Technologies
Best Budget Noise-Canceling Headphones Under $100 for 2025
Get a set of premium noise-canceling headphones that are great for a budget.
Our Experts
- Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer
What to consider
How cheap?
You’d be surprised what difference an additional $20 makes when buying budget headphones.
Design
The right design, especially weight, means a lot for how headphones fit your head.
Comfort
Whether you’re only wearing these every couple of days or you plan to rarely take them off, the right headphones make a huge difference.
Durability
If headphones look cheap, there’s a good chance they may not last long.
Return policy
Know where you’re buying from, and what options are available to you if you end up not enjoying your purchase.
Editor’s note, Nov. 20: Black Friday falls on Nov. 28 and Cyber Monday is on Dec. 1, but the holiday deals are already in full swing. That means there should be plenty of opportunities to save on noise-canceling headphones and earbuds, as many top headphone brands, including Apple, Sony and Bose, discount certain models to their lowest prices of the year — or close to their lowest prices. Several models on this list should be on sale.
HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK
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After evaluating hundreds of wireless headphones over the last 10 years, I always look forward to testing the latest top premium noise-canceling models from Sony, Bose, Apple, Bowers & Wilkins and others. But I know a lot of people can’t afford those higher-end models or simply don’t want to spend that much on a headphone. That’s why I’m always on the lookout for value noise-canceling headphone options that fit comfortably and perform well for their more modest prices. While you probably aren’t going to get audiophile-grade sound in a sub-$100 headphone, you can get a set of cans that sounds quite good and has solid noise-canceling and voice-calling performance. If you prefer earbuds to over-ear headphones, I also have a lists for best cheap earbuds of 2025 and top wireless earbuds of 2025 that you should check out.
What’s the best cheap noise-canceling headphone overall?
The new Bose-infused Baseus Inspire XH1 lists for $150 but often sells for closer to $100 and delivers very good bang for the buck. I also like theSony CH-720N, which carries a similar street price to the Baseus and is one of my favorite value headphones.
Best cheap noise-canceling headphones for 2025
Pros
- Comfortable fit with an attractive, sturdy design
- Affordable price
- Very good sound for the price
- Decent noise-canceling and voice-calling performance
- Strong battery life
- Hard case included
Cons
- Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio mode doesn’t really improve the sound
- Noise canceling could be a little better
- No USB-C audio or ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off
Why I like them
Baseus has two new-for-2025 earbuds — the Inspire XP1 and Inspire XC1 — and one set of full-size headphones (the Inspire XH1) that feature Sound by Bose, and they’re all good values. They have impressive sound for their price, a more premium design than most «value» headphones and good performance overall. The XH1 are not only fairly lightweight (275 grams) and comfortable to wear, but they have decent build quality, respectable noise canceling and voice-calling performance, as well as very good battery life. I also liked how they not only fold up but fold flat and come with a carrying case and a 3.5mm cable for wired listening. Their controls for playback are also good, though I had to dig into the instructions to figure out that you hold down the volume buttons to advance tracks forward and back. Read review.
Reasons to buy
You’re looking for a comfortable, well-designed set of noise-canceling headphones that sound good and cost a lot less than premium models from Sony, Bose and others.
Reasons to skip/keep looking
Premium flagship models from Bose and Sony offer better sound and noise-canceling performance. In other words, you can only expect so much from headphones at this price.
Pros
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Good sound with very good noise canceling and ambient sound mode
- Good voice-calling performance
- Multipoint Bluetooth
- 35 hours of battery life
- Robust EQ settings
Cons
- No carrying case or pouch included
- Missing more advanced features like ear-detection sensors, LDAC audio codec support and Sony’s Quick Attention and Speak-To-Chat
Sony’s improved entry-level noise-canceling headphones, the CH-720Ns, have a bit of a plasticky, budget vibe, but they’re lightweight and very comfortable. Part of me was expecting them to sound pretty mediocre, but I was pleasantly surprised. No, they don’t sound as good as the WH-1000XM5s. But they sound more premium than they look (and feel), and their overall performance is a step up from their predecessor, the CH-710Ns. Are they worth $150? Maybe — or maybe not. But the good news is that, like the CH-710N and WH-XB910 before them, these have already seen significant discounts, with prices dropping to as low as $90 during flash sales.
Pros
- Well-designed and comfortable to wear
- Good sound quality and noise-canceling performance
- Strong feature set
- Strong battery life
Cons
- Voice-calling suffers in windy environments
- Carrying pouch leaves headphones vulnerable to damage
Why I like them
The well-designed and comfortable JBL Live 770NC offers some modest improvements over its predecessor, including better battery life (up to 65 hours with ANC off and 50 hours with ANC on) and Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio (via a future firmware upgrade). Equipped with 40mm drivers, you get bold, nicely defined sound with powerful bass that’s relatively tight. JBL’s Ambient Aware and TalkThru features are on board along with multipoint Bluetooth pairing (the one feature that’s missing is ear-detection sensors that pause your music when you take the headphones off). I thought the headphones’ noise muffling capabilities were good and callers said they could hear me well even in noisier environments except when the wind picked up around me. The headphones fold up and a simple carrying pouch (no hard case) is included along with a cable for wired listening.
Reasons to buy
If you can’t afford premium noise-canceling headphones from Bose, Sony and Apple, the JBL Live 700NC are a good alternative, offering good performance for a more modest price.
Reasons to skip/keep looking
These are easier to recommend when they’re on sale for less than $200 (or even less). They’re a bargain in the $150-$170 range.
Pros
- Eye-catching design with decent build quality and easilyswappable ear pads
- Good sound quality for sub-$100 headphones with strong bass performance
- Decent noise-canceling performance
- Support the LDAC audio codec for Android devices
- Good battery life
Cons
- Voice-calling performance could be a little better
- No USB-C audio
- A cloth carrying pouch is included but not a hard carrying case
- No ear-detection sensors to automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off
Why I like them
Nothing started out with a few different wireless earbuds but has now branched into the over-ear headphones market with its eye-catching Nothing Headphone (1) and the budget-oriented CMF Headphone Pro, which also have a pretty unique look and feature interchangeable ear pads in a few different color options.
I was expecting all that much from these headphones, but after using them for a week, they check a lot of boxes for a top value headphone, including a comfortable fit (they pretty lightweight at 283 grams), decent build quality and good sound quality that’s highlighted by powerful bass that can be dialed up or down with a slider control on the left ear cup (you can also tweak the sound in the companion app). The Skullcandy Crusher 2 headphones have a similar slider, but the CMF’s bass doesn’t get to head-rattling levels (the Crusher 2’s bass literally makes the headphones vibrate).
The CMF Headphone Pro don’t offer quite as good sound quality (they lack a little bit of clarity) as the Baseus Inspire XH1 , which cost a little more and come with a hard carrying case instead of a cloth pouch and not only fold flat but fold up (the CMF Headphone Pro only folds flat). But like the Inspire XH1, they have support for the higher-resolution LDAC audio codec for Android users and strong battery — up to 100 hours with noise canceling off at moderate volume levels.
I should also point out that the noise-canceling is decent and that you get a good amount of passive noise isolation from the plush memory foam ear pads. While voice-calling performance is decent enough (I give it a B or even a B-), it’s far from top tier in terms of reducing background noise while picking your voice up clearly. And I felt the same way about the transparency mode. A cable is include for wired listening but there’s no USB-C audio.
Reasons to buy
The CMF offer a better design, fit and sound quality than many budget noise-canceling headphones that cost a little less. While they’re not exceptionally good in any one area, they’re solid all-around headphones that deliver good bang for the buck, especially when they go on sale for $15-$20 less. They also have customization options with the swappable ear pads.
Reasons to skip, keep looking
Not everybody will love the look of these headphones and you can only expect so much from a set of headphones in this price range from a performance standpoint (they sound quite good for the price but not great).
Pros
- Comfortable fit for long wear
- Respectable sound with punchy bass
- Decent noise-canceling and voice-calling performance with two levels of ANC
- Support for high-quality LDAC audio codec with compatible devices
- Included hard carrying case and cable for wired listening
Cons
- Bit generic looking
- ANC disabled when in wired mode
- They’re a bit lacking in clarity and bass definition compared to more expensive models
Why I like them
Earfun has made some very solid budget earbuds, and now it’s entered the full-size ANC headphone space with a few different over-ear models, including the Wave Pro (add the code EWPROCNET at checkout on Amazon to receive an additional 10% off). While they may not sound as good as premium noise-canceling headphones from Bose or Sony, they’re comfortable to wear, feature decent sound with punchy bass (they’re a bit lacking in clarity and bass definition compared to more expensive models), and they offer respectable noise canceling (you can toggle between two levels of ANC) and voice-calling performance. The headphones do come with a cable for wired listening — you can plug into an inflight entertainment system — but the noise canceling cuts off when you’re in wired mode, which is unfortunate.
Reasons to buy
For less than $60, you’re getting decent sounding headphones with effective noise canceling that are comfortable to wear and have long battery lfie. They’re also one of the few budget headphones that come with a carrying case.
Reasons to skip/keep looking
If you’re a critical listener, these probably aren’t for you as these headphones lack the treble clarity and bass definition found in higher-end models.
Pros
- Comfortable fit for on-ear headphones
- Folding design
- Good sound quality
- Active noise canceling
- Very good battery life
Cons
- No case included
JBL’s Live 670NC and Tune 670NC are among the relatively small number of on-ear models that offer active noise canceling. They’re both relatively affordable, but the Live 670NC version has a more premium look and feel to it, with better ear pads that are clearly more durable. It also has sound that’s a little better, with 40mm drivers that offer good detail and punchy bass. Battery life is rated at up to 65 hours (or 50 hours with ANC on), and an extra four hours of battery with just five minutes of charge. This model includes the latest Bluetooth 5.3 (with LE Audio) and multipoint Bluetooth pairing. It also has JBL’s Ambient Aware (transparency mode) and TalkThru features. It’s available in black, white, blue and sandstone and comes with a cord for wired listening.
The headphones list for $130 but regularly dip to less than $100.
Pros
- Affordably priced
- Comfortable and well-designed
- Sound reasonably good for their low price
- Noise-canceling does a decent job muffling ambient sound
Cons
- No wired mode
- Clarity could be slightly better
- No carrying case
JLab still sells its older Studio Pro ANC wireless headphones for around $100, but its latest budget noise-canceling model is the Lux ANC Wireless. While they list for $80, they’ve dipped to as low as $46 during flash sales, and they’re a good value at $60. For budget headphones, they look pretty good (they don’t stick out from your head too much), are comfortable to wear with nicely padded ear cups and seem pretty well built (they fold up but no carrying pouch or case is included). As far as sound goes, while they just don’t offer the clarity of more premium headphones, they sound fairly decent and kick out a good amount of bass. Everything could be a little more well defined, but since they’re a bit on the warm side and have no treble harshness, you don’t experience any listening fatigue, which is one of the key things you want to avoid with headphones.
Noise canceling performance is decent (you can toggle between «smart» ANC on, ANC off and a transparency mode using the NC button on the headphones) and callers said they could hear me pretty well (though not great) when I used the headphones in the noisy streets of New York. They don’t have a port for a headphone cable so you can’t listen to them in wired mode (there’s no USB-C audio either). But they’re simple to use and the JLab companion app for iOS and Android allows you to tweak the sound profile, customize the touch controls and receive firmware updates. There’s also Bluetooth multipoint pairing and Android users can take advantage of support for Google Fast Pair and Google Find My Device.
Pros
- Strong feature set
- Very good sound quality for their price
- Decent noise canceling and voice calling
- LDAC audio codec support
Cons
- Bit bulky-looking
Available in three color options, the Soundcore Space One is Anker’s latest noise-canceling headphones. They’re a good value for around $100, offering a strong feature set along with good sound quality and performance. They can’t quite compete sound-wise with many of the premium noise-canceling models, but you don’t feel like you’re giving up that much on the sound front to save a good deal of money. They lack a bit of that natural, refined quality you look for in a great set of cans, but the Space One sounds respectable, with decent clarity and bass definition and measures up well to the more expensive Soundcore Space 45.
Noise-canceling and voice-calling performance are also good for headphones in this price range, although the transparency mode is only OK. Anker has developed a version of Sony’s Speak-to-Chat feature — Anker calls it Easy Chat — that automatically pauses your music and enters a transparency mode when you walk up to someone and start a conversation. The headphones are equipped with wear-detection sensors, a feature not usually found at this price, and include a carrying pouch. LDAC audio codec support is available for Android users.
I found them comfortable to wear, but they do look a bit bulky compared to more premium models.
Pros
- Comfortable
- Decent build quality for their price
- Good sound for their price
- Good battery life
Cons
- Voice-calling performance could be better
- Noise-canceling performance is fine but not great
As far as sound, comfort level and build quality go, you’d be hard-pressed to do better than Anker’s Soundcore Life Q30 for the money. It doesn’t have quite the clarity or bass definition as some of the top premium models, but it’s less than a third of the price and gets you about 75% of the way there in terms of sound. It’s well-balanced overall, with punchy bass, and there’s an app that allows you to tweak the sound. Noise-canceling is good for the price, although certainly not up to the level of the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones. Battery life is rated at an impressive 40 hours with USB-C charging.
The only area where the Q30 falls a little short is for voice calls. It picks up your voice fine in quieter environments but it just doesn’t reduce background noise all that well.
Compared to the Q20 (see below), the Q30 does offer improved sound (it’s not a huge difference, but it definitely is a notch up) and a more premium design. There’s also the newer Life Q35 ($100, currently out of stock), which adds support for Sony’s LDAC audio codec for high-resolution audio streaming with music services that support it.
Factors to consider when buying budget ANC headphones
How cheap?
Budget active noise-canceling headphones tend to range in price from $50 to $100. The question you’ll have to ask yourself is whether you’re looking for the cheapest ANC headphones, or are you willing to spend closer to $100? There usually is a significant difference between a set of ANC cans that cost $50 to $60 and ones that cost $80 to $100, particularly when it comes to build quality. If you’re looking for a step-up in audio performance, your best bet is to stick to the higher end of a budget price range.
Design
Budget headphones tend to be a little bulkier than more premium models and can also look and feel a little, well, cheap. All our picks on this list offer a reasonably good design (at a minimum), but some are more appealing than others. Finding a design that’s appealing to you is obviously important.
Fit
It’s key that the headphones you buy fit your head well. The key to good noise canceling headphones is the fit of the ear cups around your head, so the best pair should offer a comfortable fit that’s snug, yet not too snug. Ideally, you want headphones you can wear over a day with minimal breaks. Budget headphones can offer a comfortable fit, but more premium headphones tend to feature better memory foam and more ergonomic designs.
Durability
You want headphones that hold up well over time, so look for models that we note have sturdy build quality. Even budget models can come equipped with excellent resiliency in several tougher conditions.
Maximize performance and features for your budget
You want the best-sounding headphones with the best noise canceling, call quality and features like wireless charging for whatever you’re able to spend. Be sure to pack in as many features as you think you’ll need when choosing a set of headphones, even on a budget.
Return policy
It’s critical to buy your headphones at a retailer that has a good return policy, in case you have buyer’s remorse. Some people who are having trouble deciding between two models sometimes buy both, try them out for a few days, and then return one.
How we test budget noise-canceling headphones
We test budget noise-canceling headphones based on six key criteria: design, sound quality, noise-canceling performance, voice-calling performance, features and value.
Design
We assess not only how comfortably the headphones fit (their ergonomics) but also their build quality and how well the controls are implemented. Only a few full-size headphones have water- and dust-resistance ratings, so those that are more durable are noted in this list.
Sound quality
We evaluate sound quality by listening to a set playlist of tracks from various music styles and comparing headphones to top competing products. Sonic traits such as bass definition, clarity, dynamic range and how natural the headphones sound are key factors in our assessment, especially as noise-canceling features can sometimes hinder audio production. If your biggest use case is listening to music, this factor will be a key determinant in choosing your new headphones.
Noise-canceling performance
Because each model on this list features Active Noise Canceling (ANC), we evaluate ANC performance by wearing the headphones in the same spot indoors near a noisy HVAC unit to see how well they do at muffling lower frequencies. Then we head out onto city streets to test the headphones in a real-world environment where we see how they do at muffling not only traffic noise but also people’s voices.
Additional features
Some great-sounding budget noise-canceling headphones aren’t loaded with features, but we do take into account what extra features are on board. These include everything from quick-access awareness with touch controls to transparency modes (your music pauses and the headphones open up to the outside world so you can have a conversation) to special sound modes to ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off your ears. We also take a look at the companion/control app for the headphones (if there is one) and how user-friendly the app controls are.
Voice-calling
When we test voice-calling performance, we make calls on noisy city streets and evaluate how well the headphones or earbuds reduce background noise and how clearly callers can hear our voices.
Value
We determine value after considering the strength of the headphones against all these criteria and what they’re able to deliver compared with other models in their price class. Because the models on this list are priced similarly, we’re sure to compare each one head-to-head to deliver you the best value.
Other budget noise-canceling headphones we tested
Edifier W830NB: The Edifier W830NB remain a good value noise-canceling headphone pick. They look slightly more premium than their predecessor, W820NB Plus, and and are fairly lightweight (265 grams) and comfortable, with cushy memory foam ear pads. They also sound very good for their price, offering decent clarity and fairly well-defined bass with an amply wide sound stage (they lack the refinement and depth of higher-end headphones, but you can’t expect the world from sub-$80 headphones). You can tweak the sound profile in Edifier’s companion app for iOS and Android.
QCY H3 Pro: QCY is another Chinese brand like Tribit, Earfun and plenty of others that make budget-priced headphones that sound better than you’d think they would for their relatively low price (the company says the Q stands for quality, C stands for creative and Y stands for youth). Its new-for-2024 H3 Pro headphones are similar to models in this price range from 1More, Tribit and Edifier, but they arguably sound a touch better and I found them relatively comfortable to wear, as they feature a lightweight design and memory foam ear pads.
1More SonoFlow: The design of 1More’s SonoFlow headphones reminds me a little of some earlier Sony headphones and also the newer Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4. They’re a bit generic looking but sleek enough and more importantly, comfortable to wear. They also feature very respectable sound quality. It doesn’t quite measure up to the sound quality of what’ll get with more premium models like the Momentum Wireless 4, it isn’t that far off. The SonoFlow headphones deliver smooth sound with good clarity and relatively well-defined bass (they’re just not quite as rich or dynamic sounding as those premium models I mentioned). They also have support for the LDAC audio codec.
OneOdio A10: The OneOdio A10s deliver more than you’d expect for their relatively modest price. They’re not only built better than you think they would be for around $80 and are pretty comfortable to wear. They have a dual-hinge design and feel sturdy, weighing in at 395 grams. They sound surprisingly decent and have reasonably good noise canceling with a transparency mode (which has a slight audible hiss). No, they’re not as comfortable as Bose’s and Sony’s models (they do feel a tad heavy) and their sound lacks that extra bit of clarity, bass definition and depth that more premium headphones tend to deliver. They did exceed my expectations and come with a decent carrying case, even if the OneOdio logo splayed across it is a bit garish.
JBL Tune 670NC: The JBL Tune 670NC is one of a relatively small number of on-ear headphones to offer active noise canceling. It’s something of a value model — no carrying case is included — but it does have memory foam ear pads that get you a comfortable fit for an on-ear headphone. Deliver clear sound with punch bass, it has 32mm drivers and improves on its predecessor’s battery life, offering up to a whopping 70 hours (or 44 hours with ANC on), and an extra three hours of battery with just five minutes of charge.
Budget noise-canceling headphone FAQs
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, Dec. 13
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 13.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s so long, it’s almost not a mini version today. Read on for the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Field trip vehicle
Answer: BUS
4A clue: Peter’s antagonist, in a musical tale
Answer: WOLF
8A clue: «Keep me posted,» in texts
Answer: LMK
9A clue: Opera solo
Answer: ARIA
10A clue: ___Pen (emergency device)
Answer: EPI
11A clue: With 12-Across, gets in order
Answer: SETS
12A clue: With 14-Across, what a tennis champ might win a match in
Answer: STRAIGHT
14A clue: See 12-Across
Answer: SETS
15A clue: «A long time ___ in a galaxy far, far away …»
Answer: AGO
16A clue: Shy and gentle
Answer: MEEK
17A clue: Prefix with apology or answer
Answer: NON
18A clue: Comes to a close
Answer: ENDS
19A clue: Have to pay
Answer: OWE
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: «Goodness gracious!»
Answer: BLESSME
2D clue: Indefinitely many, informally
Answer: UMPTEEN
3D clue: Avoided, as an issue
Answer: SKIRTED
4D clue: «Now, where ___?»
Answer: WASI
5D clue: Green topping at a pizza parlor
Answer: OREGANO
6D clue: John who played Churchill on «The Crown»
Answer: LITHGOW
7D clue: Sneaky trick to «pull»
Answer: FASTONE
13D clue: Doesn’t just assume one has permission
Answer: ASKS
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Technologies
Apple Watch Series 11 vs. Series 10: Are the Differences Enough to Justify Upgrading?
At first glance, the new Apple Watch Series 11 looks a lot like its previous-year model. We compare the specs to see what’s changed.
If you’re looking at getting an Apple Watch this holiday season, you have a tough choice: Should you buy the latest Apple Watch Series 11, or find a Series 10 that has most of the same features at a lower cost? Apple made incremental changes to its flagship smartwatch, while also introducing significant improvements to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3.
There are still enough differences to make you look twice at moving up (especially if you’re coming from an older model). Let’s compare the models side by side and tease out the finer details.
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Pricing the Apple Watch Series 11
The Series 11 has kept the same price as the Series 10. It starts at $399 for the model with an aluminum body or $699 for one made of titanium.
Add $30 for the larger 46mm case size in aluminum, or $50 for titanium. Opting for a model with a cellular radio that connects independently to networks adds $100. And if you choose a band made of something other than rubber or textile — a stainless steel link bracelet, for example — the price climbs further. Unfortunately, you can’t order just the watch case; you have to select a new band, even if it ends up in your drawer in favor of one you already own and prefer.
There’s also a titanium Apple Watch Hermès model available in silver titanium in both sizes that starts at $1,249.
Apple no longer sells the Series 10, since the Series 11 replaces it, but you can still find refurbished Series 10 models for less from Apple, and new models from other retailers while supplies last.
Apple Watch Series 11 vs. Series 10: Outward design
The Series 11 and Series 10 share the same case design and materials. The larger model measures 46mm tall by 39mm wide, while the smaller comes in at 42mm by 36mm. (Kudos to Apple for continuing to offer two sizes to accommodate people with different-sized wrists.) They’re also both 1mm slimmer than the Apple Watch models that came before, at 9.7mm.
Despite being mostly the same in dimensions, the Series 11 is slightly heavier than the Series 10. For example, the 46mm aluminum GPS Series 11 weighs 37.8 grams, up slightly from 36.4 grams for the Series 10. The 42mm versions come in at 30.3 grams and 30.0 grams, respectively.
For colors, the Series 11 adds a space gray aluminum option to go along with rose gold, silver and jet black. Both models are also available in titanium finishes of slate, gold and natural.
The physical controls are unchanged: the dial that Apple calls the Digital Crown and a side button (that Apple cleverly calls the «side button»). Only the Apple Watch Ultra includes a third physical control: the Action button.
Also noteworthy: The titanium Series 11 is made of 100% recycled titanium, up from 95% recycled material in the titanium Series 10. The display glass is made of 40% recycled glass in the Series 11; no amount is listed for the Series 10. And the battery in the Series 11 uses 100% recycled cobalt and 95% recycled lithium. (The Series 10 lists only 100% recycled cobalt.)
Series 11 vs. Series 10 screens
The screens on both the Series 11 and Series 10 watches have a wide-angle LTPO 3 OLED display. That means it’s easier to see the contents from an angle, and the always-on display refreshes once per second, allowing the seconds counter to move even when the watch is in inactive mode.
LTPO3 screens are also more power efficient. The screens reach up to 2,000 nits for clear visibility in sunlight and dim down to just 1 nit in darkness.
The key difference between the Series 11 and Series 10 screens lies in the glass covering. On the Series 11 aluminum models, Apple uses Ion-X glass, which it claims is twice as scratch-resistant as the glass on previous aluminum versions. The titanium Series 11 uses a sapphire crystal display.
Apple Watch processor and chips
Normally we’d highlight how the new processor improves on its predecessor, but for 2025 Apple stuck with the same S10 processor found in the Series 10. That also means the other chips remain the same, too: the W3 Apple Wireless chip, the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip (for precise Find My location tracking), a four-core Neural Engine and 64GB of storage.
Battery power: Series 11 vs. Series 10
Battery life is where the two models get really interesting. Apple doesn’t reveal how large the built-in lithium-ion battery is or its capacity, but it is claiming up to 24 hours for the Series 11 compared to 18 hours for the Series 10. In Low Power Mode, that’s up to 38 hours for the Series 11, up from 36 hours in the Series 10.
It’s not entirely clear where Apple squeezed an extra six hours of battery life out of what appears to be mostly identical hardware. Both phones use the same S10 processor, though there are likely software optimizations in WatchOS 26. CNET lead writer Vanessa Hand Orellana found that, at least initially, Apple may be undercounting the battery performance, writing in her review, «With notifications turned on (heavy Slack-ing and texting), at least one 30- to 45-minute outdoor workout a day, a full night of sleep tracking and some mild flashlight use, I’ve consistently managed to squeeze between 27 and 32 hours per charge.»
As for charging the watches, both the Series 11 and Series 10 can be charged up to 80% in about 30 minutes. Apple says that with a 20W power adapter, 15 minutes of fast charging provides up to 8 hours of regular use, while just five minutes is enough for eight hours of sleep tracking — thanks to the watch’s much lower power demands while you’re asleep. Apple’s comparison information for the Series 10 doesn’t list those last two metrics, but that seems more due to it being a marketing point last year versus a new capability in the Series 11.
Comparing the sensors of the Series 11 and Series 10
The Apple Watch’s sensors power health features that range from heart-rate monitoring to depth sensing to precise location tracking. That said…
They’re identical in the Series 11 and Series 10. No changes here.
Another change: Connectivity in the Series 11 and Series 10
One of the more notable changes in the cellular models of the Series 11 is support for 5G networks, specifically a power-efficient type called 5G Reduced Capacity (or 5G RedCap). That allows it to connect to both 5G and LTE networks without having to go through a connected iPhone, and the 5G speeds should be better. By comparison, the cellular Series 10 supports LTE and UMTS (3G).
Part of incorporating 5G into the Series 11 models is a redesigned cellular antenna and an algorithm that «simultaneously engages the two system antennas when needed, significantly increasing the signal strength,» according to Apple’s Series 11 press release. That algorithm is exclusive to the Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, per Apple.
Both Apple Watch models support Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) at 2.5GHz and 5GHz speeds. (Apple’s comparison page only lists the speeds for the Series 11, but an Apple Watch Wi-Fi support page notes 5GHz has been supported since the Series 6 watches.)
Both watches talk to the iPhone and other peripherals using Bluetooth 5.3.
WatchOS 26 on the Apple Watch Series 11 and Series 10
The new features of WatchOS 26 come to both watch models, including hypertension notifications, Sleep Score and the Blood Oxygen app (making its reappearance in the US amid an ongoing legal dispute). Apple’s comparison page lists the new Wrist Flick gesture for the Series 11 but not the Series 10, but that must be a typo because I can confirm that it works on my Series 10 watch.
Apple Watch Series 11 vs. Apple Watch Series 10
| Apple Watch Series 11 | Apple Watch Series 10 | |
| Design & sizes | Rectangular, 42mm, 46mm | Rectangular, 42mm, 46mm |
| Display | 42mm: 446 x 374 pixels, LTPO3 OLED Retina display, Wide-angle OLED 46mm: 416 x 496 pixels, LTPO3 OLED Retina display, Wide-angle OLED | 446 x 374 ppi, LTPO3 OLED Retina display, Wide-angle OLED |
| Brightness | Between 1 and 2000 nits | 2000 nits |
| Thickness & weight | 46mm size: 9.7mm; 37.8g (aluminum), 36.9g (aluminum GPS+Cellular), 43.1g (titanium) 42mm size: 9.7mm; 30.3g (aluminum), 29.7g (aluminum GPS+Cellular), 34.6g (titanium) | 9.7mm; 30-41.7g (46mm titanium model) |
| Material & finish | Aluminum: jet black, rose gold or silver finish; titanium: slate, gold or natural finish | Aluminum: jet black, rose gold or silver finish; titanium: slate, gold or natural finish |
| Durability | 5ATM Water + IP6X (dust) | 5ATM Water + IP6X (dust) |
| Battery life | Up to 24 hours, up to 38 hours Low Power (always-on) + Fast charge: 80% in 30 min, 100% in 60 min | 24-30 (always-on) + Fast charge: 80% in 30 min, 100% in 60 min |
| Sensors | ECG, 3rd-gen optical heart sensor, skin temp, depth gauge, SpO2, Noise monitoring, water temperature, compass | ECG, heart rate, skin temp, depth gauge, SpO2, Noise monitoring |
| Emergency features | Satellite SOS, Emergency SOS, Fall detection, Crash detection, Check in and Backtrack | Emergency SOS, Fall detection, Crash detection, Check in and Backtrack |
| AI & coaching | Siri (voice assistant); Workout Buddy | Siri (voice assistant); Workout Buddy |
| Processor | S10 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor, W3 Apple wireless chip | S10 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor, W3 Apple wireless chip |
| RAM/Storage | 64GB (storage) | 64GB (storage) |
| Payments | Apple Pay | Apple Pay |
| Price (US) | $399-$750 (titanium) | $399-$750 (titanium) |
Technologies
Resident Evil Requiem: Release Date, Leon Kennedy’s Return Confirmed and More
The return to Raccoon City is going to be just as scary as you could have imagined.
The Game Awards on Thursday revealed new games such as Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic and Control Resonant, but one of the biggest games shown was already revealed earlier in the year. Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth entry in the main Resident Evil series and takes players back to where the games started while seeing the return of a fan-favorite character.
A new trailer for Resident Evil Requiem finally reveals the antagonist of the game and confirms that Leon Kennedy is back, though it’s unclear what he’s been doing since Resident Evil 6. Also shown in the footage was Victor Gideon, a former doctor who looks like he’s been experimenting on people — and himself — as he intimidates the other main character players will control, Grace Ashcroft.
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Resident Evil Requiem made its debut during the Summer Games Fest in June, and developer Capcom slowly released details about the upcoming horror game. What’s clear from the previously released footage and impressions is that Capcom really wants to terrify players — and it’ll go so far as to put players in Grace’s shoes without weapons.
When does Resident Evil Requiem come out?
Resident Evil Requiem will be released on Feb. 27, 2026, for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series consoles.
When does Resident Evil Requiem take place?
Resident Evil Requiem takes place 30 years after the events of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, which was when Raccoon City was destroyed.
How will Resident Evil Requiem play?
After the trailer was shown, Game Awards host Geoff Keighley said Leon would bring «action-heavy gameplay» and that the game would offer two different experiences. This could mean that a good chunk of the game will be played as Grace, who will provide more of a survival-horror experience with fewer weapons and tools, while a portion of the game will be focused on Leon and his more chainsaw-wielding, kicking-in-the-face style of gameplay.
Read more: I Played Resident Evil 9 Requiem at Summer Game Fest, and It’s Extremely Messed Up
Who is Grace Ashcroft?
Grace Ashcroft is an FBI analyst who has a connection with Raccoon City. Her mother, Alyssa, was a survivor of the destruction of Raccoon City and was a playable character in the online game Resident Evil Outbreak, released on the PS2 in 2003. The elder Ashcroft was a reporter who told the story of what happened to the zombie-infested city, but was killed by a masked assailant in 2018.
Her murder spurred Grace to join the FBI. In Requiem, a mysterious infection is spreading, and deaths are mounting. Grace is assigned to investigate the Wrenwood Hotel, the place where the latest fatality has occurred, and which was the site of her mother’s murder. It’s from here that she’ll make her way to Raccoon City.
Where has Leon Kennedy been?
Leon was last seen in the series with Resident Evil 6, but he’s been active in the Resident Evil animated movies and series, including Resident Evil: Degeneration, Resident Evil: Damnation, Resident Evil: Vendetta, Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness and Resident Evil: Death Island. Leon is currently an agent for the Division of Security Operations and is deployed worldwide to investigate instances of bioweapons causing havoc, which often leads to reunions with other Resident Evil survivors, such as Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield and Rebecca Chambers.
Are there any other characters set to be revealed?
A GameStop listing for Resident Evil Requiem listed the Expansion Pass for the game and the additional scenarios, according to a report from Videogame Chronicles on Tuesday. One scenario referred to a Shadow Walker Costume Pack, which includes outfits for Rosemary Winters, the daughter of Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil Village hero Ethan Winters. Rosemary was the main character of Shadows of Rose, a postrelease content scenario for Resident Evil Village.
There could be additional characters revealed in the coming days as Resident Evil Requiem’s release date nears.
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