Unlike most other smartwatches on the market, the Apple Watch Series 6 boasts a sleek rectangular design with a ceramic rear panel. Sitting on the left is a speaker and on the right is a button, microphone hole, and a digital crown that offers haptic feedback.

Always-on-Display is very bright; Feels really fast; Quicker charging

Sleep Tracking is limited; Blood Oxygen monitoring could be more useful; Battery life isn’t amazing

Despite the new sensors feeling like a tick-box exercise, there's still no better smartwatch on the market. It's just that this time around it offers many features you'll want, along with many that you aren't aware you'd want, plus lots that you'll simply never use.

New dimmed display option; Display is brighter than before; Fluid performance; Lovely design options for both size options

No game-changing improvements over Series 5; Sleep tracking raises battery charging questions; Altimeter doesn't feel well executed; Why do we have a blood oxygen monitor?

Despite the new sensors feeling like a tick-box exercise, there's still no better smartwatch on the market. It's just that this time around it offers many features you'll want, along with many that you aren't aware you'd want, plus lots that you'll simply never use.

New dimmed display option; Display is brighter than before; Fluid performance; Lovely design options for both size options;

No game-changing improvements over Series 5; Sleep tracking raises battery charging questions; Altimeter doesn't feel well executed; Why do we have a blood oxygen monitor?;

Weirdly, the fact that the Apple Watch Series 6 is the very best smartwatch by a huge margin feels anticlimactic. That’s probably because the same was true of the Series 5, the Series 4, and even the Series 3.

Big; bright display; Solid ecosystem of third-party complications; Built-in sleep tracking

Still no third-party watch faces; Still no Android phone support; Blood oxygen monitoring is unreliable.

The Apple Watch Series 6 isn’t much different from the Series 5, and the changes that matter most aren’t necessarily the ones you can see. That said, we’ll never complain when an already great smartwatch gets practical improvements like faster performance, longer battery life and quicker charging.

Speedier performance; Faster charging; Slightly improved battery life; Timely handwashing feature

Sleep tracking in watchOS 7 isn’t super useful

The Apple Watch Series 6 is the best version of the best smartwatch in the world. But it might not be the right device for you. The classier materials, new colors and always-on display are key reasons to buy, as are ECG and SpO2 for those looking for a health watch.

SpO2 and ECG; New colors; The best version of the best smartwatch

The Apple Watch Series 6 is the best smartwatch on the market for an iPhone. It has better integration with the iPhone and is fast, fluid and responsive in a way that many rivals simply aren’t.

excellent haptics; great always-on screen; ECG; great health tracking; great activity tracking; 50m water resistance; solid battery; comfortable; quick-swap straps; Apple Pay.

expensive; only works with an iPhone; sleep tracking not great; blood oxygen data not that useful.

“The Apple Watch Series 6 is the most complete smartwatch package you can buy, and if you want the very best of everything Apple's wearable offers, it's the one to get.”

Comprehensive health and activity tracking; Reliable software; Always-on screen adds visual appeal; New blue; red; and gold colors look great; Apple S2 chip is a powerhouse

ECG and SpO2 measurements have limited real-world use

In my opening paragraphs to the Apple Watch SE review, I asked how Apple could improve on the already excellent Apple Watch formula, and the answer was to lower the price, which is where the Apple Watch SE succeeds. The question now becomes, where does that leave the $389-plus Apple Watch Series 6? How does it tempt you away from buying the SE, or to upgrade from a previous-generation model? Interestingly, it does so in a typically watch-like fashion, while making sure the nerdier among us also get our fill of new tech. Apple has not changed the look of the Apple Watch Series 6 from the Series 5, but it has done what many watchmakers do when they hit upon a popular design: They change the colors and introduce a special edition. You can buy the aluminum Apple Watch Series 6 with a blue case, a new gold case, or in a special (PRODUCT) RED finish, which joins the existing silver and space gray models. Along with the new case, colors come two new strap designs, the Solo Loop and Braided So...

Comprehensive health and activity tracking; Reliable software; Always-on screen adds visual appeal; New blue, red, and gold colors look great; Apple S2 chip is a powerhouse;

ECG and SpO2 measurements have limited real-world use;

42mm: 42.0 x 35.9 x 10.5mm 44mm: 44mm x 38mm x 10.4mm Even for $120 more than the SE, you’re getting a powerful set of features and sensors both for now and years from now. The Apple Watch Series 6 isn’t just Apple’s best smartwatch, it’s the best one you can find anywhere at any price.

New colors add newness to a timeless design; Excellent mix of foreground and background features; Impressive array of features and sensors

Battery life hasn't improved; On-demand blood-oxygen readings are finicky