Apple Watch Series 12 keeps the familiar shape of recent models, but early reviews say the more important changes are underneath. The $399 watch adds Apple's S11 chip, a redesigned health sensor array and faster charging ahead of its September 18 release.
The Verge scored the Series 12 8 out of 10 after a week of testing. Its review praised the new sensor hardware, charging speed, ceramic case options and privacy design for the watch's Audio Intelligence features. It also found Siri more useful on the wrist. The catch is that several of the most ambitious features were not available to review.
Apple says the new Health Sensing System measures heart rate every five seconds throughout the day and heart rate variability up to 24 times more often. Those readings feed a new readiness score based on activity, training load, vitals and sleep. Apple still rates everyday battery life at up to 24 hours, but says a 15-minute charge can now provide up to 12 hours of use.
The missing software is central to Apple's pitch. A redesigned Health app with new Insights and Longevity sections is scheduled for later in 2026. Siri Recap and Live Rewind, which use the watch to summarize or recover parts of conversations, are also due in beta later this year. Their absence means launch reviews can assess the new hardware but not the full experience Apple announced.
Other reviewers reached a similar conclusion about who should upgrade. WIRED gave the Series 12 9 out of 10 and called it a major step for Series 8 or older owners, while seeing fewer reasons for Series 9 and Series 10 users to switch. 9to5Mac found the more frequent health readings useful during a week of testing, but said features such as daytime Vitals need more time to judge and did not observe better automatic workout detection.
