In my many years testing running watches for WR, I’ve tried almost all the brands out there. And some may be surprised to know that of all the new releases we vye to test on the team, Apple Watch is always my pick.

Now, this is no shade at all to other brands – I’ve tried some incredible watches that will be the perfect fit for other runners. But the Apple Watch is the one that’s right for me, and I’m even more passionate about it now I’ve gotten my hands on the Apple Watch Series 12. Let’s talk about it…

Apple Watch Series 12 review

Apple Watch Series 12 technical details

RRP: starting at £369
Size: 42mm / 46mm
Battery life: Up to 24 hours of normal use, with fast charging
Waterproof rating: 50m water resistance

Does the Apple Watch Series 12 have its own GPS?

Yes it does, which is really handy if you don’t want to take your phone with you. It can handle other things without your phone around too, allowing you to access your fitness stats directly on the watch. You can also pre-download music onto it for a running soundtrack that doesn’t require your phone.

The GPS isn’t multi-band, which is offered in quite a few other running watches. This hasn’t been an issue for me – all my runs so far have been accurately tracked with even small route changes on multiple laps clearly visible in my run map. That being said, I’m not an ultra runner or someone who’s trying to shave seconds off a PB – a multi-band option may be better for those runners.

What’s the display like?

Display is one of the reasons I love the Apple Watch. If I’m wearing a watch all day to track my fitness, I also need it to be a smart watch. So when I’m considering the display, it’s about more than just how bright and clear it is on runs.

The screen isn’t huge, especially when compared to other running watches I’ve tried, but it doesn’t need to be. Apple know their stuff when it comes to communicating information clearly, both during run tracking and general life.

It has Always-On Retina display, which I appreciate as I like being able to see the time through the day without lifting my arm. It also has great resolution and can display images well, which is handy when images come in on WhatsApp. And there are so so so many different faces to choose from when you set the watch up. Again, this isn’t so important from a running perspective, but make it a really aesthetically-pleasing accessory to wear the rest of the time.

Does the Apple Watch Series 12 integrate well with other apps and devices?

This is where the watch truly shines for me. As an iPhone girl, the Apple Watch fits beautifully into my life and even improves it thanks to the seamless integration between the two. This is such a stark difference from other running watches I’ve used, which always require a lot of set-up to get the phone features I want on-screen.

Because of this, apps are also so incredibly easy to use with the Apple Watch. I use a number of different training apps, and they all instantly connected to my watch and launched the run or workout I was doing on the screen, slotting my stats into the Fitness app without any problems after my session. Again, this is a welcome departure from the fights I have previously had trying to get various run sessions to feed through from apps to other running watches.

Does it have good battery life?

Honestly, compared to most other running watches I’ve tried? No. But that isn’t really the MO of Apple Watch. All the extras that it offers over other watches come at the price of needing to charge it most days.

But the watch’s battery has come a long way in just a few years. A memorable incident for me was my former Apple Watch running out of battery about a minute before I finished London Marathon back in 2019, losing all my run data. It was truly devastating! These days, Apple Watches can cope with tracking a run for around 10 hours before the battery needs a charge. Plus they now have a fast-charge function, giving 12 hours of battery life in just 15 minutes, making it much easier to keep charged.

Is the battery life a problem for me? Also no. As a runner who currently maxes out at marathon distance, I haven’t even come close to needing more battery to track my daily activities and exercise. Ultra runners would probably need to consider a watch more designed with long battery life in mind.

Is the Apple Watch Series 12 comfortable to wear?

Yes. Its smaller size and ergonomic design make it probably the most comfortable smartwatch I’ve tried, especially for all-day and all-night wear. I’ve previously had trouble with watch bands irritating my skin when worn too long without a break. I really appreciate all the band options that are available with this watch. Personally, the Nike sport band (the one with the holes in!) is the best band for me in terms of preventing sweat build-up and irritation.

How does it compare to the previous version?

I didn’t personally try the Apple Watch Series 11, but I understand that the Series 12 has some impressive tracking updates that may well make it worth the upgrade.

This big thing is the heart rate sensing accuracy. To put it very unscientifically, the Series 12 has more of the flashing green lights on the back of the watch – which gives it much more accurate heart rate tracking. A study found that it now has the best heart rate accuracy in any wearable currently on the market, which is a boon for us runners.

The Series 12 also measures HRV and background heart rates more frequently (every 5 seconds), which helps to give a better overall picture of our health. And it has a brand new Daily Readiness Score which I found really useful. It looks at your sleep, your recent activities and your vitals and then gives you a number between 1 and 10 that tells you how ready you are for your day, and any exercise you’ll be doing during it. It compares well to similar scores given on other running watches and is a lovely add-on to the watch.

What running tracking does it offer?

On the watch itself, mid-run, you can see distance covered, pace, elevation, split paces and heart rate stats, plus heart rate zone info. This was plenty for me, though I would enjoy being able to see real-time cadence as well, as a chronic overstrider. You can also swipe to easily control the music or podcast that you’re listening do directly from the run tracking screen, which isn’t something I’ve found in all running watches but saves me a lot of faffing on my runs.

Afterwards, there’s even more detail available in the Fitness app. You can track your route and speeds on the map, as well as all of the classic running stats. It’s not quite as sophisticated as the analytics you get on some other watches I’ve tried, but had everything I wanted to know, as an average runner.

Should I buy the Apple Watch Series 12?

If you couldn’t tell, I’d highly recommend this watch! I think it would be great for everyone from beginner runners to marathon runners – especially if you’re an Apple user in other areas of your life. It’s brilliantly functional and easy to use, and provides all the tracking that the average runner would need to know. Oh, and it looks good too. Longer-distance runners or those who really love the nitty gritty of run analytics would probably need to look elsewhere, but I think this is a great choice for the everyday runner.