Editor’s note from September 16, 2025: CNET has published our complete Apple Watch Series 11 reviewso check it out for up-to-date videos and hands-on impressions. The following article remains unchanged.
Apple updated its entire lineup of Apple Watch models at its “awesome” event on Tuesday, with the Apple Watch Series 11 leading the way. Although the design is the same as last year’s slimmer flagship, this version increases battery life, adds 5G connectivity on cellular models, and improves its health offerings with hypertension notifications and sleep score analysis.
With a decade of updates and refinements, the Series 11 represents a big step for Apple as it leans even further into the health and fitness features of its smartwatches. In addition to the Series 11, Apple also introduced the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3as well as the new iPhone 17 linea new iPhone Air and the latest generation of airpods (Pro 3).
The Series 11, SE 3, and Ultra 3 will ship with WatchOS 26, which Apple unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The update brings a cleaner “liquid glass” user interface, live translation for text messages, a redesigned Notes app for your wrist, and Workout Buddy; Apple’s new AI-powered companion that delivers real-time motivation based on your personal metrics during certain workouts.
Prices and availability
The Apple Watch Series 11 is now available for pre-order and will hit stores on September 19. Pricing starts at $399 (£369, AU$679) for the 42mm aluminum Wi-Fi model, while the cellular version of the same watch costs $499. The cellular titanium version of the 42mm model is priced at $699.
New Apple Watch health features
Apple continues to expand the health features of the Apple Watch. The biggest addition is a notification if you show signs of hypertension or high blood pressure. This is not a full blood pressure monitor, as some expected, but rather a potentially important screening test. The Apple Watch will send alerts if it notices consistent patterns over a 30-day period that might warrant a follow-up with a doctor, and then allow users to record their blood pressure in the Health app (from a bracelet) to confirm. The day after the Apple Event, the US Food and Drug Administration cleared the Apple Watch feature.
Another health improvement is the new Sleep Score, which rates your sleep session on a scale of 1 to 100 or from poor to excellent. The watch doesn’t just give you a number without context. It breaks down your score by showing you specific factors that may have affected you, such as your bedtime, how much sleep you got in total, and the number of sleep interruptions and their duration.
And Apple isn’t watching, because these features are also coming to older models beyond the new Series 11 and Ultra 3. Hypertension notifications will be available on Series 9, Series 10, Ultra 2, and Ultra 3. Sleep Score will also be available on SE 3 (out of the box) and will arrive via the WatchOS 26 update on September 15 for Series 6 and later, SE 2 and later, and all Ultra models. Sleep Score requires an iPhone 11 or later with iOS 26.
Design updates
Visually, the Series 11 looks a lot like the Series 10, with the same slim profile and edge-to-edge display. But there’s a subtle and practical improvement: the aluminum model now uses stronger, scratch-resistant glass, making it more durable for everyday use.
Under the hood, the Series 11 maintains the same S10 chip as its predecessor. It’s the same processor that’s now in the Ultra 3 and SE 3 models.
Connectivity and battery
For the first time, the Series 11 cellular model supports 5G connectivity, which Apple says is not only faster but also more efficient at preserving battery life when in use (it uses a version called RedCap 5G, or reduced capacity 5G, which requires less power than the 5G in your iPhone). That same 5G capability also debuts in the Ultra 3 and SE 3, marking the first time either of those models have surpassed LTE speeds.
Battery life has also received an increase beyond the more efficient use of the cell phone. The Series 11 now promises up to 24 hours on a charge, compared to 18 hours for the Series 10. Apple tends to be conservative with its battery claims, so in real-world use, we may see it expand beyond the official promise. For example, I’ve always been able to extend the Series 10’s 18 hours to almost 30 hours with just one workout and sleep tracking.