From WIRED · Boutayna Chokrane · · 3m
Which Apple Watch should you actually buy
WIRED's wearable tester compares the three current models and explains what each one does best.
In brief
WIRED's wearable tester compares the three current models and explains what each one does best. The Series 12 is the best overall Apple Watch, the Ultra 4 offers the longest battery life, and the SE 3 is the most affordable option for budget-conscious buyers. Originally reported by WIRED.
Three Apple Watches to choose from
Apple now offers three smartwatch models with different features and prices. WIRED's wearable tester has tested all of them and explains how they stack up against each other.
Series 12 is the flagship
The Apple Watch Series 12 costs three hundred ninety nine dollars and features a new Health Sensing System that improves health tracking breadth, accuracy, and frequency.
Better heart rate monitoring
The Series 12's ECG now uses thirty two electrodes for better skin contact, up from two on the Series 11. It tracks heart rate every five seconds throughout the day.
New Readiness score feature
The Series 12 introduces Apple's Readiness score, which gives you a snapshot of how prepared your body is for the day based on your recent health and activity data.
Faster charging on Series 12
Battery life remains rated for up to twenty four hours, but charging is faster. Fifteen minutes delivers up to twelve hours of normal use, and five minutes get you up to ten hours of sleep tracking.
Ultra 4 lasts longest
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 costs seven hundred ninety nine dollars and lasts up to fifty hours on a charge, up from forty two hours on the Ultra 3, and up to eighty four hours in Low Power Mode.
Ultra 4 for outdoor adventures
The Ultra 4 is built for multi-day hikes, water sports, and endurance activities, with water resistance up to one hundred metres and a depth gauge rated to forty metres for recreational scuba diving.
Satellite messaging on Ultra 4
The Ultra 4's standout feature is satellite messaging, which lets you contact emergency services when you're beyond cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Fall and crash detection plus a built-in siren offer additional help.
SE 3 is most affordable
The Apple Watch SE 3 costs two hundred forty nine dollars and remains the most affordable option. Apple didn't update the SE this year, so it keeps the same design and features.
SE 3 has essential health features
The SE 3 is designed with the S ten chip, which enables health features the SE two lacked, such as sleep apnea notifications and skin temperature sensing. It has fast charging too.
SE 3 misses newer features
The SE 3's screen is only a one thousand nit display compared to the two thousand nit display on the Series 11. It lacks the Readiness score, high-frequency heart-rate tracking, and Audio Intelligence.
Skip older Apple Watches
WatchOS twenty seven only works with the Series nine and newer, so WIRED doesn't recommend buying an Apple Watch older than that. Older models have less price variation between generations.
How WIRED tests Apple Watches
The tester wears each Apple Watch day and night for about a week, then continues testing for at least another month to evaluate longer-term claims and how useful its wellness data proves to be in practice.
What to remember
The Series 12 is the best overall Apple Watch, the Ultra 4 offers the longest battery life, and the SE 3 is the most affordable option for budget-conscious buyers.
