The brand new Series 9 and Ultra 2 Apple Watch models are finally here, and many argue that they got more meaningful upgrades and changes than the iPhone 15 Pro, including a massive boost to 2,000 nits for the Series 9. That matches the original Ultra, which honestly makes it really confusing to choose the suitable Apple Watch model to buy, especially since Apple still has the SE2 for a killer price.
In this blog, I'm going to stop all the confusion and explain all the main differences between them to help you decide which Apple Watch to buy. I'm also going to give you some advice that you probably need to be expecting. So, without further ado, let's jump right in and start with the most significant difference between all three models: the materials and sizes.
The Apple Watch SE starts at $249 and only comes in aluminum in either Midnight, Starlight, or Silver, with the most petite case sizes either 40 or 44 millimeters. For $150 more, you can get the new Series 9, which comes in aluminum at the base price and gets two extra color options: Product Red and the brand-new Pink. It is slightly larger with 41 and 45-millimeter case sizes. However, you can also get the Series 9 in stainless steel in either Graphite, Silver, or Gold. But you'll have to pay at least $700 for these, and the price continues to go up based on the band that you like, including the brand-new fine woven magnetic link for $50 more and the new modern buckle for $100 more.
And then, finally, we have the brand new Apple Watch Ultra 2, which only comes in the vast 49-millimeter case size and is priced at the same $800, no matter which band you choose. Which actually makes it a killer value, as I'm going to show you in just a minute. But you can only get the new fine woven bands with the Ultra if you order them separately.
Apple Watch display differences: the Ultra 2 has the most significant display size and pixel density. It's the only one that features an entirely flat sapphire crystal glass panel that's protected by the titanium lip, compared to the other models with curved and exposed glass. I've been wearing the original Ultra for an entire year, and let me tell you, that sapphire glass is impressive since I still don't have a single scratch on the display, and that titanium finish has held up incredibly well.
So, if you can't stand scratches on your display, I'd recommend either going for the Ultra or the stainless steel Series 9, which comes with sapphire crystal glass. But at a price of $700 to $800, I'd recommend just going for the Ultra 2 because it comes with a unique design that's rounded at first but then gets flat towards the display. On the left side, it's got the customizable action button, which is unique to the Ultra, while also featuring this large Crown guard that sticks out of the side, protecting the more oversized crown and allowing Apple to put in a battery that's 83% larger than the one in the more extensive 45-millimeter Series 9 model, and actually twice as big as the battery in the 41-millimeter Series 9. That leads to 36 hours of battery life, exactly double the amount you get with both the Series 9 and the SE2. But it also makes the watch about 35% thicker than the other two and, surprisingly, almost two times heavier than the 44-millimeter SE model and about 19% heavier than the stainless steel Series 9.
Now, this year, Apple has dramatically boosted the brightness of the Ultra 2, getting up to 50% brighter outdoors from 2,000 nits to 3,000 nits, with the Series 9 also getting a display that's improved, being twice as bright from 1,000 to 2,000 nits, actually matching the original Ultra's brightness, which I thought was definitely bright enough. Even better, both the new Series 9 and Ultra 2 come with a new display that can get really dark, down to only one nit with auto night mode so that it won't be as distracting at night, and it's going to help save battery life. The SE2 is left behind without that feature and with the old 1,000 nit brightness, and it doesn't get the always-on display either, which makes the other two feel more unique and premium.
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The SE2 also doesn't get the brand-new S9 chip that the other two got this year, which gave them a 30% GPU performance boost, also adding new features like faster on-device Siri with Health Data access, Precision finding for iPhone, and the double-tap gesture, which allows you to answer calls and bring up the intelligent stack and more by simply double-tapping your fingers together.
On top of that, the SE model doesn't come with Apple's Ultra-wideband chip, while the other two new models actually got an even better upgraded U2 chip this year. The SE also doesn't get features like the blood oxygen sensor, the electrical heart sensor, the third-gen Optical heart sensor, fast charging support, the temperature sensing feature, which is available on both of the other models for ovulation tracking, or IP6X dust resistance.
The new Series 9 and Ultra 2 also got a significant upgrade to 64 gigabytes of onboard storage compared to 32 on the SE. So, there are so many feature advantages on the more expensive models. The only thing the SE has going for it is that the cellular model is only $50 more instead of $100 more on the Series 9. So, it's a killer value, especially if you want to buy an Apple Watch for your kid with Family Setup instead of buying them an expensive iPhone.
Oh, and by the way, the Ultra 2 gets cellular included in the $800 price because it's all about value for the money. Just like the fact that it has 100 meters of water resistance compared to 50 on the other two, enabling recreational diving at up to 40 meters deep, qualifying it as a certified diving computer with the exclusive Oceanic Plus diving app, the depth gauge, and water temperature sensor features. It's also the most durable by far, tested to the 810H military standard, so it's great for those worried about cracking or damaging your watch, while the SE2 doesn't even have IP6X dust resistance like the other two have. It also comes with a plastic back, which can get easily scratched up compared to ceramic on the others.
The Ultra 2 also comes with a dual speaker setup, which is 40% louder than on the Series 9, with a new siren feature, better microphones, and precision dual-frequency GPS. For $800, it's the best bang for the buck Apple Watch model ever since it gets a massive 36 hours of battery life compared to 18 on the other two, and it can even go to 72 hours using low-power mode.
But now, with all those differences out of the way, it's time to get into my personal buyer's advice for all of you guys out there, including some advice you probably didn't expect from me. Suppose you're not a child getting an Apple Watch instead of an iPhone. In that case, I would 100% recommend you at least get the Series 9 Apple Watch and skip the SE altogether because that model is just so far behind in terms of features, performance, and more, especially since it needs the always-on display.
And I no longer recommend the SE2 at all, even if you're on a budget. Seriously, try and save a bit more money. On the other hand, if you're going for the Series 9 and you're considering upgrading to the stainless steel model, and especially if you want the cellular version that brings the price up to $700 to $750, depending on the size, you should 100% upgrade to the Ultra 2 instead for just a bit more. The Ultra 2 is much more premium and unique looking, including being so durable that my original Ultra looks brand new thanks to the rugged titanium design. And the action button is excellent and valuable, and the battery life upgrade alone is worth it because I only have to charge it every couple of days.
Plus, the new Ultra 2 now has 3,000 nits of brightness, which is just insane. The only reason I wouldn't get the Ultra 2 is if you have a small wrist and you're worried about it looking massive on your wrist. Or, of course, if you're on a budget and you're not going for that stainless steel Series 9 model, which brings the price down to around $400. In that case, you should go for the Series 9, which I really like this year, thanks to the new brightness boost and other new features.
So that's it for today, and see you again later!