sensor, extent gauge, h2o somesthesia sensor, compass, altimeter, gyroscope, ambient airy sensor | Price: $700
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Nina Raemont/ZDNET
Why we similar it: Unlike the $400 Series 11 oregon $800 Ultra 3, the Apple Watch SE 3 offers conscionable capable of what a casual smartwatch idiosyncratic wants. You'll get enactment and slumber tracking, but not the elaborate ECG oregon Hypertension Detection. The SE 3 is the archetypal SE ticker that comes with an Always-On display, a adjuvant diagnostic for rapidly glancing to cheque the time. The surface is simply a spot smaller and dimmer than its siblings, and texting connected it tin beryllium annoying.
Apple adds Sleep Scores, 18 hours of artillery life, and wrist somesthesia sensing to the smartwatch. The SE 3 besides includes the aforesaid S10 spot that's connected the Series 10 and 11 and Ultra 3.
Who it's for: The SE 3 is simply a large prime for first-time smartwatch users who don't privation to interruption the bank.
Who should look elsewhere: This SE 3 is astir a c transcript of the Series 10, which gets Hypertension Detection done the WatchOS 26 update. It's got the aforesaid spot and the aforesaid artillery beingness arsenic the Series 10, but the Series 10 has a larger display, Hypertension Detection, and a brighter screen.
Apple Watch Series 10 tech specs: Display size: 40 oregon 44mm | Chip: S10 spot with 64-bit dual-core processor | Battery life: 18 hours | Storage capacity: 64GB | Sensors: Second-generation optical bosom sensor, somesthesia sensor, compass, always-on altimeter, high-g accelerometer, precocious dynamic scope gyroscope, ambient airy sensor | Price: $238 (used)
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Nina Raemont/ZDNET
Why we similar it: The Series 10 is 1 of the champion Apple Watches you tin bargain with galore of the aforesaid features arsenic the newer lineup. The lone quality betwixt the 2025 Series 11 and the 2024 Series 10 is artillery beingness and durability. The Series 11 lasts for six other hours and is doubly arsenic durable arsenic the Series 10. But if that doesn't substance to you and you privation each the aforesaid features of the Series 11 successful a cheaper watch, I earnestly urge the Series 10.
Also: Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch Series 9: Should you upgrade to the latest model?
Who should bargain it: If you privation the latest wellness sensors and information features, and mean artillery beingness without the Ultra 3's much granular aspects, the aluminum exemplary of the Apple Watch Series 10 is cheaper. I counsel you skip the tougher titanium decorativeness connected the Series 10 that starts astatine $699 and spell for the Ultra astatine lone $100 more. It which offers tons of other features. If you person a smaller wrist, I suggest sticking with the Series 10.
Who should look elsewhere: If you privation your smartwatch to past astir the clock, I urge the Series 11 for its longer artillery beingness of 24 hours.
Apple Watch Series 10 tech specs: Display size: 42mm oregon 46mm | Chip: S10 spot with 64-bit dual-core processor | Battery life: 18 hours | Storage capacity: 64GB | Sensors: Electrical bosom sensor, optical bosom sensor, humor oxygen sensor, somesthesia sensor, compass, always‑on altimeter, high‑g accelerometer, precocious dynamic scope gyroscope, ambient airy sensor, extent gauge, h2o somesthesia sensor | Price: $299
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Having occupation deciding betwixt Apple Watch models? Here's a speedy summary of the superior crushed to bargain each one.
| Choose this Apple Watch... | If you want... |
| Apple Watch Series 11 | The platonic perfect of an Apple Watch with a 24-hour artillery life, Hypertension Detection, and a much durable display. Use it to way sleep, grounds workouts, nonstop messages, acceptable timers, judge calls, and more. |
| Apple Watch Ultra 3 | The rugged Apple Watch with the largest screen, a 42-hour artillery life, an Action Button unsocial to this model, Emergency SOS via outer connectivity, and the astir durable plan of the lineup. |
| Apple Watch SE 3 | An affordable smartwatch built for newcomers and first-time buyers. It's got capable workout and slumber tracking features to support a newbie satisfied, positive an affordable terms point. |
| Apple Watch Series 10 | A adjacent c transcript of the Series 11, prevention for the 24-hour artillery life. Thanks to caller bundle updates the Series 10 gets astir each diagnostic the Series 11 has. Plus, it has the aforesaid plan and chipset. |
While each the Apple Watches connected this database person a slew of health-tracking features and different utile apps, their differences are what you request to see earlier buying one, including:
- Display size: Apple Watch displays present travel successful fundamentally 3 antithetic sizes successful millimeter -- 40/41, 44/45, and 49. Depending connected the size of your wrist and however overmuch you privation to interact with the ticker for speedy actions, the show size volition beryllium a large origin successful determining your model.
- Features: Apple methodically adds much caller features to its smartwatches each year, truthful we compared information features, wellness sensors, set options, artillery life, and different utile options.
- Pricing: Each Apple Watch has a fig of antithetic variations, truthful pricing tin alteration wide -- particularly based connected which set you pick. We included budget-worthy options beneath $250, arsenic good arsenic the much premium options that are implicit $1,000.
All of the Apple Watches included successful this database were chosen based connected however they performed when tested successful the existent world by the ZDNET team. When we trial smartwatches, we typically travel the aforesaid regular for each 1 to spot which performs best.
- Daily wear: We deterioration the smartwatch arsenic our superior watch, with communications, applications, and different elements being tested arsenic if it were our lone smartwatch.
- Application enactment and performance: One facet that makes smartwatches antithetic than modular watches is exertion support. We load up the ticker with apps and past trial the show and functionality of those applications. For example, Apple peculiarly excels successful the country of third-party exertion support.
- Workouts: Smartwatch makers embraced wellness and fitness, truthful we instrumentality smartwatches retired for moving with GPS, rowing connected the Hydrow, biking connected trails, and walking with the family. GPS and bosom complaint information is tracked and past we measure the accuracy against proven GPS sports watches.
- Sleep and enactment tracking: Sleep tracking has improved with smartwatches implicit time, and we measure and comparison them to astute rings and different watches. Nighttime is besides a bully clip to complaint your smartwatch, truthful you whitethorn take not to usage your ticker to way sleep.
For a deeper look into our investigating process, cheque retired our comprehensive smartwatch investigating methodology.
Latest quality connected Apple Watches
Apple has not released caller Apple Watches since the Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3 past September. We're expecting to spot astatine slightest 1 caller Apple Watch astatine this September's iPhone event, with aboriginal rumors suggesting it volition beryllium the Apple Watch Series 12, perchance with caller wellness features similar on-the-spot humor unit readings.
Yes, you request an iPhone to acceptable up an Apple Watch. However, with each the models connected this list, you tin usage the Family Setup option. This allows 1 iPhone to acceptable up watches for aggregate members successful your Apple household group, adjacent if they don't person an iPhone. But to reiterate, you cannot usage an iPad, a Mac, oregon a non-Apple smartphone to acceptable up an Apple Watch.
Apple Watches way your steps and fittingness data, show notifications from your iPhone, amusement basal accusation similar weather, commencement timers, nonstop and person substance messages, reply telephone calls, and tally compatible apps. The latest versions person further features including slumber tracking, precocious wellness monitoring, car clang detection, and planetary exigency calling.
Apple precocious introduced respective updates to the Apple Watch with the caller WatchOS 26 software. These see a Workout Buddy diagnostic done the Fitness app to usher you done workouts including stats and encouragements arsenic you run, cycle, oregon spot train.
The Apple Watch's Smart Stack is getting smarter, with the algorithm including much contextual information similar sensor and regular data, to hint astatine definite apps oregon functionalities. For example, Smart Stack tin nonstop a hint to unfastened the Pilates workout successful Fitness erstwhile it senses your accomplishment astatine the Pilates studio.
A caller manus motion is arriving to the smartwatch arsenic well. When a wearer receives a connection oregon telephone they aren't acceptable to answer, Wrist Flick volition disregard notifications and calls, oregon soundlessness pings.
Additionally, Sleep Scores and Hypertension Detection get connected respective smartwatches. This includes Series 9 and aboriginal and Ultra 2 and later. Hypertension Detection skips the SE lineup.
Also: The features and apps coming to Apple WatchOS 26 I'm astir excited about
Yes, galore older Apple Watch are disposable to bargain refurbished astatine places similar BackMarket and are inactive immoderate of the champion smartwatches connected the market. One older smartwatch I highly urge is the Series 10, due to the fact that it has each diagnostic successful the caller Apple Watch Series 11 minus the longer artillery life. If you're good with that compromise, it's a large bargain close now. The Series 9 besides receives the WatchOS 26 bundle updates, but it's a thicker smartwatch than the Series 10. I'd urge it little for comfortableness and sleep-tracking purposes.
The astir important features to look for successful the champion Apple Watch models see precocious wellness sensors similar ECG, humor oxygen, and wrist temperature. Also analyse connectivity options similar whether cellular is included oregon if you privation the ticker to enactment erstwhile an iPhone isn't nearby. Also see artillery beingness and durability with h2o resistance, particulate resistance, and a crystal look to defy cracking.
The champion Apple Watch for fittingness tracking is the Apple Watch Series 11 oregon the Apple Watch Ultra 3. Both travel equipped with the widest assortment of wellness sensors, including ECG, slumber tracking, bosom and breathing functions, wrist temperature, and more.
If you're idiosyncratic who spends clip hiking oregon different outdoor activities successful rugged conditions temperatures, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 whitethorn beryllium worthy the other cost. Its plan makes it much durable and water-resistant -- up to 100m -- than the different Apple Watch models. It besides includes an Action Button for fine-tuning workouts and hikes.
It's not made specifically with kids successful mind, but the Apple Watch SE is an fantabulous smartwatch for older kids with standout features positive parental controls. Along with enabling telephone calls and substance messages, the Apple Watch SE besides tracks your child's sleep, has state-of-the-art wellness monitors, features an SOS capability, and pairs with thousands of apps.
Also: The champion smartwatches for kids
In addition, you tin usage Apple's Family Setup to cheque your kid's location, acceptable up shared contacts, and instrumentality parental controls similar surface clip usage. Your kid doesn't adjacent request their ain iPhone to person an Apple Watch. They can pair it up with yours, truthful you're afloat successful control.
You cannot usage an Android telephone to acceptable up and brace with an Apple Watch, and determination are nary bully workarounds. However, if you person an Android phone, determination are respective smartwatches you tin take from that connection astir of the aforesaid features arsenic an Apple Watch. The ones beneath are smartwatches that ZDNET has reviewed and rated good successful our testing.
Latest updates
- In April 2026, we confirmed each of our picks and pricing information, and added successful caller manufacture news.
- In November 2025, we made the Apple Watch Series 11 our apical prime for champion Apple Watch wide and added successful the Ultra 3 and SE 3 arsenic large rugged and affordable options. We besides added an interactive visualization comparing the tech specs of the apical Apple Watch models.
Other Apple Watches we've tested
Jason Hiner/ZDNET
The Series 9 is inactive a convenient buy. It gets each the WatchOS 26 updates, including Hypertension Detection and Sleep Scores, but includes an 18-hour artillery beingness alternatively of the Series 11's 24 hours. If you privation a large deal, support an oculus retired for discounts connected Black Friday.
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Jason Hiner/ZDNET
While the caller Ultra 3 receives Emergency SOS via Satellite Communications, large for outdoor adventurers, the different updates to the Ultra 3 are disposable connected the Ultra 2.
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For more, cheque retired the champion Android smartwatches, our favorite smartwatches of the year, and the champion smartwatches to way your humor pressure.
Smartwatches Reviewed & Compared
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