Apple Watch Series 12 gives buyers more choice of case material than Apple has offered on its mainstream smartwatch in years, with aluminum and titanium joined by the return of ceramic.
The underlying Series 12 experience is largely the same whichever material you choose. All three are built around Apple’s new S11 chip, Health Sensing System and Readiness features, so the decision is primarily about appearance, materials, durability and how much you want to spend.
Our complete Apple Watch Series 12 guide covers everything else that has changed this year, but if you have already decided on Series 12, here is how the three case options differ.
Apple Watch Series 12 aluminum
Aluminum remains the entry point to Apple Watch Series 12 and is likely to be the right choice for most buyers.
Apple offers the aluminum model in dark bronze, black, light gold and space gray, giving it the widest selection of finishes of the three materials.
There is also an important durability improvement this year.
Aluminum Series 12 models use Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says is 60% tougher than the Ion-X glass used on Apple Watch Series 11. That helps narrow one of the traditional differences between the entry-level Apple Watch and Apple’s more expensive configurations.
For anyone primarily interested in the new Series 12 features rather than the case material itself, aluminum is the obvious place to start.
Apple Watch Series 12 titanium
Titanium sits above aluminum and gives Series 12 a more premium metal finish without requiring buyers to move up to Apple Watch Ultra 4.
Series 12 titanium is available in radiant gold and natural finishes.
Apple is also using a different manufacturing process this time. The titanium case is 3D printed using 100% recycled titanium, reducing the amount of material required to produce it.
The main reason to choose titanium is not additional technology. You are paying for the material and finish while retaining the relatively lightweight feel that makes Apple Watch practical to wear throughout the day and overnight.
For buyers who want something more premium than aluminum but prefer metal over ceramic, titanium occupies the middle ground.
Apple Watch Series 12 ceramic
Ceramic is easily the most distinctive option this year.
The Apple Post reported before Apple’s event that ceramic could return with Apple Watch Series 12 after disappearing from the lineup several generations ago.
Apple ultimately did bring it back, offering Series 12 in pearl white and night blue ceramic.
Pearl white delivers the classic look associated with Apple’s previous ceramic watches, while night blue takes the material in a much darker direction.
Its appeal is also very different from aluminum. Ceramic is not the model to choose because you need a particular health or performance feature. It is there for buyers who want their Apple Watch to look and feel noticeably different from the versions most people will be wearing.
For anyone who remembers Apple’s earlier ceramic Edition models, its return also makes Series 12 one of the more interesting Apple Watch releases in years.
Do they have different health features?
No. Choosing aluminum does not mean giving up the headline health features available on the more expensive versions.
Apple Watch Series 12 introduces a new Health Sensing System across the lineup, combining redesigned optical and electrical heart sensors with the S11 chip.
Series 12 can measure heart rate every five seconds throughout the day, while heart-rate variability can be measured up to 24 times more frequently than before.
The additional data also feeds into Readiness, which combines recent activity, training load, vitals and sleep into a score from 0 to 10. Apple then uses that score to suggest whether you should Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready or Go For It.
Those are Series 12 features rather than benefits reserved for titanium or ceramic.
That means there is little reason to move beyond aluminum purely for functionality. The more expensive materials are primarily about which Apple Watch you want on your wrist.
Which Apple Watch Series 12 material should you buy?
For most people, aluminum is the sensible choice.
You get the S11 chip, Health Sensing System, Readiness and the rest of the core Series 12 experience, while Ceramic Shield 2 makes the durability argument for spending more less clear-cut than it was in previous generations.
Titanium is the better choice if you want a more premium metal watch and are willing to spend more for the case material and finish. It also makes sense for buyers who like the premium feel of Apple Watch Ultra but do not want its larger, more rugged design.
Ceramic is the enthusiast option.
There is no major feature unlocked by choosing it, but that is not really the point. Pearl white and night blue give Series 12 a completely different character from the aluminum and titanium models, while marking the return of a material Apple has not offered on its mainstream watch lineup for years.
Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399 in the United States and is available to pre-order now, with availability beginning Friday, September 18.