Jan 6, 2024 6:00 AM

Which Apple Watch Is Best Right Now?

Should you splurge for an Ultra Watch or stick with the SE? Let us help you figure out which version to get (and which to avoid).

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Multiple Apple Watch SE models with different watch faces and bands

Apple Watch Series 8 in different colors

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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 year, Apple launched the Series 9 and the new Ultra Watch 2, the update to last year's rugged sports watch. The company has stopped selling last year's Series 8, but you can still find them at online retailers (sometimes for a significant discount), along with older models. All of these watches look pretty similar and share a rotating stable of features. Here, we break down which one is best for you and whether older models are worth the price.

Be sure to check out our other buying guides, like the Best iPads, Best Smartwatches, and Best iPhones.

Updated January 6, 2024: We added an update on the status of the import ban on the Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2.

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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. It hasn't been updated since 2022 and doesn't have the flashiest standout 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 10, which is where many new health and wellness features show up. 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.
$240 at Amazon
$249 at Apple
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
The Best Apple Watch
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 display is also brighter, and it's compatible with WatchOS 10, which has a bunch of fun new app redesigns and more health-related features—you know, just in case you feel like telling Apple all your complicated feelings about your latest brunch with your mom.
Why It Might Be Hard to Find: Last 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 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, but we (and Apple) should have more information on the permanent status of the ban once the United States Court of Appeals has heard the motion.
$390 at Amazon
$399 at Apple
$429 at Best Buy
$400 at Target

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 and WatchOS 10. 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 recently 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, but we (and Apple) should have more information on the permanent status of the ban once the United States Court of Appeals has heard the motion.
$780 at Amazon
$799 at Apple
$799 at Best Buy
Photograph: Apple
If It's on Sale for Under $300
Apple Watch Series 8
The ITC's ban will not affect the Series 6, 7, or 8, which also have the blood-tracking capabilities. If you can find it on sale, last year's Series 8 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a perfectly capable watch. It's compatible with WatchOS 10, 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!
WatchOS 10 works with Series 4 watches and later, so if someone wants to give you one or you can find it significantly marked down, those are also worth considering. As Apple has added its health features one by one to each watch, you should double-check to make sure it has the ones you want. For example, the Series 5 doesn't have SpO₂ monitoring, and SpO₂ monitoring doesn't work on the Series 6 if the user is under 18 or doesn't have a paired iPhone.
$329 at Amazon
$399 at Apple
$400 at Target
$399 at Best Buy

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. Family Setup works only on Series 4 and above, so you can't pick these up as cheaper options for your old or young family members. 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.
Photograph: Apple
Should You Buy a New Band or Case?
Accessory Advice
The latest Apple Watches are more durable than ever. However, it's not easy, but 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 ($14) and a screen protector set from Amazon ($10); extras are nice if you mess up the first application. There are a ton of different 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 has the additional benefit of being 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.

Adrienne So is a senior associate reviews editor for WIRED, where she reviews consumer technology. She graduated from the University of Virginia with bachelor’s degrees in English and Spanish, and she previously worked as a freelance writer for Cool Hunting, Paste, Slate, and other publications. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Senior Associate Reviews Editor