How To Choose Which Apple Watch To Buy

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

Now that the Series 10 has been retired for astir a year, perfectly bully older versions of nan Apple Watch are regularly getting discounted arsenic retailers effort to quiet their inventory. You whitethorn besides spot much refurbished versions of these older models popular up. If you’re willing successful much premium materials, for illustration stainless steel, this is simply a awesome measurement to get a fancier type of past year’s watch. You won’t beryllium missing retired connected excessively much, either. The past fewer years person seen iterative updates successful position of hardware — and nan bulk of caller features travel from package updates. With that said, support successful mind that nan latest type of watchOS, watchOS 11, doesn’t support nan Series 4, 5, and first-gen SE. The aforesaid tin beryllium said of watchOS 26, which is slated to get successful nan fall.

Buying refurbished is 1 measurement that you whitethorn beryllium capable to upgrade from an older exemplary without sacrificing humor oxygen. Due to a patent conflict pinch Masimo, caller Series 9 and Ultra 2 models sold successful nan US aft January 18th, 2024, no longer person this feature. This is not a large woody for astir people, but if it’s important to you, older watches and Series 9 and Ultra 2 units sold by Apple earlier January 18th, 2024, still clasp nan feature. (As do watches overseas. The prohibition only impacts US units.)

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

So overmuch prime tin lead to study paralysis. But don’t worry. I’ve tested each azygous type of nan Apple Watch you tin bargain correct now — successful summation to basically each different fittingness watch and smartwatch connected nan market — and tin steer you successful nan correct direction.

Should you get an Apple Watch?

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

By their nature, wearables are incredibly individual devices — and you won’t get nan benefits of an Apple Watch if you don’t deterioration it regularly. The past point you want is to walk hundreds of dollars connected a point that ends up collecting particulate successful a drawer. The champion measurement to debar this is to stack nan platform successful your favour and prioritize comfort. Before you effort to commencement mulling complete which Apple Watch exemplary you should get, return a 2nd to fig retired which size and strap worldly will champion fresh your wrist. 

The SE and Series watches travel successful 2 sizes each. The SE comes successful 40mm and 44mm, while nan Series 7, 8, and 9 are 41mm and 45mm. The caller Series 10 ups nan size again to 42mm and 46mm. The larger models are amended for readability, while nan smaller ones are much comfortable for those pinch petite wrists. Both nan SE and nan Series watches person aluminum cases, but nan Series 10 now comes successful titanium, too. (Older models travel successful stainless steel.) Most group will beryllium good pinch aluminum, but if you’re clumsy aliases very active, you’ll use from nan other durability offered by stainless alloy aliases titanium. You mightiness besides conscionable for illustration nan look amended — and that’s valid since watches are a individual portion of tech. Just beryllium prepared to salary a fewer 100 bucks much for that.

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

The Ultra and Ultra 2 some travel successful 1 size — 49mm — and pinch titanium cases. They travel pinch their ain typical straps, too: nan 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 nan Trail Loop, arsenic it’s nan lightest and astir versatile of nan three. All nan Ultra straps activity pinch immoderate 44mm aliases 45mm Series watch, and nan Ultra is compatible pinch immoderate 44mm aliases 45mm Apple Watch strap.

And while nan Apple Watch is nan champion smartwatch you tin get arsenic an iPhone user, you tin besides ever cheque retired our fitness locator buying guide.

Apple Watch Series, SE, aliases Ultra?

The latest Apple Watch, nan Series 10, is simply a much humble update. It chiefly focuses connected making nan watches much comfortable while 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 nan wrist. The speakers now play euphony and podcasts, and sound 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 nan wellness front, Apple has brought FDA-cleared slumber apnea discovery to nan watch, on pinch nan Series 9 and Ultra 2.

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

The Series 10 is Apple’s flagship smartwatch. Compared to earlier models, it’s going to get you nan fastest processor, speedy charging, a larger display, and each nan latest sensors. Prices commencement astatine $399 for nan 42mm type and $429 for nan 46mm, but you tin often find nan 42mm exemplary connected waste for astir $299. Adding LTE connectivity will adhd $100 to nan price, positive immoderate your bearer charges for nan service. Prices commencement astatine $699 for nan polished titanium models.

The second-gen SE has a nylon composite back, which helps shave $30 disconnected nan original’s price. You tin get a cellular version, and it supports galore of nan aforesaid precocious features arsenic nan last-last-gen Series 8, for illustration autumn detection, emergency calling, Fitness Plus, Apple Pay, and Apple Watch For Your Kids. The biggest quality is that it lacks an always-on display, an EKG sensor, somesthesia sensors, and a SpO2 sensor. The show is besides somewhat smaller connected some sizes of nan SE. It starts astatine $249 for nan 40mm and $279 for nan 44mm, but you tin regularly find it online starting astir $170. Adding LTE will 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 really missing retired connected EKG aliases SpO2. (Also, newer watches sold successful nan US presently person nan SpO2 characteristic abnormal anyway.) The SE’s bosom complaint sensor is still tin of providing abnormal bosom complaint alerts. Right now, Apple’s SpO2 features are constricted to spot checks. There’s not overmuch you tin do pinch that information, and dissimilar nan EKGs, this is only cleared for wide wellness purposes. It will not beryllium capable to switch a fingertip beat oximeter, and you should ne'er usage it successful this way.

The main intent of nan EKG sensor is to alteration atrial fibrillation discovery — and if your doctor’s fixed you a cleanable measure of health, you will apt only usage this characteristic erstwhile aliases twice. According to nan American Heart Association, nan biggest consequence factors for AFib are precocious age, underlying bosom conditions, precocious humor pressure, family history, and slumber apnea, among different manner choices. If this doesn’t use to you, nan SE is still going to springiness you an fantabulous wellness search acquisition and each nan aforesaid smart features. Young, first-time buyers whitethorn arsenic good prevention nan other rate — truthful agelong arsenic nan deficiency of an always-on show isn’t a deal-breaker. 

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

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

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

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

You’re not going to hit either Ultra connected artillery life, but you tin agelong retired nan artillery life connected nan Series 4 aliases later pinch Low Power Mode. You tin moreover slumber way pinch Low Power Mode on, though it’ll move disconnected inheritance wellness sensors. With nan 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 judge you’re utilizing nan correct charging accessories.

If you person smaller wrists, you whitethorn want to opt for nan Series 10 arsenic it has accelerated charging and is much comfortable to deterioration long-term. Faster charging comes successful clutch erstwhile you’re astir to caput to furniture and you’ve only sewage 15 percent battery. Also, if you’re nan type that values futureproofing, nan Series 10’s hardware will beryllium capable to support newer features for a longer play of clip acknowledgment to its newer processor. This is why folks who emotion their watch and are looking to upgrade from a Series 4 aliases older should besides prime nan Series 10. If you’re already successful nan wont of wearing nan watch daily, you’ll get much mileage retired of it arsenic nan SE is much of a gateway device, and nan Ultra is overkill for nan mean Joe.  

The champion Apple Watch if you’re connected a budget

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

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

Buying secondhand devices is besides amended for nan situation and a much affordable measurement to get much costly materials. Materials for illustration sapphire glass, stainless steel, aliases titanium tin adhd hundreds to nan value of a caller watch. It’s besides a bully measurement to prevention money if you’re conscionable not excited by nan Series 10’s features but want much than what nan SE offers.

It’ll return immoderate patience to find nan champion value and nan exemplary you want. After all, you’re constricted by what’s available. However, location are respective sites that connection older models. Sometimes, you tin besides find deals and income arsenic well. If you’re worried astir getting scammed, look for deals recommended by sources you spot (cough, cough, Verge Deals). Apple besides sells its ain refurbished models, which travel pinch a afloat Apple warranty and are mostly successful a “like new” condition, though nan action tin beryllium limited, and you apt won’t salary little than a caller SE. Sites for illustration Back Market will besides let you to benignant by information and get a 12-month warranty. 

If you’re considering a utilized aliases refurbished model, we urge nan Series 7 aliases Series 8, arsenic they connection a larger surface for improved readability. We besides urge that you usage $250 arsenic a benchmark since that’s nan value of a guidelines exemplary Watch SE. With that said, if you’re getting premium materials, going a small higher is fine. Do not get a refurbished Series 5 aliases older. Although you tin find them for $100 (sometimes less!), they can’t tally nan latest package and moreover struggle to update nan newest package they do support.

The champion Apple Watch for kids

If you want 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, aliases 6 pinch cellular. All of these watches travel successful smaller sizes than nan Series 7, 8, aliases 9, which will apt amended fresh their wrist. Also, nan little value will springiness you amended bid of mind if you person a rambunctious kid. They apt won’t request galore of nan marquee features recovered successful watchOS 11, either. That being said, if you want nan astir futureproof options, nan second-gen SE and Series 6 are nan champion choices.

Since you’re buying for children, you’ll apt want to usage Apple Watch For Your Kids — formerly known arsenic Family Setup — arsenic it will springiness you greater parental controls. However, location are method specifications that you’ll request to lucifer successful bid to usage it. You’ll request a cellular type of nan device, and it must astatine slightest support watchOS 7. Apple’s support page besides states that you request a Series 4 aliases later aliases an Apple Watch SE to usage it.

If you opt for nan family route, not each characteristic will beryllium available. While you tin get Apple Pay and definite wellness features, you will not get nan following: wellness information sharing, respiratory rate, irregular bosom hit 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 aliases 10. 

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

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

If your older comparative has an iPhone and you’re hoping to usage this for wellness reasons, we besides don’t urge utilizing Apple’s family setup. That’s because you cannot usage features for illustration irregular bosom hit notifications, EKG, and wellness information sharing. If your comparative doesn’t person an iPhone, however, it’s a good option. You’ll still get precocious and debased bosom complaint notifications, stepping steadiness, and autumn detection. 

Update, July 15th: Adjusted pricing / readiness and added respective caller links.