The Apple Watch is undoubtedly the champion smartwatch and 1 of the champion accessories to brace with your iPhone. These watches nexus up simply with our favourite iPhone models and travel with a wealthiness of features, from fittingness tracking and wellness sensors to messaging and app support. Our favourite Apple smartwatch is the Apple Watch Series 10 with its thinner physique and bigger surface than erstwhile models.
TL;DR – These Are the Best Apple Watches:
Whether you’re upgrading an aged Apple Watch oregon it’s your archetypal clip investing successful one, Apple has a wealthiness of Watch models to take from. There’s a robust enactment for adventurers and thing connected the cheaper broadside for fund shoppers. We’ve adjacent included a non-Apple exemplary for those who opt to usage the champion Android phones.
Additional contributions by Rudie Obias and Georgie Peru
1. Apple Watch Series 10
Best Overall Apple Watch
Apple Watch Series 10
The Watch Series 10 offers a bigger display, thinner design, and caller processor for an astonishing smartwatch experience.
Battery life
18 hours, up to 36 hours successful debased powerfulness mode
Bigger OLED show and thinner design
New extent gauge and h2o somesthesia sensor
Still nary humor oxygen sensor successful the US
The champion Apple Watch successful 2025 is the Series 10, the astir existent model. It offers immoderate of the biggest plan changes we’ve seen successful generations with a thinner, lighter physique and much salient display. The ticker won’t protrude arsenic overmuch from your wrist and is much comfy to wear. Even though the crisp and vibrant surface is lone a millimeter larger, it improves some readability and enactment with the ticker face.
Inside the Apple Watch Series 10 is the S10 SiP spot that delivers the aforesaid snappy show arsenic the Series 9. It’s adept astatine instrumentality learning for utilizing features similar the double-tap motion for easier one-handed power that was archetypal seen connected the Series 9 to rapidly scroll notifications, opens apps, respond to messages, and more. Of course, that processor besides powers the watch’s extended tracking and sensors, including a GPS, bosom complaint monitor, slumber tracker, tegument somesthesia sensor, fertility tracking, and clang detection. Unfortunately, owed to an ongoing patent dispute, the humor oxygen sensor isn’t disposable successful the U.S.
A caller slumber apnea detection diagnostic comes connected the Series 10, bringing adjacent much penetration into your slumber habits, which tin beryllium shared with your doc for a due diagnosis. It’s FDA-approved and works connected the Series 9 and Ultra 2 too. For divers and swimmers, the extent gauge and h2o somesthesia sensor additions are utile tools erstwhile retired of the water. The microphone was besides upgraded; dependable isolation is amended for clearer calls with little inheritance noise.
Battery beingness remains unchanged from Series 9, lasting astir 18 hours successful modular mode and 36 hours successful power-saving mode. Although it’s disappointing much foodstuff can’t beryllium squeezed from the watch, charging times person somewhat improved. With a 30W USB-C brick, it should recharge up to 80% successful astir 30 minutes.
Of course, streaming music, podcasts, and much straight from the ticker is possible. Investing successful 1 of the champion AirPods models makes the acquisition better. One of IGN's experts reviewed the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC, giving the headphones precocious praise and an 8/10 rating.
2. Apple Watch SE
Best Budget Apple Watch
Apple Watch SE
A fund enactment that runs connected the aforesaid S8 SiP chipset arsenic the Apple Watch Series 8 for speedy processing astatine a fraction of the cost.
Same processor arsenic Series 8
Missing sensors of higher-end models
Looking for an Apple Watch connected the cheap? Starting astatine $249, the Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) is simply a fantastic prime if you’re connected a budget. Although its exterior plan is simply a spot older, the SE’s interior is blazing-fast with Apple’s S8 SiP chipset, which is the aforesaid chipset arsenic the Series 8. This means you’re going to get the aforesaid velocity arsenic the Series 8, but astatine a fraction of its terms tag.
The wallet-friendly smartwatch besides features GPS, fittingness and slumber trackers, bosom complaint monitor, and more, making it 1 of the champion fund fittingness trackers overall. It adjacent comes with clang and autumn detection. However, it doesn’t travel with ECG, rhythm and fertility tracking, oregon a tegument somesthesia sensor.
It comes successful 40mm and 44mm ticker look options (“always-on” displays are not available), portion determination are 3 aluminum lawsuit colour options available: Silver, Midnight, and Starlight. Stainless alloy and titanium materials are besides not available. These are a spot thicker than the Series 10, but if you privation a reliable smartwatch for less, and particularly if you privation 1 with a smaller 40mm face, this is the Apple Watch for you.
3. Apple Watch Ultra 2
Best Apple Watch for Adventurers, Athletes, and Runners
Apple Watch Ultra 2
With a durable build, speedy S9 SiP processor, agelong artillery life, and plentifulness of tracking, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is perfect for athletes and adventurers.
Battery life
36 hours, Up to 70 hours successful debased powerfulness mode
Aerospace-grade titanium and sapphire crystal display
Customizable “action” button
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is acceptable for adventurers and superior athletes with its aerospace-grade titanium and sapphire crystal display. It adjacent comes with an other carnal “Action” fastener that’s customizable for further power and a h2o absorption of up to 100m (about 328 feet) underwater.
The latest exemplary of this rugged smartwatch comes with a speedy caller processor, truthful it tin powerfulness the brighter 3,000-nit show and instrumentality connected features similar double-tap gestures and precision uncovering for the iPhone 15 and 16 models. Of course, the Ultra 2 inactive offers GPS, tegument somesthesia sensors, a bosom complaint monitor, ECG, and much for each the tracking you could privation portion maintaining the aforesaid 36-hour artillery life. However, this exemplary nary longer comes with a humor oxygen sensor owed to a patent dispute.
It lone comes successful 1 size, 49mm. And adjacent though we didn't get a afloat revamp of the Ultra successful 2024, a caller lawsuit color, Black Titanium, was unveiled astatine Apple's iPhone 16 Event. You tin take from an assortment of set and loop colors and types, immoderate of which hap to beryllium c neutral. Be definite to cheque retired our usher to the champion Apple Ultra Watch bands for much options.
4. Apple Watch Hermès
Best Luxury Apple Watch
Apple Watch Hermès
Keep it classy with this Hermes collaboration that pairs the almighty Series 9 ticker and stylish Hermes bands for a precocious terms tag.
Battery life
18 hours, up to 36 hours successful debased powerfulness mode
Want to splurge? The Apple Watch Hermès is the tech company’s astir costly smartwatch. Apple partnered with Hermès, a Paris-based plan house, to present an Apple Watch that’s luxurious and chic for high-end and fashionable shoppers.
The ticker itself is simply a 42mm oregon 46mm Apple Watch Series 10 with a stainless alloy case, truthful you’re going to get the aforesaid features, functions, and usage arsenic our champion wide pick. But, Hermès makes the packaging, exclusive ticker faces, and ticker bands that are made from precocious prime rubber, stainless steel, oregon woven nylon chopped and stitched by hand.
However, that benignant of opulence does not travel cheap. The Apple Watch Hermès starts astatine $1,249 and goes up successful terms from determination depending connected the size and set benignant chosen. It's surely a presumption watch.
5. Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
Best Apple Watch Alternative
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
Google Wear OS-powered smartwatch with precocious tracking, a agleam AMOLED display, and decent artillery life.
Classic circular ticker design
New BioActive sensors amended accuracy
New AI wellness features are exclusive to Samsung phones
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is the champion Apple Watch alternative. Designed for Android users, this ticker features a sleek, elemental set with a sharp, circular, and responsive interaction display, giving disconnected much of a classical timepiece look. When you don’t privation to pat distant astatine the stunning AMOLED display, a motion diagnostic makes for easier one-handed power of ticker features.
Just similar each the apical Android smartwatches, the Galaxy ticker doubles arsenic a fittingness tracker with a wide scope of precocious sensors, including tegument temperature, ECG, and adjacent humor oxygen saturation – thing the Apple Watch Series 9 and up can’t connection successful the US. New BioActive sensors amended accuracy. Samsung added slumber apnea detection, akin to the Series 10. Other AI wellness tools, including an Energy Score, tin springiness superior insights into your wellness metrics. However, AI features lone enactment with Samsung phones, similar the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra we reviewed.
A caller Exynos spot paired with Google’s Wear OS and Samsung One UI tegument makes for a zippy, seamless experience. Support for a wide scope of Android apps ensures you tin bash a full batch with the device, similar sending messages, answering calls, receiving app alerts, and making payments. It fundamentally tin relation similar a tiny Android smartphone, particularly if you opt for a exemplary that supports cellular.
Battery beingness connected the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 remains unchanged from the past procreation astatine astir 24 hours, which inactive outlasts the Apple Watch SE and Series 10. Topping up the artillery shouldn’t instrumentality agelong either, getting afloat recharge successful astir 1 hour.
Apple Watch FAQ
Which procreation Apple Watch is the best?
The Apple Watch with the latest tech, precocious wellness tracking, and an always-on show is hands-down the Apple Watch Series 10. It has everything you request successful a smartwatch and features Apple’s astir almighty spot successful an Apple Watch.
Can you usage an Apple Watch with an Android phone?
Unfortunately, if you don't person an iPhone past you volition beryllium incapable to activate an Apple Watch. The 2 platforms are incompatible unneurotic (by design), truthful you volition request an iPhones to beryllium capable to usage immoderate of these Apple Watch models.
Are refurbished Apple Watches worthy it?
Yes. If you’ll bask large savings implicit a caller watch, see a refurbished Apple Watch. These watches volition look and enactment astir arsenic bully arsenic caller ones and often travel with each the accessories. Occasionally, flimsy cosmetic defects whitethorn beryllium visible, similar a scratch oregon discoloration, but thing that volition hinder the smartwatch’s functionality. However, beryllium definite you get it from a reputable trader with a large warranty. Apple and Best Buy are 2 of the champion options erstwhile it comes to buying a refurbished Apple Watch.
What's the quality betwixt a smartwatch and a fittingness tracker?
Smartwatches and fittingness trackers person a akin diagnostic set, particularly erstwhile it comes to wellness tracking. While determination is immoderate overlap, smartwatches thin to connection much functionality with the quality to download a scope of apps, respond to messages and notifications, download music, and more. Some tin adjacent relation arsenic tiny smartphones erstwhile connected to a cellular network. Where fittingness trackers propulsion up is successful artillery beingness and size, arsenic the screens and functionality are usually much subdued.
Do each smartwatches enactment cellular service?
No, cellular work isn’t disposable connected each smartwatch. However, each of Apple’s existent ticker models – the Series 10, SE, and Ultra 2 – person the enactment to connection cellular support. Models that travel with mobile information volition outgo much to purchase, and there’s often a monthly interest associated incurred from your provider's plan. But if you opt for cellular, the Apple Watch volition fundamentally enactment similar a tiny smartphone.
Originally posted:
Apr 9, 2025 9:00 pm