Apple Watch Series 9 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2
Apple released two of the best smartwatches of the year, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Both share several communication, fitness tracking and convenience features, but there are also ways in which the watches are different. From price and battery life to sports and design, here’s what you need to know about the Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Apple Watch Ultra 2 to help you decide which one is right for you based on our testing.
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00:00Two new Apple Watches hit shelves for 2023,
00:03the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
00:06If you're an iOS user and looking to either buy a smartwatch for the first time
00:10or upgrade from an older Apple Watch model,
00:13you might be wondering which one is best suited for you
00:16or if you should buy a new one at all.
00:18The real question is, are you just looking for a helpful everyday accessory
00:22and extension of your iPhone
00:24or are you looking for a big screen, adventure-ready companion?
00:28Let's jump into it.
00:30When you think of what an Apple Watch looks like,
00:33the Apple Watch Series 9 is it.
00:35Starting at $399 for the 41mm size and $429 for the 45mm size,
00:42it's a very standard, modern-looking smartwatch.
00:45It's available in both aluminum and stainless steel
00:48and there are a number of color options available to suit your own style.
00:51I personally love the subtle new pink finish that's exclusive to Apple Watch Series 9.
00:57Then there's the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 2,
01:00which comes in just one size and one style.
01:03The device has a more sporty design featuring a flat display,
01:07protruding right side button array,
01:09and orange action button on the left side.
01:12The screen is also 49mm,
01:14the biggest you'll find for an Apple Watch
01:17and one of the biggest you'll find for smartwatches in general.
01:20That display is also brighter than it was before, hitting 3,000 nits,
01:23while the Apple Watch Series 9 is rated for 2,000 nits peak brightness.
01:28Now you might not be able to tell the difference here in the studio,
01:31but outside it's very, very noticeable.
01:34If you're spending a lot of time in direct sunlight for sports and outdoor recreation,
01:38that's something to take into consideration.
01:40This family of Apple Watch devices is leading Apple's mission
01:44to make all of its devices carbon neutral by 2030.
01:47Both the Series 9 and Ultra 2, when paired with certain watch bands,
01:52are the company's first carbon neutral certified devices,
01:55featuring more recycled materials than previously used.
01:58That is a big win for the planet and its consumers, if you ask me.
02:06The most standout changes to this year's models
02:08are relative to performance with the new processor,
02:10which is basically the brains behind the smartwatches.
02:14Apple calls it the S9 chip,
02:15and it promises up to 25% improvement in efficiency.
02:19Think faster performance, smoother animations, better battery life management.
02:24For reference, if you have an older Apple Watch model,
02:26Apple hasn't made any substantial changes like this to the Apple Watch processor
02:31since the Apple Watch Series 6.
02:34This processor is also a big deal because it powers some handy new features
02:38that have been introduced to the 2023 smartwatches.
02:41Powered by a proprietary algorithm in the smartwatch processor,
02:45DoubleTap lets you carry out certain Apple Watch functions
02:48by tapping together the index finger and thumb of your watch hand twice.
02:52DoubleTap can be used to answer phone calls, dismiss timers,
02:56respond to texts, pause music, control the camera remote app, and more.
03:00It's seriously my new favorite Apple Watch feature in years
03:04and could be reason alone to upgrade.
03:06And if that doesn't do it for you, there's an improved Siri experience.
03:11Siri responds faster than before with complete on-device computing,
03:14so nothing is being sent up to the cloud.
03:17This means that Siri can execute certain commands
03:19even when the Apple Watch Series 9 is disconnected from Wi-Fi or your smartphone.
03:25I used to not even be able to set timers using Siri
03:27when I was in my laundry room down the hall away from my smartphone,
03:31and it was quite annoying, so this is a great upgrade as well.
03:35A new ultra-wideband chip makes it a bit easier to find your iPhone
03:38if you've misplaced it, which I do pretty much every single day.
03:42Using the ping feature, you can track down your phone with directions now.
03:46However, this feature does require an iPhone 15,
03:49so keep that in mind when you're weighing which of these features matters most to you.
03:54There are some features exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra 2
03:57that set it apart from the Apple Watch Series 9 as a rugged adventure watch.
04:02The titanium frame and brighter screen mean it's well-suited
04:05to surviving the knocks and dings of outdoor pursuits.
04:08It's also better equipped to help you navigate the outdoors with a dual-frequency GPS.
04:13In open water, it can go twice as deep as the Apple Watch Series 9,
04:17and it could even be used as a dive computer with the built-in Depth app and the Oceanic Plus app.
04:23The added action button on the side can help you
04:25with quick access to some of these sports features.
04:28In terms of safety during all of these adventures,
04:31the Apple Watch Ultra 2's built-in siren is a game-changer for emergencies.
04:36Both the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9
04:39have other safety features like emergency SOS and fall detection.
04:43Both also have a full suite of health sensors,
04:45which can be used not just to monitor your activity for workouts,
04:48but also provide some essential health information.
04:52The skin temperature reader can provide cycle insights,
04:54while the ECG sensor can detect signs of AFib.
04:57The blood oxygen sensor is useful for sleep tracking as well.
05:01To personalize your watch experience further,
05:03you'll make use of WatchOS 10, the software version that ships on both watches.
05:08This gives you a huge selection of watch faces to choose from,
05:12some with many complications.
05:14There are two exclusive watch faces for Apple Watch Ultra that make use of the big screen,
05:18but that all comes down to preference.
05:20When you hit the side button, you get your smart stack,
05:22which you don't get as much control over,
05:25but it does adapt the information you see on your wrist
05:27based on what your watch expects you want to see.
05:30I think the way for you to make the most of your Apple Watch experience,
05:33no matter which watch you're wearing,
05:35is to download third-party apps.
05:37For Apple Watch Ultra 2 users,
05:39you could download some excellent sports apps
05:41like SwingVision for tennis and GolfShop for golf.
05:44Runners get apps like Strava and Nike RunClub,
05:47and I get to sync mine to my Peloton machine.
05:49There are apps for smart home devices, airline tickets, news, and even games.
05:54If battery life is your priority,
05:56I'm going to go ahead and say you might want to consider the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
06:00Even with its brighter display,
06:01the Apple Watch Ultra 2 gets 36 hours of battery life with normal use.
06:06The Apple Watch Series 9 battery life is the same
06:09as the previous-gen Apple Watch Series 8,
06:11and all the Apple Watch models before it, pretty much.
06:14It lasts 18 hours with normal use.
06:16That is a big, big difference,
06:18especially if you're constantly on the go
06:20and don't always have direct access to a power source.
06:23That said, both watches support the Apple Watch Low Power Mode
06:26that debuted last year.
06:28It extends the Series 9 battery life to 36 hours
06:31and the Ultra 2 battery life to 72 hours.
06:34Low Power Mode is available for all Apple Watch models running WatchOS 10.
06:42So, which watch is going to be best suited for you?
06:45With everything we talked about in mind,
06:46I understand price is going to be one of the biggest deciding factors.
06:50The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a high $799 price tag.
06:54You can get the Apple Watch Series 9 for half the price.
06:57Though if you want LTE support,
06:59that will bump the Series 9 starting price from $399 to $499,
07:05kind of narrowing the gap when you consider
07:07that LTE comes standard on the Ultra 2.
07:10Still, the Series 9 is going to be the best smartwatch
07:13for most people in the market for an everyday Apple Watch.
07:17It's a great introduction to Apple Watch
07:19if you've never had one before.
07:20And with that processor I rave so much about,
07:23you know it's going to last you many years to come.
07:26But if you can afford the premium
07:28and could use assistance far above and below sea level,
07:31the Apple Watch Ultra may just be the right watch for you.
07:35On the opposite end, if you just want the bare minimum,
07:38there's always the $249 Apple Watch SE
07:41that you can read my review of on TomSka.com for more details.
07:45So, what do you think?
07:46Still not sure which Apple Watch is right for you?
07:48Let me know in the comments below.
07:50And if you're subscribed, I'll be sure to answer all of your questions.
07:54You can also hit us up on social,
07:56Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok at Tom's Guide.
07:59And as always, I'm at Kate Kozich.
08:01Thanks for watching.
08:02I'll catch you next time.