The Apple Watch has become one of the most popular smartwatches nowadays. Not only that the Apple Watch seamlessly syncs with your iPhone, but it also offers you plenty of health and fitness-related features, safety features like fall detection and emergency SOS, and other health emergency protections. It even saves lives!
If you're here, chances are you're thinking of getting an Apple Watch, either for its health and fitness features, or just to complete your Apple ecosystem with a wearable. Of course, you might also be wondering which Apple Watch is the best one to get right now. You've found the place where you get answers!
We have reviewed all the available Apple Watch options and we have determined the best Apple Watch in every category right now, in early 2024.
Best Apple Watch right now in early 2024, summarized list:
Apple Watch Ultra 2 - best battery life, rugged and athlete-oriented smartwatch
Apple Watch 9 – the premium Apple Watch for most people
To get the best Apple Watch for you, you need to be aware of your specific needs. Ask yourself these questions to help narrow down what you're looking for:
Do you really want to just monitor your workouts with a smartwatch?
Do you need a big battery life and a rugged design for hiking and other sporty activities?
Do you have a set budget?
Or do you just want the most recent high-quality Apple Watch that has all the features in 2024?
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Now, with your answers in mind, read on to find out which is the best Apple Watch for you in 2024!
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Best battery life, rugged and epic smartwatch, the Ultimate Apple Watch right now: for hiking and other sporty activities
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the best smartwatch that Apple has made so far. Despite it being geared towards active people that dive or hike, it could also be useful for regular Apple Watch users. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 pretty much is almost the same as its predecessor, it comes with the same rugged design, the customizable Action button and, what's most important, a better battery life than the other Apple Watches.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 features a titanium case and sapphire glass, making it feel sturdy. Although you won't forget it's there, we found the Apple Watch Ultra comfortable to wear every day and even during sleep for sleep tracking.
On top of that, it has a super-bright and large screen that can fit so much content. Watch faces look stunning on the Apple Watch Ultra 2's OLED display, and the viewing angles are great. By the way, this one is by far the biggest Apple Watch among Apple Watch models, featuring a 49mm case, so do keep that in mind if you have a smaller wrist. And of course, it comes with an Always-On display just like other new Apple Watch models. Keep in mind though, it's most advertised new feature, Double Tap, will be available at a later time.
Apple's newest Apple Watch model – the Apple Watch Series 9 – is now here. It brings a similar design to its predecessor with a few new features, like the Double Tap feature (that's going to be available later this year) and improvements in the display brightness. It still features Crash Detection and temperature monitoring (for women's health).
Of course, the Series 9 also sports all the health and fitness-related benefits that previous Apple Watches have, such as blood oxygen monitoring, a variety of workouts, and ECG. It also sports the big Always-on display that came with the Series 7 and now, the display's brightness has been improved (2x brighter display when needed).
Battery life is an area where Apple didn't bring any hardware improvements this year; however, watchOS has Low Power mode, which helps to conserve battery life.
The Series 9 is available in aluminum or stainless steel case variants, and it also has a new pink case available.
The Apple Watch SE 2 was announced alongside the Apple Watch 8, and it brings the same gorgeous design and some of its features to more people, thanks to its more affordable price. Of course, some of the most advanced Series 7 and Series 8 features, such as Blood Oxygen Monitoring, are not present here. The Watch SE doesn't support Always-on display by the way. However, it has the new Crash Detection feature.
The Watch SE also has sleep monitoring, such as the Apple Watch Series 7 and 8, and safety features such as fall detection and emergency SOS.
The main thing about the Watch SE 2 is its price. For the cellular model (that you can make calls with without having your iPhone around) you pay $150 less than if you go for the Series 8 cellular model. The pricing is the Apple Watch SE's strongest selling point, making it on the list of the best Apple Watches in terms of affordability.
The Apple Watch SE is available only with an aluminum case.
An entry-level Apple Watch model - less features but way cheaper, comfortable Apple Watch for casual use
7.0
Apple Watch Series 3 (42mm)
The Good
Built-in cellular connection finally
Robust platform with WatchOS 4
Bigger focus on health & fitness
Apple Music streaming coming later this year
The Bad
Same restrained look as before
Not a whole lot of "new" stuff
The Apple Watch Series 3 is the cheapest Apple Watch on this list. It currently starts at $199, but the thing with it is that it's quite limited in terms of features. However, if you want the best Apple Watch but you're on a tight budget, this one will not disappoint you.
Like the two previous options, the Series 3 is waterproof and you can safely swim with it, you have a variety of workout metrics, you can listen to Apple Music from it, text people, and receive calls. These features are quite basic and present on all the smartwatches here, but the thing with the Series 3 is that it is very cheap for an Apple Watch. It doesn't have an Always-On display though, this is reserved for the premium Apple Watch Series 6.
Another important thing to mention about the Series 3: it is available only with GPS connectivity and it doesn't have a Cellular option. This means you will have to have your iPhone with you if you want to take calls with your Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch Series 3 is available only with aluminum as the case material, just like the Apple Watch SE.
Great features, the right price: ideal for casual users who tend to need more features
9.0
Apple Watch Series 5 (40mm)
The Good
Has an always-on screen!
Fast performance
Feels very comfortable to wear
Very accurate heart rate measurements for a smartwatch
The Bad
One day battery life, not more
Does not work with Android phones
Automatic workout tracking does not detect most short workouts at all
No sleep tracking
The Apple Watch Series 5 has been discontinued from the Apple Store, but it can be found on other retailers, and it is the premium Apple Watch from 2019. The Series 5 is an older Apple Watch but nevertheless, quite a good smartwatch sporting the premium features from 2019 at a more reasonable price nowadays.
It comes with an Always-On Retina display, updated location features, and navigation, the Compass app can help you accurately track heading, incline, latitude, longitude, and current elevation. It also features International Emergency Calling and support for the new watchOS 8, which brings new Watch faces, Sleep tracking, and the redesigned Activity app, that is now called Fitness, with workouts and metrics.
The Apple Watch Series 5 is available in GPS only and Cellular connectivity options and has aluminum, stainless steel, ceramic, and titanium case variants with the titanium one being the most expensive of the four.
The Apple Watch with the most features right now is the Apple Watch Ultra. However, keep in mind that it has a more rugged design and is generally oriented towards people with more of an athletic focus.
Otherwise, for the regular user, the best Apple Watch right now is the Apple Watch Series 8. It is the most recent premium model that Apple released in the fall of 2022. It has a variety of workouts, Crash Detection, advanced sleep monitoring and many other features.
If you're on a budget though, the best budget Apple Watch is the Apple Watch SE 2, which has the new Crash Detection feature just like the 8, fall detection, and a variety of workouts.
What to consider when choosing an Apple Watch
Size and style: There is a small and a large Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch Series 8, 7, SE, and 6, 5, 4 have a 41mm and 45mm version. And the Apple Watch Series 3 has a 38 and 42mm option.
Take into account your wrist size and whether you'll be comfortable wearing a big watch or a small one.
Styles include a casual look, sports look, Nike edition and a premium Hermès style.
Cellular or GPS-only: Some Apple Watch models have cellular connectivity, allowing you to make calls and send texts without your iPhone nearby. Others are GPS-only and rely on your iPhone for connectivity.
Fitness and health features: Consider what fitness and health features are important to you, whether it is as heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, oxygen saturation monitoring, and water resistance for a swim in a pool.
Price: Apple Watches can range in price from around $250 to over $1,000 (for some special editions) depending on the model, features, and style.
Case material and band: Apple Watches come with an Aluminum, Stainless Steel, or Titanium case.
There are differences between the materials: the strongest and more expensive one being the titanium.
Also, the watch band materials include Leather, Stainless Steel, and Silicone.
Take into account what material for the band you'll be comfortable with, as you will (supposedly) be wearing this watch all-day long (or even at night).
Battery life: Consider how long the battery lasts on a single charge, and whether that fits your needs. Also check the charging speeds, as a quick-top up before bed can make the difference between having info on your sleep in the morning or a black watch screen.
Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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