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I tried the Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3, and SE - what the keynote didn't tell you

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Nina Raemont/ZDNET

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Apple's iPhone event brought us several new phones, but my eyes (and hands) were all over the three new smartwatches the tech giant debuted this week. Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 11, the Ultra 3, and SE 3 at its September "Awe-dropping" event, and I have some first-hand thoughts.

Apple's baseline Apple Watch Series 11 is the smartwatch that hobbyist health trackers and small wrists should buy, with a starting price of $399.

Also: Apple Events live updates: iPhone 17, iPhone Air, AirPods Pro 3, and new wearables just unveiled

Apple's rugged Apple Watch Ultra 3 offers advanced satellite communication functionalities built for off-grid hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. It also has the largest screen yet and the longest battery life of the lineup, at 42 hours.

The affordable SE 3 is simply that: a fairly priced smartwatch with most of the features a user would want, like upgraded sleep-tracking, thanks to the newly announced Sleep Scores coming to every watch, and the usual slate of exercise tracking and second-screen functionalities a smartwatch-curious customer would want.

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

Let's talk sleep scores

Apple's smartwatches received several notable upgrades, including a long-awaited Sleep Score that calculates how sleep duration, bedtime consistency, and interruptions impact overall sleep. Basically, your sleep is about to be graded. Are you ready for the test?

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