I upgraded to an Apple Watch Series 12 last week, and so far after a few days of testing there are three standout features for me.
#1: S11 chip makes everything fast
The Apple Watch was overdue for a chip update, with Apple skipping any changes last year and not having any true performance upgrades since the S9.
I’m happy to report that the new S11 chip appears much faster and more capable than its predecessor, the S10.
Everyday tasks on Apple Watch Series 12 just feel fast. And Siri AI, a tentpole addition in watchOS 27, very much feels made for this latest hardware. Siri has been sluggish on older hardware in my testing, but it performs much more like I’d hoped on Series 12.
#2: New health features and complications
The new Health Sensing System should make Apple Watch Series 12 better at tracking key metrics like heart rate and steps. But this isn’t a case where accuracy is the only improvement.
Because of the new health sensors, Series 12 offers three complications not available before:
- Heart Rate
- Daily Steps
- Readiness
These let you see up-to-date readings on your current heart rate, step count, and readiness score right from your watch face.
I’ve been testing heart rate and step complications, but my Watch needs more data before readiness is available. Overall though, these are very welcome additions that meaningfully improve the Apple Watch’s health and wellness feature set.
#3: Faster charging
Apple Watch Series 12 offers largely the same battery life as Series 11, though it will last 25% longer for outdoor workouts.
More battery is always nice, but I’m especially a fan of the faster charging available on Series 12. Here’s how it stacks up to Series 11:
- Apple Watch Series 12: 15 minutes charge gets up to 12 hours battery life
- Apple Watch Series 11: 15 minutes charge gets up to 8 hours battery life
I wear my Apple Watch to bed and generally try to top it off quickly in the evening, but I’m not always great at giving it much time on the charger. With faster charging support on Series 12, my poor planning isn’t a problem.
For more Series 12 thoughts, check out my colleague Chance’s full review here.
Apple Watch Series 12 is now available starting at $399.
Have you upgraded to Apple Watch Series 12? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.
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