The most effective Apple Watch in 2025

The largest information in Apple Watches proper now’s the upcoming launch of watch OS 26 — new software program that features a Exercise Buddy and assist for a wrist flick gesture — and the restoration of the blood oxygen monitoring characteristic. Each the working system and restored characteristic solely apply to the flagship Apple Watch Sequence 10 and the adventure-geared Apple Watch Extremely 2. The third wearable within the lineup, the budget-focused Apple Watch SE, nonetheless has its benefits, specifically value and robust fitness-tracking chops. In fact, all three fashions could also be changed after Apple’s anticipated iPhone 17 event in September. However for those who need assistance choosing the most effective Apple Look ahead to you proper now, this information may also help. We’ll stroll you thru the specs, sensors and different options, together with our evaluations primarily based on our opinions.

Desk of contents

Finest Apple Watch in 2025

Cherlynn Low for Engadget

Chip: S8 SiP | Sensors: Coronary heart price, compass, altimeter, accelerometer, fall/crash detection | Show: Retina show, max 1,000 nits brightness | Battery life: 18 hours | Case dimension: 40mm or 44mm

Read our full review of the Apple Watch SE

But once more, Apple didn’t come out with a brand new era of the Apple Watch SE when it introduced the Apple Watch 10 and different Apple gadgets in September. A brand new plastic model is reportedly in the works (and now we have some ideas on what Apple can improve). However for now, this $250 smartwatch is Apple’s price range choice. 

Cherlynn also reviewed the SE when it got here out in 2022, calling it “the most effective smartwatch for the cash.” It makes use of the identical chip as the unique Extremely and the Sequence 8, and in our assessment of the brand new Sequence 9, Cherlynn “barely seen a distinction in efficiency” in comparison with the older Apple Watch.

That mentioned, there are some trade-offs. You gained’t get an always-on show, blood oxygen monitoring or a temperature sensor. The SE can also’t assist the brand new Double Faucet characteristic and requires your telephone to be close by for Siri requests (for those who don’t have a cellular-enabled mannequin). Supplies-wise, the SE face is roofed in Ion-X glass, which is much less strong than the sapphire crystal on both the stainless-steel Sequence 9 or the Extremely 2.

However the SE has extra in widespread with its pricier sibling than not, together with crash detection, coronary heart price monitoring, emergency SOS calling, and 50 meters of water resistance. And, after all, the watch does all of the fundamentals nicely, like sharing notifications, controlling your music playback and setting timers and alarms. 

Although the display isn’t fairly as vibrant because the pricier fashions, we thought it was crisp and straightforward to learn, even in vibrant daylight. The health monitoring is correct, the design is light-weight and comfy and the processor is snappy. In the event you’re in search of a starter smartwatch and don’t thoughts the few lacking options, the SE continues to be the way in which to go.

Execs

• Inexpensive value
• Nice well being and health monitoring
• Extends the utility of an iPhone

Cons

• Lacks blood oxygen and temperature sensors
• Does not assist Double Faucet
• No always-on show

$170 at Target

Cherlynn Low for Engadget

Chip: S9 SiP | Sensors: ECG, coronary heart price, temperature, compass, altimeter, accelerometer, fall/crash detection, depth gauge | Show: At all times-on Retina show, max 3,000 nits brightness | Battery life: 36 hours | Case dimension: 49mm

Read our full review of the Apple Watch Ultra

Apple introduced the Apple Watch Extremely 2 on the identical event because the Sequence 9 however, the next 12 months, we didn’t get an Apple Watch Extremely 3. Instead, Apple introduced a brand new satin black colorway created with a “diamond-like carbon bodily vapor deposition” course of that you simply’ll typically discover used on high-end knife blades.

Engadget’s Cherlynn Low took the earlier mannequin Extremely out on a hike to benefit from its outdoor-specific options and the Backtrack perform truly saved her and our video producer Brian from taking an unintended detour within the unsuitable course. The perform lives throughout the Compass app and allows you to set waypoints akin to marking the parking zone earlier than you set out. There’s an onboard siren that’s loud sufficient to alert passersby or emergency personnel to your whereabouts for those who ought to want it.

For water-based actions, the Extremely 2 packs diving options that may measure water temperature, dive period and gauge as much as 40 meters of depth. For exercises nearer to house, the dual-frequency GPS offers you extra correct route monitoring and tempo calculations. And the motion button will be programmed to start out a exercise, management the stopwatch, set off the flashlight, set a waypoint and extra. Simply be aware that we discovered it fairly straightforward to by chance set off the motion button when attempting to press the crown, so it could take slightly observe.

The S9 SiP chip allows Double Faucet and on-device Siri processing. The display has been bumped as much as 3,000 nits and whereas we didn’t get to take the brand new mannequin on a hike, the unique at 2,000 nits was loads vibrant sufficient in direct daylight. We like how the brand new Modular Extremely watch face makes nice use of the outsized display (although that’s additionally obtainable on the unique AWU.) The battery life stays the identical at 36 hours, and we obtained about three days of average use out of the Extremely earlier than needing a recharge. The low energy mode is especially spectacular, squeezing out many further hours from a near-empty watch.

Execs

• Sturdy construct
• Specialised options for out of doors actions
• Giant display shows a number of information

Cons

• Costly
• Giant case can really feel cumbersome on smaller wrists

$818 at Amazon

What to search for in an Apple Watch

Like all Apple merchandise, Apple Watches will solely work with different gadgets from the model’s ecosystem. You will not be capable of pair any Apple Watch to your Android telephone. Observe that you simply can pair different wearables (like a Garmin tracker or a Fitbit band) along with your iPhone. There are some extra options which might be particular to Apple Watches and that set every of the three fashions other than each other.

Chips and sensors

The brand new Apple Watch Sequence 10 has an S10 SiP (system in a package deal) chip with a four-core Neural Engine. The Extremely 2 was updated September 2023 with Apple’s S9 SiP. Each chips permit for on-device processing of Siri requests in addition to dictation, translation, automated exercise detection and the Double Faucet gesture that allows you to reply calls or cease an alarm by tapping your thumb and forefinger collectively twice. It additionally allows sooner machine studying efficiency for deciphering sensor knowledge, speech recognition and performing different “pondering” duties. The Apple Watch SE nonetheless depends on the S8 SiP, which was additionally used within the Series 8 and the unique Extremely.

Each the Sequence 10 and Extremely 2 can measure sure very important indicators like coronary heart price, and each have an ECG app. Temperature sensors may also help monitor ovulation, whereas underwater temperature sensors could come in useful whereas swimming and snorkeling. Each additionally assist fall-detection and crash-detection as a security characteristic. All three fashions have a compass and altimeter. The Apple Watch Extremely 2 has an onboard SOS siren, in addition to dive options like a depth gauge. Water options had been added to the Apple Watch Sequence 10, however with a shallower depth score (simply six meters, as in comparison with 40 meters on the Extremely).

All three fashions assist close to area communication (NFC), the chip that allows Apple Pay. When you set it up utilizing the Apple Watch app in your iPhone, you’ll be able to pay for stuff at any retailer that accepts Apple Pay, even for those who don’t have your phone with you.

Blood oxygen characteristic

You could have heard a couple of patent dispute over blood oxygen monitoring know-how that compelled Apple to cease promoting its watches for just a few months again in 2023. The corporate then began promoting the watches with the blood oxygen app disabled. Now the feature is back — Apple announced in August of 2025 that it might be restoring the characteristic to any Sequence 9, Sequence 10 and Apple Watch Extremely 2 fashions that lack it. Doing so requires an replace to iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1. You’ll be able to view your blood oxygen measurement ends in the Respiratory part of the Well being app in your telephone.

Shows and case sizes

The wide-angle OLED show on the Apple Watch 10 enables you to see the always-on show from extra angles. The Extremely 2 additionally has an always-on show, however you’ll need to raise your wrist to inform time or learn notifications on the SE. The SE can attain a most brightness of 1,000 nits, the Sequence 10 can get as vibrant as 2,000 and the Extremely 2 hits 3,000 nits. Each higher-end screens can dim to a single nit, making them much less distracting at midnight.

The Apple Watch Sequence 10 got here with a brand new end and case materials — a shiny anodized jet black end on the aluminum mannequin and the choice for a titanium case. The Extremely 2 additionally obtained a brand new end, satin black, that makes use of a PVD (bodily vapor deposition) course of to use the colour.

As for case sizes, the SE is offered in 40 or 44mm. The Sequence 10 elevated in dimension from the prior era and now has a alternative of a 42 or 46mm case. The Extremely 2 is available in only one dimension measuring 49mm. You additionally get the chance to choose the size and elegance for watch bands. The SE and Sequence 10 are available small/medium or medium/giant and the Extremely 2 offers you the selection of small, medium or giant.

Battery life

Because it’s the most important wearable, the Apple Watch Extremely 2 sports activities the most important battery and may final for a claimed 36 hours on a cost. That quantity jumps as much as 72 hours for those who activate low energy mode. Each the Apple Watch 10 and the SE are rated by Apple to go for 18 hours earlier than they want a go to to the charger, and longer when utilizing battery saver mode. Meaning if you wish to use both of these fashions often for sleep monitoring, chances are you’ll must recharge them a bit earlier than mattress.

Health and wellness options

Consider it or not, all three Apple Watches have related health tracker chops. The Exercise app makes use of three “rings” to maintain tabs on how a lot you’re transferring in a day: The Transfer ring tracks your lively energy; the Train ring displays the minutes you’ve spent strolling, working, doing yoga and so forth; and the Stand ring tells you what number of hours in a day you’ve stood up and moved round for not less than one minute.

Completely different inner sensors detect these actions, for instance the accelerometer senses once you’re transferring versus sitting nonetheless, and the optical coronary heart price sensor judges how onerous you are understanding and what number of energy you’ve burned. You’ll be able to set your objectives for every ring and also you’ll earn badges and animations once you hit them.

The Exercise app enables you to begin and monitor an train session. The sensors may even auto-detect once you’re understanding, tapping your wrist to recommend you monitor the exercise. Apple Watches will combine with Apple’s Health+ subscription, displaying actual time coronary heart price and calorie burn knowledge in your iPhone, iPad and even Apple TV 4K as you are taking a category. Health+ additionally consists of audio-guided walks and runs with simply your watch and Bluetooth earbuds. All three fashions assist the Exercise and Exercise apps without spending a dime. The Health+ app additionally works with all Apple Watches, however prices $10 monthly.

New options enabled with watchOS 11 embody Coaching Load that gauges your physique’s response to exercises over time, which might assist athletes higher put together for occasions like marathons. Customers can even now skip a day (or extra) from health monitoring metrics when they should relaxation or aren’t feeling as much as the problem of closing their rings. The brand new OS additionally helps offline maps, which might show helpful when mountain climbing removed from mobile protection. Upcoming options of the subsequent working system (watchOS 26) will embody an AI Exercise Buddy to teach you thru your subsequent run through your related Airpods.

Siri

You will get the climate, begin a exercise, establish a music and dictate a textual content simply by asking Siri. All Apple Watch fashions assist the Elevate to Converse characteristic that bypasses the necessity to say “Hey Siri” and can as an alternative pay attention in your request once you raise your wrist close to your mouth.

Each the Sequence 10 and the Extremely 2 make the most of onboard processing of Siri requests. Meaning executing easy requests like beginning exercises and timers are faster, as they gained’t must entry exterior networks. Nonetheless, requests like sending texts or getting climate forecasts nonetheless want to speak with Wi-Fi or mobile, so that you’ll must have your telephone close by if in case you have a GPS-only mannequin.

Carbon impartial choices

The Apple Watch Sequence 9 with the aluminum case was the corporate’s first carbon impartial product. Apple defines its carbon impartial merchandise as people who use “100% clear electrical energy for manufacturing and product use, 30 % recycled or renewable materials by weight and 50 % of transport with out using air transportation.” Mixed, Apple says these adjustments decreased the emissions by round 75 %, and the corporate will use credit so make up for the remaining emissions.

Presently, the Apple Watch Sequence 10 in both aluminum or titanium with the game loop band, braided solo loop or Milanese loop, and the Apple Watch Extremely 2 with the path loop or alpine loop bands are designated as carbon impartial merchandise. If you choose, say the rubber Sport Band, the carbon impartial score would not apply.

Value

There’s a $550 distinction between the most cost effective and costliest Apple Watches. For $250 you may get the 40mm Apple Watch SE with GPS-only connectivity; including mobile connectivity ups the value by $50. The Apple Watch Sequence 10 begins at $399 for the 42mm, non-cellular mannequin in aluminum and goes as excessive as $749 for the 46mm titanium case (which is barely obtainable with GPS and mobile). The Apple Watch Extremely 2 has only one value: $799 for a titanium 49mm case with each GPS and mobile energy — although if you need the titanium Apple Watch Band, the value goes up. For any mannequin you choose, you will in all probability additionally need just a few Apple Watch accessories, so chances are you’ll wish to issue that into your buying resolution. Observe that every one fashions go on sale pretty usually — however solely at third-party realtors. You will not discover many sale’s on Apple.com, although the positioning does supply reductions once you commerce in your previous gadgets.

How we examined Apple Watches

Engadget has been reviewing Apple Watches because the first one came out in 2015. Since then, we’ve tested every subsequent model Apple has released, including the Ultra and SE models, spending not less than just a few days or perhaps a couple weeks with one strapped to our wrists. Throughout that point, we run, hit the fitness center, go on hikes and put on it whereas sleeping, all of the whereas gauging the way it tracks numerous metrics, integrates with the iPhone and performs each different trick Apple claims its smartwatches can do.

Since we additionally assessment smartwatches from different corporations, akin to Samsung‘s Galaxy Watches and Google Pixels, our editors can examine Apple Watches not simply to earlier generations, but additionally to different wearables in the marketplace. Our purchasing guides and suggestions depend on first-hand testing by Engadget employees.

Apple Watch comparability chart

Apple Watch FAQs

What are the most effective Apple Watch apps for health monitoring?

All three watches use the identical Health and Exercise apps to trace your progress, and so they all have sensors to trace pace, cadence, distance and coronary heart price. However the Apple Watch Extremely 2 and the Apple Watch Sequence 10 have extra sensors than the Apple Watch SE. These embody {an electrical} coronary heart price sensor and a depth gauge. The 2 watches even have a blood oxygen app and an ECG app, all of which can provide you with a greater image of your general well being. The Sequence 10 and Extremely 2 are additionally the one fashions suitable with the AI-powered Exercise Buddy from watchOS 26 (the characteristic additionally requires an AI-compatible iPhone).

Are any of the Apple Watch collection waterproof?

All three fashions are water resistant. However they will all deal with immersion in water, together with a swim. The Apple Watch SE and Sequence 10 can deal with a depth of as much as 50 meters whereas the Extremely 2 will be submerged as much as 100 meters.