Buying guide
Which Apple Watch Should You Buy in 2026? 7 Picks for Every Budget
Best for most people: Apple Watch Series 11. Best value: SE 3. Best for outdoors: Ultra 3. Every pick, specs side by side, with live prices.
For most people, the best Apple Watch to buy is the Apple Watch Series 11. For the best value, get the Apple Watch SE 3. For hiking, diving and the longest battery, get the Apple Watch Ultra 3, and for the lowest price, the SE (2nd gen). Every Apple Watch needs an iPhone to set up.
Find your Apple Watch in 3 taps
What's your budget?
What matters most?
Do you want a big screen?
Our picks
- 24 hrsbattery
- S10chip
- 5Gcellular option
Buy it if you want the full set of health sensors and a battery that lasts a full day and night.
Skip it if you want the lowest price. The SE 3 covers the basics.
Why we picked it
Apple rates it at up to 24 hours, the longest of any regular Apple Watch. It has the S10 chip, a wide-angle OLED Always-On screen at up to 2000 nits, ECG, blood oxygen, temperature sensing and an optional 5G cellular model, in 42mm or 46mm.
- S10chip
- Always-Onscreen
- 5Gcellular option
Buy it if you want a modern Apple Watch for fitness, notifications and safety features without paying for every sensor.
Skip it if you want ECG or blood oxygen. It has neither.
Why we picked it
It has the same S10 chip as the Series 11, an Always-On screen for the first time on an SE, temperature sensing, double tap, fast charging and up to 18 hours of battery, in 40mm or 44mm.
- 42 hrsbattery
- 3000nits screen
- 49mmtitanium
Buy it if you hike, run long distances, dive or just hate charging.
Skip it if you have a small wrist. It only comes in 49mm.
Why we picked it
A 49mm titanium case, a 3000-nit wide-angle OLED screen, up to 42 hours of battery, water resistance to 100m (dives to 40m) and cellular on every model.
- 46mmlargest size
- S10chip
- 2000nits screen
Buy it if you want a thin watch with a big, bright wide-angle screen and full health sensors.
Skip it if battery is your top concern. It is rated up to 18 hours.
Why we picked it
It introduced the thinner design and wide-angle OLED screen the Series 11 uses, with the S10 chip, ECG, blood oxygen and temperature sensing, in 42mm or 46mm.
- 36 hrsbattery
- 3000nits screen
- 100mwater rated
Buy it if you want Ultra battery and toughness and can live with the older screen and chip.
Skip it if you want the newest wide-angle screen. That is on the Ultra 3.
Why we picked it
Up to 36 hours of battery, a 3000-nit screen, a 49mm titanium case, water resistance to 100m and cellular on every model, with the S9 chip.
- ECGapp
- S9chip
- 2000nits screen
Buy it if you want ECG and blood oxygen at a lower price.
Skip it if you want the thinnest design or the longest battery.
Why we picked it
The S9 chip added double tap and on-device Siri. It has ECG, blood oxygen and temperature sensing, a 2000-nit Always-On screen and up to 18 hours of battery, in 41mm or 45mm.
- 18 hrsbattery
- 50mwater rated
- 40/44mmsizes
Buy it if you want a first smartwatch for a teen, or just want notifications, workouts and Apple Pay.
Skip it if you want an Always-On screen. It does not have one.
Why we picked it
It covers the core Apple Watch features: notifications, workout tracking, crash and fall detection, Apple Pay and up to 18 hours of battery. It has no ECG, blood oxygen or Always-On screen.
Every pick side by side
| Apple Watch | Sizes | Chip | Battery | Always-On | ECG | Blood oxygen | Water | Released | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch Series 11 | 42mm, 46mm | S10 | 24 hours | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50m | 2025 | $378.99 |
| Apple Watch SE 3 | 40mm, 44mm | S10 | 18 hours | Yes | No | No | 50m | 2025 | $252.99 |
| Apple Watch Ultra 3 | 49mm | S10 | 42 hours | Yes | Yes | Yes | 100m (dive to 40m) | 2025 | $792.99 |
| Apple Watch Series 10 | 42mm, 46mm | S10 | 18 hours | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50m | 2024 | $298.99 |
| Apple Watch Ultra 2 | 49mm | S9 | 36 hours | Yes | Yes | Yes | 100m (dive to 40m) | 2023 | $597.99 |
| Apple Watch Series 9 | 41mm, 45mm | S9 | 18 hours | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50m | 2023 | $252.99 |
| Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) | 40mm, 44mm | S8 | 18 hours | No | No | No | 50m | 2022 | $217.99 |
Battery figures are Apple's all-day ratings. Health feature availability can vary by country; check Apple's site for Canada.
How to pick an Apple Watch
- You need an iPhone. Apple Watch sets up and pairs with an iPhone only. It does not work with Android phones.
- SE, Series or Ultra? The SE covers fitness, notifications, Apple Pay and safety. The Series adds ECG, blood oxygen and a brighter screen. The Ultra adds a tougher titanium case, the brightest screen and up to 36 to 42 hours of battery.
- Pick the size on your wrist. Smaller cases suit smaller wrists and kids. Bigger cases have bigger screens and a little more battery.
- GPS or cellular? GPS models need your iPhone nearby for calls and data. Cellular models work on their own with a watch plan from your carrier, which costs extra each month.
Battery tip: if you want sleep tracking every night, look at the Series 11 (24 hours) or an Ultra (36 to 42 hours), so you are not charging it twice a day.
Questions people ask
Which Apple Watch is best right now?
The Series 11 for most people: up to 24 hours of battery, the S10 chip, ECG, blood oxygen and a bright wide-angle screen. The Ultra 3 if you want the longest battery and a tougher case.
What is the best value Apple Watch?
The Apple Watch SE 3. It has the same S10 chip as the Series 11, an Always-On screen and an optional 5G model. It skips ECG and blood oxygen.
Apple Watch SE or Series?
The SE does fitness, notifications, Apple Pay and fall detection. Get a Series if you want ECG, blood oxygen or a brighter screen.
Is the Apple Watch Ultra worth it?
If you hike, dive, run long distances or hate charging, yes. The Ultra 3 is rated up to 42 hours, against 24 on the Series 11, and it is water rated to 100m. Otherwise a Series is lighter and smaller.
Which Apple Watch is best for kids or teens?
The SE (2nd gen) or SE 3. Both have fall detection, Emergency SOS and Find My. A cellular model lets a teen call and text without a phone nearby.
Does Apple Watch work with Android?
No. Apple Watch needs an iPhone to set up and use.
Which size should I get?
Try your wrist: 40/41/42mm suits smaller wrists, 44/45/46mm gives a bigger screen. The Ultra comes in 49mm only.
How do I reset a used Apple Watch?
Unpair it from the iPhone it was paired with, which erases it and removes Activation Lock. Our Apple Watch reset guide covers every case.
Is a pre-owned Apple Watch a safe buy?
Every Apple Watch we sell is inspected, tested, cleaned and fully wiped by our own technicians, and checked that it is not reported lost or stolen. You get up to a 1-year warranty and 14-day returns. Grades describe looks only, so every grade works 100%.
How did we pick?
We compared Apple's published specs for every Apple Watch we sell (chip, battery, screen, health sensors and water resistance) and weighed them against price and release date. Prices on this page are live from our store.
Shop all Apple Watch models. Need an iPhone to go with it? See which iPhone to buy. Trading in your old watch? See what it's worth.
Évitez le prix du neuf
Procurez-vous le Apple Watch Series 11 d'occasion à partir de $378.99, testé par de vrais techniciens, avec une garantie d'un an et des retours sous 14 jours.
