Quick Links
Key Takeaways
- The Apple Watch Series 9 offers incremental updates over its predecessor, the Series 8, but still maintains impressive functions.
- The Series 9 features a new processing chip, a brighter display, and some exciting new features still on the horizon.
- Current owners of recent Apple Watch models may not find many new features in the Series 9, but it could be a significant improvement for those with older models.
The Apple Watch has improved with each release, but some updates are more significant than others. As an owner of the original Apple Watch Ultra, I was excited to try out the Apple Watch Series 9 to see how it performed.
The Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 were released this year. Still, neither model makes significant upgrades over its immediate predecessor. Like its iPhone series, Apple has been introducing increasingly minor, incremental updates to its Apple Watch lineup each year.
For those who own one of the more recent models of Series watches, you won't find many new features on the Apple Watch Series 9, making upgrading less necessary. However, for those who own an older model, it could provide a significant improvement.
Apple Watch Series 9
The Apple Watch Series 9 provides an incremental upgrade over its predecessor, the Apple Watch Series 8. However, this doesn’t make it a subpar wearable device by any means. Rather, it means that an already impressive device has been improved slightly. The Series 9 features a superior chip, a brighter display, and some exciting new features on the horizon.
- Heart Rate Monitor
- Yes
- Battery Life
- Up to 18 hours
- Operating System
- watchOS 10 and higher
- Onboard GPS
- Yes
- Offline Media Storage
- Yes
- Customizable Strap
- Yes
- SIM Support
- Yes
- Lens Material
- Ion-X front glass on aluminum models. Sapphire front crystal on stainless steel models.
- Case Material
- Aluminum or stainless steel
- Case size
- 41mm or 45mm case
- Colors
- A: Midnight, Starlight, Silver, Pink, (PRODUCT) RED, SS: Graphite, Silver, Gold
- Display
- Alway-On Display
- CPU
- S9 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor
- Storage
- 64GB
- Price
- from $399
- Dimensions
- 41mm: 352 by 430 pixels, 904 sq mm display area; 45mm: 396 by 484 pixels, 1143 sq mm display area
- Weight
- 41mm: from 31.9 grams; 44mm: from 38.7 grams
- Audio
- Speaker
- Brightness
- Up to 2000 nits brightness, minimum 1 nits brightness
- Water resistance
- 50 meters
- Excellent new chip
- Available in various options
- Superior health and wellness features
- Environmentally friendly
- Not much different than previous model
- Same battery life
Getting to Know Apple Watch Series 9
This year's traditional Series model is available in 41mm or 45mm sizes, with a recycled aluminum or stainless steel case. The aluminum model is offered in five different colors (Midnight, Starlight, Silver, Pink, and (PRODUCT) RED), while the stainless steel model comes in three variations (Gold, Silver, and Graphite).
At first glance, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Series 8 may seem similar in design, apart from the new pink color option for the aluminum model. However, upon closer inspection, the two watches have an important difference. The latest Apple Watch models are carbon-neutral for the first time, assuming it's an Apple Watch Series 9 with one of the new Sport Loop bands. Besides offering recycled aluminum, these wearable devices have recycled tungsten in the Taptic Engine, rare earth elements in the watch's magnets, and more.
The Apple Watch Series 9 is available in GPS and GPS + Cellular models, with the latter costing an extra $100. All Apple Watch Series 9 models come with an always-on display, are water-resistant up to 50 meters, and have a certified IP6X dust-resistant rating. The aluminum models feature Ion-X glass, while the more expensive stainless steel models come with sapphire crystal glass. The back of every Apple Watch Series 9 model has a ceramic and sapphire crystal cover.
Style and Fit: It's Up to You
In my experience, all the Apple Watches I have owned have been comfortable to wear, but the band you choose plays a significant role in determining the overall comfort level. Many official Apple Watch bands are available through the Apple website and various retailers, and they come in different forms and price points. When you place an order for an Apple Watch, you will need to select a band.
My preferred band is the traditional Apple Sports Band, but I have also enjoyed the Apple Watch Nike bands. Both are comfortable and easy to attach. The Sport Loop that came with my review unit was even more comfortable than either of these. Made of soft, lightweight nylon weave, these bands are designed with breathability in mind, and it shows.
However, the choice is ultimately yours. Hundreds of bands are available for the Apple Watch, both official and third-party options. Take your time to decide which band will best suit your needs.
The size and material of the case can also affect the fit of the watch. As someone with large wrists, I have always bought the biggest available Apple Watch size, which was 44mm for many years, then 45mm, and then the 49mm on the Apple Watch Ultra. While I found the 41mm review unit too small for my wrists, this obviously won't be the case for everyone.
Regarding the case material, aluminum is much lighter than stainless steel. For instance, the 41mm aluminum Apple Watch Series 9 weighs 31.9 grams, whereas the stainless steel one is 42.3 grams. Similarly, the 45mm aluminum model weighs 38.7 grams compared to 51.5 grams for the stainless steel version.
If you're unsure about the case size, material, or the type of band that would suit you best, you can visit a local Apple Store and try some demo units. It can be a fun process, but be warned, the excitement could lead you to buy more bands.
Familiar Findings
A few things haven't changed in the latest Apple Watch model compared to its predecessors. Firstly, the watch still features a rectangular face. Additionally, it sits at a height of 10.7mm, which may be higher than some people prefer. When I got my first Apple Watch, I was worried that its height would make it prone to getting caught on things, but that has never happened.
Like in previous models, the new watch still has two buttons on the right-hand side. The top is the Digital Crown, while the bottom is the side button. These buttons control all the watch's functions that can't be controlled using gestures on the watch face.
New Features: Series 9 vs. Older Versions
The Apple Watch Series 9 still offers the same fitness, health, and wellness features that users have come to expect from these devices. The Apple Watch has several advanced features that allow users to track their exercise routines, monitor heart rate and rhythm irregularities, measure blood oxygen levels, and more. Moreover, Apple has recently introduced additional features such as sleep monitoring and cycle tracking to enhance the device's versatility.
One of the new features in this year's watch is the S9 SiP processor, designed to make the watch faster and more efficient than previous models. The result is that machine learning tasks are twice as fast. Siri, Apple's voice assistant, has also improved on this model, thanks to the watch's faster Neural Engine. Siri now responds to commands faster, and Apple claims that Siri dictation is up to 25% more accurate.
I conducted tests to compare the response time of Siri on the Apple Watch Series 9 and my first-generation Apple Watch Ultra. I found that Siri responded to my prompts much quicker on the newer model, resulting in a better back-and-forth experience. As someone who has rarely used Siri, this noticeable change has made me reconsider whether to start using it more frequently.
The new watch's display is also brighter, providing up to 2,000 peak nits, making it easier to view in sunny conditions. Additionally, the display can dim to just 1 nit in low-light situations. These changes make for a more pleasant experience, although it's not that much different from what you'd experience on older watches.
More Siri enhancements and a Double Tap gesture are coming to the 2023 Apple Watch models. With the additional Siri enhancements, you can soon ask Siri on your watch about your health or use it to log additional health information without sending your personal information to Apple. The Double Tap gesture will allow you to double-tap your index finger and thumb together on your watch-wearing arm to perform tasks such as opening a notification, playing and pausing music, answering a call, and more.
There is one final difference between the Apple Watch Series 9 and its predecessors. Unlike the previous models, the Series 9 comes with 64GB of storage, while others offer only 32GB. This difference is especially important if you are someone who likes to store music, podcasts, and photos on your watch. However, if you don’t use your watch for storing these types of media, then this difference may not be that significant for you. Regardless, it’s nice to have another increase in Apple Watch storage.
Battery Life: More of the Same
The Series Apple Watches, unfortunately, continue to offer only 18 hours of battery life, which is not enough to last an entire 24-hour day on a single charge. Although fast charging helps alleviate the issue, it's disappointing that the regular Apple Watch can't last longer. In contrast, the Apple Watch Ultra series offers a much-improved battery life of up to 36 hours.
The battery life of your Apple Watch may vary depending on your usage, especially if you're using the always-on display. I ran three tests on the review unit to check the battery life. In two trials, I wanted to see how long the watch would last before the battery completely drained. In the first test, the Apple Watch lasted 19 hours before losing its charge, while the second test lasted 17 hours.
I used the always-on display during my tests and tracked two walks and three yoga sessions using the Apple Fitness+ app. I also listened to podcasts, my favorite tunes on Apple Music, and checked the weather multiple times throughout the day. I also used the built-in audiobook tool and listened to an entire book.
For the third test, I wanted to confirm that the watch could be fast charged to 50% and could do so as advertised.
As someone who uses Apple Watch's sleep tools, I always have enough charge to get through the night. A good rule of thumb is to fully charge your watch before bed or immediately after closing your three rings. This way, you'll have enough charge to last through the night.
About watchOS 10
Recently, Apple launched watchOS 10, which comes pre-installed on the Apple Watch Series 9. This software update includes new features like fresh watch faces, design improvements to existing apps, a new Smart Stack feature, and more. These features are available on all supported Apple Watches, not just the more recent models.
Should You Buy the Apple Watch Series 9?
The Apple Watch Series 9 has now replaced the Series 8 as the best Apple Watch available on the market. The Series 9 comes with an upgraded processor, improved Siri functionality, a brighter display, and double the storage. Plus, future updates will bring even more improvements to Siri, such as the Double Tap feature in the upcoming watchOS 10 update.
Just because the Apple Watch Series 9 is the best smartwatch now for most users doesn’t necessarily mean you should make the switch.
If you own an Apple Watch Series 6 or an older version, it might be a great time to upgrade. You will enjoy a larger display, a better processor, and more storage capacity. However, if you already own an Apple Watch Series 7 or 8, the improvements made in the Apple Watch Series 9 are not significant enough to warrant an upgrade. It would be better to wait for the Apple Watch Series 10, expected to be released in 2024, before considering an upgrade.
Apple Watch Series 9
The Apple Watch Series 9 provides an incremental upgrade over its predecessor, the Apple Watch Series 8. However, this doesn’t make it a subpar wearable device by any means. Rather, it means that an already impressive device has been improved slightly. The Series 9 features a superior chip, a brighter display, and some exciting new features on the horizon.