Reviews published ahead of Apple’s Sept. 18 launch of the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 broadly praised their redesigned health-sensing systems, faster S11 chip and improved charging. The standard Series 12 starts at $399, while the Ultra 4 starts at $799; both retain designs close to their predecessors [macrumors.com][pcmag.com][pcmag.com]. Reviewers found the Series 12’s new Readiness score, more frequent heart-rate and HRV measurements, and contextual Siri features useful. The Ultra 4’s main hardware advantage is its endurance for outdoor users. Exterior changes are limited, and reviewers noted that Audio Intelligence features, including Live Rewind and Siri Recap, were unavailable for testing and are scheduled for later this year [wired.com][9to5mac.com][engadget.com][tomsguide.com]. Highlights: • Battery testing: PCMag measured 54.5 hours for the Series 12 and 74 hours for the Ultra 4, exceeding Apple’s standard-use estimates in its tests [pcmag.com][pcmag.com]. • Health comparison: Apple cited a study of more than 1,400 participants comparing the Series 12 with chest-strap ECG readings and competing watches, though the study was presented by Apple [mobilesyrup.com]. • Connectivity distinction: PCMag identified 5G and emergency satellite communications as Ultra 4 features, while noting that many of the new health and processor upgrades are shared with the Series 12 [pcmag.com]. • Design tradeoff: The Series 12 display area is about 2% smaller than the Series 10 and 11 despite unchanged pixel count, while the case is about 1 millimeter wider [9to5mac.com]. Perspectives: PCMag praised the Series 12’s contextual Siri and redesigned sensors but recorded minor heart-rate inaccuracies during testing [pcmag.com]. (PCMag) Engadget rated the Series 12 9.1 out of 10, praising its expanded gesture support while finding quirks in watchOS 27’s dynamic app grid [engadget.com]. (Engadget) Hodinkee viewed the new models as a stronger upgrade for owners of watches several generations old than for people who bought last year’s models [hodinkee.com]. (Hodinkee) Sources: • Apple Watch Series 12 Review: Creepy or Cool? A Little of Both | All Things Mobile - youtube.com • Apple Watch Series 12 Review: Finally, a Readiness Score (2026) - wired.com • Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 review: More personal than ever before - 9to5mac.com • Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 reviewers praise health upgrades - appleinsider.com • Apple Watch Series 12 reviews: two-day battery life and better health tracking - techspot.com • The Apple Watch Series 12 Is The Start Of A New Wearable Era - digitechbytes.com • Apple Watch Series 12 vs. Ultra 4: Is the Ultra Worth Twice the Price? - pcmag.com • Apple Watch Ultra 4 Review: This Battery Beast Lasts Longer Than Ever - pcmag.com • Apple Watch Series 12 Review: A New Era of Wrist-Based AI Has Arrived - pcmag.com • Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Reviews: Look Out, Oura Ring - macrumors.com • The Apple Watch Series 12 is the start of a new wearable era - The Verge - google.com • Apple Watch Series 12 review: Catching up and catching heat - engadget.com • Apple Watch Ultra 4 Review: The smartwatch for the health-conscious - mashable.com • Apple Watch Series 12 Review: Worthwhile upgrade, looking forward to Audio Intelligence - mobilesyrup.com • Hands-On: The Apple Watch Series 12 And Ultra 4 - hodinkee.com • Apple Watch Series 12 review: A new heart rate sensor and a readiness score make this the best smartwatch on the market - tomsguide.com • Series 12 und Ultra 4 im ersten Test: Was bringen die neuen Apple Watches? - derbund.ch • Apple Watch 12 & Ultra 4: Die ersten Tests sind da - macerkopf.de • Apple Watch: Ersteindruck der neuen Modelle - iphone-ticker.de • Apple Watch Series 12 vs. Series 11: Is the Upgrade Actually Worth It? - pcmag.com • Apple Watch Ultra 4 review: I ran 22 miles to test Apple’s ultimate adventure watch - tomsguide.com • Apple Watch Series 12 Heart Rate Test vs Garmin, Pixel Watch and More - iphoneincanada.ca • [DC Rainmaker] Apple Watch Ultra 4 In-Depth Review: As Good As the Hype? - reddit.com • Unboxing the Apple Watch Series 12 at Apple Park - youtube.com --- 📰 Story aggregated by Kagi News