Reviewers of the Apple Watch Series 11 are blown away by battery improvements in a largely unchanged wearable design.

The first reviews of the updated Apple Watch Series 11 have landed. Initial impressions of the new model praise the battery life and health features, albeit with the undertone that it's mostly a software-based improvement this time around.

The Apple Watch Series 11 is available to preorder now, starting from $399 for the aluminum 42mm edition, rising to $429 for the 46mm. Titanium versions start from $699.

Engadget

Pointing out that little appears to have changed to the Apple Watch Series 11, Cherlynn Low for Engadget says this doesn't make the new model "unimpressive or unexciting." There are changes, but they're all under the hood.

While hypertension alerts weren't available for testing, the Sleep Score was, and seemed to be effective. Numbers generated by the tool matched how rested they felt, and the device apparently managed to detect when they had fallen asleep accurately.

The hardier design is welcomed, along with the battery improvements. However, they note that a "lot of what makes the Series 11 feel new is the software," which older models will get too.

In summary, the Apple Watch Series 11 is a "refinement of an already winning formula," which promises to provide even more peace of mind.

TechRadar

Jacob Krol for TechRadar starts by saying the Series 11 looks a lot like the Apple Watch Series 10, but the display's adjustments and protectiveness is an improvement.

Software is the bigger change, complete with the Sleep Score and hypertension notifications, but the battery life improvements were the "bigger story." Users of the Series 10 probably won't need to upgrade, unless that battery life change is substantial enough for them.

The Apple Watch Series 11 "isn't a radical redesign," but the battery gains and new health changes make it the "most capable and balanced Apple Watch yet."

ZDNet

Nina Raemont for ZDNet was very positive about the battery life, with the extra six hours on the Series 10 breaking the 24-hour barrier.

The new hypertension feature is another major improvement, but not testable in a short timeframe of a few days since the feature requires 30 days of monitoring. Even so, it's a feature that will hopefully encourage more proactive monitoring for the condition.

The change to Ion-X glass for durability could help "close the durability gap" with the Apple Watch Ultra 3, and may even draw some sales from the higher-priced model.

CNET

Scoring the Apple Watch Series 11 a high 9 out of 10, Vanessa Hand Orellana for CNET proposes that the Series 11 was less "trying something new and more like picking up where I'd left off" with the Series 10. It doesn't "offer many fireworks," but it's still the "pick of the litter."

The battery bump is, yet again, praised, as well as its 5G support and better scratch resistance. But the use of the same S10 SiP as the previous generation and the new software features coming to older models too may temper upgrades to this model from existing users.

Hypertension notifications may not be proper blood pressure monitoring, but it's a "major step forward." However, the sleep tracking has a problem of consistency, with gaps in data from not wearing the watch to bed dragging down long-term averages.

The Apple Watch Series 11 is still the reviewer's favorite, but the gap between it and the competition is "narrowing."

Wired

Previously, Adrienne So would recommend to Wired readers that they probably don't need to upgrade if they have a recent Apple Watch. The Series 11 is "the exception," because of the massive amount of battery life it has.

Wearing the Apple Watch to sleep, taking kids to school, and then recharging at the desk was a revelation, as it eliminated the pain of fussing over battery life. That said, it still has the same slim case as the previous version.

Workout Buddy is encouraging as encouragement, but it "needs a bit more data to be useful" with its "disturbing amount of vocal fry."

Ultimately, because of the software updates arriving as part of watchOS 26 rather than being device specific, users "probably don't need to upgrade" the Apple Watch itself. However, the reviewer adds it's probably the first year they'd say to get a new watch anyway.

Tom's Guide

Expressing a lack of expectations for Apple to ever upgrade the battery, Kate Kozuch for Tom's Guide says the battery life is a "standout upgrade." The 5G addition is a "big win" for smartphone-free users, while praise is also given for the durability.

However, they point out that many of the big benefits of the model are software-driven updates that older models will enjoy too.

The Apple Watch Series 11 doesn't "reinvent" itself, but it does bring "durability and convenience." For pre-Series 9 users, this is the "most compelling upgrade in years."