The best Apple Watch you can buy in 2025 [Buyer's Guide]
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Smartwatches are more popular than ever, and the Apple Watch is at the front of the pack.
Apple's timepieces work smoothly with your iPhone and come packed with helpful health and fitness features. The Apple Watch even has tools that could save lives, like fall detection, emergency SOS, and advanced health tracking.
Here at PhoneArena, we use and test every Apple Watch ourselves, so you can feel confident that we only recommend what we truly trust.
Best Apple Watch in 2025, summarized list:
- Apple Watch Ultra 3 - best battery life, rugged and athlete-oriented smartwatch
- Apple Watch Series 11 – the premium Apple Watch for most people
- Apple Watch SE 3 – an affordable and capable Apple Watch
- What is the best Apple Watch right now?
- What to consider when choosing an Apple Watch
- Do I just want to track my workouts?
- Do I need a long battery life and a tough design for outdoor activities?
- Am I sticking to a budget?
- Or do I want the newest, top-of-the-line Apple Watch with all the latest features in 2025?
Once you've got your answers, keep reading to see which Apple Watch is the right fit for you this year!
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Best battery life, rugged and epic smartwatch, ideal for outdoorsy experiences and diving
If you're using full GPS and heart‑rate tracking for outdoor workouts, you'll still get stellar performance. On top of that, the Ultra 3 offers built‑in satellite communications so you can send messages and reach emergency services even without cellular or Wi‑Fi.
Health monitoring is also upgraded and it now includes hypertension notifications, sleep score tracking.
In short: if you need a watch that can keep up with serious training, outdoor exploration and rugged conditions – and still work as your everyday smartwatch – the Ultra 3 delivers.
Read more: Apple Watch Ultra 3 review
Apple Watch Series 11
24 hours battery life, 2x more scratch resistant display
Battery life now goes up to 24 hours, so you can wear it all day and into the night without worrying. The aluminum models feature Ion‑X glass that's 2 times more scratch‑resistant than before, thanks to a new ceramic coating.
On the health side, there's a brand‑new sleep score feature in watchOS 26 – the watch uses its sensors to track things like heart rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen, and respiratory rate while you sleep, then gives you a clear score and breakdown of how well you rested.
As for the design, the timepiece comes in 42 mm and 46 mm sizes, in aluminum options (space gray, jet black, rose gold, silver) and titanium options (natural, gold, slate).
Apple Watch SE 3
An affordable Apple Watch, which has most of the features of the main version
Apple's new entry‑level smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE 3, takes everything you liked about the previous model and adds some big upgrades, all while keeping the price easier on your wallet.
The design looks familiar, but now you get an Always‑On display so you can check the time and notifications without lifting your wrist.
Inside, it runs on the new S10 chip – that means the watch is more responsive and supports new gestures like double‑tap and wrist‑flick when your other hand is busy.
On the health front, you'll find new features such as a sleep score to help you understand how well you're sleeping, wrist temperature sensing, and even notifications for possible sleep apnea.
It's also more durable: the cover glass is up to 4 times more crack‑resistant than the previous generation.
Read more: Apple Watch SE 3 review
What to consider when choosing an Apple Watch
- Size and style: There is a small and a large Apple Watch, and you also have the thicker Ultra model.
Here is a quick breakdown of Apple Watch sizes:
- Apple Watch Ultra 3 – one size, 49mm
- Apple Watch Series 11 – two sizes, 42mm and 46mm
- Apple Watch Series 9, 8, 7, SE, and 6, 5, 4 – two sizes, 41mm and 45mm
- Apple Watch Series 3 and older – two sizes, 38mm and 42mm
Take into account your wrist size and whether you'll be comfortable wearing a big watch or a small one.
Styles include a casual look, sports look, Nike edition and a premium Hermès style.
- Price: Apple Watches can range in price from around $250 to over $1,000 depending on the model, features, and style.
- Cellular or GPS-only: Some Apple Watch models have cellular connectivity, allowing you to make calls and send texts without your iPhone nearby. Others are GPS-only and rely on your iPhone for connectivity. The Apple Watch Ultra model includes cellular connectivity for all its versions.
- Battery life: Consider how long the battery lasts on a single charge, and whether that fits your needs. Also check the charging speeds, as a quick-top up before bed can make the difference between having info on your sleep in the morning or a black watch screen.
- Fitness and health features: Consider what fitness and health features are important to you, whether it is as heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, oxygen saturation monitoring, and water resistance for a swim in a pool.
- Case material and band: Apple Watches come with an Aluminum case for the base model. The new Apple Watch Series 10 is available in a premium Titanium version, while earlier models were offered in Stainless Steel. There are differences between the materials: the strongest and more expensive one being the titanium.
Also, the watch band materials include Leather, Stainless Steel, and Silicone.
Take into account what material for the band you'll be comfortable with, as you will (supposedly) be wearing this watch all-day long (or even at night).
Use PhoneArena's tool for smartwatch specs comparison.
What is the best Apple Watch right now?
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the most feature-packed Apple Watch right now. But keep in mind, it's built for adventure - it's thicker, more rugged, and geared toward athletes and outdoor enthusiasts.
For everyday users, the best all-around Apple Watch is the Apple Watch Series 11 - Apple's latest premium model, launched in fall 2025. It comes with advanced sleep tracking, improved battery life, Crash Detection, and a wide range of workout options.
If you're looking for something more budget-friendly, the Apple Watch SE 3 is a great choice. It still includes key features like Crash Detection, fall detection, and plenty of workout options—just at a lower price!
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