Apple Watch Series 9 vs Series 8: Should you buy the new model?

• Editor's choice

  

  Apple Watch Series 9

  Heart Rate Monitor

  Yes

  Battery Life

  Up to 18 hours

  Operating System

  watchOS 10

  Onboard GPS

  Yes

  Display Size

  352x430 (41mm); 396x484 (45mm)

  Case Material

  Aluminum, Stainless steel

  Apple Watch Series 9 packs in a new, more powerful processor, a brighter display capable of up to 2,000 nits peak brightness, Apple's U2 chip that enables precision-finding of your iPhone, as well as better HomePod integration, and a whole slew of features and tech you'd expect.

  Pros & Cons

  • Faster processor
  • Brighter display
  • Offline Siri

  • Likely won't be discounted as often

  $399 at Amazon $399 at Best Buy $399 at Apple $399 at Walmart

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• Recent alternative

  

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  Followed

  Apple Watch Series 8

  $329 $399 Save $70

  Brand

  Apple

  Heart Rate Monitor

  Yes

  Battery Life

  Up to 18 hours

  Operating System

  watchOS 10

  Onboard GPS

  Yes

  The Apple Watch Series 8 is the 2022 smartwatch from Apple. It offers fresh features like crash detection, a temperature sensor, and more, in addition to existing ones, such as ECG and blood oxygen monitoring.

  Pros & Cons

  • Will likely see more discounts

  • Three-year old processor
  • Dimmer display
  • No Pink model

  $329 at Best Buy $400 at Amazon

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The Apple Watch Series 9 and Series 8 are two of the best smartwatches released to date. Despite launching a year apart, though, they pretty much offer the same set of main features and sensors. So what's exactly the difference between the two, and should you upgrade from an Apple Watch Series 8 to a Series 9? Let's unpack.

Apple Watch Series 9 vs Apple Watch Series 8: Price, availability, and specs

The Apple Watch Series 9 is available to preorder now for $399, with availability to follow on Sept. 22. Meanwhile, the Series 8 used to sell for the same price tag but has been officially discontinued. Both watches offer Midnight, Starlight, Silver, Red, Graphite, and Gold finishes, with the Series 9 exclusively offering Pink as well. Similarly, both Apple Watch models have higher-end variants, such as GPS + Cellular and stainless steel, that cost extra. If you opt for the 2023 model, make sure to buy an Apple Watch Series 9 case to keep it in a pristine condition.

• 	Apple Watch Series 8	Apple Watch Series 9
  Heart Rate Monitor	Yes	Yes
  Battery Life	Up to 18 hours	Up to 18 hours
  Operating System	watchOS 10	watchOS 10
  Onboard GPS	Yes	Yes
  Colors	Midnight, Starlight, Silver, Red, Graphite, Gold	Midnight, Starlight, Silver, Pink, Red, Graphite, Gold
  CPU	Apple S8	Apple S9 SiP
  Storage	32GB	64GB
  Health sensors	Blood oxygen sensor, electrical heart sensor, third-generation optical heart sensor, temperature sensor high-g accelerometer, high dynamic range gyroscope	Blood oxygen sensor, electrical heart sensor, third-generation optical heart sensor, temperature sensor, high-g accelerometer, high dynamic range gyroscope
  Price	$399	$399
  Weight	31.9g (41mm), 38.8g (45mm)	31.9g (41mm); 38.7g (45mm)
  Brightness	1,000 nits	2,000 nits
  Water resistance	50 meters	50 meters

Design, build, and display

There's not much to compare in the design and build departments, as both watches look identical on the outside. You get to pick between 41mm and 45mm sizes, in addition to aluminum and stainless steel builds. Both watches also offer the same water resistance, allowing you to submerge them at up to 50 meters. Their weights are also pretty much identical, and the finishes are the same when excluding the Pink option for the Apple Watch Series 9.

The display on the Apple Watch Series 9 receive some welcome upgrades, though. Its brightness now maxes out at 2,000 nits, an upgrade from 1,000 nits on its predecessor. This makes it much easier to view on-screen elements in direct sunlight. The new watch's brightness also drops to a single nit, which makes the display easier on your eyes at night.

Performance and features

Perhaps the biggest difference between the Apple Watch Series 9 and Series 8 is the Apple S9 chip that powers the 2023 model. Apple had been recycling the same processor since the Series 6, and with the Series 9, users finally get a performance boost. Not only do they get 64GB of SSD instead of 32GB, but they also get a smarter Siri that can access health data and work offline. This processor also future-proofs the watch and ensures that it supports watchOS 10 and future updates for years to come.

There's also a new gesture on the new model that allows users to pinch their fingers to interact with a software button on the watch. This is ideal for when your other hand is busy and don't want to tap the display with your nose. Furthermore, the Series 9 has the U2 chip, which allows enables precision finding for your iPhone, so you can tell exactly where you left your phone behind. The U2 chip also enables a tighter HomePod integration by suggesting media playback when getting close to one of those speakers. Otherwise, both the Apple Watch Series 9 and Series 8 offer workout tracking, health and fitness monitoring, and more. So you can take an ECG, check your heart rate, measure your blood oxygen, etc.

Apple Watch Series 9 vs Apple Watch Series 8: Which smartwatch is better?

Obviously, the Apple Watch Series 9 is better than the Series 8 since it offers the exact same set of features and more. So if you have a model that is older than the Series 7, then the Series 9 would be a decent upgrade. If you already have a Series 8, then we'd advise you to wait for next year's rumored Apple Watch X, which could include some major changes, such as an overhauled design.

If you have a Series 6 or older model and spot a major discount on an Apple Watch Series 8 as retailers clear their stocks, then it would certainly be the better purchase. After all, the Series 8 and Series 9 are very similar. So if you can pay significantly less for the former model, you'll save money and get an almost identical experience using it. Though, do not buy an entry-level Apple Watch Series 8 for $399, since you can own the new Series 9 for that price.