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Home / Features / Best Apple Watch 2024: which Apple Watch is right for you?

Best Apple Watch 2024: which Apple Watch is right for you?

Don’t know your Series 8 from your Ultra? We've explained every Apple Watch and suggested which might be the best fit for you

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After nine series and several spin-offs, the Apple Watch is now the smartwatch equivalent of a TV box set. But when it comes to choosing the best Apple Watch for you, it’s not as simple as starting with the latest episode.

From connected apps to fitness tracking to contactless payments, every recent Apple Watch has the smarts to embarrass traditional timepieces. But there are also important differences between each edition. They don’t all share the same screen size, dimensions or sensor setup, for starters. There are GPS sports watch-type features, too. And the price varies considerably depending on which ticker you pick.

Don’t know your Series 8 from your SE 2? Our guide below explains the distinguishing features of every model available – and suggests which one might be the best fit for your wrist and budget. Whether you’re shopping for your first Watch or upgrading from an older version, we’ve covered all of the options.

Note, Apple has just announced the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. We’ll be reviewing those soon and adding them to this guide in due course. For now, you can check out our guide: Apple Watch Series 9 vs Ultra 2 – what’s the difference?

If you’re looking for something a little more lightweight, check out the best fitness tracker instead.

The best Apple Watches you can buy today:

1. Apple Watch Series 9

Stuff Verdict

The best Apple Watch you can get improves on last year’s effort with new colours, new straps, faster internals, a much brighter screen, and new gesture controls

Pros

  • Super bright screen is easy to read in all lighting
  • Gesture controls make hands-free control simple

Cons

  • Not the biggest upgrade over previous generation
  • Battery life is still only 18 hours

Building upon the foundation set by its predecessor, the Apple Watch Series 9 introduces a raft of enhancements that collectively elevate the user experience. Its array of colors, coupled with number of new strap options (including the environmentally conscious FineWoven fabric), showcase Apple’s commitment to style and sustainability.

Moreover, the Series 9’s introduction of gesture controls and the innovative Double Tap feature, leveraging advanced sensors for intuitive actions, significantly boosts accessibility and usability, especially for users with busy hands.

Under the hood, the Series 9 packs a punch with the new Apple-designed S9 chipset, delivering heightened CPU and GPU speeds. This upgrade translates to faster interactions and a more responsive overall performance. The device’s edge-to-edge display, doubling the brightness capacity compared to its predecessor, ensures stunning visuals even in bright conditions, while its ability to dim down to 1 nit caters to comfortable nighttime usage.

Finally, the inclusion of an ultra-wideband chip for easier iPhone location and the expanded connectivity options for media sharing further solidify the Series 9 as the best Apple Watch available.


2. Apple Watch Ultra 2

Stuff Verdict

The ultimate Watch for outdoorsy people, the Ultra 2 is packed with features that can rival Garmin and Polar

Pros

  • Excellent screen and durability
  • Bigger battery life than other Apple Watches

Cons

  • Lacks some navigation skills
  • Too large for some

Bigger, beefier and built for the great outdoors, the Watch Ultra 2 is Apple’s premium take on a technical ticker. At 49mm, its case is large and in charge, with chunky hardware reflecting its hardcore credentials. Shielded by a rugged rim, the flat panel is twice as bright as any previous Watch screen, for enhanced visibility on expeditions.

A customisable Action button can be set to start workouts or mark segments, while dual-frequency GPS works with fresh positioning algorithms to deliver Apple’s most accurate wrist-based location tracking to date. Heading into the hills? Battery life can be eked out to 60 hours on the low-power setting.

Twice as waterproof as the Series 8, it’s also down for diving: the Depth app launches when the Ultra is submerged, displaying underwater info. And if the aerospace-grade titanium shell doesn’t impress your fellow explorers, the Wayfinder face is guaranteed to give them data envy.


3. Apple Watch SE (2022)

Stuff Verdict

The best cheap Apple Watch – if you’re looking to save money then this offers plenty of Apple Watch for your money (with very few drawbacks)

Pros

  • Superb performance, latest-gen chip
  • All the core Apple Watch experience

Cons

  • Larger bezels than Series 8
  • Longer battery life next time please

Offering the core Watch experience without breaking the bank, Apple’s second-gen SE follows a similar formula to the first. Not a groundbreaking upgrade, it ships with the same design as its predecessor. What’s new is a nylon composite back, which shaves 2.9g and 3.4g off the 40mm and 44mm cellular versions respectively.

Besides the lighter load, the updated SE shares a dual-core processor with the Series 8 and Ultra, giving it a 20% speed boost. Like those models, it also offers Crash Detection to assist you in a car accident. But arguably the biggest shift is the price: it starts at $249/£259, which is a chunk cheaper than the 2020 edition.


4. Apple Watch Series 8

Stuff Verdict

Although it’s not the biggest upgrade over the previous generation, this is best Apple Watch for most people

Pros

  • Comfortable and flexible
  • Features like crash detection show innovation

Cons

  • The Watch SE is much better value
  • Needs even longer battery life

Evolution not revolution, the Series 8 doesn’t deliver the design overhaul many hoped for. Instead, it carries over many of the specs that made its predecessor popular. Besides identical styling, it adopts the same always-on Retina display, 18-hour battery life and 50m water resistance. So what’s new?

An S8 chip runs the show, but doesn’t offer any major performance enhancements. More significant is the Series 8’s ability to take temperature measurements: with a sensor on the back and another beneath the display to adjust for ambient warmth, it uses body temp readings to augment the suite of health features already found in watchOS 9.

Specifically, this data should improve the accuracy of menstrual cycle tracking. Other tweaks are broadly software-based: a low-power mode promises to stretch longevity to 36 hours, while Crash Detection algorithms can sense if you’ve had a serious car accident and dial emergency services if you’re unresponsive.


5. Apple Watch Series 7

Stuff Verdict

Apple’s last-gen flagship is now available at a lower price – it may be slightly older, but it’s no less excellent

Pros

  • Brilliantly bright display
  • So many watch face options

Cons

  • Watch SE better value for many
  • Fast charging requires specific cable

Previously the top ticker in Apple’s Watch family, the Series 7 remains a capable smartwatch that’s even more tempting at its updated price. Larger than previous editions at 41mm and 45mm, its packaging was also more rounded and more durable – including the crack-resistant front crystal.

Similarly, the always-on Retina display increased in both size and brightness from the Series 6, with thinner bezels contributing to a more immersive setup for swifter typing. Updated with watchOS 9, the Series 7 is still a slick and stylish timepiece today.

Blood Oxygen and ECG sensors offer the full fitness experience, while three metal jackets let you spec it to taste. Battery life did leave us wanting more, but find the right discount and this shouldn’t be a dealbreaker.


6. Apple Watch SE (2021)

Stuff Verdict

A smart and affordable Apple Watch option – ideal as a first smartwatch for a child or teenager

Pros

  • More affordable price
  • Very customisable (especially for Apple)

Cons

  • No always-on display
  • Only available in three finishes

Launched in 2021, the original SE was pitched as a more accessible route to Apple Watch ownership. While affordability is a relative term in Cupertino, the first-gen SE today gets close to the sweet spot of price and performance. And while it misses out a few features offered by newer, more expensive Apple Watch models and isn’t as good as the newer SE, it remains a premium wearable with most of the smarts everyday wearers will want.

The screen is smaller, there’s no always-on display and you don’t get ECG or blood oxygen sensors. But the Apple Watch SE is still a swim-proof smartwatch with a premium aluminium finish, Retina OLED display and plenty of health-tracking skills. Besides a sizeable app library, the SE also supports the latest watchOS 9.


7. Apple Watch Series 3

Stuff Verdict

Probably the cheapest and oldest Apple Watch model you can still buy. A word of warning, though, it no-longer getting software updates from Apple

Pros

  • Incredibly small for a smartwatch
  • Still one of the best fitness trackers around

Cons

  • You still need an iPhone to use it
  • No more support from Apple

A survivor from 2017, Apple’s third-gen Watch might seem like a has-been in present company. Yet there’s a good reason why Apple continued to ship the model for so long: it’s easily the best-value Watch you can buy. And as a straightforward wearable that nails the basics, it still has a lot going for it.

Sure, it’s not the fastest, sharpest or brightest by current standards. But if you want a reliable, water-resistant Apple Watch for logging workouts, controlling music and receiving notifications, the Series 3 delivers at a palatable price.

Positively dinky compared to its younger cousins, the 38mm version is also a great fit for smaller wrists. And while it’s now been officially discontinued, move fast and you should find it stocked online. Please note, this model is no longer getting software updates from Apple.


Profile image of Chris Rowlands Chris Rowlands Freelance contributor

About

Formerly News Editor at this fine institution, Chris now writes about tech from his tropical office. Sidetracked by sustainable stuff, he’s also keen on coffee kit, classic cars and any gear that gets better with age.

Areas of expertise

Cameras, gear and travel tech

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