Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
The Apple Watch Series 9 is just like the Series 8 but improve on it in a few small ways : the processor is faster , bombardment life is Considerably honest , the screen is brighter , and you get the new double tap feature . Almost by nonpayment , the Series 9 advance the deed of conveyance of the best general - purpose smartwatch Apple has ever made .
Best Prices Today: Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm)
It ’s probably fair to say that the Apple Watch is not prone to radical alteration . In the eight years and nine standard generation since the first framework launched in 2015 , the fundamental design has hardly neuter , and it ’s often difficult to specialise one multiplication from another . One day , perhaps , this will modify . But not today .
The Apple Watch Series 9 , launch in fall 2023 , does n’t mess with the formula that has seen Apple effortlessly dominate the smartwatch market place for the honest part of a decade , and differs from last year’sSeries 8 in only a few esteem . But does that intend it ’s a bad watch ? Of of course not ! away from the Apple Watch Ultra line , which is aimed at a dissimilar audience , this is the best smartwatch Apple has ever made , as this in - profundity review will explain .
Apple Watch History
This Apple Watch is soon to be replaced with a new model . Do note that we ’re carry to seeApple Watch Series 10 , Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE tertiary genesis , runningwatchOS 11 , plunge in September 2024 at the company’sGlowtime event(seehow to watch the September consequence ) . If you ’re in the market for a new Apple Watch , see ourApple find out purchasing guide , beat - up of thebest Apple Watch deals , and advice on whether you shouldbuy Apple Watch now or waitress . You might also be interested in what othernew Apple productsare come this year , and when is thenext Apple case . you’re able to find link to all our Apple Watch reexamine below .
Design & build
Series 8 proprietor should look away now because very little has shift in this department . That is n’t the greatest of disaster , of course , since the Series 8 was already a attractively plan picayune physical object .
David Price / Foundry
Like its predecessors , the Series 9 is a smashing , constitutional - feeling squircle with pleasing kink edges and corners that sits unobtrusively on your wrist ; unlike the Apple Watch Ultra , it very seldom gets caught on a arm and has never struck me as bulky . There ’s a convex prominence on the undersurface of the watch , which is where the optic sensor presses into your wrist . This looks like it might be uncomfortable but really is n’t . ( Although I occasionally concern that farsighted - terminal figure use is creating a petty divot in my skin , which is probably a sign I should wear it more loosely than I do at present . )
Spot the difference: the Series 9 (right) is physically almost indistinguishable from the Series 8.
There ’s a minimalist spell to the plan , with just two hardware control condition , a dial on the right and a button below this , and the button is so seamlessly integrated that it ’s almost invisible . This is n’t a problem , of course , since you locate it by tinge . The intact conception , indeed , feel like an attempt to turn the lookout man into an invisible envelope for the screen , which is prominent and bright ; outside of this frame , the lusterlessness - finish case describe almost no aid to itself , which is how it should be .
The Digital Crown dial , which is the flamboyant element of the case thanks to its ( still middling subtle ) blood-red lot marking , has a attractively unruffled natural action whether you ’re rotating or press it . Apple is so honest at these form of small but of import detail .
Screen quality
In most respects , the Series 9 ’s screen is the same as the one in the Series 8 . Again , that does n’t take to matter very much if you ’re thinking of upgrading from an older model ( or if this would be your first Apple Watch ) but it feels worth refer just for the principle of the matter .
The size of it of the CRT screen you get will depend on which interlingual rendition of the Series 9 you go for . The prominent ( 45 mm ) manikin has a 1.9 - in screen with a solution of 484 x 396 ; the 41 mm edition has a 1.69 - in ( 430 x 352 ) cover . Either way of life , it ’s a discriminating , coloured display ; even when zooming in heavily on a photo , and peer very nearly at the covert , I was unable to find any pixelation or softness . It just feel like a windowpane into a digital populace . It never find like you ’re looking at a screen , just interact with your apps .
Like the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus , however , the Apple Watch bring forth a bump in screen luminousness this year . Last year ’s Series 8 was cap at 1,000 nits , but the Series 9 goes up to 2,000 . ( Note that the Ultra line is one step beforehand , having already hit 2,000 nits last twelvemonth and derail to 3,000 this meter around . ) In theory , this should mean better discernability outdoors , particularly when the conditions are bright – a common use case for the Apple Watch in its guise as a fitness companion . But I ca n’t say I really notice the difference . In a good way , I guess , in the sense that I did n’t find the brightness of the Series 8 an issuing .
Spot the difference: the Series 9 (right) is physically almost indistinguishable from the Series 8.
At the other destruction of the exfoliation , Apple says the Series 9 can get dimmer than late models : it goes all the mode down to 1 nit when you do n’t want to disturb anyone or just want to continue battery life sentence . Mind you , Apple did n’t denote the minimal luminousness of the Series 8 , so it ’s hard to judge how much thing have changed … but some analysts have suggested it might have been capable of drop to 2 nits and no low . This does n’t sound like much of a divergence but it has an impact on battery performance as you ’ll see below .
Performance: Paper gains
Apple spent a fair bit of its launch presentation talking about the processor in the Apple Watch Series 9 , which is yell the S9 . For the first metre in geezerhood , we get a noticeable gibbousness in processing exponent ; the S8 and S7 in former generations were fundamentally rebranded editions of the S6 in the Apple Watch Series 6 from 2020 . But the S9 should deliver far better performance according to Apple .
The emphasis , there , on the wordshould .
Here ’s the affair : processing ability is not a determine cistron on the Apple Watch . The Series 8 , we ’re told , has what is in essence a three - twelvemonth - old central processor , but I ’ve never found it wearisome , not even once . It can run every available app without an issue , exchange between apps swimmingly and apace , and generally behaves like the one - year - onetime product it is . The Series 9 is super - slick and super - fast , of course of instruction , but that ’s no change from its precursor .
Spot the difference: the Series 9 (right) is physically almost indistinguishable from the Series 8.
So if the S9 chip does n’t give us a noticeable modification in performance , what ’s the point of it ? Well , there are two benefits . It should think of the Series 9 is far more future tense - proofed than the previous few models , which may become more of an return now that app developers have faster ironware to compose software for ; in a year or two the Series 8 might seem like a dull option . Second , the S9 is specifically advert as the ground for other improvement : It ’s more power - efficient and it ’s also enabled Apple to implement new motion living . And to talk about the latter , we need to get into software .
Software: watchOS suffers from change
One of the enduring advantage the Apple Watch has held over its rivals is the fact that it incline the watchOS software political platform . Apple ’s smartwatch operating system is effective , user - favorable , and attractive . Its intuitiveness comes partly from smart design , and partly from consistency … but unfortunately , this year consistency has been thrown out . After several age with virtually the same port , Apple ’s UX experts chose the watchOS 10 update to switch thing up a slight , and the result , for this tenacious - terminal figure Apple Watch user at least , is confusion and irritation in about adequate measurement .
The biggest problem is that the Dock has been removed . Previously , you could press the side button at any time and see a short curated list of your favourite apps ; speak personally , this was how I access virtually all apps . Now the side button brings up the Control Center , which used to be trigger off by swipe up from the bottom of the screen . purloin up now bring up the Smart Stack . And the Dock can not be accessed at all . ( you could double - printing press the dial , which fetch up a list of recently used apps , which is the next best thing . But this lean can not be curated , you just see what you ’ve been using latterly . )
There are smaller change too , however . It used to be that you could shift easily from grid view to name view and vice versa by simply long - pressing on the app screen and take an option . Now you have to go into the preferences app . And it ’s no longer possible to swipe easy between your watch face ; you have to recollective press first to start the fount edit Elvis .
Change is not necessarily a bad affair . When the very first Apple Watch hit the market all those years ago , it had a dial and a clit but clearly did n’t have intercourse what to use the clit for … with the result that this was used as a single - usage restraint for bringing up a tilt of contacts . It was only when the watchOS 3 update appeared that this was replace by the Dock and the side button became useful .
But there ’s a difference between the inevitable and necessary tinkering that pass off too soon in a product ’s life story , when use drug abuse have n’t yet settled down and the manufacturer may not yet realize how the product will be used , and unneeded tinkering later on when muscular tissue remembering has build up up and substance abuse have become ingrained . This is the latter . Perhaps in a few months ’ time , I will be used to it , but for now , it ’s annoying .
Double tap: The change you might like
This is n’t guess to be a followup of watchOS 10 , which we try in depthelsewhere , so I wo n’t consist on it much longer . But one of the system ’s new lineament is particularly pertinent here because it ’s a Series 9 ( and Ultra 2 ) exclusive that trust on their S9 chip and detector . It ’s calledDouble Tap .
twofold Tap is activate , as you ’d look , by making a bivalent - water tap gesture . What ’s more surprising is that you do n’t actually do n’t tap on the screen or any of the buttons ; alternatively , you beg together the thumb and indicant fingerbreadth of the hand wear the Apple Watch .
This gesture is primarily intended to be reactive , as a path of responding to incoming notifications when you ’ve only flummox one hand free because you ’re arrest a burnt umber , hanging on to a strap on a underground train , or have just applied hand cream or whatever . It can be used to answer a phone call , record a voice subject matter in reaction to a text , attain cat sleep on an alarm , stop a timekeeper , take a photo when using Camera Remote , and various other quick natural action .
I wish Double Tap , unlike so many of the other changes in watchOS 10 , for two reasons : it ’s in add-on to other ascendancy method rather than instead of them , and it can be turn off whole if you do n’t wish it . I often leave to use the feature in the excitement of an incoming call or warning gadget , and sometimes find the Apple Watch did n’t successfully detect it anyway . But I think it could become a useful option once we ’re all used to it .
On-device Siri: An overdue change
We ’ve long asked Apple to give Siri aSiri - ous overhaulsince it ’s tight come near the position of “ not fit for role . ” And while a larger , arrangement - wise revamp still has n’t get , it ’s full to see Apple take the small but similarly much - needed step of enabling the novel Apple Watch to use Siri without having to get through the cyberspace .
The Series 9 , for the first time in the Apple Watch ’s history , can action many coarse Siri request on - gimmick . In possibility that should stand for they ’re faster , which I ca n’t say I mark : even with the power of the S9 , there was still a obtrusive pause while the watch thought about the postulation . But far more authoritative in my view is the improvement in reliability when your internet connexion is spotty . This removes a item of unsuccessful person from the procedure ( for some of us a point of very frequent nonstarter ) and it is glorious to see .
Please implement this on HomePod next , Apple .
Precision Finding
The S9 render one more new feature we should talk about , Precision Finding , the fix - sensing function many lector will be familiar with from interactions between the iPhone and the AirTag .
Now , when you tap that utilitarian button in the Apple Watch ’s Control Center that pings your iPhone , you do n’t just get a helpful ringing sound ; you also get detail on the projection screen guide you to it .
Battery life and charging
In the technical school specs , Apple says the Series 9 is good for 18 hour of “ normal ” utilisation . Despite the improved power efficiency of the S9 chip , that ’s the same appraisal the troupe gives for the Series 6 , 7 , and 8 . But how does the watch shape up in the real existence ?
I would say it ’s a very conservative estimate . There ’s no standardized test you could use to appraise an Apple Watch ’s battery life , and the time will vary wide depend on what you ’re doing with it . ( I detect that long workouts are particularly debilitate . ) But in none of my tests did the Series 9 give me less than 38 time of day , and in my most scientific trial it last very nearly 48 hours . That ’s a arresting performance , well ahead of the Series 8 , which last 32.5 hours , and puts us comfortably into the zone where you’re able to miss a nighttime of charging and king through to the next Nox .
We ’re still some way behind the Ultra bank line , which in my review of thefirst - gen modellasted 72.5 hours and is really a multi - day gimmick . But the Series 9 is a big whole tone forrad in battery carrying out .
Double Tap can be used to pause a stopwatch, and you get a little blue icon to tell you it’s worked.
The Series 9 comes with a USB - coke charging puck , but no power adapter , so you ’ll have to supply your own . It charges pretty fast : 20 minutes was enough to relegate it from empty to 43 percent power .
Price
The Apple Watch Series 9 start at $ 399/£399 . That ’s the same U.S. Leontyne Price as the Series 8 , and U.K. client even see a small price cut . mark that these are the pricesdirect from Applewith the meretricious straps , but you could bump up the price if you go for a untarnished blade band or similar , or potentially compensate a little less if you shop around for thebest deal .
aluminium :
unstained blade :
Finding your iPhone was never this easy.
Verdict: Should you buy the Apple Watch Series 9?
Almost inescapably , this is the good general - use smartwatch Apple has ever made . ( The Ultra models are good in several respects , but their great bulk and higher cost mean that for many customers they just are n’t suitable . ) It ’s just like the Series 8 , which held that title until this gloam , but improves on it in a few modest way : the processor is faster , which makes very lilliputian remainder to performance now but should secure a longer utilitarian life ; barrage liveliness is considerably better ; the screen is bright , though again I did n’t notice the difference of opinion ; and you get the Modern Double Tap lineament . Of these , I would say that only battery animation is probable to palpably exchange your experience with the product , and perchance not even that if you ’re a regular nighttime battery charger . But these are change that are only better , and so , almost by nonremittal , the Series 9 wins the title of well Apple Watch .
The only modification for the worse , in fact , is the uncomfortable and ( to me ) unnecessary tweaking of the port in watchOS 10 . This , I do n’t like at all . But it go for to all Apple Watches that set up the young oxygen , so that ’s not really a slam on the Series 9 .
Should you purchase the fresh watch ? That depend on what you presently own . If you ’re on a Series 7 or 8 , I would say no , since the alteration wo n’t really be detectable . If you ’ve got anything old , or if this is going to be your first Apple Watch , then plunge on in ! The pee ’s lovely .
