Editor's note: Black Friday will not officially take place until Friday, November 28th; however, if you would like to shop in advance, we have compiled Best Early Black Friday Deals you can already get it.
If you have an iPhone, the Apple Watch is the best smartwatch for you. But it was only one Apple Watch when the smartwatch was released in 2015. Ten years later, you have three options to choose from: the entry-level Watch SE, the standard series, and the rugged Ultra. Each one targets a different demographic and set of needs, but good news: I've tested every Apple Watch since Series 2 and can point you in the right direction.
What are we looking for
Apple Watch does a lot of things, from tracking your health and fitness to sending notifications. As with other wearable devices, we conduct experimental testing and testing throughout the year. Thus, although we may not fall down the stairs, we will note whether organically tripping while walking triggers the fall detection function. (Or not.) We also test how accurate sleep tracking, heart rate, and GPS are compared to long-term monitoring devices like the Oura Ring or Garmin. We'll also note how different Apple Watch models compare to each other on factors like durability, performance, and battery life.
We're not going to recommend the Apple Watch Ultra to a slacker—unless you want to maximize battery life. The idea is to help you choose the Apple Watch that suits your needs.
Is it worth buying a new one? You can often save money on an Apple Watch by purchasing a refurbished one, especially since there usually isn't much change from year to year.
Want to shell out extra money for LTE? Which models have which sensors and how does this apply to you?
In some scenarios you'll have to buy cellular models, in others you might just get by with GPS.
The best Apple Watch for most people
Dimensions: 40 mm, 44 mm / Weight: 26.3 g (40 mm), 32.9 g (44 mm)/ Battery life: Until 18 o'clock/ Display type: Always-on LTPO OLED/ GPS: Built-in GPS, plus GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, Beidou/ Connectivity: 5G (optional), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi/ Waterproof: Up to 50 meters / Music storage: 64 GB
The third generation Apple Watch SE is an incredible value. So much so that there's not much difference between this entry-level watch and the more advanced Series 11. There's now an always-on display, an improved S10 chip that supports gestures like double-tap and wrist swipe, fast charging, on-device Siri, 5G cellular, and more health features thanks to a new temperature sensor on the wrist. People in relatively good health do not necessarily need additional health features such as blood oxygen or an ECG to detect atrial fibrillation. The SE 3 still gives you basic features like abnormal heart rate notifications, a new sleep score, and sleep apnea notifications.
Aside from health, the only thing you're really giving up is aesthetics. The SE 3 has a thicker bezel and I wish the battery life was a little longer. However, I had no FOMO when testing this watch alongside the Series 11. And $150 less? This is the Apple Watch that most people should buy.
The best Apple Watch for health monitoring
$339
good
- Slightly better battery life
- 5G connection
- FDA Approved Hypertension Notices
Bad
- It's not “bad,” but the most interesting updates will come in watchOS 26 and will come to older watches as well.
Dimensions: 42mm, 46mm/ Weight: 30.3 g (42 mm), 37.8 (46 mm)/ Battery life: Up to 24 hours, 38 in low power mode/ Display type: Always-on LTPO OLED/ GPS: Built-in GPS, plus GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, Beidou/ Connectivity: 5G (optional), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi/ Waterproof: Up to 50 meters / Music storage: 64 GB
While I think the SE 3 is the best for most people, if health monitoring is your primary concern, the Series 11 has a slight edge. It has all the latest sensors to help you track atrial fibrillation, and the large battery is a bonus if you like sleep and sleep apnea tracking features. Apple also added FDA-approved hypertension notifications, which the SE 3 doesn't have. The thinner profile and larger display are another reason why I recommend the Series 11 to anyone buying an Apple Watch as a parent.
But if you want to save some money, I recommend looking Episode 10 while still in stock. The Series 10 and 11 are virtually identical watches, with the latter's major hardware upgrades being 5G connectivity and a slight increase in battery life.
However, the function of oxygen in the blood is not that important. any you can still wear it. Many of them either only have spot check features or passively track your SpO2 at night and report an average in the morning. They I can't and shouldn't replace finger pulse oximeters.
The best Apple Watch for athletes
$780
good
- Even longer battery life
- Large display, thinner bezels
- Satellite communications and 5G
Bad
- Most people probably won't notice any improvements from 5G or satellite communications.
Dimensions: 42mm, 46mm/ Weight: 30.3 g (42 mm), 37.8 (46 mm)/ Battery life: Up to 24 hours, 38 in low power mode/ Display type: Always-on LTPO OLED/ GPS: Built-in GPS, plus GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, Beidou/ Connectivity: 5G (optional), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi/ Waterproof: Up to 50 meters / Music storage: 64 GB
Apple Watch Ultra 3 is overkill for everyday life. Its enhanced reliability, bright screen, siren and action button are best suited for people with an active lifestyle. I'm talking about frequent hikes, outdoor jogging, recreational diving and all that stuff. You don't have be an athlete to enjoy the Ultra – I know a lot of techies who especially love this watch for its super-long battery life and large display. (Both reasons why I Also I've used the Ultra as a daily driver for the last two years.) The black model looks hideous too.
As with the series watches, I would hunt down the Ultra 2 models on sale to save some money since this year's model was a minor upgrade. Also, if you already have Ultra 2, hold your horses! Now is not the time to upgrade. The exception is if you think you will benefit from a new satellite communications feature. I've done a few hikes in New Jersey and haven't found a spot without coverage, but if you're in a rural area where that's an issue, that's a good reason to go with the Ultra 3.
The best Apple Watch for kids.
Dimensions: 40 mm, 44 mm / Weight: 26.3 g (40 mm), 32.9 g (44 mm)/ Battery life: Until 18 o'clock/ Display type: Always-on LTPO OLED/ GPS: Built-in GPS, plus GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, Beidou/ Connectivity: 5G (optional), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi/ Waterproof: Up to 50 meters / Music storage: 64 GB
Unless there are obvious health issues while playing, your kids won't need the Series 11's advanced health tracking capabilities or the Ultra 3's bulky design. The SE3 is more than enough to keep track of what's going on and stay connected. Plus, if you're buying for a small and rambunctious child, the SE 3 comes in the smallest size. And if it breaks, it won't burn a big hole in your wallet. But if you don't want to give your child their own iPhone just yet, make sure you buy a cellular model so you can take advantage of Apple Watch for your kids setting function.
Now that the fall iPhone event is over, it's time to hunt for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. This is the time of year when you can usually find great deals on last year's items if you're looking to save money.
Otherwise, Apple typically only updates its smartwatches once a year. The next big update to look forward to could be what's coming to the next iteration of watchOS at WWDC in June.
Update November 26th.: Updated range, availability and prices, as well as the format of this article. The Blood Oxygen Monitoring sidebar has been updated, as has the What's Next section.
