Hands-on: Apple Watch Series 11, SE 3 & Ultra 3 — First Impressions
At Apple’s latest event the smartwatch lineup got a refresh: Series 11, SE 3 and Ultra 3. I spent time trying them on and here are the highlights and first impressions.
Apple Watch Series 11
- Design: Looks nearly identical to Series 10 — same thinness and dimensions, new IonX coating with ~2× improved scratch resistance and a new Space Gray option. Sizes available at launch.
- Health: New “Possible hypertension” alerts use existing optical heart sensors and pattern analysis (changes in blood-vessel constriction/expansion vs heart rate) to flag concerning variations — it’s an alert system, not a blood-pressure reading.
- Software & battery: watchOS 26 brings a sleep score feature. Apple lists ~24 hours battery life, with about 8 hours available for sleep tracking.
Official Apple page: Apple Watch Series 11
Amazon search (affiliate): Apple Watch Series 11 on Amazon
Apple Watch SE 3
- Value update: SE 3 adds an Always‑On display, a wrist skin‑temperature sensor for cycle tracking, and much faster charging (about 2× faster than the previous SE).
- Feel: Slightly thicker and heavier than the Series line, but comfortable and very compelling at the $249/250 price point — you’ll mainly trade off ECG and blood‑oxygen features.
Official Apple page: Apple Watch SE
Amazon search (affiliate): Apple Watch SE 3 on Amazon
Apple Watch Ultra 3
- Rugged/high-end: Larger screen (Apple’s biggest on a watch) with a higher refresh rate for smoother animations on Always‑On faces. Adds 5G and satellite communications support.
- Quick look: Durable and feature-rich, but many advanced features (5G, satellite) weren’t testable at the hands‑on event.
Official Apple page: Apple Watch Ultra
Amazon search (affiliate): Apple Watch Ultra 3 on Amazon
Conclusion
Series 11’s main wins are health alerts and durability improvements rather than a new look; the SE 3 is the best budget upgrade yet thanks to Always‑On and faster charging; Ultra 3 focuses on the top‑end experience with a bigger, smoother display and advanced connectivity. We’ll need full review units to test battery and health features in depth.
Which model would you consider upgrading to and why? Share your thoughts below.