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Watch comparison

Apple Series 11 vs Apple Series 12 42mm

Compare battery life, health tracking, display and fit.

Compared products
01Selected
Apple Watch Series 11

Apple Watch Series 11

  • Screen: 42mm: 374 × 446 pixels; 46mm: 416 × 496 pixels; 326 ppi.
  • Apple S10; 4-core Neural Engine processor.
  • 64 GB storage in this version.
  • Runs watchOS 26, upgradable to watchOS 27.
  • Wi-Fi 4 support.
KSh 51,000In Stock
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02
Apple Watch Series 12 42mm

Apple Watch Series 12 42mm

  • Apple S11 chip; 4-core Neural Engine processor.
  • 64 GB storage in this version.
  • Runs watchOS 27.
  • Wi-Fi 4 support.
  • Touchscreen for direct touch input.
KSh 64,000In Stock
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Apple Watch Series 8KSh 50,000
Apple Watch UltraKSh 90,000
Apple Watch Series 9KSh 45,000
Apple Watch Series 10KSh 47,000
Amazfit T-Rex 3 ProKSh 55,000
WHOOP LifeKSh 55,500
WHOOP Life MGKSh 50,000
2 of 4 products

Our quick verdict

The Apple Watch Series 12 42mm gives daily readiness scores and offers hypertension notifications, while the Apple Watch Series 11 is lighter to wear all day.

Performance

Apple Watch Series 11
Apple S10; 4-core Neural Engine processor
Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Apple S11 chip; 4-core Neural Engine processor

Software

Apple Watch Series 11
Runs watchOS 26, upgradable to watchOS 27
Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Runs watchOS 27

Portability

Apple Watch Series 11
30.3 g
Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
32.2 g

Water resistance

Apple Watch Series 11
50 m
Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
50 m swimproof under ISO 22810:2010

Sensors

Apple Watch Series 11
Electrical heart sensor, third-generation optical heart sensor
Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
High-g accelerometer, high dynamic-range gyroscope

Key differences

The main differences to help you choose.

Apple Watch Series 11

  • Lighter: 30.3 g (vs 32.2 g).
  • Charging: Magnetic fast charging.

Apple Watch Series 12 42mm

  • Daily readiness scores.
  • Blood-pressure (hypertension) notifications.
  • Newer watchOS 27 (vs watchOS 26).
  • Charging: Fast-charge capable.

What matters most to you?

Choose any priorities

How each product answers the questions buyers ask most. Tick a topic to add it, untick one to hide it.

More topicsFewer topics
6 priorities selected.
How each product answers the selected priorities
PriorityApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Battery lifeUp to 24 hours per chargeUp to 24 hours per charge
Storage64 GB storage64 GB storage
DisplayOLED display, 326 ppiOLED display, 326 ppi
PerformanceApple S10 processorApple S11 chip processor
SoftwarewatchOS 26watchOS 27
Water resistance50 m50 m swimproof under ISO 22810:2010

Detailed comparison

Explore the full specifications, section by section.

Display

Display specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
DisplayAlways-On Retina LTPO3 wide-angle OLEDAlways-On Retina LTPO3 wide-angle OLED
Screen resolution42mm: 374 × 446 pixels; 46mm: 416 × 496 pixels; 326 ppi42mm: 374 × 446 pixels, 970 mm² display area. 46mm: 416 × 496 pixels, 1196 mm² display area. Both: 326 ppi.
Display protectionIon-X glass (aluminum); sapphire crystal (titanium)Ceramic Shield 2 on aluminum cases; sapphire front crystal on titanium and ceramic cases
Display features2000 nits (peak); Wide-angle OLED1 Hz refresh; up to 2,000 nits peak brightness; 1 nit minimum brightness

Connectivity

Connectivity specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Network / cellularGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G5G RedCap and LTE on GPS + Cellular models; international roaming supported
SIM / eSIMeSIMeSIM on GPS + Cellular models
Wi-FiWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, dual-bandWi‑Fi 4 (802.11n), 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
Bluetooth5.3, A2DP, LEBluetooth 5.3
NFCSupported; Apple PaySupported; Apple Pay
Positioning / GNSSGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDSPrecision L1 GPS; GLONASS; Galileo; QZSS; BeiDou
Ultra Wideband (UWB)Ultra Wideband (UWB) support (gen2 chip)Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip

Identity & design

Identity & design specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
BrandAppleApple
ModelApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 12 (42mm and 46mm configurations)
Announced2025, September 099 September 2026
Dimensions42mm: 42 × 36 × 9.7 mm; 46mm: 46 × 39 × 9.7 mm42mm: aluminum/titanium 42 × 37 × 9.7 mm; ceramic 43 × 37 × 9.85 mm. 46mm: aluminum/titanium 46 × 40 × 9.7 mm; ceramic 47 × 41 × 9.85 mm.
Weight42mm: aluminum GPS 30.3 g, GPS + Cellular 29.7 g, titanium 34.6 g; 46mm: aluminum GPS 37.8 g, GPS + Cellular 36.9 g, titanium 43.1 g42mm: aluminum GPS 32.2 g, GPS + Cellular 31.5 g, titanium 36.5 g, ceramic Pearl White 41.7 g / Night Blue 42.8 g. 46mm: aluminum GPS 39.5 g, GPS + Cellular 38.6 g, titanium 44.9 g, ceramic Pearl White 51.3 g / Night Blue 52.9 g.
Build materialsAluminum or titanium caseAluminum, titanium or ceramic case, depending on configuration
Wrist size42mm: 130–200 mm; 46mm: 140–245 mm42mm: 130–200 mm; 46mm: 140–245 mm
Controls / buttonsDigital Crown with haptic feedback; side buttonDigital Crown with haptic feedback; side button; band-release button; single tap, double tap and wrist flick gestures
Strap / band—Band supplied; material and size depend on the selected configuration

Performance & software

Performance & software specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
ProcessorApple S10; 4-core Neural EngineApple S11 chip; 4-core Neural Engine
CPU64-bit dual-core64-bit dual-core
GPUPowerVR—
Storage64 GB64 GB
Operating systemwatchOS 26, upgradable to watchOS 27watchOS 27

Audio & communication

Audio & communication specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
SpeakerSupportedSpeaker with media playback
MicrophoneSupportedMicrophone with Voice Isolation
CallingBluetooth calling; cellular calling on GPS + Cellular modelsBluetooth calling; cellular calling on GPS + Cellular models; international emergency calling

Sensors, health & fitness

Sensors, health & fitness specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
SensorsElectrical heart sensor; third-generation optical heart sensor; temperature sensor; compass; always-on altimeter; high-g accelerometer; high-dynamic-range gyroscope; ambient light sensor; depth gauge; water temperature sensorHigh-g accelerometer; high dynamic-range gyroscope; compass; always-on altimeter; ambient-light sensor; second-generation electrical heart sensor; always-on optical heart sensor; blood-oxygen sensor; temperature sensor; depth gauge; water-temperature sensor
Health & wellness featuresECG app; blood oxygen feature where available; high and low heart-rate notifications; irregular rhythm notifications; temperature sensing; cycle tracking; mindfulness and medications appsHeart rate and HRV; Blood Oxygen; ECG; respiratory rate; wrist temperature; Readiness and Vitals; high/low heart-rate and irregular-rhythm notifications; cycle tracking; hypertension notifications
Sleep trackingSleep duration and sleep stagesSleep duration and stages; sleep score; sleep-apnea notifications
Sports / workout modesWorkout app with multiple workout types and automatic workout detectionRunning; hiking; cycling; pool and open-water swimming; skiing; snowboarding; rowing; paddling; golf; walking; HIIT; yoga; strength; dance; Pilates; Tai Chi; kickboxing; multisport and more
Training & outdoor featuresTraining load; pace and heart-rate zones; compass waypoints and backtrack; depth and water-temperature metricsCustom workouts and views; Training Load; heart-rate zones; VO₂ max; Race Route; Pacer; running dynamics; automatic track detection; offline maps, routes, waypoints and Backtrack
Safety & emergency featuresEmergency SOS; international emergency calling; Fall Detection; Crash DetectionEmergency SOS; international emergency calling; Fall Detection; Crash Detection; flashlight; Check In; noise monitoring; emergency waypoints
Diving / depth featuresDepth gauge to 6 m; water-temperature sensorDepth gauge to 6 m; water-temperature sensor

Battery & durability

Battery & durability specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Battery lifeUp to 24 hours normal use; 38 hours Low Power ModeUp to 24 hours normal use; up to 38 hours Low Power Mode; up to 10 hours outdoor workout
ChargingMagnetic fast chargingFast-charge capable; up to 80% in about 30 minutes; 15 minutes for up to 12 hours normal use; 5 minutes for up to 10 hours sleep tracking
Water resistance50 m; swimproof50 m swimproof under ISO 22810:2010
Durability / certificationsIP6X dust resistanceIP6X dust resistance

Compatibility

Compatibility specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Phone compatibilityiPhone 11 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later); iOS 26 or lateriPhone 11 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 27 or later
Companion appApple Watch app on iPhoneApple Watch app on iPhone; Health and Fitness apps for associated data
ColorsSlate, Gold, NaturalAluminum: Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black, Space Gray; titanium: Radiant Gold, Natural; ceramic: Pearl White, Night Blue

Additional specifications

Additional specifications specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Pixels per inch326 ppi326 ppi
Peak brightnessUp to 2,000 nits peak; 1 nit minimumUp to 2,000 nits peak; 1 nit minimum
Cover / touchscreenSupportedSupported
Charging timeAbout 30 minutes to 80%About 30 minutes to 80%; 15 minutes for up to 12 hours normal use; 5 minutes for up to 10 hours sleep tracking
Release statusAvailable. Released 2025, September 19Available. Released 2026, September 18
Model numbersA3335, A3337, A3452, A3453A3582, A3587
Card slotNoNo
CameraNoNo
3.5 mm headphone jackNoNo
USBNoNo
RadioNoNo
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - International, China, HK; HSDPA 850 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - USA, LATAM, CanadaHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International, China, HK; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 25, 26, 39, 40, 41, 66 - USA, LATAM, Canada1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66, 71
5G bandsSA/NSA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA
Network speedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
SAR (US)1.19 W/kg (head)—
SAR (EU)0.97 W/kg (head)—
Additional hardware featuresTemperature sensing (0.01˚ accuracy); Media playbackHealth Sensing System: third‑generation electrical heart sensor, always‑on optical heart sensor, blood oxygen sensor, temperature sensor; Temperature sensing (0.01˚ accuracy); Media playback
Battery typeRechargeable lithium-ion—
Flashlight—Supported
Display material—LTPO3 wide-angle OLED
Packing list—Apple Watch Series 12; band; 1 m magnetic fast-charger to USB-C cable

Similarities

  • Both belong to the Apple Watch platform.
  • Both are rated for up to 24 hours per charge.
  • Both support Wi-Fi 4.
  • Both use Bluetooth 5.3.
  • Both work with a companion app.
  • Both have NFC.

In summary

For most buyers the Apple Watch Series 12 42mm is the better buy; the Apple Watch Series 11 makes sense if you want a lighter watch for all-day wear.

Back to compared products ↑

In-stock alternatives

Apple Watch Series 8For Apple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 8View product ↗WHOOP Life MGFor Apple Watch Series 11WHOOP Life MGView product ↗Apple Watch UltraFor Apple Watch Series 12 42mmApple Watch UltraView product ↗

Related comparisons

Apple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 11Apple Watch UltraApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 9Apple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 10Apple Watch Series 11Amazfit T-Rex 3 ProApple Watch Series 11WHOOP LifeApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 11WHOOP Life MGApple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Ultra 4 49mmApple Watch Series 11Huawei Watch 6 Pro 46 mm
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