Apple Watch Series 11 vs Series 10: single tick

• Identical design and sizes – 46 mm and 42 mm
• New 5G modem in Series 11
• Same suite of sensors
• 24 hrs vs 18 hrs on one charge
• Titanium premium option on both

Design & Sizes

Same old? Sold!

There is no way around it — the Apple Watch Series 11 is very much the same as the Series 10. The upgrades are minimal and internal. On the outside, there’s a new Space Gray color option for the base aluminum models. Otherwise, both models are also available in Jet Black, Rose Gold, and Silver.

For premium options, both come in titanium — it’s highly polished titanium, so it looks like the stainless steel of past models, not the matte finish of the Apple Watch Ultra. And these are also available in the same colors of Slate, Gold, and Natural.

Size options are the same, display sizes are the same, and the overal thinness of the watches is — you guessed it — the same. Generally, there’s little reason to consider an upgrade right now, if you own an Apple Watch Series 10.

Bands

Apple Watches still use the same latching mechanism and are compatible with bands released for models from years ago. Kudos to Apple for that. The one thing you need to keep in mind is that if you had a “small” model — that may be 38 mm, 40 mm, or 41 mm, depending on generation — your bands will mix and match with the “new” small — the 42 mm models. Same goes for “big” models — 42 mm, 44 mm, and 45 mm bands will match the current 46 mm.

There are also multiple 3rd party options from reputable vendors, so we are spoiled for choice.

Software & Features

watchOS jumping to 26

That’s not the only unifying factor, though. They now all look like they came from the same company. The new Liquid Glass design language is now across all devices — so, you can enjoy these super-translucent, light-bending elements even on the Apple Watch. And it does look really pretty! A bit buggy at launch… but pretty!

• Wrist Flick: allows you to dismiss notifications and calls with a wrist flick
• Hypertension Notifications: potential hypertension detection, if anomalies are detected over a period of 30 days
• Sleep Score: sleep quality analysis, based on sleep duration, consistency, and interruptions
• Notes app: the Notes app is now available on the Apple Watch
• New watch faces: Flow celebrates Liquid Glass, Exactograph, and Pride Harmony
• Smart Stack hints: contextual suggestions in the Smart Stack widget/complication
• Improved Messages app: smarter replies and smart actions
• Live Translation in Messages: requires an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone (iPhone 15 Pro or newer)

Battery and Charging

Slight gains

The last time Apple made a leap in the battery department of the Apple Watch was with the Series 7. Through incremental upgrades over the years, it had achieved a pretty good 18 hours of on time, which was cool, but the real big change was the introduction of fast charging, making it possible to top up the Apple Watch in less than an hour. 

With the Apple Watch Series 10, the case was made thinner, thus batteries became smaller. This was offset by the more efficient S10 SiP, so not much changed.

The Apple Watch Series 11 finally gives us another improvement in this area. It’s now rated to last as much as 24 hours on a single charge, thanks to the battery getting slightly bigger again, and that 30% improvement in endurance is noticeable. Yeah, we still charge it daily, but we definitely end the day with more percentages. There’s more leeway before you need to rush it to a charger.

Charging is top-notch on both, giving you 80-ish percent in just half an hour on the puck. You can definitely just top them up while doing your morning routine.

Of course, those are the on-release MSRPs for the Apple Watch Series 10. Now, you will be looking at clearance prices, refurbished models, or second-hand items.

Voice Calls and Haptics

Both smartwatches will let you make and take calls — as long as you go for the cellular model. Opt for the GPS-only version, and you can still chat away, but only if your iPhone is within arm’s reach. So, freedom comes at a premium, as usual.

Specs

Here’s how the Apple Watch Series 11 vs Watch Series 10 specs look:

Summary

So, by all means, the Apple Watch Series 11 is barely an upgrade. That battery endurance jump is definitely super-handy. But, if you own a year-old Watch Series 10, you should still be fine. Same goes if you are looking for deals right now — it’s a great time to shop for a Series 10, especially with the holiday deals coming along.