Apple Watch Series 11 vs. Series 10: How These 2 Clocks Are Almost Alike

If you have a quick look at the new features Apple Watch Series 11 and the preceding, the Series 10I wouldn’t blame you if you don’t see a big difference. They’re pretty close in specs — but not quite. I’ve compiled all the details from the two smartwatches to help you decide if it’s worth getting a new one or buying a discounted 10 series.

Let’s compare the models side by side and tease out the fine details.

Apple Watch Series 11 price

Series 11 has kept it the same price like the Series 10. It starts at $399 for the aluminum-bodied model or $699 for the titanium one.

Add $30 for the larger 46mm case size in aluminum, or $50 for titanium. Opting for a model with a cellular radio that connects independently to networks adds $100. And if you choose a band made of something other than rubber or fabric — a stainless steel link bracelet, for example — the price goes up significantly. Unfortunately, you can’t order just the watch case; you should choose a new band, even if it ends up in your closet in favor of the one you already own and choose.

There is also a titanium Apple Watch Hermès model available in silver titanium in both sizes starting at $1,249.

Apple is no longer selling the Series 10, as the Series 11 is replacing it, but you can still find refurbished Series 10 models for less at Apple, as well as new models from other retailers while they last.

Watch this: Apple Watch Series 11 Review: Should You Upgrade?

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Apple Watch Series 11 vs. Series 10: Exterior design

The Series 11 and Series 10 share the same case design and materials. The larger model measures 46mm in length and 39mm in width, while the smaller measures in at 42mm by 36mm. (Kudos to Apple for continuing to offer two sizes to accommodate people with different sized wrists.) Both are also 1mm thinner than previous Apple Watch models, at 9.7mm.

Despite having the same size, the Series 11 is slightly heavier than the Series 10. For example, the 46mm aluminum GPS Series 11 weighs 37.8 grams compared to the 36.4 grams of the Series 10. The 42mm models come in at 30.3 grams and 30.0 grams, respectively.

For colors, the Series 11 adds space gray aluminum to complement rose gold, silver and jet black. Both models are also available in titanium finishes of slate, gold and natural.

The physical controls have not changed between the series, including a dial that Apple calls the Digital Crown and a side button (which Apple cleverly calls the “side button”). Only the Apple Watch Ultra includes a third physical control, the Action button.

Also notable: The titanium Series 11 is made from 100% recycled titanium, up from 95% recycled material in the titanium Series 10. The display glass is made from 40% recycled glass from the Series 11; no money is listed in the Series 10. And the battery in the Series 11 uses 100% recycled cobalt and 95% recycled lithium. (Series 10 only lists 100% recycled cobalt.)

Series 11 vs. Series 10 screens

The screens on both the Series 11 and Series 10 watches are wide-angle LTPO 3 OLED displays. That means it’s easy to see content at an angle, and the always-on display refreshes once a second, allowing the seconds counter to move even when the watch is in idle mode.

LTPO3 screens also work very well. Screens go up to 2,000 nits for clear viewing in sunlight and dim down to 1 nit in the dark.

The main difference between the Series 11 and Series 10 screens is in the glass cover. In the aluminum models of the Series 11, Apple uses Ion-X glass, which it says is not as sensitive to scratches as the glass in previous aluminum versions. The titanium Series 11 uses a sapphire crystal display.

Apple Watch processor and chips

In general, we can highlight how the new processor improves on its predecessor, but in 2025, Apple stuck to the same S10 processor found in Series 10. That also means that some chips remain the same, too: W3 Apple Wireless chip, second generation Ultra Wideband chip (precisely Find My Location Neural4GB), four-core and GB storage.

Battery power: Series 11 vs. Series 10

Battery life is where the two models are most interesting. Apple doesn’t reveal how big the built-in lithium-ion battery is or its capacity, but it claims up to 24 hours on the Series 11 compared to 18 hours on the Series 10. In low-power mode, that’s up to 38 hours on the Series 11, up from 36 hours on the Series 10.

It’s unclear exactly where Apple squeezed six hours of battery life into what appears to be the same hardware. Both use the same S10 processor, though there may be software improvements in WatchOS 26. CNET lead writer Vanessa Hand Orellana found that, at least initially, Apple may be underestimating battery performance, he wrote in his review“With notifications turned on (heavy Slack-ing and texting), at least one 30- to 45-minute workout a day, overnight sleep tracking and minimal flashlight use, I was able to squeeze in between 27 and 32 hours per charge.”

As for charging the watches, both the Series 11 and Series 10 can be charged up to 80% in about 30 minutes. Apple says that with a 20W power adapter, 15 minutes of quick charging provides 8 hours of continuous use, while just five minutes is enough for eight hours of sleep tracking — thanks to the watch’s extremely low power requirements while you sleep. Apple’s comparison data for the Series 10 doesn’t include those last two metrics, but that seems to be more because it’s last year’s marketing space compared to the new power in the Series 11.

Comparing Series 11 and Series 10 sensors

Apple Watch sensors enable health features ranging from heart rate monitoring to depth sensing to accurate location tracking. That means…

They are the same for Series 11 and Series 10. No changes here.

Another change: Communication on Series 11 and Series 10

One of the most noticeable changes in the mobile models of Series 11 is the support of 5G networks, especially the efficient type called 5G Reduced Capacity (or 5G RedCap). That allows it to connect to both 5G and LTE networks without having to go through a connected iPhone, and 5G speeds should be better. In comparison, the Series 10 mobile supports LTE and UMTS (3G).

Part of the 5G integration in the Series 11 models is a redesigned cellular antenna and algorithm that “simultaneously combines two system antennas when needed, greatly increasing signal strength,” according to Apple’s Series 11 press release. That algorithm is exclusive to the Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, according to Apple.

Both Apple Watch models support Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) at 2.5GHz and 5GHz speeds. (Apple’s comparison page lists only Series 11 speeds, but the Apple Watch Wi-Fi support page notes that 5GHz has been supported since the Series 6 watch.)

Both watches talk to the iPhone and other peripherals using Bluetooth 5.3.

WatchOS 26 on Apple Watch Series 11 and Series 10

New features in WatchOS 26 come to both watch models, including hypertension alerts, Sleep Score and the Blood Oxygen app (which reappearance in the US amid an ongoing legal dispute). Apple’s comparison page lists the new Wrist Flick gesture for the Series 11 but not the Series 10, though that must be a typo because I can confirm it works on my Series 10 watch.