Apple released only one new Apple Watch in 2024: the Apple Watch Series 10. It offers a refined design and a few modest upgrades over the Series 9. Apple did not update the Ultra 2, and instead just added a new color option. You can also still buy the Apple Watch SE from 2022.
In this guide, we will help you decide which Apple Watch is best for you. We’ll compare the features, specs and price as well as offer advice on choosing cases, colors, and straps in our Apple Watch comparison chart so you can be confident you are choosing the right Apple Watch.
Here’s what you need to know before buying an Apple Watch.
What does an Apple Watch do?
Practically every Apple Watch ever made has offered the same set of basic functions. Apple Watch can be used in conjunction with an iPhone (or separately if the user has a cellular contract) to:
- Make or take phone calls
- Read and send text messages
- Read and send emails
- Listen to music or podcasts
- Receive notifications relating to iPhone and Apple Watch apps
- Use apps, such as Maps for navigation, a calculator or a compass
- Track fitness, including steps and calories burned
- Monitor your health, including heart rate
- Detect a fall or car crash
- Tell the time – especially if your watch has an always-on display (they don’t all offer that)
- Act as a flashlight (or torch)
- Pay via Apple Pay
- Track your sleep
The Apple Watch doesn’t need an iPhone to work, but it helps, and it is needed for initial setup. See: Does an Apple Watch work without an iPhone?
There’s another choice to be made. Do you need an Apple Watch with cellular connectivity or not? We examine GPS versus cellular in a separate article, read: Should I buy a cellular Apple Watch. Also read: You probably don’t need an LTE Apple Watch.
If you choose a cellular version of the Apple Watch you’ll be able to leave your iPhone at home and use your Watch for making calls, receiving texts, and streaming music. Apple Watch can also support Family Setup if you are looking for a Watch for someone who doesn’t have an iPhone.
Apple Watch comparison chart
Apple
| Apple Watch SE 2 | Apple Watch Series 10 | Apple Watch Ultra 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $249/£219 | $399/£399 | $799/£799 |
| Screen size | 44mm or 40mm | 46mm or 42mm | 49mm |
| Display | 1,000 nits | 2,000 nits | 3,000 nits |
| Weight | 40mm from 26.4g / 44mm from 32.9g | 42mm from 30g / 46mm from 36.4g | 61.4 g |
| Materials | Aluminium | Aluminium or Titanium | Titanium |
| Colors | Midnight, Starlight, Silver | Aluminium: Silver, Rose Gold, Jet Black. Titanium: Slate, Natural, Gold | Natural or Black |
| Processor | S8 | S10 | S9 |
| Battery life | Up to 18 hours | Up to 18 hours, Faster charging 0-80% in 30 mins | Up to 36 hours, Fast charging 0-80% in 1 hour |
| Extra features | Siri, Find iPhone, | Always-on display, double tap gesture, Faster on-device Siri, Precision Finding for iPhone, Depth gauge to 6m and water temperature sensor, speakers and media playback, microphone with voice isolation | Always-on display, double tap gesture, Faster on-device Siri, Precision Finding for iPhone, Customisable Action button, Depth gauge to 40m and water temperature sensor, scuba to 40m, Dual speakers, media playback and three-mic array with beamforming |
| Health features | Heart rate, Heart rhythm, Cycle Tracking, Sleep stages | Blood Oxygen, ECG, Heart rate, Heart rhythm, Temperature sensing, Cycle Tracking with ovulation estimates, Sleep stages | Blood Oxygen, ECG, Heart rate, Heart rhythm, Temperature sensing, Cycle Tracking with ovulation estimates, Sleep stages |
| Safety features | Emergency SOS, Fall Detection and Crash Detection | Emergency SOS, Fall Detection and Crash Detection | Emergency SOS, Fall Detection and Crash Detection, Siren |
| Water resistance | 50 meters, Swimproof | 50 meters, Swimproof | 100 meters, Swimproof, High-speed water sports, dive to 40m |
| Connectivity | L1 GPS, cellular option | L1 GPS, cellular option | Precision dual-frequency GPS (L1 and L5 GPS), cellular only |
Best Apple Watch
Right now Apple sells three different Apple Watches, although there are different combinations of case and wristband that can make it seem like a bit of a minefield. These is the newest Apple Watches: the Apple Watch Series 10 (2024), and the older Apple Watch Ultra 2 (2023), and the Apple Watch SE 2 (2022).
Generally, each Apple Watch offers a few more features than the one that came before it. Below we will run through the features available on each Apple Watch so you can see what you are getting for your money.
Apple isn’t the only place where you can buy an Apple Watch, and if you shop around you can still buy older models that Apple doesn’t sell. To get the best deal on an Apple Watch take note of the best prices shown below, you might also like to look at our roundup of the Best Apple Watch Deals.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Pros
- 1 to 3,000 nits brightness
- Ultra-only capabilities for extreme sports
- Double Tap
- Tough exterior
Cons
- No price drop in the U.S.
- Only one size
We are now in the second generation of Apple Watch Ultra, with the most recent model launching in 2023, but a minor update to the color options came in 2024.
The Apple Watch Ultra is the ultimate Apple Watch. Designed for athletes and adventures it isn’t a watch for everyone, but it goes beyond the standard Apple Watch with features for divers (depth gauge, water temperature sensor, water resistance to 100 meters) and features for hikers such as precision dual-frequency GPS. It is constructed from tougher materials: a titanium case and a sapphire crystal cover for the screen. The Apple Watch Series 10 now shares some of those features that distinguish the Ultra from the standard Apple Watch: the Apple Watch 10 offers a Titanium option, depth gauge and water temperature sensor, but there are still a lot of superior features offered by the Ultra.
The Ultra’s battery life is better than the standard Apple Watch series at 36 hours for the Ultra and 18 hours for the Series 10 (and the Series 9 and 8 before it). You can eke out even more battery life in the Ultra too, up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode (Low Power Mode on the Apple Watch 8 to 10 models results in 36 hours of battery life).
The second-gen Apple Watch Ultra features the S9 chip which is superior to the previous generation with 60% more transistors than the S8, a four-core Neural Engine that is twice as fast than the S8, and 30 percent faster graphics. Of course, the newer Apple Watch Series 10 has the S10 chip, which you might assume makes it more powerful. Truth is there is little difference between the S10 and S9.
You might wonder why you need a powerful chip anyway, but it allows for things like smoother animations, faster and more accurate dictation, Siri on device and the Double Tap feature.
When introduced, the Apple Watch Ultra screen offered 2,000 nits of brightness, the second generation Ultra offers 3,000 nits (while the Series 9 and 10 get 2,000 nits). This should make it easier to see the screen in bright light, perhaps on the ski slopes. The always-on screen can also turn down to 1 nit so as not to disturb others.
Like the Series 10, the Ultra 2 offers the new U2 Ultra-wideband chip that enables Precision Finding to make it easier to find your iPhone. Rather than just ping with iPhone, you will get navigation instructions on the watch.
The original Ultra has the Action Button, to make controlling the Watch a bit easier, but the second-gen model goes a step further. Thanks to the Double-Tap gesture (also in the Apple Watch 9 and 20) you won’t have to touch the screen to control the Watch, useful if your other hand isn’t free. Just tap your thumb and index finger together and the gesture is recognized by the watch (via sensors and algorithms) so that the primary action of whatever app is showing will be triggered. You will also be able to use on-device Siri to do – like ask Siri to open Watch apps or check or input data.
Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm)
Pros
- Bigger, easier-to-read display
- Faster charging
- Refined design
Cons
- Still only 18 hours battery life
- Blood Oxygen unavailable in the U.S.
The Series 10 is a modest set of improvements over the Apple Watch Series 9. Notably, the watch is now a tiny bit thinner and larger, just enough to make the display fractionally bigger (42mm up from 41mm or 46mm up from 45mm) and slightly easier to read (it’s got wider viewing angles, too). Performance hasn’t changed and neither has battery life, still rated at 18 hours, but there’s a new water temperature sensor and the ability to sense depth up to 6 meters.
The premium model is now Titanium instead of Stainless Steel, which results in a big weight reduction. The titanium Series 10 is barely heavier than the aluminum model, while the stainless steel Series 9 was a lot heavier.
The Series 10 charges faster, too. It will go from 0-80% in 30 minutes instead of 45 minutes, which is enough of a change to make a real difference.
If you have a Series 8 or Series 9 this isn’t an upgrade you need, but it’s probably the best Apple Watch to get if it’s your first one or you’re coming from a much older model, unless you live the sort of life of adventure that necessitates the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation, 40mm)
Pros
- Cheapest Apple Watch
- Crash detection
- Fall detection
Cons
- Lacks many of the health sensors of the other Watches: no ECG, no O2
- Smaller, cramped screen
The Apple Watch SE, which arrived in 2022, is the second generation SE, with the first being introduced in 2020. The 2022 Apple Watch SE introduced new features and component improvements compared to the original. Like the Series 8 and subsequent Watches, it offers Crash Detection and an improved Compass app.
The heart sensor in the SE (old and new) is second-generation, while the Series 7 and above offer a third-generation heart sensor. The SE also lacks the body temperature sensor for cycle monitoring. You also don’t get Blood Oxygen monitoring or the ability to perform an ECG.
The SE comes in two sizes, but the screen is slightly smaller than the screen on the Series 10 and older at 44mm and 40mm, rather than 46mm and 42mm. This means the screen is a little bit more cramped, especially when compared to the Ultra’s 49mm screen. Speaking of the screen, the SE doesn’t offer an always-on display like the other watches, so if that is likely to be a point of frustration for you it’s a good reason to upgrade.
Battery life is the same 18 hours as the Series 10.
How the new Apple watches compare
That’s an overview, but in a little more detail here’s how the features of each Apple Watch compare.
Dimensions
The Apple Watch Ultra is the biggest Apple Watch sold by Apple. To accommodate the 49mm screen the watch measures 49mm by 44mm by 14.4mm. It weighs from 61.4 grams depending on the color chosen.
The Apple Watch Ultra is big and heavy. If you have slim wrists you might prefer a smaller case, in which case Apple offers the option of a large and smaller variant of each watch with the Apple Watch Series 10 and SE. With the Ultra only one size is available.
The Apple Watch Series 10 offers either a 46mm or 42mm screen. To accommodate the 46mm screen the watch measures 46mm by 39mm by 9.7mm. It weighs from 36.4 grams for the aluminium option, 41.7 grams for titanium. For the 42mm screen the watch measures 42mm by 36mm by 9.7mm. It weighs from 30 grams for the aluminium option, 34.4 grams for titanium.
The Apple Watch SE (2) offers either a 44mm or 40 screen. To accommodate the 44mm screen the watch measures 44mm by 38mm by 10.7mm. It weighs from 32.9 grams. For the 40mm screen the watch measures 40mm by 34mm by 10.7mm. It weighs from 26.4 grams.
Display
The bigger the watch the bigger the screen, of course. Or at least that’s what you might think. In fact, the display area of the 46mm Apple Watch Series 10 is fractionally bigger than the 49mm Apple Watch Ultra 2. Here’s how those two compare:
- Apple Watch Ultra 2: 410×502 pixels, 1,185 sq mm display area, 3,000 nits brightness
- Apple Watch Series 10 (46mm): 416×496 pixels, 1,220 sq mm display area, 2,000 nits brightness
- Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm): 374×446 pixels, 989 sq mm display area, 2,000 nits brightness
- Apple Watch SE (44mm): 368×448 pixels, 977 sq mm display area, 1,000 nits brightness
- Apple Watch SE (40mm): 324×394 pixels, 759 sq mm display area, 1,000 nits brightness
It’s not just size that matters with the screens though. The 3,000 nits brightness on the Ultra means it should be easier to read in particularly bright light, for example, when skiing. This beats the Series 10, which offers 2,000 nits, as did the Series 9, but the Series 10 also offers wide-angled OLED screen which helps when viewing the screen at an angle. The SE offers 1,000 nits brightness.
Apple
Both the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch Series 10 offer an Always-On display – so you can always see the time without having to wake it. This is a feature that was also shared by the Apple Watch Series 5 and later. The Apple Watch SE doesn’t offer an Always-On display.
Design
There may be three variants of the Apple Watch, but there are a number of combinations that mean that there are more design differences than you might expect.
As we explained above, there are five sizes to choose from if you consider all models: 49mm, 46mm, 44mm, 42mm and 40mm.
In addition to the sizes, Apple uses two different materials for the cases: aluminum for the Watch SE; aluminum or titanium for the Series 10; and titanium for the Ultra 2. For each case there is a choice of colors:
- Aluminium comes in midnight, starlight, rose gold, and silver.
- Titanium is available in gold or natural on the Series 10, or natural and black on Ultra 2.
As well as a choice of case color, you also have a vast choice of straps or bands to go with the Apple Watch, some are only compatible with certain Watch sizes. See: Do Apple Watch straps fit all models? Some add a considerable expense to the cost of the Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch Ultra has a choice of three straps designed to be rugged and suitable for extreme sports enthusiasts, these new straps can be used with the larger Apple Watches as well. Take a look at all the watch straps on offer on Apple’s site.
We discuss the best Apple Watch straps and Apple Watch straps: how to find the perfect size separately.
Durability
Various elements of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 design help it withstand altitudes, high temperatures, low temperatures, immersion, freeze/thaw, shock, and vibration. So if you want a watch that can be worn at a depth of 40 meters (it’s certified for scuba diving) the Ultra 2 will be the one for you.
Also making the Ultra a little better able to withstand knocks is a sapphire front crystal display, around which raised edges of the case provide protection. The Apple Watch Series 10 also features strong sapphire glass with the TItanium models (and the 9 and 8 did on the Stainless Steel models). There’s Ion-X screen glass on the aluminium models.
Apple
All three watches are “Swimproof” according to Apple, but they are not equal in this respect. The Apple Watch 10 and SE have a water resistance rating of 100 meters and Apple suggests that they can be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. The Apple Watch Ultra has a water resistance rating of 50 meters and includes a Depth gauge and water temperature sensor. With these feature it’s no surprise that Apple states that the Ultra can be used for recreational scuba diving, however Apple adds that “Apple Watch Ultra should not be used for diving below 40 meters” and also points out that “water resistance can diminish over time”.
The Ultra offers the same IP6X dust resistance as the Series 10. The SE does’t offer this certification.
Health and Safety features
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Cycle Tracking: Just like the Series 10, the Ultra offers temperature sensing for Cycle Tracking, which was a new feature introduced with the 2022 Watches that should help women trying to get pregnant identify when they have ovulated.
Blood Oxygen: You’ll also find the Blood Oxygen app (which arrived with the Series 6) in the Ultra and Series 10 Watches. Measuring blood oxygen can alert the wearer to any reduction of oxygen in their bloodstream and can help with management of conditions like asthma. This isn’t available in the SE. Due to a patent battle, this feature is disabled in Apple Watches sold and used in the United States, though it may return via a software update in the future.
ECG: The Apple Watch 10 and Ultra offer the ECG app (introduced with the Series 4). The 2022 SE can’t perform an ECG (electrocardiogram), but it can notify you of high and low heart rate and irregular heart rhythm, as can the other Watches.
Crash Detection: In 2022 Apple Watches gained the ability to detect a car crash. This feature means that if you are in a severe car crash while wearing any Apple Watch from 2022 or above, the Watch will detect the impact and dial emergency services if you are unresponsive (you’ll get a 10-second warning).
Fall Detection: Another safety features that is shared by all the Apple Watches is Fall Detection (the feature arrived with the Apple Watch Series 4). If the watch identifies that you have fallen it will sound an alarm and display an alert so you can confirm if you are ok. If you aren’t ok the watch can call the emergency services. If you don’t have a cellular plan for your Apple Watch you will need your connected iPhone to be nearby for the call to be placed.
Siren: This safety feature is unique to the Ultra (1 and 2). That model can play a 86-decibel siren that is audible up to 600 feet (182 meters), handy if you get lost on a mountain.
Compass & Backtrack: Speaking of mountaineering, the new 2022 Watches gained an improved Compass app with and Backtrack feature that should help you avoid getting lost. The Apple Watch Ultra 9 and 2) could be better at this job though because it features a new dual-frequency GPS that should make it better at positioning you because it won’t be affected by tall trees and buildings. If you are frustrated that your Watch can’t pinpoint your exact location when you are trying to use it for directions amid tall buildings this is a feature for you.
Sleep Tracking: The Apple Watches can also track your sleep and wake you up. Since watchOS 8 the Apple Watch has been able to track your breathing rate, notifying you of possible health issues. The Apple Watch Series 10 and Ultra 2 offer Sleep apnoea notifications.
Specs
Chip: The 2023 Apple Watch Ultra 2 has the S9 chip and the Series 10 has the S10 chip, but they appear to be identical in performance. The S8 chip in the SE (as well as in 2022’s Series 8 Apple Watch and the original Ultra) didn’t offer a significant power boost over the S7, which itself wasn’t a lot better than the S6. While the S6 delivered just a 20 percent boost in performance over the Series 5, which launched in 2019.
GPS: Both the Apple Watch Series 10 and SE have L1 GPS, while the Apple Watch Ultra (1 and 2) offer Precision dual-frequency (L1 and L5) GPS. L1 GPS is the standard GPS, but it can be blocked by tall buildings and other obstacles. L5 GPS is more advanced and should cope better with buildings blocking the satellite signal.
U2: The Apple Watch Series 10 and Ultra 2 both offer an upgraded ultra-wideband chip that will improve their ability to track the location of an object, such as the iPhone 15. This improves on the U1 chip in the Series 8 and Ultra 1. Note the Apple Watch SE is the only Apple Watch that doesn’t even include the U1 chip.
Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi connectivity is better in the Series 10 and Ultra: the SE offers only 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n, while the Apple Watch 8 and Ultra both added 5GHz Wi-Fi to that, as do the 2023 Watches.
Apple
Battery life
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 offers 36 hour battery life (as did the original Ultra). This is much more than the other Watches’ 18 hours. The Series 10 offers faster charging (0-80% in 30 minutes), an improvement over prior models’ fast charging (0-80% in 45 minutes).
That 36-hour figure for the Ultra can be even higher though if you use the Low Power Mode you should be able to get up to 72 hours, according to Apple. This same Low Power Mode brings the Watch 10 battery life to 36 hours.
That’s battery life measured in typical use, but athletes and other users might not be quite so typical. Apple says that there’ll be enough battery power to get users through a triathlon (that’s a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and a marathon of 26.2 miles). The problem for other Apple Watch users is that the battery would probably run down if you were tracking such extensive exercise.
Check out our roundup of the best Apple Watch chargers and docks.
Which Apple Watch to buy
As you can see from the above, it’s not a simple case of being able to say a particular Apple Watch is the winner. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 clearly has the best features, but it’s big, perhaps too big, and it has a big price attached to it.
The Apple Watch Series 10 offers some enticing new features, and is probably the best choice for most users that don’t have specific need of the rugged outdoor qualities of the Ultra.
The Apple Watch SE is Apple’s cheapest Apple Watch, starting at $249/£219, which will be a big point in its favor, but it’s not the cheapest Apple Watch ever sold. Apple used to sell the Apple Watch Series 3 for just $199/£179 for the 38mm version. The 2022 SE is cheaper than the 2020 generation though, which started at $279/£269. Along with a lower price, the SE also offers features such as Car Crash detection, but it lacks some of the health-related features that people are looking for.
It’s the health-related features that will probably stand out as the main differentiator between the SE and the Series 10, and this hasn’t changed from the previous generation. If the ability to check blood oxygen, take an ECG, and temperature monitoring, are important to you then it has to be the Series 10. If those aren’t something that you think you need then the SE will be quite sufficient.
And if you are off up a mountain, diving in the ocean, or heading out for a marathon, then the Ultra is the way to go.
