Apple Watch SE (GPS, 40mm)
Battery life: Up to 18 hours | Screen brightness: 1,000 nits | Waterproof rating: Water resistant to 50 meters | Case size: 40 millimeter or 44 millimeter
Best for: iPhone owners with a tight budget.
For the budget-conscious, Apple makes the Apple Watch SE, which is the smallest and least expensive option at $249. Aside from its smaller stature (smaller by exactly 1 millimeter in each of its sizes), the watch looks very much like its larger sibling, the Apple Watch Series 9. You get an all-aluminum case and a retina display that gets up to 1000 nits of peak brightness.
The digital crown and side button are the same on both the SE and the Series 9, in terms of form and function. The Apple Watch SE gives you a lot of the health metrics you’re looking for with one or two notable exceptions. You can get heart rate, fall detection and cycle tracking. The Apple Watch SE allows you to close your rings with exercise and is water resistant up to 50m.
The Apple Watch SE comes in Bluetooth only or cellular models which allows you to leave your phone at home without missing phone calls and texts. You’ll get up to 18 hours of battery life in optimal conditions, so plan to charge your watch fairly frequently, and when you do so, it will be without the benefit of fast charging.
An Excellent Value Apple Watch
Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS, 41mm)
Battery life: 30 hours | Screen brightness: 2,000 nits | Waterproof rating: Water resistant to 50 meters | Case size: 41 millimeter or 45 millimeter
Best for: iPhone owners looking for the best balance of features and price.
While the Apple Watch Ultra 2 could arguably be called the “flagship Apple Watch,” one could certainly call the Apple Watch Series 9 the best Apple Watch overall because it combines the best combination of features and value for the money. The Apple Watch Series 9 is pricey at $399, but it doesn’t hold a candle to its larger sibling. Yet, the two watches are very similar in most respects.
The Apple Watch Series 9 comes in 45-millimeter and 41-millimeter sizes and looks very slim and stylish, especially compared to the Ultra 2. It’s light as well, weighing a maximum of 51.5 grams if you opt for the stainless steel edition. The screen can hit up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness, ensuring that it’s very readable even in bright sunlight.
The Apple Watch Series 9 adds a lot of functions beyond what the SE can do. Among the additional features, you’ll find ECG and blood oxygen measurement (though the latter is currently under dispute in the U.S. court system), a skin temperature sensor and faster on-device Siri, which can also help you interpret your health data.
New to the Apple Watch Series 9 is the double-tap gesture that lets you control your watch by tapping your thumb and ring finger together. Doing so selects the dominant button on the screen—to answer a call, hang up, reply to a text message, etc. It’s designed for people who don’t always have two hands to work with such as climbers.
According to Apple, you also get around 18 hours of battery life out of the watch, but our testing showed that to be a very conservative estimate. We frequently hit 30+ hours of use with the always-on display enabled (which the Apple Watch SE doesn’t support). You can easily get a day and more out of a charge, which means it’s great for sleep tracking as well.
The Apple Watch That Does It All
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Battery life: 48 hours | Screen brightness: 3,000 nits | Waterproof rating: Water resistant to 100 meters | Case size: 49 millimeter
Best for: iPhone owners who want the best, regardless of price.
Apple’s latest flagship watch, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the best of everything in a single package, but it comes with a massive price tag. The case is a hefty 49 millimeters and the overall built is chunky. The digital crown is set into the case slightly, but not so much that you can avoid accidental pushes when you bend your wrist. The screen gets extremely bright—up to 3000 nits of peak brightness, which is handy when you need to launch the flashlight feature (which turns the screen white). The case is also made of titanium, as opposed to aluminum or stainless steel.
The same Apple Watch Series 9 features are present in the Apple Watch Ultra 2. You get blood oxygen sensors (with the aforementioned controversy), heart rate, fall detection, etc. Additionally, you get an action button, which can be used to launch a feature, like the flashlight. There’s also a siren for emergencies, a much larger battery that will get you an easy two days of use and water resistance down to 100 meters.
Put simply, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the best of everything Apple has to offer on a watch. But it comes with a $799 price tag. That’s expensive, especially for a piece of technology that gets a refresh every year. But if you absolutely have to have the best of everything, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 really earns the “ultra” in its name.
Which Apple Watch Should I Buy?
That mostly depends on your budget. If you haven’t owned a smartwatch before, the Apple Watch SE is a good entry-level watch. But for $150 more (about 66% of the price) you can upgrade to the additional sensors and longevity of the Apple Watch Series 9, which is going to be the best option for most people. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is an even better watch in almost every way, but it’s hard to justify doubling the cost unless you need that much battery or durability.
Can I Use An Apple Watch With An Android Phone?
No. The Apple Watch does not support Android phones at all. Similarly, most Android smartwatches don’t work or don’t work well with an iPhone. If you’re looking for a watch that’s compatible with an Android phone, check out Forbes Vetted’s list of the best Android Smartwatches.
Can I Use My Apple Watch Without An iPhone?
Yes, to an extent. The Apple Watch requires an iOS device to set up and use, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be an iPhone. An iPad will do the job for you. You can also set up an Apple Watch to work with a Cellular connection and no iPhone at all for your child, but cellular connectivity requires extra hardware (at an extra cost) and a data plan (also at an extra cost).
Can I Take Phone Calls On My Apple Watch?
Yes! The Apple Watch is capable of making and receiving phone calls. In fact, as long as your iPhone and Apple Watch connect to the same WiFi network, you can make and receive calls on your watch, even if your phone is off.
