Bold claim: most Tom’s Guide readers don’t own the latest Apple Watch, and many are happily using older models. If you’re curious about what this means for value, longevity, and smart wearables strategy, read on—and you’ll see why the crowd often votes with their wallets.
What the poll actually shows
With 6,458 respondents, the top pick for “Which Apple Watch model do you wear?” wasn’t the newest Series 11, not the Ultra 3, and not even the budget-friendly SE 3. The majority leans toward the older generation, specifically the Apple Watch Series 10 (or older), which collected 1,949 votes or about 30% of participants. This means a substantial portion of readers are choosing to stay with the prior flagship instead of upgrading to the Series 11.
Why this isn’t surprising
The jump from Series 10 to Series 11 isn’t drastic in most daily use cases. Both generations share a similar design and display, and they offer core health features like hypertension detection and sleep apnea detection. The Series 11 does add a few upgrades—longer battery life, 5G instead of LTE, and a tougher screen—but those improvements aren’t compelling enough for everyone to upgrade right away.
Who else upgraded
Around a quarter of readers (26%) did opt for the newer Series 11, making it the second most popular choice with 1,697 votes. In contrast, the Ultra 3 drew only 14% of the votes (897 occurrences), ranking well behind the Series 11. The Apple Watch Ultra 1/2 also appears in the mix, capturing 12% of votes (777 readers).
Where the crowd is leaning on premium features
The data shows a clear preference for Apple’s flagship and Ultra lines over the more affordable SE options. The Apple Watch SE 3 gathered 672 votes (10%), while the SE/SE 2022 gathered 466 votes (7%). In total, over 80% of respondents favor the premium Series or Ultra tiers rather than the entry-level SE lineup.
What this means for you
If you’re weighing upgrade timing, this poll suggests that a sizable portion of users aren’t chasing the very latest release. They’re prioritizing value, feature balance, and longevity over frequent upgrades. That could influence how you budget for wearables, wait for a potential price drop, or focus on practical features that matter most to you—battery life, health monitoring, or rugged durability.
Would you upgrade next time Apple releases a new Watch? Do you value the newest sensors and 5G, or do reliability and cost weigh more heavily in your decision? Share your thoughts in the comments.
About the author
Dan Bracaglia is Tom’s Guide’s editorial lead for smartwatches, fitness trackers, and outdoor gear. With 15 years in consumer tech reporting, he aims to help readers save money and make informed purchases. He’s an outdoor enthusiast based in the Pacific Northwest, loving kayaking, hiking, and photography when he’s not testing the latest wearables.
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