Which Apple Watch Is the Best Apple Watch Right Now?

If you are part of the Apple Ecosystem then the Apple Watch is a must-have accessory. Apple released 2 different versions of the Watch, named the Series 6 and the SE. Apple is also continuing to sell the Apple Series 3, while all these watches look almost the same, which one should you buy? Which Apple Watch should be considered the best Apple Watch and which one should you buy according to your budget?

In this article, we will be discussing all the top-selling Apple watches. We’ll also go over the models that are still worth the price and the ones you should avoid buying. Here is our list of the best Apple watches.

Best Apple Watch Recommendations:

1. Apple Watch Series 1 (2015)

Apple Watch series one, launched in 2015 is one of the most successful Apple products. The Series 1 comes with a 1-day battery life, which is good enough for most users. Back in 2016, the Series 1 came with a stunning OLED display that gave you a beautiful viewing experience, today however, you can find much better displays.

Apple Watch Series 1 is incredibly lightweight and the body is made of aluminum. The total weight of the watch is 25 grams and it is completely waterproof.

Apple Watch Series 1 comes in multiple colors including:

• Black
• Blue
• Grey 
• White
• Rose Gold
• Space Grey

Apple Watch Series 1 Additional Details:

• Price: $549
• Watch OS: 1.0 (up to 4.3.2)
• 8 GB Storage, no card slot
• 390×312 pixels
• 1.65” screen size
• No video recorder
• IPX7 water resistant up to 1 meter and 30 minutes
• 4.0, LE Bluetooth

Worth Buying or Not?

Apple discontinued the Apple Watch Series 1 in September 2018 so you can’t get it anywhere. Even if you can, it’s just not a great idea to spend money on the watch, unless you’re buying it to keep it for your collection.

2. Apple Watch Series 2 (2016)

The Apple Watch Series 2 was leagues ahead of the Series 1. It did almost everything better than its predecessor. The Series 2 had a better OS, included an onboard GPS, a brighter display, and was waterproof up to 50 meters in salt or fresh water.

However, there were some major issues with the watch. First, Apple made no changes to the battery life and the GPS activity drained the battery. Many fans assumed that the Apple Watch Series 2 would come with an always-on display but it didn’t. Moreover, the watch was a bit thicker and heavier.

Apple Watch Series 2 was available in multiple colors including:

Sports band colors:

• Solver case/white
• Black case/black

Leather band colors:

• Silver case/blue
• Brown
• Orange

Stainless Steel Band:

• Silver case/silver
• Black case/black

Apple Watch Series 2 Additional Details:

• Price: $369 – $1,299
• Watch OS: 3.0 (up to 6.2.8)
• 8 GB Storage, no card slot
• 390×312 pixels
• 1.65” screen size
• 512 MB Ram
• No video recorder
• IPX7 water resistant up to 50 meter 
• 4.0, A2DP Bluetooth
• GPS, GLONASS
• 334 mAh Li-Ion

Worth Buying or Not?

The Apple Watch Series 2 is discontinued and you won’t be able to find it anywhere. If you do, keep in mind that the watch is worth the money only if you do a lot of sports and other physical activities. Anyone who’s not a runner or a swimmer should not go with the Apple Watch Series 2.

3. Apple Watch Series 3 (2017)

In 2022, Apple finally stopped the sale of Series 3. The Series 3 was another one of the most selling watches. The design is dated, if you can find a Series 3 and if you have minimal use, it’s still a good enough watch to own. It came with a built-in GPS and optical heart sensors. During the launch, it was one of the best devices for fitness monitoring. 

Same as the Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2, it lacks an always-on display and a built-in compass. If you want a watch that can support you during hiking and other outdoor activities, the Series 3 isn’t the right option for you. If you want, you can get the Apple Watch Series 3 in a GPS-only model as well. 

Apple Watch Series 3 is available in multiple colors including:

• Space Black
• Silver

Apple Watch Series 3 Additional Details:

• Price: $369 – $1,299
• Watch OS: 4.0 (up to 8.7)
• 16 GB Storage, no card slot
• 390×312 pixels
• 1.65” screen size
• 768 MB Ram
• No video recorder
• IPX7 water resistant up to 50 meter 
• 4.2, A2DP, LE Bluetooth
• GPS, GLONASS
• 341 mAh Li-Ion

Worth Buying or Not?

The straight answer is no. The watch is too old and the design looks dated. The hardware won’t support the latest OS and you’d be stuck with the same old firmware. It would be better if you spend a bit more and get the Apple Watch SE or a refurbished Series 5. But unfortunately, Apple has stopped selling those versions as well. 

4. Apple Watch Series 4 (2018)

Apple Watch Series  4 is when Apple did a redesign of its watches. It boasted a bigger and better display with slimmer bezels. This design stayed the same for the Series 5, SE, and Series 6.

If you want, you can still get the Apple Watch Series 4 if you are a fan of the Apple ecosystem. But in my opinion, it’s just not worth spending on the Series 4.

Apple Watch Series 4 comes in multiple colors including:

• Space black
• Silver 
• Gold

Apple Watch Series 4 Additional Details:

• Price: $369 – $1,299
• Watch OS: 5.0 (up to 9.1)
• 16 GB Storage, no card slot
• 448×368 pixels
• 1.78” screen size
• 1 GB Ram
• No video recorder
• IPX7 water resistant up to 50 meter
• 5.0, A2DP, LE Bluetooth
• GPS, GLONASS
• 292 mAh Li-Ion

Worth Buying or Not?

Don’t spend your money on this version. Instead, go for the new SE (2022 variant). SE 2022 is one of the best entry-level Apple Watch. 

5. Apple Watch Series 5 (2019)

The Apple Watch Series 5 was the variant that finally came out with the always-on display. After years of waiting, the Apple Watch Series 5 gave what the fans wanted. It’s not as big of a deal anymore as newer models offer always-on display. But it was a turning point at that time.

If you’re looking to get your hands on a stunning-looking Apple Watch Series 5, then you should know some things. It doesn’t have electrical and optical heart sensors and isn’t able to take an ECG. So, you would be better off with a SE or an upper model.

Apple has discontinued the sale of the Apple Watch Series 5 for 2 years now, but you can find a deal somewhere if you look hard enough. 

Series 5 Apple Watch comes in multiple colors including:

• Space black
• Silver
• Gold

Apple Watch Series 5 Additional Details:

• Price: $399 – $1,299
• Watch OS: 6.0 (up to 9.1)
• 32 GB Storage, no card slot
• 448×368 pixels
• Always on display
• 1.78” screen size
• 1 GB Ram
• No video recorder
• IPX7 water resistant up to 50 meters 
• 5.0, A2DP, LE Bluetooth
• GPS, GLONASS, GLILEO, QZSS
• 296 mAh Li-Ion

Worth Buying or Not?

If you’re willing to spend this much on Series 5, then it would be better for you to go with Series 8 or the new SE variant. Series 5 is old for a recommendation.

6. Apple Watch SE (2020)

The Apple Watch SE and the Apple Watch Series 6 were announced side by side. Both devices are similar in looks and specifications. Both the devices have the same display size, the same type of sensors such as a gyroscope, compass, fall detection, and an always-on altimeter, plus a similar battery life.

The difference is that the SE doesn’t have an always-on display and doesn’t contain two wellness sensors. You won’t get an electrical heart sensor with it so, you won’t be able to take an ECG.

However, it does have an optical heart sensor, the same as the series 3, so you’ll be able to see your heart rate. There’s no blood oxygen measuring sensor in the watch, so you can’t identify asthma and other conditions.

Apple Watch SE comes in multiple colors including:

• Silver
• Gold 
• Space Gray

Apple Watch SE Additional Details:

• Price: $399 – $1,299
• Watch OS: 7.0 (up to 9.1)
• 32 GB Storage, no card slot
• 448×368 pixels
• Always on display
• 1.78” screen size
• 1 GB Ram
• No video recorder
• IPX7 water resistant up to 50 meters 
• 5.0, A2DP, LE Bluetooth
• GPS, GLONASS, 
• Li-Ion battery

Worth Buying or Not?

It comes down to your taste if you should get this version or not. But the best choice would be to go with the 2022 SE version instead of the 2020 one.

7. Apple Watch Series 6 (2020)

Another watch from Apple in 2020. Unlike the SE, it has an always-on display, a blood oxygen sensor, and an altimeter. Moreover, the watch has a newer processor and a better display.

If you’re trying to decide whether to get the series 6 or the SE, it will come down to how much money you want to spend and if you want an Always-On display.

Do keep in mind that Apple doesn’t sell the Series 6 anymore, but you can find it on Amazon, Best Buy, and other third-party sites. One more thing, it will cost almost as much as the new Series 7, so you’re better off getting that for yourself.

Apple Watch Series 6 comes in multiple colors, including:

• Silver 
• Graphite DLC
• Gold PVD

Series 6 Additional Details:

• Price: $349 – $799
• Watch OS: 7.0 (up to 9.1)
• 32 GB Storage, no card slot
• 448×368 pixels
• Always on display
• 1.78” screen size
• 1 GB Ram
• No video recorder
• IPX7 water resistant up to 50 meters 
• 5.0, A2DP, LE Bluetooth
• GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS
• 304 mAh Li-Ion 

Worth Buying or Not?

If you’re just getting the Apple Watch Series 6 for its beautiful design, then absolutely go for it. But if you want an Apple watch regardless of the series, then take the Series 7. It has more power and features. 

8. Apple Watch Series 7 (2021)

The highlight of the Series 7 is the color variants of the watch. It comes equipped with an always-on display that’s 20% bigger than the previous versions. It also contains thinner bezels and has more rounded corners than Series 6. 

With the series 7, you get more watch faces and interfaces. But above all, what I love about the watch is that the bigger display makes it easier to use. There’s also a larger keyboard, so you can text from the watch in those situations where you don’t have your iPhone on you.

The fast charging makes it easy to use the watch for longer. It offers 33% faster charging compared to the previous models. It is also IP6X rated. Moreover, you get a faster chip. Coming to sensors, it has all the same sensors as the Series 6.

Apple Watch Series 7 comes in multiple colors, including:

• Silver 
• Graphite (DLC)
• Gold (PVD)

Series 7 Additional Details:

• Price: $399 – $849
• Watch OS: 8.0 (up to 9.1)
• 32 GB Storage, no card slot
• 484×396 pixels
• Always on display
• 1.9” screen size
• 1 GB Ram
• No video recorder
• IP6X water resistant up to 50 meters 
• 5.0, A2DP, LE Bluetooth
• GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS
• 309 mAh Li-Ion 

Worth Buying or Not?

If you can get a great deal on the Apple Watch Series 7, then you should get it. If you’re going to pay the same amount as Series 8, then why not go for Series 8 itself? 

9. Apple Watch Ultra (2022)

The Apple Watch Ultra from 2022 is discontinued now, if you want to get the newer one, there’s the Ultra 2. The highlights of the Ultra were the biggest and brightest screen, and it had the most rugged exterior. Apple designed the smartwatch for those who are serious athletes and love to go on extreme adventures.

This includes recreational scuba divers. Do keep in mind that a watch is also a great option for those who just want the best possible smartwatch that Apple has. Plus, the display is a treat to behold. 

The Apple Watch Ultra is available only in a single color: Titanium

If you can manage to get the Ultra Watch for cheap (as it’s discontinued now), I’d suggest that you go for it.

Apple Watch Ultra Additional Details:

• Price: $399 – $849
• Watch OS: 9.0 (up to 9.1)
• 32 GB Storage, no card slot
• 502×410 pixels
• Always on display
• 1.92” screen size
• 2 GB RAM
• No video recorder
• IP6X water resistant up to 100 meters 
• 5.3, A2DP, LE Bluetooth
• GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS
• 548 mAh Li-Ion 

Worth Buying or Not?

The Ultra watch was the best smartwatch that Apple offered back in 2022, but now the Ultra 2 has dethroned it. Even though it’s discontinued, the watch would still cost you a serious buck if you want to buy it. If you’re okay with the price tag, and you want the additional features, then this is the watch for you.

10. Apple Watch SE (2022)

If you’ve used the Apple Watch SE in the past, then the 2022 variant will give you a homely feeling. The look and the feel are almost the same as the 2020 version. 

The only big difference between the SE 2020 and the 2022 versions was the new and better processor, new colors, and lower price. But, you’ll have to say goodbye to always-on display for the cheaper price. It doesn’t have as many health and wellness features as other series. 

Apple Watch SE 2022 comes in multiple colors, including:

• Midnight
• Starlight
• Silver

Apple Watch SE Additional Details:

• Price: $249
• Watch OS: 9.0 (up to 9.1)
• 32 GB Storage, no card slot
• 448×368 pixels
• Always on display
• 1.78” screen size
• 1 GB RAM
• No video recorder
• IP6X water resistant up to 50 meters 
• 5.3, A2DP, LE Bluetooth
• GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS
• 296 mAh Li-Ion 

Worth Buying or Not?

For sure. It’s one of the best entry-level Apple watches that you can get in this price segment. Plus, you’re getting a faster processor, and the latest OS, so the watch is a steal.

11. Apple Watch Series 8 (2022)

Series 8 is pretty much similar to Series 7. It even looks and feels the same. The battery life, the display, and the cost, all of them are the same. However, the only main difference is the newer and faster processor. Series 8 also contains some more health and safety features for users. 

It came with an all-new body temperature sensor that’s designed especially for women to track their cycles.

Plus the new car crash detection feature is amazing and is powered by upgraded sensors.

Apple Watch Series 8 comes in multiple colors, including:

• Graphite
• Silver
• Gold

Apple Watch Series 8 Additional Information:

• Price: $428
• Watch OS: 8.0 (up to 9.1)
• 32 GB Storage, no card slot
• 484×396 pixels
• Always on display
• 1.9” screen size
• 1 GB Ram
• No video recorder
• IP6X water resistant up to 50 meters 
• 5.3, A2DP, LE Bluetooth
• GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS
• 308 mAh Li-Ion 

Worth Buying or Not?

It’s definitely a great option if you’re in the market for one of the newer versions of the Apple Watch. However, if you already have a series 7, and you want to upgrade, then there’s no point as there’s not much difference between the two.

12. Apple Watch Series 9

The Apple Watch Series 9 is the best smartwatch that any iPhone user could have. The interface feels just perfect, it’s smooth, it’s snappy, and easy to navigate. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend it as it was pulled off the shelves after a patent dispute with the health company.

However, if you’re still planning to get the watch, here are some good things about it. Siri got a huge update as its ability to answer health-oriented questions improved significantly. Another major feature of the Apple Watch 9 was the Double Tap. With the Double Tap, you can navigate your Apple Watch by tapping your thumb and index fingers.

The battery health on the Series 9 is the same as any other Apple watch, lasting about 1 day or 1.5 days based on your usage.

The Apple Watch Series 9 comes in multiple colors, including:

Apple Watch Series 8 Additional Information:

• Price: $399
• Watch OS: 10.0 (up to 10.5)
• 64 GB Storage, no card slot
• 484×396 pixels
• Always on display
• 1.9” screen size
• 1 GB Ram
• No video recorder
• IP6X water resistant up to 50 meters 
• 5.3, A2DP, LE Bluetooth
• GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS
• 308 mAh Li-Ion 

Worth Buying or Not?

The Apple Watch Series 9 is not that different from the Series 8. If you’re not one of those users who absolutely have to have the latest Apple tech, you can hold off on upgrading to the Series 9. You’ll be much better off going for the Series 8 or 7. Plus, you’ll end up saving some money.

History of Apple Watch

The launch of the first-ever Apple Watch required the expertise of countless Apple staff and outsiders. Apple brought in designers Marc Newson and Angela Ahrendts, and she later became Apple’s senior vice president of Retail and Online Stores.

Most users think the Apple Watch came into existence with just one person’s vision. Jony Ive. Apple’s old Chief designer said he started working on the Apple Watch Series 1 in 2011. It took 3 years to convert that idea into a final product. The product’s development began after the death of Steve Jobs, as reported by Tim Cook.

But if you trace the history a bit before that, you may find that the idea came into existence in 2005. That is when Jony Ive and his team became serious about the idea. To fulfill this idea, they visited tons of watch manufacturers. 

“We started researching watch companies just to understand machining metals, finishing metals, product assembly,” design team creative lead Doug Satzger said in Leander Kahney’s book, “Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products.”

Two months after Steve Jobs died in 2011, the New York Times reported that Apple was designing a wearable computer device.

“A person with knowledge of the company’s plans told me that a ‘very small group of Apple employees’ had been conceptualizing and even prototyping some wearable devices,” wrote journalist Nick Bilton. “One idea being discussed is a curved-glass iPod that would wrap around the wrist; people could communicate with the device using Siri, the company’s artificial intelligence software.”

“The brain that brings all these things together is the smartphone, which, after all, is really the first wearable computer,” he continued. “Researchers note that the smartphone is almost never more than three feet away from its user.”

After the passing of Steve Jobs in 2011, the world was asking how they would work without Jobs. But this new product was an insight into Tim Cook’s new leadership.

FAQs About Apple Watch

Final Word- Apple Watches from Till Now

If you’re already a part of the Apple ecosystem, you should get an Apple Watch. But which one is the biggest question? You can choose any of the latest models and be sorted for a few years.