Best Apple Watch: Choose the right model and best accessories

Apple Watch is almost an essential for any iPhone owner these days, so it makes the perfect gift for anyone who doesn’t already own one. It’s also one of the more affordable Apple devices you can buy with a range of options to choose from that start at just $249 (or even less if you shop around).

In this buying guide, we’ll help you choose the right Apple Watch for you or for someone else, help you find the best prices, and highlight some of the best Apple Watch accessories you can get.

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Best Apple Watch buying guide

Apple Watch is by far the best and most popular smartwatch on the market, and it’s easy to see why. It packs excellent features, an attractive design, and it works wonderfully alongside iPhone. In addition to workout and sleep tracking, it gives you additional features you can’t get from iPhone alone, like heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring.

For those who wear an Apple Watch daily, it’s hard to imagine living without one. Which is why it makes the perfect gift, whether you’re buying for yourself, or treating someone else. Let’s look at how the latest models compare — and where you’ll find the best prices right now.

Apple Watch buying guide: Table of contents

• Best Apple Watch overall: Apple Watch Series 9
• Best Apple Watch for kids and students: Apple Watch SE
• Best Apple Watch for fitness and sports: Apple Watch Ultra 2
• Best Apple Watch for women: Apple Watch Hermès
• Apple Watch feature comparison
• Best Apple Watch accessories

Best Apple Watch overall: Apple Watch Series 9

Apple Watch Series 9, launched just a couple of months ago, is the best Apple Watch for most Apple fans. It’s not the most affordable or the most expensive model, but it does feature almost all of Apple’s latest wearable technologies, including a brighter always-on display, crash and fall detection, and the brilliant new Double Tap feature.

You also get everything you’ve come to expect from Apple Watch, such as accurate heart rate monitoring and a built-in ECG, workout and sleep tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, and great battery life (up to 18 hours). It all runs on watchOS — by far the best smartwatch platform on the market today.

Apple Watch Series 9 sports the same design as its predecessors, so it’s compatible with existing bands, and it’s powered by the latest Apple S9 chip. Prices start at $399 when you buy from Apple, but you’ll pay as little as $329 with Amazon and Best Buy.

Buy from: Amazon
Buy from: Best Buy

Best Apple Watch for kids and students: Apple Watch SE

If you’re on a tight budget, or looking for the best Apple Watch for kids, Apple Watch SE provides a great balance between affordability and features. It’s missing some of the technology you get with Apple Watch Series 9, but still boasts excellent workout and sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, crash and fall detection, and a stellar screen.

Apple Watch SE, like its more expensive siblings, is also water-resistant so it doesn’t mind going for a swim, and it lasts up to 18 hours in between charges. You can set it up using an adult’s iPhone using Family Setup, and there’s a Schooltime mode for students that stops Apple Watch from being a distraction during lessons.

Starting at just $249 in the Apple Store, Apple Watch SE is available from a mere $179 on Amazon and Best Buy.

Buy from: Amazon
Buy from: Best Buy

Best Apple Watch for fitness and sports: Apple Watch Ultra 2

Apple Watch Ultra 2 is simply the best smartwatch money can buy — and its the best Apple Watch for fitness and sports. It takes everything available in Apple Watch Series 9 and combines it with a more durable titanium design, the biggest and brightest Apple Watch display, and even longer battery life (up to 36 hours).

Built for hiking, diving, water sports and all sorts of endurance activities, Apple Watch Ultra 2 is water-resistant up to 100 meters — compared to 50 meters on other models — and it packs a more precise dual-frequency GPS. There’s even a built-in siren in case you ever get lost in a remote location.

Despite its larger 49mm form factor, Apple Watch Ultra 2 is compatible with regular bands, but the device itself will cost you more. Prices start at $799 when you buy from Apple, or $739 when you buy from Amazon and Best Buy.

Buy from: Amazon
Buy from: Best Buy

Best Apple Watch for women: Apple Watch Hermès

The Apple Watch Hermès might be the best Apple Watch for women. Starting at $1,249, Apple Watch Hermès is essentially an Apple Watch Series 9 with a stainless steel case and high-end Hermès band. There are a selection of fancy Hermès bands to choose from, many of them inspired by the French fashion house’s equestrian roots.

The Apple Watch Hermès comes in the standard 41mm and 45mm sizes, and you can choose from a silver or space black finish. It also ships with some exclusive Hermès watch faces that aren’t available on other Apple Watch models.

Apple Watch Hermès is only available from Apple or select Hermès stores, so don’t assume you’ll be able to get it a little cheaper elsewhere.

Buy from: Apple

Apple Watch feature comparison

Best Apple Watch accessories

After picking the perfect Apple Watch, it’s time to pick up some accessories that will help you make the most out of your new smartwatch. You will almost certainly want some spare bands and a charging station, while a portable battery can be a lifesaver for frequent fliers. Here’s our pick of some of the best Apple Watch accessories.