Apple Watch Series 11 vs 10: Should You Buy the New One?

Apple’s new flagship smartwatch is familiar in many ways, yet it is hard to dismiss the Apple Watch Series 5 as more of the same, when “the same” involves doing so much of what’s on offer so very well. The Apple Watch Series 11 adds 5G on the cellular versions, some tougher glass on the aluminum versions and a few connection tweaks, all the while maintaining the same core processor and health stack as the Series 10. If you’re weighing whether to trade in for last year’s watch, the differences narrrow down the gap based on your capacity to care about faster wireless and small but meaningful durability gains.

Design and display: Subtle refinements, identical footprint

Series 11 keeps the slim 9.7mm design in the 42mm/46mm casings introduced in Series 10 and the large LTPO OLED always‑on display that overpowers at 2,000 nits. The screens’ sizes and resolutions are both unchanged from the previous model, so day-to-day visibility and interface space are more or less equal.

The substantive change is durability: Apple claims the aluminum Series 11’s Ion‑X glass is up to twice as scratch resistant as aluminum Series 10. Both generations on Titanium models continue to use sapphire crystal. For example, if you regularly bump your watch against the corner of gym equipment or door frames, that more durable glass might be enough for you to appreciate the extra quality of life.

Performance and software: It’s what’s inside that counts

Under the bonnet, the Series 10s and 11s are running Apple’s S10 SiP. In a real-life sense, app launches, responding to Siri and performing gestures all feel pretty much the same. That also means both watches share the latest watchOS experiences, such as improved sleep tracking, cycle and temperature insights, safety features like Crash Detection, and Apple’s newer coaching and recovery dashboards.

If you were looking for a greater CPU or GPU jump for more intense apps or games, this is not it. Apple has been stressing efficiency and sensors rather than raw speed lately and it shows in the overall user experience.

Connectivity: 5G finally arrives

This is the headline change. Series 11 introduces 5G to cellular configurations, but the peak for Series 10 itself is LTE. Apple continues to provide LTE fallback, too, and both generations feature Bluetooth 5.3, NFC for Apple Pay, second‑generation Ultra Wideband for Precision Finding, and L1 GPS. Wi‑Fi makes an appearance too: Series 11 is dual‑band Wi‑Fi 4 (2.4GHz and 5GHz), while Series 10 is 2.4GHz only.

What do you get for 5G in a watch? Like getting the data you need when you leave your phone behind to head out on a run, better call quality on calls over a Wi-Fi network, faster map downloads, and, yes, super-smooth streaming of small data like that needed for text messages or dictation. In crowded places where carriers have deployed mid‑band 5G, you will experience less stalling. U.S. carriers claim nationwide 5G footprints near the majority of the population, and independent mapping from groups like Ookla and Opensignal prove that median 5G speeds are materially faster than LTE in many cities. If your weekend runs or commutes are phone‑free, that’s a thing.

Health and safety: Parity in the places that matter

Both watches have the same core sensors — optical heart rate (that gives you regularity notifications like high and low and arrhythmia), an ECG, blood oxygen (SpO2), skin temperature trends, fall and crash detection, and broad workout tracking with GNSS. The new hypertension notifications Apple announced alongside Series 11 is based on the optical heart sensor and is coming to Series 10, too, according to the company. As always, this is advice, not a cuff‑based blood pressure reading; organizations like the American Heart Association emphasize that optical estimates are not meant to substitute for medical devices.

Health insights and safety features aren’t enough reason to upgrade from Series 10 to Series 11 — it’s fundamentally the same experience.

Battery and charging: A careful edge to Series 11

Apple claims 24 hours of mixed use on the Series 11, compared to 18 hours for that 10’s published “all‑day” number. Real‑world endurance will of course vary with cellular use,GPS workouts and display settings, but the paper gain implies efficiency gains in radio management more so than in the processor. Fast charging through that Apple USB‑C puck lingers, so some swift top‑ups ahead of a long run or sleep tracking stint remain on the playbooks.

For those of you who depend greatly on cell and GPS, I would expect Series 11 to perform a little better, with 5G’s advantages amplified over a stronger signal. Otherwise, the day‑to‑day move may be slight.

Prices and models: No sticker shock

Pricing stays familiar. The 42mm GPS aluminum model will start at $399; there’s a slight bump for the 46mm case, and cellular will bring the total up to $100 more. The titanium finish starts at a higher price — at $699 and up — and is cellular‑only. More importantly, 5G doesn’t inflate the monthly per-line fee from carriers over LTE in most cases but you should look into your provider’s smartwatch add‑on pricing and coverage maps.

Who should upgrade from Series 10?

UPGRADE if you often go without your phone but rely on reliable cellular for calls, music or maps. Runners, cyclists and commuters who spend time in robust 5G zones will benefit the most. If you’ve scratched the aluminum of your Series 10, then the tougher Ion‑X glass on Series 11 provides one more practical excuse.

Keep Series 10 if your watch is in good condition and you primarily use it tethered to your iPhone. Performance, health features and the display experience are virtually identical. For a lot of buyers the wiser financial move is to wait another generation — unless of course your trade‑in knocks a hole in the net cost.

Bottom line

Series 11 is a site-specific: 5G connections for more robust stand‑alone functionality, dual‑band Wi‑Fi for cleaner signal with a proper connection, and stronger glass for the aluminium models. If you already own a pair of Series 10, it’s not a must-buy — unless wireless reliability and toughness are your achilles’ heel. If you’re upgrading from the Series 9, or earlier, however, the smaller case, bigger screen, and updated radios makes the switch an easy one to recommend. As market trackers such as IDC have pointed out, the buyers of smartwatches now want evolutionary changes rather than revolutionary ones — and that’s exactly what Series 11 delivers.