Overview
Expert Rating
Advantages
- Enhanced health monitoring
- 5G support
- The longest battery life among standard Apple Watches
- Robust design
Disadvantages
- Similarities to Series 10
- Sleep scoring lacks recommendations
- Workout Buddy needs an iPhone
Our Conclusion
While there remain opportunities for enhancement, particularly in sleep monitoring, the Apple Watch Series 11, now sporting a larger battery, improved durability, and more health-related features, is nearly indispensable for any iPhone owner searching for a new smartwatch.
Price At The Time of Review
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Current Best Pricing
Price At Review Time
Starting at $399
Current Best Prices: Apple Watch Series 11
Although it’s more an enhanced variant of its predecessor rather than a significant generational upgrade, there’s still much to appreciate about the Apple Watch Series 11.
I don’t envy the challenge Apple faces with its wearable lineup in 2025. The range has finally received a significant processing improvement with the Apple Watch Series 9, followed by a major hardware redesign that slimmed down the form factor for the Apple Watch Series 10, while also expanding the display.
With those features in play, one could argue that the Apple Watch has ‘reached its peak’, and any progress from here will solely be iterative enhancements.
Having used the Apple Watch Series 11 for over a week now, I can clearly say that Apple is not as restrained with its updates compared to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, but whether or not the Series 11 is a crucial upgrade depends entirely on what smartwatch you are currently utilizing.
Some users might be able to hold off, but if you have the budget to upgrade, you’ll definitely experience the finest Apple Watch offering to date with the Series 11.
Design & Construction
- Slightly larger than Series 10
- Enhanced durability with Ion-X glass
- Still easy to wear
Regarding design, it’s very much business as usual; this isn’t surprising given that the Series 10 introduced a notable redesign.
Being 10% thinner than the Series 9, the Series 10 felt much more comfortable on the wrist, making it easier to wear over extended periods, especially overnight.
The Series 11 retains this idea and competes closely with Garmin Venu X1 as one of the most comfortable watches I’ve encountered.
The most significant design enhancement on the Series 11 is subtly hidden
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
It’s worth noting that due to the larger battery in the Series 11, the watch is marginally larger than the Series 10, although the difference is slight. For instance, the comparable 46mm Cellular version I’ve been using weighs 36.9g, while the Series 10 equivalent comes in at 35.3g.
It’s a small distinction but significant for anyone using last year’s model who might be considering an upgrade.
The most notable design enhancement on the Series 11 is visibly discrete, highlighted by the new Ion-X glass display, which Apple claims is twice as scratch-resistant. As expected, a feature like this is challenging to assess; however, in the time I’ve utilized the watch, it has encountered a few accidental bumps against doorways and during swimming, suffered a collision with a lane barricade that I thought would damage it, but to my astonishment, the screen appears as pristine as when it was new.
Consistent with prior models, the Apple Watch Series 11 is waterproof up to 50m, so if, like me, you enjoy swimming, you needn’t worry about removing it before diving in. Additionally, minor incidents like splashes from a sink or light rain won’t pose any issues.
There is one additional color compared to last year with the addition of Space Grey Aluminium, although to my eye, it appears almost identical to the Silver Aluminium variant, making me long for the more vibrant options available with the Series 7 and Series 6.
The Apple Watch was well-suited with its Green and Blue color schemes, and as someone who enjoys swapping the standard rubber Sport Band for something more stylish, I hope Apple will reintroduce color options in next year’s model.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
This could be seen as a minor complaint, yet the Apple Watch continues to rank among the most aesthetically pleasing smartwatches available for those who appreciate a square design, and it’s clear why numerous brands attempt to imitate Apple’s aesthetic (just look at the Huawei Watch Fit 4 if you doubt this).
Display & Audio
- Extremely bright and simple to see outdoors
- The vibrant colors enhance icons and watch faces dramatically
- The finest speakers I’ve experienced on a smartwatch
Unlike the design, which saw some progression in durability, the screen on the Apple Watch Series 11 remains unchanged from last year. While some might find this disappointing, I believe Apple made a prudent choice here.
I prefer to see innovation in sensible areas rather than upgrades simply for the sake of having something new to highlight on a specifications sheet, and in its current form, the display on the Apple Watch Series 11 gives me no reason for concern.
With peak brightness of 2000 nits (originally introduced with the Series 9), the display on the Series 11 is exceptionally easy to read in sunlight and, crucially, I have not found it difficult to check the more muted always-on display.
Even when the color of a watch face is muted, I can still easily read the time, which isn’t always guaranteed, as I recently experienced this exact problem while reviewing the more economical CMF Watch 3 Pro.
In addition to that, the inclusion of a broader viewing angle and LTPO3 technology on the Series 10 means you won’t be left wanting in this aspect. Interestingly, even though the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (which I also reviewed) has higher peak brightness at 3000 nits, I can honestly say that the visual experience on the latest Apple Watch does not feel like a downgrade.
I can now admit that Apple is tapping into something significant here
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
One of the advantages of the Apple Watch is the vivid color spectrum that its OLED display can produce. Whether I was examining one of the many watch faces crafted by Apple for its ecosystem or simply browsing through the collection of installed applications, something always managed to attract my attention due to its vibrancy.
Last year, Apple made a significant point about the built-in speaker’s ability to listen to music and podcasts via the Series 10, and I’d be dishonest if I claimed I didn’t scoff at the idea.
Given the disdain many people have for those who blast music from their phones in public spaces with no regard for others, the last thing I would want is to become that nuisance by tuning into The Rest is Entertainment from my wrist.
However, after testing this feature in the comfort of my own home, I now acknowledge that Apple has something worthwhile here. Playing CKY’s 96 Quite Bitter Beings (my go-to track for testing device speakers), I was impressed by the clarity of the cymbals and how well the vocals came through, even if the details on the guitar riffs were somewhat lacking.
Switching to the Kinda Funny Games Daily podcast, I was quickly drawn in and enjoyed the playback as a way to catch up on the latest episode.
The Apple Watch Series 11 not only boasts the best-sounding speaker in any smartwatch I’ve examined to date, but it also convinces me that, in instances when my AirPods and iPhone are out of reach, I might just reach for it for some entertainment, a confession I never thought I’d make prior to writing this review.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
Software & Functionalities
- Now includes 5G support
- New Exactograph and Flow watch faces
- Consistent performance
This is where we delve into some of the core changes this year, but first, I want to clarify that regarding raw performance, nothing has shifted in the Series 11, as it retains the same S10 chipset as earlier versions.
Considering substantial advancements are being made in the Wear OS realm with quicker chipsets providing access to Google Gemini on your wrist, it would have been appealing to see Apple leapfrog its rivals in some capacity; however, the foundational day-to-day performance remains exceptionally reliable.
During days that involved streaming Spotify offline at the gym, utilizing the watch for NFC payments, and navigating through London with Apple Maps for an event, the Series 11 accomplished everything smoothly without any stutters or delays. It delivers precisely the kind of high-caliber experience one expects from an Apple Watch, and even with the more robust Apple Watch Ultra 3 currently available, I found no desire for more.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
If you opt for the cellular variant of the Apple Watch Series 11, you’ll gain access to 5G networks, which is a significant advantage for using the watch independently of your iPhone.
For instance, if you decide to go on a lunch walk without your iPhone, you can make calls on the watch just as before, but with a markedly better connection that is less likely to encounter problems when a 5G signal is available. As someone who uses their Apple Watch in this manner, especially as I’m less likely to be sidetracked by my watch, this enhancement is highly appreciated.
Alongside the Series 11 (though also available on other Apple Watches) are the Flow and Exactograph watch faces.
The former takes inspiration from Apple’s Liquid Glass aesthetic, which is present in iOS 26 and features glass-like numbers over a swirling mass of color. It’s very much in line with Apple’s style and might appeal to some, but I personally favor the Exactograph face.
I’ve come to depend on it quite a lot
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
Much like GMT or Metropolitan, you can place four complications around the primary watch face, which displays the seconds, minutes, and hours of the day.
Tap the center of the watch face and it will retract all those complications, expanding the dials like measuring tape to provide a closer view of the seconds and minutes as they pass. It’s quite enjoyable to experiment with, and there are fantastic color variations that allow each dial to take on different hues.
These two new watch faces complement an already remarkable collection within the smartwatch market. Only Samsung comes close to competing with Apple in this space, but I believe that watch faces are a crucial aspect of what defines a great wearable as they are what you will see most frequently, and having a healthy mix of stylish and functional choices is a significant advantage, making me more likely to switch between them based on my mood.
As an aside, this is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to utilize the Apple Watch’s double-tap feature, which lets you navigate certain applications just by pinching your thumb and forefinger together. While, similar to the built-in speaker, I initially doubted the usefulness of this feature, I’ve come to rely on it significantly.
For stopping timers while cooking or navigating the Smart Stack, it has become a part of my daily use of the Apple Watch, as has the new wrist flick feature, which quickly takes you back a step.
Exercise & Health Monitoring
- Can identify high blood pressure
- Sleep tracking now incorporates a scoring system
- Workout Buddy provides tailored coaching
Fitness tracking has long been a critical selling point for the Apple Watch, and now the company’s comprehensive software has become even more capable with several new features, perhaps the most significant being notifications for hypertension (high blood pressure).
Fortunately, I haven’t had to experience any hypertension alerts during this review, but considering how crucial it is to manage high blood pressure through healthy lifestyle choices and consistent exercise, I think it’s an excellent feature to include, as it may motivate some individuals to adopt a more active lifestyle.
Giving credit to Apple, this function did appear previously on the Huawei Watch D and its successor, but it’s refreshing to witness Apple embrace the technology and expand the capabilities of its health tech. It could potentially save lives.
