How to choose which Apple Watch to buy

Editor’s note: Due to a patent quality with aesculapian instrumentality shaper Masimo, caller Apple Watch Series 9, 10, and Ultra 2 units sold successful the US no longer person the humor oxygen feature. Older models are unaffected. You tin archer if you person a portion with the humor oxygen diagnostic disabled if the portion fig ends successful LW/A.

It utilized to beryllium casual to prime an Apple Watch. All you had to bash was take whether you wanted the larger exemplary oregon the smaller one. Then Apple added optional cellular connectivity. Then, a much affordable Watch SE (now successful its second generation) and, successful 2022, the rugged Apple Watch Ultra (also present successful its second generation). Suddenly, determination are lots of options.

Now that Apple has released the Series 10, perfectly bully older versions of the Apple Watch are getting discounted arsenic retailers effort to bare their inventory. You whitethorn besides spot much refurbished versions of these older models popular up. If you’re funny successful much premium materials, similar stainless steel, this is simply a large mode to get a fancier mentation of past year’s watch. You won’t beryllium missing retired connected excessively much, either. The past fewer years person seen iterative updates successful presumption of hardware — and the bulk of caller features travel from bundle updates. With that said, support successful caput that the latest mentation of watchOS, watchOS 11, doesn’t enactment the Series 4, 5, and first-gen SE.

Buying refurbished is 1 mode that you whitethorn beryllium capable to upgrade from an older exemplary without giving up humor oxygen. Due to a patent conflict with Masimo, caller Series 9 and Ultra 2 models sold successful the US aft January 18th, 2024, no longer person this feature. This is not a large woody for astir people, but if that diagnostic is important to you, older watches and Series 9 and Ultra 2 units sold by Apple earlier January 18th, 2024, inactive had the feature. (As bash watches overseas. The prohibition lone impacts US units.)

What astir the caller Series 10? In a nutshell, it’s got a bigger screen, it’s astir 10 percent thinner, and it’s lighter than erstwhile models. It’s besides got a caller FDA-cleared slumber apnea detection feature. There are a ton of caller colors and finishes, with titanium replacing stainless steel. All successful all, it’s an iterative update but 1 we find meaningful successful presumption of readability and wearability.

So overmuch prime tin pb to investigation paralysis. But don’t worry. I’ve tested each azygous mentation of the Apple Watch you tin bargain close present — successful summation to basically each different fittingness ticker and smartwatch connected the market — and tin steer you successful the close direction.

Should you get an Apple Watch?

The Apple Watch is the champion wide smartwatch for iPhone users. Many smartwatches are amended than the Apple Watch for hardcore athletes, adjacent with the Ultra models successful the mix. But different watches autumn abbreviated erstwhile it comes to productivity, information features, controlling your astute home, and interacting with different Apple devices and services. And the Apple Watch has the astir robust third-party app ecosystem of immoderate smartwatch connected the market. 

By their nature, wearables are incredibly idiosyncratic devices — and you won’t get the benefits of an Apple Watch if you don’t deterioration it regularly. The past happening you privation is to walk hundreds of dollars connected a happening that ends up collecting particulate successful a drawer. The champion mode to debar this is to stack the platform successful your favour and prioritize comfort. Before you effort to commencement mulling implicit which Apple Watch exemplary you should get, instrumentality a 2nd to fig retired which size and strap worldly volition champion acceptable your wrist. 

The SE and Series watches travel successful 2 sizes each. The SE comes successful 40mm and 44mm, portion the Series 7, 8, and 9 are 41mm and 45mm. The caller Series 10 ups the size again to 42mm and 46mm. The larger models are amended for readability, portion the smaller ones are much comfy for those with petite wrists. Both the SE and the Series watches person aluminum cases, but the Series 10 present comes successful titanium, too. (Older models travel successful stainless steel.) Most radical volition beryllium good with aluminum, but if you’re clumsy oregon precise active, you’ll payment from the other durability offered by stainless alloy oregon titanium. You mightiness besides conscionable similar the look amended — and that’s valid since watches are a idiosyncratic portion of tech. Just beryllium prepared to wage a fewer 100 bucks much for that.

As for straps, we urge the nylon athletics loop, arsenic it’s the astir breathable option, has the easiest clasp, and is little irritating than the silicone options, which is large for delicate skin. If you privation much fashionable options, we urge checking retired Amazon oregon Etsy for a wider assortment of styles and much affordable pricing. You’ll privation to cheque 3rd parties for leather accessories, too, arsenic Apple announced successful 2023 that it would nary longer marque leather accessories successful a bid to execute c neutrality.

The Ultra and Ultra 2 some travel successful 1 size — 49mm — and with titanium cases. They travel with their ain peculiar straps, too: the Trail Loop, Alpine Loop, and Ocean Band. As their names suggest, they’re geared toward runners, hikers, and divers, but you tin prime whichever 1 suits your fancy. We urge the Trail Loop, arsenic it’s the lightest and astir versatile of the three. All the Ultra straps enactment with immoderate 44mm oregon 45mm Series watch, and the Ultra is compatible with immoderate 44mm oregon 45mm Apple Watch strap.

And portion the Apple Watch is the champion smartwatch you tin get arsenic an iPhone user, you tin besides ever cheque retired our fitness tracker buying guide.

Apple Watch Series, SE, oregon Ultra?

This year’s Series 10 is simply a much humble update. It chiefly focuses connected making the watches much comfy portion adding a larger, wide-angle OLED display. If you’re upgrading from an older model, you’ll decidedly announcement that you tin spot much from the wrist. The speakers present play euphony and podcasts, and dependable isolation connected calls has been improved. There’s an added extent and h2o somesthesia sensor, which makes it a amended companion for h2o sports arsenic well. Fast charging has besides been meaningfully improved. On the wellness front, Apple has brought FDA-cleared slumber apnea detection to the watch, on with the Series 9 and Ultra 2.

We urge the second-gen Apple Watch SE for younger people and first-time smartwatch buyers. If you’re upgrading from an earlier Apple Watch, you privation an always-on display, oregon you privation much precocious wellness tracking, you should see the Series 10. And if you privation the brightest screen, the champion durability and artillery life, and adjacent much precocious fittingness features, we urge the Ultra 2.

The Series 10 is Apple’s flagship smartwatch. Compared to earlier models, it’s going to get you the fastest processor, speedy charging, a larger display, and each the latest sensors. Prices commencement astatine $399 for the 42mm mentation and $429 for the 46mm. Adding LTE connectivity volition adhd $100 to the price, positive immoderate your bearer charges for the service. Prices commencement astatine $699 for the polished titanium models.

The second-gen SE has a nylon composite back, which helps shave $30 disconnected the original’s price. You tin get a cellular version, and it supports galore of the aforesaid precocious features arsenic the last-gen Series 8, similar autumn detection, exigency calling, Fitness Plus, Apple Pay, and Family Setup. The biggest quality is that it lacks an always-on display, the EKG sensor, the somesthesia sensors, and the SpO2 sensor. The show is besides somewhat smaller connected some sizes of the SE. It starts astatine $249 for the 40mm and $279 for the 44mm. Adding LTE volition tack connected an other $50 successful summation to your carrier’s fees. 

To beryllium perfectly honest, if you’re young and healthy, you’re not truly missing retired connected EKG oregon SpO2. (Also, caller watches sold successful the US presently person the SpO2 diagnostic disabled anyway.) The SE’s bosom complaint sensor is inactive susceptible of providing abnormal bosom complaint alerts. Right now, Apple’s SpO2 features are constricted to spot checks. There’s not overmuch you tin bash with that information, and dissimilar the EKGs, this is lone cleared for wide wellness purposes. It volition not beryllium capable to regenerate a fingertip pulse oximeter, and you should ne'er usage it successful this way.

The main intent of the EKG sensor is to alteration atrial fibrillation detection — and if your doctor’s fixed you a cleanable measure of health, you volition apt lone usage this diagnostic erstwhile oregon twice. According to the American Heart Association, the biggest hazard factors for AFib are precocious age, underlying bosom conditions, precocious humor pressure, household history, and slumber apnea, among different manner choices. If this doesn’t use to you, the SE is inactive going to springiness you an fantabulous wellness tracking acquisition and each the aforesaid astute features. Young, first-time buyers whitethorn arsenic good prevention the other $150 — truthful agelong arsenic the deficiency of an always-on show isn’t a deal-breaker. 

There are immoderate situations wherever opting for the Series 10 is the amended choice, however, similar if you privation an always-on show oregon request to person the latest and greatest. The larger, wide-angle OLED show besides provides overmuch amended readability for anyone with atrocious eyesight. It’s besides the amended prime if you person a bosom information oregon are astatine a higher hazard of processing AFib. If you fishy you whitethorn person slumber apnea, you’ll besides request a Series 9, 10, oregon Ultra 2 to entree that feature.

The Ultra 2 presently sits atop the lineup arsenic Apple’s premium smartwatch. It’s visually chiseled from some the Series and SE — and astatine 49mm, it’s the biggest of them all. Not lone that, it has accrued durability, h2o resistance, and a raised articulator to support the level display. It besides has an further h2o somesthesia and extent sensor for divers, 3 microphones, and 2 speakers, which alteration the Siren. It’s besides got the Action button, which can beryllium programmed for assorted activities, intermission workouts, and trigger the Siren.

At $799, the Ultra 2 is the astir costly Apple Watch, but each exemplary comes equipped with LTE capability. If you person an Ultra and are wondering if you should upgrade to the second-gen model, the reply is no. If you person an Ultra 2 and are wondering if you should upgrade to the caller achromatic color, the reply is besides no. (Admittedly, it does look rather nice.) It’s excessively soon, and there’s not capable of a difference. We urge the Ultra 2 for caller buyers only.

If artillery beingness is your highest priority, getting either Ultra is the champion choice. In testing, we got up to 60 hours without Low Power Mode enabled. However, if you usage astir 1 hr of GPS tracking a time oregon instrumentality calls, you’re much apt to get astir 2 days. It’s besides the amended prime if you often hike, dive, oregon tally trails. While marketed arsenic a hardcore ticker for explorers, successful our opinion, it’s much of an aspirational ticker for play warriors and intermediate athletes — oregon anyone who wants to beryllium astatine that level.

You’re not going to bushed either Ultra connected artillery life, but you tin agelong retired the artillery beingness connected the Series 4 oregon aboriginal with Low Power Mode. You tin adjacent slumber way with Low Power Mode on, though it’ll crook disconnected inheritance wellness sensors. With the Series 10, Apple has improved accelerated charging arsenic well. Official estimates are that you tin get 0 to 80 percent successful 30 minutes, which astir matches our real-world testing. Just beryllium definite you’re utilizing the close charging accessories.

If you person smaller wrists, you whitethorn privation to opt for the Series 10 arsenic it has accelerated charging and is much comfy to deterioration long-term. Faster charging comes successful clutch erstwhile you’re astir to caput to furniture and you’ve lone got 15 percent battery. Also, if you’re the benignant that values futureproofing, the Series 10’s hardware volition beryllium capable to enactment newer features for a longer play of clip acknowledgment to its newer processor. This is wherefore folks who emotion their ticker and are looking to upgrade from a Series 4 oregon older should besides prime the Series 10. If you’re already successful the wont of wearing the ticker daily, you’ll get much mileage retired of it arsenic the SE is much of a gateway device, and the Ultra is overkill for the mean Joe.  

The champion Apple Watch if you’re connected a budget

The latest Watch SE is the mode to spell for radical who privation to futureproof their hardware without breaking the slope (so agelong arsenic you’re good forgoing a larger display). You’re getting the aforesaid processor arsenic the Series 8 and original Ultra, positive Crash Detection.

While the second-gen SE is an fantabulous watch, it’s not ever the close choice. It’s meant to beryllium a gateway watch, truthful it’s champion suited to folks who are wholly caller to the Apple Watch and privation to walk arsenic small arsenic possible. If you’re looking to upgrade from an older ticker but don’t privation to pony up for the Series 10, there’s different option: buying a utilized oregon refurbished Apple Watch.

Buying secondhand devices is besides amended for the situation and a much affordable mode to get much costly materials. Materials similar sapphire glass, stainless steel, oregon titanium tin adhd hundreds to the terms of a caller watch. It’s besides a bully mode to prevention wealth if you’re conscionable not excited by the Series 10’s features but privation much than what the SE offers.

It’ll instrumentality immoderate patience to find the champion terms and the exemplary you want. After all, you’re constricted by what’s available. However, determination are respective sites that connection older models. Sometimes, you tin besides find deals and income arsenic well. If you’re disquieted astir getting scammed, look for deals recommended by sources you spot (cough, cough, Verge Deals). Apple besides sells its ain refurbished models, which travel with a afloat Apple warranty and are mostly successful a “like new” condition, though the enactment tin beryllium limited, and you apt won’t wage little than a caller SE. Sites similar Back Market volition besides fto you benignant by information and get a 12-month warranty. 

If you’re considering a utilized oregon refurbished model, we urge the Series 7 oregon Series 8 due to the fact that they’ll get you a larger surface for readability. We besides urge that you usage $250 arsenic a benchmark since that’s the terms of a caller basal exemplary Watch SE. With that said, if you’re getting premium materials, going a small higher is fine. Do not get a refurbished Series 4 oregon older. Although you tin find them for $100 (sometimes less!), they can’t tally the latest bundle and even conflict to update the newest bundle they do support.

The champion Apple Watch for kids

If you privation your kid to person an Apple Watch, we urge picking a cellular Apple Watch SE or, if you tin find one, a refurbished Series 4, 5, oregon 6 with cellular. All of these watches travel successful smaller sizes than the Series 7, 8, oregon 9, which volition apt amended acceptable their wrist. Also, the little terms volition springiness you amended bid of caput if you person a rambunctious kid. They apt won’t request galore of the marquee features recovered successful watchOS 11, either. That being said, if you privation the astir futureproof options, the second-gen SE and Series 6 are the champion choices.

Since you’re buying for children, you’ll apt privation to usage Family Setup, arsenic it volition springiness you greater parental controls. (You tin work our reappraisal of the diagnostic here.) However, determination are method specifications that you’ll request to lucifer successful bid to usage it. You’ll request a cellular mentation of the device, and it indispensable astatine slightest enactment watchOS 7. Apple’s support page states that you request a Series 4 oregon aboriginal oregon an Apple Watch SE for Family Setup.

If you opt for the Family Setup route, not each diagnostic volition beryllium available. While you tin get Apple Pay and definite wellness features, you volition not get the following: wellness information sharing, respiratory rate, irregular bosom bushed notifications, EKG, Cycle Tracking, Sleep, Blood Oxygen, Podcasts, Remote, News, Home, and Shortcuts.

The champion Apple Watch for older relatives

This tin beryllium a tricky one, but we urge a cellular Series 9 oregon 10. 

For starters, the larger surface is overmuch easier connected the eyes. You tin besides summation the substance size to beryllium larger than connected the SE oregon older Apple Watches. The always-on show immunodeficiency accessibility, particularly if limb mobility is simply a consideration. You’ll besides get the afloat suite of wellness features, including irregular heartbeat alerts, walking steadiness, EKGs, autumn detection, slumber apnea detection, and exigency calling. These models besides person the treble pat diagnostic and improved Siri functionality, which whitethorn beryllium adjuvant for aged relatives with dexterity issues.

You tin usage the Ultra, but you should support its size and value successful mind. Depending connected your loved one’s wrist size and health, it whitethorn not marque sense. Both sizes of the Series 10 person comparable surface sizes but are overmuch lighter and much comfy to wear. 

If your older comparative has an iPhone and you’re hoping to usage this for wellness reasons, we besides don’t urge Family Setup. That’s due to the fact that you cannot usage features similar irregular bosom bushed notifications, EKG, and wellness information sharing. If your comparative doesn’t person an iPhone, however, Family Setup is simply a good option. You’ll inactive get precocious and debased bosom complaint notifications, walking steadiness, and autumn detection. 

Update, April 9th: Adjusted pricing / availability and added conception detailing however we trial Apple Watches.