Best Apple Watch: Which Apple Watch to buy in 2024-2025
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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 can 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
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Apple
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| 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
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