“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” – that’s still Apple’s approach to its flagship watch models, especially over the past few years. We reviewed the Watch Series 10 last year, and while it lacked the Series 9’s groundbreaking upgrades, it didn’t need them. Instead, the company has chosen to play to its strengths and move at breakneck speed to provide consumers with more powerful smartwatch options. The Apple Watch Series 11, launched in September, feels familiar in both appearance and functionality, but that’s not necessarily a drawback.
The price of Apple Watch Series 11 starts at Rs. 42mm aluminum GPS model 46,900. It also comes in a 46mm case and is available in GPS and GPS + Cellular configurations.
This year, Apple is once again relying on its proven formula to perfect features consumers have long wanted. This is why the Series 11 is Apple’s best smartwatch yet. Here’s why.
Apple Watch Series 11 specifications
- Dimensions – 42mm, 46mm
- Panel – LTPO3 OLED always-on Retina display
- Colors – Space Black, Rose Gold, Space Gray and Silver (Aluminum Case)
- Natural, gold and slate (titanium case)
- Battery – up to 24 hours (claimed)
- Processor – S10 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor
- Operating system – watchOS 26
Apple Watch Series 11 Design and Display: Familiar, Useful, and Great
Apple Watch Series 11 is a direct replacement for Series 10. Therefore, it matches it in terms of design and size. Unlike the Ultra model, the Watch Series 11 is still quite lightweight. It’s about a gram and a half heavier than the Series 10 and could probably accommodate a slightly larger battery. However, this watch is equally comfortable to wear even while sleeping. The protruding rear glass won’t affect comfort, but it may take a day or two for new users to get used to it.
The subtle difference is the new Ion-X glass on the screen, which Apple claims is twice as scratch-resistant as the previous generation. After over a week of extensive use, the screen has yet to show any scratches.
Apple Watch Series 11 screen is said to be twice as scratch-resistant as Series 10
Like every Apple Watch to date, you get a Digital Crown and an unobtrusive button that sits flush with the brushed metal frame. Although the look is familiar, it still feels premium without being flashy. This year, Apple is also introducing a new color option. The aluminum casing is available in Space Gray variant.
I received the unit in silver and you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish it from last year’s model. It’s understated, neutral and suitable for all occasions. What I received was the usual Sport Band from the Watch Series 11, which is easily one of the most comfortable smartwatch bands out there. Its soft and breathable material is non-irritating and suitable even for those with sensitive skin.
The sports band is designed for everyday wear, staying comfortable even after long workouts and preventing sweat irritation.
Apple’s Sport Band may be ordinary, but it’s incredibly comfortable
The design of the Apple Watch Series 11 also matches the Series 10 in terms of durability, with an IP6X dust resistance rating and 50 meters of water resistance. Apple has retained the LTPO3 OLED Always-On Retina display, which isn’t a bad thing. It was introduced with Watch Series 10 as the largest, most advanced display on an Apple Watch, and it’s still a great addition.
The screen wraps beautifully around the edges for a seamless look. Like last year, it supports a 1Hz refresh rate, which means you get a proper seconds counter even with under-wrist mode enabled. Apple Watch Series 11 supports peak brightness of up to 2,000 nits, enabling excellent outdoor readability even when you’re checking notifications or reading text messages in direct sunlight and harsh sunlight.
Watch Series 11’s display is extremely easy to read
There’s also an always-on display feature that displays the time and selection information even when the rest of the screen is off. Not only does this help you stay up to date with all alerts when the display is off, it also saves battery life. Interestingly, some watch faces, including newer pre-installed ones, have better “off” versions than others.
With these changes, Apple has once again proven that improvements are more impactful than redesigns.
Apple Watch Series 11 Performance and Software: Quality of Life Changes
Apple Watch Series 11 is powered by the same 64-bit dual-core S10 SiP as its predecessor, delivering consistently smooth performance. Apps launch quickly, navigation is responsive, and there’s no sign of lag. What really stands out this year is the addition of 5G support. This means if you choose the cellular Apple Watch Series 11, you’ll be able to enjoy faster network speeds. While cellular connectivity on Apple smartwatches isn’t really a popular option, the addition of 5G could set the stage for the Apple Watch to one day become a truly standalone device.
Apple Watch Series 11 also inherits last year’s comprehensive health monitoring suite but adds a few key features.
Apple continues to offer important health features like EKG on its Watch
For example, Apple added notifications for high blood pressure. The smartwatch utilizes data from an onboard optical heart rate sensor and analyzes how the user’s blood vessels react to their heartbeat. The feature can allegedly run passively in the background for more than 30 days. If any inconsistency is detected, the user is alerted through a notification. Other features, like Workouts and Activities, have been part of Apple’s suite for nearly a decade and work flawlessly.
The smartwatch tracks your workouts throughout the day and presents an overview of your activities. Wear Watch Series 11 to bed and you’ll get a sleep score every morning to see how you slept. This is a fresh addition provided by the latest watchOS 26 firmware, which I will discuss later in the review.
All the key health tracking sensors are on the back of the Watch Series 11
The new Apple Watch Series 11 joins the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra among the most reliable smartwatches when it comes to measuring core health metrics like heart rate, SpO2, and step tracking.
However, the primary use of the information provided by smartwatches is comparative rather than objective. As always, it is not a substitute for medically certified measuring equipment. Safety features like fall detection, collision detection and SOS are still reassuring, although I hope we never have to use them.
Key features like heart rate and step tracking remain as highly accurate as ever
Like the iPhone, Apple is giving the Apple Watch Series 11 a Liquid Glass treatment with the latest watchOS 26 update. It brings a glass-like appearance to the user interface, reflecting and refracting surrounding visual elements. App icons, controls, and widgets have been tweaked in watchOS 26, although their appearance is a bit watered down compared to the iPhone. This may be due to the smaller screen, but it doesn’t hinder legibility.
However, it’s an optional appearance that can be toggled through the iPhone-compatible Watch app.
Exactograph is the new watch face for Apple Watch, launching with watchOS 26
Apple also launched two new watch faces. Flow responds to wrist movements based on the Liquid Glass user interface. The Exactograph, meanwhile, is a modern version of the traditional regulating clock, displaying detailed breakdowns of seconds, minutes and hours on their respective dials. Although somewhat impractical due to its complexity, the latter is more attractive as it mimics the look of an analog watch and presents a chronograph-style dial.
Other notable changes include Smart Stack showing alerts on the watch face and automatically adjusting notification volume.
watchOS 26 brings proactive alerts to smart stack on Watch Series 11
In my opinion, though, the biggest change with Watch Series 11 is how you control the watch. watchOS 26 introduces support for wrist gestures. This means you can reject incoming calls and notifications with a flick of your wrist – a handy addition when your hands are occupied but you want to get rid of annoying notifications or personal messages. Meanwhile, the same double-tap gesture has been present since the Watch Series 9, and works reliably. I hope the company builds on this feature by offering more touchless control from the wrist.
Apple Watch Series 11 also features several Apple Intelligence features when paired with an iPhone. There’s call screening for unknown callers, hold assistance for customer service calls, and live listening for live captions. However, most of these features feel underwhelming in practice. Live Translation, on the other hand, is a useful addition to translate incoming text in the Messages app.
All key features of Apple Watch, including watch faces, can be controlled through the companion Watch app
There’s also a new sleep score metric. It’s designed to provide an easier explanation of sleep tracking details. The feature essentially provides a 100-point score and breakdown of a user’s overall sleep quality in the Sleep app to help them understand what to prioritize. I found this feature to be a bit lenient in assigning higher scores even if I didn’t feel well-rested the next morning.
Another new addition is Workout Buddy, an AI coach that analyzes workout data and fitness history to provide personalized motivation through connected audio accessories. While a bit gimmicky, its audible workout prompts actually prove useful.
Fortunately, Apple has also brought most of the above features to older Apple Watches with the watchOS 26 update. This means that even if you don’t have the latest Watch Series 11, you don’t have to compromise on health and fitness tracking.
Apple Watch Series 11 battery: A significant upgrade
After years of continuous progress, Apple has finally implemented a tangible battery upgrade on the Series 11. The company claims it can last up to 24 hours on a single charge. With sleep tracking and always-on display enabled, it lasted an average of 23 hours during my usage. Prolonged exercise, including outdoor walking and running, will reduce battery life to approximately 19 to 20 hours. However, I haven’t let the Apple Watch die on me yet.
The battery life of Apple Watch Series 11 is significantly improved compared to Series 10
It is said that when charging with a compatible 30W adapter, Apple Watch Series 11 can charge to 80% in 30 minutes. On average, smartwatches can be charged to about 75% in 30 minutes, while a full charge takes nearly 60 minutes. Fast charging support is another welcome addition. Apple claims that a 15-minute charge can provide up to 8 hours of normal use, making it perfect for a quick recharge before heading out.
All in all, this is the first Apple Watch in years to truly alleviate battery anxiety.
Apple Watch Series 11 Verdict
Rather than redefining the smartwatch experience, Apple Watch Series 11 further reinforces why Apple continues to lead the smartwatch category. This smartwatch inherits a proven and timeless design, a best-in-class screen and comprehensive functionality. New features like wrist gestures and high blood pressure notifications enhance usability, while battery life has also been significantly improved.
If you’ve used an Apple Watch before, the Series 11 will immediately feel familiar, but it’s better in every way. It may not be revolutionary, but it’s certainly the most refined version of an Apple smartwatch yet.
For an alternative, consider the Apple Watch Series 10, which is currently cheaper. Alternatively, you can choose the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (review) or the Watch 8 Classic (review).
