Apple Watch Series 11 Vs. Apple Watch Series 10: Should You Upgrade?

Apple’s September event put nan spotlight connected iPhones, but nan Apple Watch Series 11 softly picked up immoderate large quality-of-life changes. The caller watch looks nan aforesaid arsenic nan Series 10, but location are meaningful upgrades: 24-hour artillery life (up from 18 hours), 5G connectivity connected cellular models and tougher Ion-X solid connected aluminum versions.

The Series 11 besides debuts a caller wellness feature, hypertension notifications, which will alert you if your information shows accordant signs of precocious humor pressure. Importantly, Apple confirmed that this characteristic will besides rotation retired to older watches, including nan Series 10, Series 9 and Ultra 2 via watchOS 26.

The Apple Watch Series 11 starts astatine $399 and keeps nan aforesaid 42mm and 46mm lawsuit sizes arsenic its predecessor. It runs watchOS 26, uses nan aforesaid S10 spot and supports nan afloat wellness suite pinch ECG, humor oxygen monitoring, somesthesia sensing, slumber apnea alerts and slumber scoring.

As usual, nan older your Apple Watch — particularly Series 8 and earlier — nan much tangible improvements and benefits you'll spot from jumping to nan Series 11. But if you already person a Series 10, is it worthy upgrading? For astir people, nan reply depends connected really overmuch you worth endurance and connectivity. Let’s return a person look astatine what’s caller and what’s nan aforesaid erstwhile it comes to nan caller Apple Watch Series 11 and past year’s Series 10.

Design and display

At first glance, these watches are nearly identical. Both usage Apple’s acquainted slim cases successful aluminum aliases titanium, and characteristic nan aforesaid Retina LTPO OLED show pinch always-on functionality and up to 2,000 nits of highest brightness. Physically, they are virtually indistinguishable. If you walked into an Apple Store and mixed them up connected nan table, you’d astir apt request to flip them complete and cheque nan spec expanse to show which was which.

The alteration is nether nan surface, arsenic nan Series 11 aluminum models summation Ion-X solid pinch a ceramic coating that Apple says is doubly arsenic scratch-resistant arsenic nan Series 10. It’s not indestructible, but if you’re nan type who regularly introduces your watch to doorway frames, it mightiness prevention you a fewer scuffs.

Performance and connectivity

Performance remains dependable betwixt nan 2 generations. Both usage nan S10 spot introduced successful 2024, which intends apps motorboat quickly and nan wide acquisition should consciousness fluid. The 1 awesome alteration is successful connectivity. The Series 11’s cellular models now support 5G, while nan Series 10 remains constricted to LTE. That won’t matter if you ever support your iPhone nearby, but if you’re nan benignant of personification who likes to caput retired for a tally aliases drawback a java without a telephone successful your pocket, 5G gives you much breathing room.

Health and fittingness features

Health and fittingness search is robust connected some models. ECG, humor oxygen, somesthesia sensing, slumber apnea alerts and slumber scoring are each supported connected some nan Series 10 and Series 11.

Hypertension notifications are debuting pinch nan Series 11, but Apple has confirmed they will besides beryllium disposable connected nan Series 10 done a package update. So you don’t request to unreserved to upgrade if you’re only willing successful humor unit alerts — Apple’s giving your existing watch a boost, too.

Battery and charging

Battery life is wherever nan Series 11 has nan astir applicable differences. After years of quoting nan aforesaid 18-hour figure, Apple now promises up to 24 hours of usage connected a azygous charge. It’s still not a afloat play distant without a charger, but for nan first clip an Apple Watch tin comfortably past done a afloat time and nighttime without begging for nan puck. Fast charging is still supported crossed some models, truthful moreover nan Series 10 tin beryllium topped up quickly, but nan Series 11 gives you much breathing room successful mundane use.

Software experience

Both watches tally watchOS 26 (Series 10 devices will get that successful a package update), which introduces nan redesigned Smart Stack, caller workout modes and updated wellness dashboards. Apple has not tied immoderate awesome caller package features exclusively to nan Series 11 isolated from those that trust connected its tougher solid aliases 5G hardware. In different words, nan interface will consciousness nan aforesaid whether you’re connected nan shiny caller exemplary aliases past year’s.

Price and availability

The Series 11 starts astatine $399, which is nan aforesaid starting value nan Series 10 had erstwhile it first launched. Apple typically phases retired aged flagship models erstwhile nan latest has launched, but successful nan adjacent future, you whitethorn beryllium capable to find a discounted Series 10 while retailers get free of their stock. Both support nan aforesaid lawsuit sizes and set compatibility, truthful existing accessories transportation over. So if you’ve sewage a drawer afloat of straps, you don’t request to interest — they’ll still threat correct on.

Should you upgrade?

If you’re wondering if now’s nan clip to measurement up to an Apple Watch Series 11, nan determination will travel down to really overmuch you worth endurance and connectivity. The Series 11 is nan clear victor if you want 24-hour artillery life, 5G support and tougher glass. Those changes whitethorn not sound melodramatic astatine first, but they change really you usage nan watch from time to night, particularly if you trust connected cellular information aliases deterioration it during workouts and sleep.

If you already person a Series 10, you’ll get nan aforesaid wellness experience, nan aforesaid package and nan aforesaid performance. With hypertension notifications besides arriving connected Series 10 (and moreover nan Series 9), nan spread betwixt them narrows moreover further.

The Apple Watch Series 11 doesn’t reinvent nan formula, but its upgrades matter. The bump to 24 hours of artillery life will make it much of an all-day and all-night companion, 5G makes it much reliable distant from your telephone and tougher solid adds bid of mind. Think of it this way: if you’re aft durability and state from nan charger, Series 11 is simply a safe bet. If you’d alternatively prevention money and still adjacent your rings each day, instrumentality pinch nan Series 10 aliases drawback 1 while there’s still discounted banal floating astir connected nan internet.

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