Updated 19 Oct 2026
Is the Apple Watch Series 12 worth it?
Yes — the best smartwatch for iPhone.
It looks like last year's watch, but a new heart sensor tracks more often and more accurately, and a daily Readiness score uses your heart-rate variability to say how hard to push. It does everything well: notifications, payments, workouts, sleep, ECG and blood oxygen. It only works with an iPhone, and the battery still lasts about 24 hours, so it charges every night. The GPS model is all most people need.
96%of 24 owners give it 4 or 5 stars
- Accurate heart-rate and health tracking
- Daily Readiness score
- Bright, always-on screen
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What owners say
Owners love the stylish look, how big an upgrade it is over older models and the health and fitness features. Complaints are rare.
Good to know
- Battery lasts about a day, so it charges nightly.
- Looks almost identical to the last two models.
- Some new features arrive later in software updates.
- Its GPS isn't as precise as the Ultra's dual-band GPS.
From 24 buyer ratings at Target (US) and Otto (Germany), every complaint read by us, October 2026. How we do this
What they love
- Stylish lookMentioned a lot
- A worthwhile upgrade from an older watchMentioned often
- Health and fitness featuresMentioned often
- Thin, light and a nice sizeMentioned often
What they complain about
Hardly any: just 1 of 24 owners gave it 3 stars or fewer, and no complaint came up often enough to list.
Get it if…
- You have an iPhone and want the best all-round smartwatch.
- You want health tracking as well as notifications and payments.
Skip it if…
- You want several days between charges: the Ultra 4 or a Garmin lasts far longer.
- You mostly want the basics: the SE 3 costs much less.
More on the Apple Watch Series 12
How we reached this verdict
Tom's Guide gives it 5/5 and calls it the best smartwatch you can buy, for its new heart sensor, Readiness score and unchanged price. Trusted Reviews (4.5/5) calls it a big upgrade despite looking the same, and Engadget scores it 91/100. T3 (4/5) praises its heart-rate accuracy and fast charging, but says battery life still lags rivals. All note battery life hasn't improved.
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: Tom's Guide, Trusted Reviews, Engadget, T3, Apple, Tom's Guide, TechRadar, TechRadar, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 19 Oct 2026How we decide