Did you know there have been over a dozen kinds of Apple Watches? Apple has always been known for innovation and pushing the limits, and its Apple Watch Series demonstrates that. We put together this handy Apple Watch comparison guide to help you understand the differences between each model,and make an informed choice.
The Apple Watch Series
Over the years, Apple has released several different Apple Watch models. The original Apple Watch was released in 2015, followed by Series 1-8 and the SE and Ultra. Currently, we have Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches. Apple also offers special edition Apple Watch models, including an athlete-friendly Apple Watch Nike and an Apple Watch Hermes with an attractive leather wristband.
Each version delivers incrementally better specs and features, such as improved processor performance, memory capacity, sensors, display resolution, and connectivity.
Apple Watch Series 9
The Series 9 watches take a step up from Series 8 in a few major categories. Screen brightness jumps from 1000 to 2000 nits and dims based on the environment down to 1 nit. The S9 chip and 4-core Neural Engine give us a nice speed increase. We also get double tap functionality and twice the storage capacity.
Apple Watch Series Ultra 2
Taking all the power of the Ultra, the Apple Watch Series Ultra 2 ups the game. Pushing screen brightness from 2000 nits to 3000 – Apple’s brightest watch display to this point. The 4-core Neural Engine is about twice as fast, and Siri’s onboard processing of some requests makes the Utra 2 overall faster. The Apple Watch Series Ultra adds Precision Finding for iPhone 15 models, as well as double tap operation.
Apple Watch Series 8
The Series 8 watches have a few added features compared to the previous series. It allows for deeper insight into your health with temperature sensing, sleep stage display, and an improved Workout app. Even more so, you’ll receive information on your heart rate and irregular rhythm through notifications. The series also has advanced safety features, including Fall Detection, Emergency SOS, and Crash Detection.
A Brief History of the Apple Watch
Let’s give a reverse history of the Apple Watch and see how far the wearable has come.
Apple Watch Series Ultra
This is one of the newest Apple Watch variations, along with the Series 8 below. The Series Ultra boasts the largest, brightest Apple Watch display at 49mm. If you are an adventurer looking for a durable watch, this is for you. It has a titanium case for added protection, a dual-frequency GPS, and up to 36 hours of battery life. It’s also water and dust resistant, and built to take on extreme conditions.
Apple Watch Series 7
With the Apple Watch Series 7, Apple has once again redesigned the case and bezel to incorporate a larger display. Announced in fall 2021, It’s available in 41 mm or 45 mm options, allowing 50% more screen real estate. Thankfully the lens on the screen is made of crack-resistant crystal, so it should be just as durable as the smaller models.
The Series 7 features Apple’s fastest smartwatch processor to date, too. And thanks to the USB-C fast-charging port, it also boasts the quickest charge time.
Apple Watch SE
When Apple launched the Series 6, the company also reintroduced the idea of a more affordable Apple Watch model. The Apple Watch SE forgoes the S6 SiP processor for the older S5 SiP to keep the price point down. It also lacks the blood oxygen and electrical heart sensors in the Series 6.
Apple Watch Series 6
The Apple Watch Series 6 is a significant upgrade from Series 4 and 5. This model packs an S6 processor, which Apple claims is 20% faster than the S5 in the Apple Watch 5. It also includes a brighter always-on Retina display so you can read it in brighter environments.
Series 6 introduced a blood oxygen sensor to complement the electrical and optical heart rate monitors and give you a better picture of your health. The Series 6 is the first Apple Watch to incorporate Apple’s U1 ultra-wideband chip, which supports Apple’s AirDrop directional file sharing and precise location tracking.
Apple Watch Series 5
Apple Watch Series 5 succeeded Series 4 in 2019. It offers twice the storage capacity, an energy-efficient processor, and a better ambient light sensor to adjust your screen’s brightness depending on your surroundings. Apple also introduced new battery and performance management technology, which improves battery life over previous generations.
Apple Watch Series 4
Apple announced the Apple Watch Series 4 in 2018. This model featured larger 40mm and 44mm cases with thinner bezels, with 30% larger Retina LTPO OLED displays. The Apple Watch Series 4 packs a 64-bit dual-core S4 processor and 16GB of memory, so you can run more powerful apps like the popular ViewRanger hiking and cycling navigation app.
This is the first model to incorporate the upgraded 32G accelerometer, which enabled Apple to develop fall-detection technology that automatically notifies emergency services if you fall and can’t get up. Series 4 watches also support LTE and UMTS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and deliver electronic ECG and optical heart rate sensors.
Apple Watch Series 3
Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 3 in 2017, and the company still sells this model in 2022. The Series 3 features a powerful dual-core processor and 8GB of storage, letting you run more demanding apps like the Runkeeper GPS Running Tracker or YouTube Music.
The Series 3 features a GPS radio so you can keep track of your travel, and a built-in altimeter to map your elevation. It also supports Bluetooth 4.2 and includes a crisp, bright, 1000-nit second-gen Retina OLED display. Apple offers the Apple Watch Series 3 with an aluminum case and Ion-X glass, or a stainless steel case with a sapphire crystal display.
Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2
The Apple Watch Series 1 was a low-cost variant without GPS. It also carried a less powerful processor than the Series 2 to reach its more affordable price point. Series 2 included a brighter screen and water resistance up to 50 meters.
Apple discontinued support for the Series 1 and 2 Apple Watches in late 2020 with the release of WatchOS 6.3. If you’re using one of these devices, it’s probably time to upgrade to a new model with up-to-date security.
First-Generation Apple Watch
Apple introduced the Apple Watch and the WatchOS operating system in April 2015. The early device had an S1 system-on-chip processor, built-in GPS, 8GB of storage, and a choice between 38mm and 42mm case sizes.
It also included a heart-rate sensor to help track fitness and medical conditions. Apple discontinued support for the first-gen Apple Watch when they released WatchOS 4.3.2 in 2018.
