Best Apple Watch 2025: Apple has updated its smartwatch offerings for 2025 with three different models the rugged Apple Watch Ultra 3, the do-it-all Apple Watch Series 11, and the budget-friendly but capable Apple Watch SE 3. All three feature watchOS 26, incorporate Apple Intelligence, and deliver major health, fitness, and connectivity enhancements. Prices range from $249 to $799, so here’s the question: which one do you buy? Let’s take a look.
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Apple Watch Ultra 3: Made for Extremes
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the ultimate smartwatch for those who desire everything. With its titanium construction, it is both premium and rugged. It has Apple’s biggest and brightest display to date, owing to the LTPO3 wide-angle OLED with thinner bezels. Its always-on display has been optimized to refresh every second, simulating the ticking of a real watch.
What really differentiates it, though, is the inclusion of two-way satellite connectivity, enabling you to send messages and provide locations even when out of range. Coupled with 5G cellular connectivity, 42–72 hours of battery life, 20-hour GPS workout, and sophisticated health functions such as hypertension alert and sleep scoring, it’s for outdoor athletes and workers. If extreme endurance, navigation technology, and high-end durability matter most to you, this is the smartwatch for you. Starting price $799
Apple Watch Series 11: The Best of Both Worlds
For the mass consumer, Apple Watch Series 11 is a compromise between performance and usability. It has similar features such as sleep score monitoring, hypertension notifications, and Apple Intelligence-driven features, but in a more streamlined and lighter casing. Its new Ion X glass is twice as scratch-resistant, which means it will withstand normal wear and tear.
Battery life is a solid 24 hours, and with speed charging, 15 minutes can charge up 8 hours, perfect for sleep monitoring. Additional new features, such as Live Translation within Messages and wrist flick gestures, further improve convenience. While it doesn’t have the satellite communications and ultra-long endurance of the Ultra 3, it provides almost everything people will reasonably require from a smartwatch. Beginning price $399
Apple Watch SE 3: Capable and Affordable
The Apple Watch SE 3 has graduated from being merely the budget option to being a solid, all-around smartwatch. Powered by the new S10 chip, it now has an Always-On display, 5G support, and fast charging. It also receives Apple Intelligence features like Workout Buddy and gesture control.
Health monitoring is clipped by a bit, without an ECG, blood oxygen tracking, or high blood pressure detection, but it still has the basics such as sleep apnea alerts, wrist temperature measurements, and the new Sleep Score feature. And with Apple Watch for Kids support, it’s a family-friendly option as well. For those who want an affordable smartwatch without giving up the most basic features, the SE 3 is a fantastic value. Beginning price $249
Verdict: Choosing the Right Apple Watch
The Ultra 3 is unrivaled for travelers and heavy users, the Series 11 is the overall best all-rounder for daily use, and the SE 3 is the most convenient choice for new buyers or families. Whatever your decision, Apple’s 2025 range means there’s a smartwatch to suit you.