The holiday season could be the best time to buy an Apple Watch. With over 59% of US adult shoppers in a recent CNET survey planning to spend an average of $931 on tech devices, we can expect to see some compelling Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts. If you're planning to upgrade your old smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 11 could be an excellent choice for most people.
But not everyone with an old Apple Watch needs the newest model and it can be confusing to find the best Apple Watch for your needs -- especially in a year when the cheaper Apple Watch SE 3 and rugged Apple Watch Ultra 3 were also refreshed.
While the new $249 Apple Watch SE 3 receives much-needed quality-of-life features, such as faster charging and an always-on display, the $399 Series 11 remains a solid choice and offers a longer-lasting battery, improved durability and advanced health features. But is that enough to justify an upgrade from the last-gen Apple Watch Series 10? And how does it stack up against the older variants?
I compared all of these models side by side to find the finer details. Here's how the Apple Watch Series 11 compares with the Series 10, 9, 8 and 7.
Watch this: Apple Watch Series 11 Review: Is It Worth the Upgrade? 06:18
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Apple Watch Series 11 vs. Series 10
The Apple Watch Series 11 vs. the Apple Watch Series 10 Jeffrey Hazelwood/CNET
Apple upgraded the Watch Series 10 last year with a new processor, a thinner and lighter design, a bigger and brighter display, a much-needed battery boost and more. From the Digital Crown and side button positioning to their LTPO 3 screen on the front, both Series 11 and Series 10 look the same. In comparison, the Series 11 seems like a modest upgrade, but there are some noticeable differences.
Both the Series 11 and Series 10 share the same design, materials (aluminum or titanium) and 42mm or 46mm sizes. The new model is 30.3 grams (42mm) heavier than the Series 10, which weighs 30 grams. However, the new Apple Watch's display is rated twice as scratch-resistant.
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