Sep 20, 2024 9:32 AM

Which Apple Watch Is Best Right Now?

Should you splurge for the new Series 10 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

Black and gold smartwatches with large digital screens

An image showcasing the new Apple Watch Ultra 2 during the Fall Apple Event on September 9th 2024 in Cupertino CA.

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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 the latest watches—the Series 9, the Watch Ultra 2, and the new Series 10—with a 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 suit is ongoing.)

We recently reviewed the Apple Watch Series 10, but are last year’s Series 9 and Ultra Watch 2 still worth it? Yes, especially if you're upgrading from an older model now being sunsetted. 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.)

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 learn about the new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18. As always, don't forget to check out our other buying guides, like the Best iPads, Best Smartwatches, and Best iPhones.

Updated September 2024: We added the new Watch Series 10 and the update to the Watch Ultra 2.

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Photograph: Apple
Best for the Money
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 doesn't get updated that frequently, and it did not get updated this year. Moreover, it doesn't have the latest standout health features, like the ability to check your skin temperature. Its 1,000-nit display is noticeably smaller now that bigger, brighter screens have come to every other watch. Most regrettably, 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 carbon-neutral products (when bought 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.
$249 at Apple
~~$249~~ $149 at Amazon
Photograph: Apple
The Best Apple Watch
Apple Watch Series 10
This review comes with the significant caveat that the Watch Series 10 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) still does not have blood oxygen sensing, which is truly preposterous given that almost every other fitness tracker on the planet has it. But with that said, this year's standout health feature, Breathing Disturbances, uses the Series 10’s accelerometer to notify you if you have sleep apnea, which currently requires a disruptive sleep test to diagnose. It’s the perfect health feature to monitor with a wearable that you wear constantly.
There are also a bunch of hardware and software upgrades. It's thinner and lighter, so it's more comfortable to wear while sleeping, and it has fast charging, so it can track more of your activities during the day. I found that I was able to top it up pretty easily with 20 to 30 minutes on a fast charger while I was in the shower every morning. It also has a bunch of new features focused on water sports, including water temperature, which is pretty vital where I live since a lot of people become incapacitated when they accidentally dive or jump into water that's too cold. Most importantly, WatchOS 11 has a bunch of new algorithms that will benefit from the sensors and bigger screen, including new comprehensive ones like Vitals, so that you can check whether you're off your baseline every morning, and Training Load, so you can see how your workouts are impacting your fitness over time. Despite no blood oxygen sensing, it's the best Apple Watch.
$399 at Apple

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
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 10, it can monitor your nightly breathing disturbances to notify you if you might have sleep apnea. It has the S9 chipset that debuted in the Series 9, which allows for faster processing and Double Tap, and the ultra-wideband chip for precision-locating your phone. 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, 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 visible on the watch only 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've already bought a Watch Ultra, I would probably wait to upgrade. If this is your first, however, you will thoroughly enjoy the Watch Ultra 2—and this year, it comes in a satin-black titanium finish that just looks way better than the old version. 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. Like the Series 10, it doesn't have the blood oxygen sensor.
$798 at Amazon
$799 at Apple
$799 at Best Buy
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
The Series 9 Checks for Sleep Apnea
Apple Watch Series 9
Do you suspect that you might have sleep apnea? The Breathing Disturbances feature only works with the Series 10, the Watch Ultra 2, and the Series 9. If you're interested in this feature and you own a Series 9 from last year, you don't have to upgrade. It has the 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. However, it may be hard to find. In December 2023, Apple decided to suspend sales of the Series 9 (7/10, WIRED Review) and Watch Ultra 2 on Apple.com. The federal agency banned the watches because of a dispute over a patent for the technology that Apple uses in the newest Watch models’ blood-oxygen sensor. You can still find it on sale at third-party retailers, however.
$399 at Amazon
$399 at Best Buy

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!
$427 at Amazon
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.

Photograph: Apple
Should You Buy a New Band or Case?
Accessory Advice
The 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.

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