Best Apple Watch (2025): Buyer’s Guide To The Series 11, Se 3, And...

If you have an iPhone, the Apple Watch is the best wearable to go with it. But what's the best Apple Watch to buy? Just a little while ago, this question was more complicated. In 2024, a court ruling dictated that Apple could no longer sell the Series 9, the Watch Ultra 2, and the Series 10 with a blood oxygen sensor. Medical technology company Masimo alleged that Apple had infringed on its patent. However, in August 2025, Apple redesigned the sensor via a software update, and you now have this feature again. Blood oxygen sensing is back!

Apple revamped its entire Apple Watch line this year, which includes the entry-level Watch SE 3, the flagship Watch Series 11, and the Watch Ultra 3. This is the first year that I feel fairly confident about saying yes, if you're in the market, you should buy a new one. I love the Apple Watch. Ten years on, it's still the beautiful, Jony Ive–designed wearable everyone with an iPhone has to have. It is the watch I'd wear if I weren't constantly testing other fitness trackers. (Now my children test them as well.) If you need help telling them apart, I break down which one is best for you and whether older models are worth the price.

Wondering what the operating system for these watches will look like? Check out our breakdown of watchOS 26 and our other relevant buying guides, including the Best Smartwatches, Best Fitness Trackers, and Best iPhones.

Updated November 2025: We've added new information on WhatsApp on the Apple Watch, 3D case printing, and satcomms on the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

If you've been waiting to get your mom or your kid an Apple Watch, the wait is over. Apple updated its entry-level option, the Watch SE (3rd Gen), and it's the best value in Apple's smartwatch lineup. It now has the latest S10 chip, which means it can run a lot of the standout health features that the previous SE 2 could not, like sleep apnea notifications and skin temperature sensing. (It still cannot check your blood oxygen or take an electrocardiogram, nor does it have the latest hypertension notifications.)

It runs watchOS 26, so you can see the new Liquid Glass display, the overly peppy workout encouragement from Workout Buddy, and dismiss the Smart Stack widget with a wrist flick. (This comes with the caveat that to use Workout Buddy, you must also be using your watch with an iPhone that is compatible with Apple Intelligence.) It has fast charging, and even though it does not have the Series 11's boasted 24-hour battery life, I s

Source: Wired