Hands-on with all the new Apple Watches: Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3

Following Apple’s “awe dropping” event today, we’ve been able to try out all the new Apple Watch models that were announced, including the Series 11, the Ultra 3, and the SE 3.

The entry-level Apple Watch SE was last updated in 2022 with the second-generation model. The new SE 3, which starts at $249 for the 40mm version, has gained some features from older Apple Watch models released since the SE 2’s debut, as well as the new Ultra 3 and Series 11 announced today. It will support both faster 5G cellular speeds and charge twice as fast, with battery life getting a boost to up to 18 hours. It will also feature Apple’s more scratch-resistant Ion-X glass, an always-on display for the first time, sleep apnea detection, and the ability to use its speaker for playing music and podcasts — not just phone calls.

In person, the SE 3 feels surprisingly similar to the Series 11. In fact, I thought the SE 3 that I was trying on was the Series 11 at first. The only thing that visually set them apart for me was the profile and the colors. That’s huge for the SE 3, given the $250 price point. I’ll have to see how they feel in testing, but it truly doesn’t feel like you’re giving up much.

The Series 11 is also getting the 5G cellular upgrade, sleep score, notifications of potential high blood pressure, a battery life bump to up to 24 hours, and the stronger glass. Its design isn’t that much different from the Series 10 but will be available in slightly larger 42mm and 46mm sizes and, according to Apple, will be the thinnest Apple Watch yet.

The high blood pressure demos weren’t available just yet, but we did get to see demos of the satellite SOS feature. It looks neat, but a crowded hands-on space isn’t the best place to get a sense of how 5G or satellite SOS will play out. I did get a look at the new sleep score screens, which are just about what you would expect.

The Ultra 3, which starts at $799, has a larger screen than the Ultra 2 but with smaller bezels, so the actual size of the ultra-durable wearable remains the same. It’s also gaining 5G cellular capabilities, satellite connectivity, a boost to up to 42 hours of battery life, new health features including a sleep score and notifications of potential high blood pressure, and the stronger glass.

The Ultra 3 didn’t look all that different in person (though I appreciated the new minty ocean strap). That said, I dug the new watchfaces in person. You can see a slight difference compared to the Ultra 2 in terms of display size, but it’s slight.

Apple isn’t charting an entirely new course with the design of its latest wearables, but there are still some notable upgrades and changes coming this year, and we’ve gone hands-on to let you know if they might be worth the upgrade.

Photography by Victoria Song / The Verge

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