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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00:00 Two new Apple Watches hit shelves for 2023,
00:02 the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
00:06 If you're an iOS user and looking to either
00:08 buy a smartwatch for the first time
00:10 or upgrade from an older Apple Watch model,
00:12 you might be wondering which one is best suited for you
00:16 or if you should buy a new one at all.
00:18 The real question is, are you just looking
00:20 for a helpful everyday accessory
00:22 and extension of your iPhone,
00:24 or are you looking for a big screen,
00:26 adventure-ready companion?
00:28 Let's jump into it.
00:29 (upbeat music)
00:30 When you think of what an Apple Watch looks like,
00:33 the Apple Watch Series 9 is it.
00:35 Starting at $399 for the 41 millimeter size
00:38 and $429 for the 45 millimeter size,
00:42 it's a very standard, modern-looking smartwatch.
00:45 It's available in both aluminum and stainless steel,
00:47 and there are a number of color options
00:49 available to suit your own style.
00:51 I personally love the subtle new pink finish
00:54 that's exclusive to Apple Watch Series 9.
00:57 Then there's the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 2,
01:00 which comes in just one size and one style.
01:03 The device has a more sporty design,
01:05 featuring a flat display,
01:07 protruding right side button array,
01:09 and orange action button on the left side.
01:12 The screen is also 49 millimeters,
01:14 the biggest you'll find for an Apple Watch
01:16 and one of the biggest you'll find
01:18 for smartwatches in general.
01:19 That display is also brighter than it was before,
01:22 hitting 3,000 nits,
01:23 while the Apple Watch Series 9
01:25 is rated for 2,000 nits peak brightness.
01:28 Now, you might not be able to tell the difference
01:30 here in the studio,
01:31 but outside it's very, very noticeable.
01:34 If you're spending a lot of time in direct sunlight
01:36 for sports and outdoor recreation,
01:38 that's something to take into consideration.
01:40 This family of Apple Watch devices
01:42 is leading Apple's mission to make all of its devices
01:45 carbon neutral by 2030.
01:47 Both the Series 9 and Ultra 2,
01:49 when paired with certain watch bands,
01:51 are the company's first carbon neutral certified devices,
01:55 featuring more recycled materials than previously used.
01:58 That is a big win for the planet
02:00 and its consumers, if you ask me.
02:02 The most standout changes to this year's models
02:08 are relative to performance with the new processor,
02:10 which is basically the brains behind the smartwatches.
02:13 Apple calls it the S9 chip,
02:15 and it promises up to 25% improvement in efficiency.
02:19 Think faster performance, smoother animations,
02:22 better battery life management.
02:24 For reference, if you have an older Apple Watch model,
02:26 Apple hasn't made any substantial changes like this
02:29 to the Apple Watch processor since the Apple Watch Series 6.
02:33 This processor is also a big deal
02:35 because it powers some handy new features
02:37 that have been introduced to the 2023 smartwatches.
02:41 Powered by a proprietary algorithm
02:43 in the smartwatch processor,
02:45 Double Tap lets you carry out certain Apple Watch functions
02:47 by tapping together the index finger
02:49 and thumb of your watch hand twice.
02:52 Double Tap can be used to answer phone calls,
02:54 dismiss timers, respond to texts, pause music,
02:58 control the camera remote app, and more.
03:00 It's seriously my new favorite Apple Watch feature in years
03:04 and could be reason alone to upgrade.
03:06 And if that doesn't do it for you,
03:08 there's an improved Siri experience.
03:10 Siri responds faster than before
03:12 with complete on-device computing,
03:14 so nothing is being sent up to the cloud.
03:17 This means that Siri can execute certain commands
03:19 even when the Apple Watch Series 9 is disconnected
03:22 from Wi-Fi or your smartphone.
03:25 I used to not even be able to set timers using Siri
03:27 when I was in my laundry room down the hall
03:29 away from my smartphone, and it was quite annoying.
03:33 So this is a great upgrade as well.
03:35 A new ultra-wideband chip makes it a bit easier
03:37 to find your iPhone if you've misplaced it,
03:39 which I do pretty much every single day.
03:42 Using the ping feature,
03:43 you can track down your phone with directions now.
03:46 However, this feature does require an iPhone 15,
03:49 so keep that in mind when you're weighing
03:51 which of these features matters most to you.
03:54 There are some features exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra 2
03:57 that set it apart from the Apple Watch Series 9
04:00 as a rugged adventure watch.
04:02 The titanium frame and brighter screen
04:03 mean it's well-suited to surviving the knocks and dings
04:06 of outdoor pursuits.
04:07 It's also better equipped to help you navigate the outdoors
04:11 with a dual-frequency GPS.
04:13 In open water, it can go twice as deep
04:15 as the Apple Watch Series 9,
04:17 and it could even be used as a dive computer
04:19 with the built-in depth app and the Oceanic Plus app.
04:23 The added action button on the side
04:24 can help you with quick access
04:26 to some of these sports features.
04:28 In terms of safety, during all of these adventures,
04:31 the Apple Watch Ultra 2's built-in siren
04:33 is a game changer for emergencies.
04:36 Both the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9
04:38 have other safety features like emergency SOS
04:41 and fall detection.
04:42 Both also have a full suite of health sensors,
04:45 which can be used not just to monitor your activity
04:47 for workouts, but also provide
04:49 some essential health information.
04:51 The skin temperature reader can provide cycle insights,
04:54 while the ECG sensor can detect signs of AFib.
04:57 The blood oxygen sensor is useful
04:59 for sleep tracking as well.
05:01 To personalize your watch experience further,
05:03 you'll make use of WatchOS 10,
05:05 the software version that ships on both watches.
05:08 This gives you a huge selection of watch faces
05:11 to choose from, some with many complications.
05:13 There are two exclusive watch faces for Apple Watch Ultra
05:16 that make use of the big screen,
05:18 but that all comes down to preference.
05:20 When you hit the side button, you get your smart stack,
05:22 which you don't get as much control over,
05:24 but it does adapt the information you see on your wrist
05:27 based on what your watch expects you wanna see.
05:30 I think the way for you to make the most
05:32 of your Apple Watch experience,
05:33 no matter which watch you're wearing,
05:35 is to download third-party apps.
05:37 For Apple Watch Ultra 2 users,
05:39 you could download some excellent sports apps
05:41 like SwingVision for tennis and GolfShop for golf.
05:44 Runners get apps like Strava and Nike Run Club,
05:46 and I get to sync mine to my Peloton machine.
05:49 There are apps for smart home devices,
05:51 airline tickets, news, and even games.
05:54 If battery life is your priority,
05:56 I'm gonna go ahead and say you might wanna consider
05:58 the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
06:00 Even with its brighter display,
06:01 the Apple Watch Ultra 2 gets 36 hours of battery life
06:05 with normal use.
06:06 The Apple Watch Series 9 battery life
06:08 is the same as the previous-gen Apple Watch Series 8,
06:11 and all the Apple Watch models before it, pretty much.
06:14 It lasts 18 hours with normal use.
06:16 That is a big, big difference,
06:18 especially if you're constantly on the go
06:20 and don't always have direct access to a power source.
06:23 That said, both watches support
06:25 the Apple Watch Low Power Mode that debuted last year.
06:28 It extends the Series 9 battery life to 36 hours
06:31 and the Ultra 2 battery life to 72 hours.
06:33 Low Power Mode is available for all Apple Watch models
06:36 running Watch OS X.
06:38 (upbeat music)
06:41 So, which watch is gonna be best suited for you?
06:44 With everything we talked about in mind,
06:46 I understand price is going to be
06:48 one of the biggest deciding factors.
06:50 The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a high $799 price tag.
06:54 You can get the Apple Watch Series 9 for half the price.
06:57 Though, if you want LTE support,
06:59 that will bump the Series 9 starting price
07:01 from $399 to $499,
07:05 kind of narrowing the gap when you consider
07:07 that LTE comes standard on the Ultra 2.
07:10 Still, the Series 9 is going to be the best smartwatch
07:13 for most people in the market for an everyday Apple Watch.
07:16 It's a great introduction to Apple Watch
07:18 if you've never had one before.
07:20 And with that processor I rave so much about,
07:23 you know it's going to last you many years to come.
07:26 But if you can afford the premium
07:28 and could use assistance far above and below sea level,
07:31 the Apple Watch Ultra may just be the right watch for you.
07:35 On the opposite end, if you just want the bare minimum,
07:37 there's always the $249 Apple Watch SE
07:41 that you can read my review of on Tom's Guide.com
07:43 for more details.
07:45 So, what do you think?
07:46 Still not sure which Apple Watch is right for you?
07:48 Let me know in the comments below.
07:50 And if you're subscribed,
07:51 I'll be sure to answer all of your questions.
07:54 You can also hit us up on social,
07:56 Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @tomsguide.
07:58 And as always, I'm @kaykocic.
08:01 Thanks for watching.
08:02 I'll catch you next time.
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