Apple Watch Series 12
Exact average 87.4 · 8 printed, 5 estimated · printed scores only: 91
Image: Apple13 professional reviewers tested the Apple Watch Series 12, and 12 recommend it. Most praised: health tracking and performance. Most common complaint: battery life.
Reviewed by Expert Reviews, TechRadar, Tom's Guide and 10 more
The catch: Battery life is still only about a day.
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What 13 critics said
Highest score first · all converted to 0–100- 95Expert Reviews
Very accurate heart rate tracking, tougher glass and a useful readiness score make it a significant upgrade and the best smartwatch around.
Read Expert Reviews review - 95TechRadar
The best mainline Apple Watch in years, with responsive performance, accurate heart rate and faster charging.
Read TechRadar review - 95Tom's Guide
The reviewer calls it the best Apple Watch for most people, thanks to the better heart rate sensor, readiness score and faster charging.
Read Tom's Guide review - 91Engadget
The reviewer finds the Series 12 a solid upgrade thanks to its rebuilt health sensor and better gesture control, although the headline audio features were not yet testable.
Read Engadget review - 90WIRED
Calls it the best Apple Watch so far, thanks to richer health sensing, the new Readiness score and faster charging.
Read WIRED review - 90Trusted Reviews
A much faster watch with a reworked sensor array and new health features, worth upgrading to from older models.
Read Trusted Reviews review - 90The Disconnekt
Not a reinvention, but it finally adds a daily readiness score and a steps complication, plus sharper heart rate tracking.
Read The Disconnekt review - 80The Verge
A surprisingly significant update with truly continuous heart rate monitoring and a foundation for AI-driven health features.
Read The Verge review - 89est.Wareable
An outstanding all-rounder and still the best choice for most iPhone owners, thanks to an accurate rebuilt heart sensor and unmatched polish.
Read Wareable review - 89est.CNN Underscored
After a week of wear the reviewer calls it one of the biggest upgrades in years, with a better heart sensor, readiness score and faster chip.
Read CNN Underscored review - 79est.The Quantified Scientist
The Apple Watch Series 12 demonstrates excellent heart rate and sleep tracking capabilities, though it suffers from occasional data dropouts during exercise and some GPS smoothing issues.
Read The Quantified Scientist review - 79est.ShortCircuit
The Apple Watch Series 12 is a solid, well-integrated device that offers useful health tracking features, though it lacks significant innovation compared to previous models.
Read ShortCircuit review - 74est.DC Rainmaker
The Apple Watch Series 12 introduces useful health features like a new readiness score and improved heart rate monitoring, but the accuracy of its sensor can be inconsistent during intense workouts.
Read DC Rainmaker review
"Est." means the outlet printed no score, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates
Watch a video review
- ShortCircuit on YouTube ↗Counted in the score: 79
- The Quantified Scientist on YouTube ↗Counted in the score: 79
From YouTube channels we vetted by hand. Videos paid for by the brand are never listed.
What critics praise most
What critics dislike most
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Common questions
Is the Apple Watch Series 12 worth it?
Most critics think so: 12 of 13 recommend it. Battery life is still only about a day.
Do critics agree about the Apple Watch Series 12?
Broad agreement: scores range from 74 (DC Rainmaker) to 95 (Expert Reviews), a spread of 21 points across 13 reviews. Most reviewers land fairly close together.
What do critics dislike about the Apple Watch Series 12?
Battery life (7 of 13 reviews), Software (2 of 13 reviews).
What is the best alternative to the Apple Watch Series 12?
The Coros Nomad (critic score 89), top pick, narrowly.