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Best for Most People
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
The Best Apple Watch
Apple Watch Series 9
Best for Outdoor Sports
Apple Watch Ultra 2
If It’s on Sale for Under $300
Apple Watch Series 8
We on the WIRED Gear team agree: If you have an iPhone, the Apple Watch is the best wearable to go with it. But which version should you buy? This question has recently gotten more complicated. Last year, a court ruling dictated that Apple could no longer sell its two latest watches, the Series 9 and the Ultra Watch 2, with the blood oxygen sensor. The medical technology company Masimo alleged that Apple had infringed on its patent. (Apple later defeated a lawsuit alleging that it had a monopoly on heart rate apps, but a larger antitrust lawsuit is ongoing.)
These suits are happening even as we happen on the 10-year anniversary of the Apple Watch. Rumors abound that this year we will see a newly redesigned Apple Watch X. Does that make last year’s Series 9 and Ultra Watch 2 still worth it? Yes, especially if you own a first-gen SE, Series 4, or Series 5, since Apple is sunsetting them. I love the Apple Watch. It is the watch I would wear if I weren’t constantly testing other fitness trackers. I test each new one for two weeks and often for many months after that. (Now my children test them as well.)
But how can you tell them apart, when all of these watches look pretty similar and share a rotating stable of features? We break down which one is best for you and whether older models are worth the price. Wondering what the operating system for these watches will look like? Check out our guides to the Top New Features in WatchOS and all about the new Apple Intelligence features in iOS18. As always, don’t forget to check out our other buying guides, like the Best iPads, Best Smartwatches, and Best iPhones.
Updated June 2024: We added more information on Apple’s lawsuits, new information on WatchOS 11 and iOS 18, and information on the upcoming Apple Watch X.
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Photograph: Apple
Best for Most People
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
If you have any doubt as to whether you should get an Apple Watch at all, the SE is Apple’s entry-level option. OK, so it isn’t the most exciting Apple watch. The SE series only gets updated every other year, rather than every year, and it doesn’t have the latest standout health features, like the ability to check your skin temperature or your blood oxygen. The smaller, 1,000-nit display is now very noticeable now that bigger, brighter screens have come to Series 9. Most regrettably of all, it does not have the next-gen ultra-wideband chip to precision-locate your many other Apple devices.
However, it is the most affordable of what Apple touts as its first carbon-neutral products (when bought in conjunction with the new sport loop, that is). It’s compatible with watchOS 11, so you’ll be able to take advantage of the new Vitals app, which will finally let you check your heart rate and respiration in a dashboard without hunting through the Health or Fitness apps. It has the last S8 chip, which is what the Series 8 has, and features like Crash Detection to call your emergency contact and emergency responders if you’ve been in a car accident and are unresponsive for 10 seconds. It also has the newly redesigned Compass app, fall detection, and support for international roaming, and it works with Family Setup. It comes in a teeny 40-mm case size, and the nylon back makes it even lighter. If you have an Apple Watch, everyone in your family wants an Apple Watch. The SE will serve you, your nana, and your 9-year-old perfectly well.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Apple Watch Series 9
The Series 9 looks pretty much the same as last year’s Series 8 but has the new S9 chipset for faster onboard processing of Siri commands, which improves battery life noticeably and theoretically provides more privacy for your sensitive medical data. It also has a new feature called Double Tap, which borrows from Apple’s accessibility learnings. The accelerometer, gyroscope, and optical sensor will detect the minute shifts as you tap your index finger and thumb on your watch hand twice to activate the primary button on your watch screen; it’s nice for stopping and starting music or timers around the kitchen.
The Series 9 has health sensors that the SE doesn’t have, like ECG monitoring, blood oxygen sensing, and skin temperature sensing. It’s also compatible with watchOS 11, which means you will be able to check the new Vitals app and Training Load, which is another feature Apple launched this year. For the first time, Apple will have a comprehensive algorithm that takes into account calorimetric data like heart rate and pace to give you a comprehensive score on whether your fitness improved over the past 7 or 28 days and compare.
Why It Might Be Hard to Find: In December, Apple decided to suspend sales of the Series 9 (7/10, WIRED Review) and Watch Ultra 2 on Apple.com, pending an expected ban by the US International Trade Commission. The federal agency is considering a ban because of a dispute over a patent for the technology that Apple uses in the newest Watch models’ blood-oxygen sensor. On December 27, an appeals court paused the import ban when Apple filed an emergency appeal. The watches are currently back on sale sans the blood oxygen sensor.
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Photograph: Apple
Best for Outdoor Sports
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Do you want an Apple Watch that can replace your satellite messenger, your cycling computer, and your running watch? Then, my friend, the Watch Ultra 2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is for you. Like the Series 9, it has the new S9 chipset for faster processing and Double Tap and the new ultra-wideband chip for precision-locating your phone, and it will be more sustainable when paired with the Alpine Loop strap or the Trail Loop. It also has a new, shockingly bright 3,000-nit display. I didn’t see a difference on a sunny day on the water, but you might, on a glacier somewhere.
However, like the Series 9, many of the Watch Ultra 2’s best new outdoor features are only fully apparent when you’re also within reach of your iPhone. The touted offline maps are only visible on the watch when you download them on your iPhone and have it charged and within Bluetooth range of the watch. If you start a cycling activity on your watch, it shows up as a Live Activity on your iPhone. Many of these features—along with the handy Action button and the three-mic array—are also available on last year’s debut Watch Ultra. Again, if you bought a Watch Ultra last year, I would wait to upgrade. If this is your first, however, you will thoroughly enjoy the Watch Ultra 2. This is the watch to get if you love outdoor sports but also want the full functionality of a smartwatch—as long as you don’t accidentally close the tab that tells you how to get back home.
Why It Might Be Hard to Find: Apple decided to suspend sales of the Watch Ultra 2 and Series 9 on Apple.com starting December 21 and in its retail stores December 24, pending an expected ban by the International Trade Commission. The federal agency is considering a ban because of a dispute over a patent for the technology that Apple uses in the newest Watch models’ blood-oxygen sensor. On December 27, an appeals court paused the import ban when Apple filed an emergency appeal. The watches are currently back on sale, sans the blood oxygen sensor.
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Photograph: Apple
If It’s on Sale for Under $300
Apple Watch Series 8
Shockingly, watchOS 11 is only compatible with the second-gen of Watch SE and newer. R.I.P. Watches Series 4, 5, and first-gen SE. However, that makes every watch from the Series 6 on good to go. The Series 6 was the first Apple Watch to have blood oxygen sensing, and the ITC’s ban does not affect it or the Series 7 or 8.
If you can find it on sale, the Series 8 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a perfectly capable watch. It’s compatible with watchOS 11, which is where most of the fun updates come in anyway. Unlike the Watch SE, it has all the health and safety hardware, like the improved accelerometer for Crash Detection to tell your loved ones if you’re in a car accident, sensors for measuring your skin temperature, and ECG and blood oxygen measuring. No, it doesn’t have precision locating, but you can always ping your iPhone!
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Photograph: Apple
Avoid These Watches
Series 1, 2 and 3
It’s been years since we’ve seen retailers carry the Series 1, Series 2, or Series 3. You may see them on resale sites, but they are not worth the price. WatchOS 11 only works with the second-gen SE and newer, so we no longer recommend buying the Series 4 or 5, or the first-gen SE. The Series 1 isn’t waterproof; neither the Series 1 or 2 has any cellular capability; and none of these watches are compatible with the latest watchOS version.
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Photograph: Apple
The Upcoming Watch X
Should You Wait?
The original Apple Watch was released in 2015, and Apple has a tradition of releasing an anniversary product to celebrate a 10-year anniversary. Speculation is running rampant on what an upcoming Watch X (or Watch 10) might look like.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, some updates we could see this year include a thinner watch case and a different band attachment mechanism with a newer, brighter microLED display. However, the most exciting updates would be new health features, especially since Apple recently partnered with Dexcom to introduce real-time glucose monitoring to the watch. Some features that may be included are sleep apnea tracking and blood pressure monitoring.
All this to say: If there’s a new health feature you’re particularly excited to see and your current watch is compatible with watchOS 11, then you should wait until September to upgrade. If, however, your current watch will be obsolete in a few months and you don’t need the latest and greatest model, then it’s perfectly fine to buy a Series 6 or 8 now. With the exception of the recent Ultra, Apple Watches tend to be iterative and age well; several members of my family wear older Apple Watches, and they work fine.
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Photograph: Apple
Should You Buy a New Band or Case?
Accessory Advice
The latest Apple Watches are more durable than ever. Though it’s not easy to do, I have scratched and banged mine up before. Given that Apple’s service pricing is notoriously exorbitant—repairing a watch costs almost as much as buying a new one!—you should consider getting a case and screen protector.
Bigger and more expensive isn’t always better. If the case is big and doesn’t fit well, it will rattle annoyingly every time you get a notification. I like the Spigen Thin Fit Case ($15) and a screen protector set from Amazon ($10); extras are nice if you mess up the first application. There are a ton of band options, and no one says you have to wear the same band every day! But my favorite strap is probably Apple’s own lightweight nylon sport loop ($49), which is made from recycled materials.
Apple Watches are notoriously hard to keep charged, so I love Mophie’s 3-in-1 Apple travel charger set ($150). You could also pick up a power bank ($50) with a built-in Apple Watch charger so you’re not caught out with a dead watch. For more suggestions, check out our other guides, like the Best Apple Watch Accessories and the Best Portable Chargers.
