An Apple Watch is not simply an adjunct or an excuse for a second display screen round your wrist. After a 12 months of testing out the Apple Watch, I’ve discovered it to be a useful sleep tracker, the world’s most handy timer for when my arms are soiled within the kitchen, a phone-free textual content or name receiver/sender, a dumbphone, and an train motivator and mid-workout monitor.
Additionally: I turned my Apple Watch into a dumbphone with this quick fix
The Apple Watch began out as a glossy fitness tracker and has advanced into a vital companion for iPhone customers. Apple’s smartwatches have an arsenal of handy capabilities like supplying your boarding go for a flight, figuring out a track enjoying close by, opening your storage door, and alerting you when it is about to rain. It is also an expansive well being monitoring system that may verify your coronary heart charge or information you thru a meditation.
We’re anticipating new Apple Watches to return in only some months, throughout Apple’s annual September iPhone occasion, when it debuts the newest {hardware}. However for those who’re not taken with ready a number of months to pay for an Apple Watch, these are the very best ones you should buy proper now.
What’s the greatest Apple Watch proper now?
My decide for the very best Apple Watch is the Apple Watch Series 10, as a result of it is the Apple Watch most individuals will get essentially the most out of. It is obtained a lightweight, thinner construct, plus new sleep-tracking options like sleep apnea detection. However for those who’re utilizing your Apple Watch to your Ironmans and marathons, I might advocate the Apple Watch Ultra 2. It is obtained a 24-hour battery life, an emergency siren function for added security, and a bigger display screen.
Additionally: The best iPhones of 2025: Which model should you buy?
One of the best Apple Watches of 2025
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That is the smartwatch most individuals can purchase. The Apple Watch Sequence 10 debuted in September with new options that make it a critical improve from the Sequence 9. Most notably, there’s a new sleep apnea monitoring function that works by way of the watch’s accelerometer, which screens actions related to respiratory sample interruptions and is tracked by Apple’s new Respiratory Disturbances metric. There may be additionally a brand new water depth gauge, which measures nearly 20 toes (as much as six meters) beneath the water’s floor, and a water temperature sensor to learn swimmers, surfers, and snorkelers.
Additionally: Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch Series 9: Should you upgrade to the latest model?
The construct of the watch options an improved and larger show (42mm and 46mm sizes) because of the wide-angle OLED show that gives as much as 40% brighter viewing angle in comparison with the Sequence 9. The Sequence 10 can also be 10% thinner and lighter which makes it extra comfy to put on, particularly whereas sleeping.
If you would like the newest well being sensors and security options, nice battery life (particularly if you wish to do sleep monitoring), and you do not want the acute options within the Extremely 2, then it can save you some huge cash by going with the aluminum mannequin of the Apple Watch Sequence 10 beginning at $399 (however discounted almost a 12 months after its launch). I counsel you skip the more durable titanium end on the Sequence 10 that begins at $699 and go for the Extremely at solely $100 extra, which affords numerous additional options — except you will have a smaller wrist. Then I might recommend sticking with the Sequence 10.
Apple Watch Sequence 10 tech specs: Show dimension: 42mm or 46mm | Battery life: 36 hours standby | Storage capability: 64GB | Options: New options embrace an even bigger show, thinner design, sleep apnea monitoring, water depth gauge, and a brand new titanium end
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The Apple Watch Extremely 2 affords extra unique options than another Apple Watch mannequin thus far. Probably the most notable distinction between the Extremely and different Apple Watch fashions is its bigger, brighter, and flatter display screen. The display screen is roofed by a sapphire crystal face and surrounded by a titanium case to extend the quantity of wear and tear and tear the watch can deal with. It is also IPX6 mud resistant, works underwater as much as 328 toes (100 meters), and has military-grade (MIL-STD 810H) certification for ruggedness. Plus, the Extremely 2 can deal with excessive altitudes, shocks, vibrations, and excessive temperatures starting from 4 levels to 130 levels Fahrenheit.
Evaluate: Apple Watch Ultra 2
ZDNET contributing author Matthew Miller tried out the Apple Watch Extremely 2 when it was launched final 12 months, and mentioned he really useful the watch “for its lengthy battery life, brighter show, expanded connectivity, and new watch bands” whereas additionally being impressed by the improved psychological well being performance by way of the Mindfulness app.
The Extremely 2’s options embrace a programmable Motion Button with quite a lot of exercise and adventuring features (together with activating the flashlight), dual-frequency GPS that may overcome interference from mountains and skyscrapers, and louder dual-integrated audio system for taking cellphone calls, enjoying music, or interacting with Siri.
Many Amazon reviewers say that that is the very best Apple Watch mannequin they’ve ever used, notably noting the watch’s high quality and enormous 49mm display screen with 3,000 nits of brightness. Past that, the Extremely affords one key addition to the Apple Watch Sequence 9 lineup: an emergency siren (activated by holding down the Motion Button), which belts out an 86-decibel sound sample that may be heard as much as 600 toes (180 meters) away. This may be helpful in quite a lot of eventualities, together with to scare off an attacker or to alert others to your location for those who’re misplaced or harm within the outside alone.
On the time of publication, the Apple Watch Extremely 2 with GPS and mobile prices $800 on Amazon.
Apple Watch Extremely 2 tech specs: Show Measurement: 49mm | Battery life: As much as 72 hours | Storage capability: 64GB | Options: Sturdy titanium case and sapphire crystal face, enhanced security options together with a built-in siren, dual-frequency GPS, works as much as 328 toes underwater
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The Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) truly has lots of the identical well being and security options from the Sequence 8 and the Extremely for under $249. Nevertheless, the SE does not monitor blood oxygen, do ECG coronary heart checks, or verify your temperature. And whereas the face seems identical to the Sequence 8, the display screen is definitely about 20% smaller and does not have an always-on show.
Nonetheless, it contains almost the whole lot else, and the mobile connectivity is just a $50 add-on for the SE (in comparison with a $100 add-on for the Sequence 8). Just like the Extremely and the Sequence 8, including a mobile connection can even price you about $10 per thirty days along with your wi-fi provider. Even for those who go along with the mobile model and go for the bigger 44mm Apple Watch SE over the smaller 40mm model, you may nonetheless solely high out at $329.
Additionally: Apple Watch SE (2022) vs Apple Watch SE (2020): Should you upgrade?
That makes the SE 2nd gen an awesome smartwatch to provide to somebody who does not have or commonly use an iPhone, similar to a toddler or an older member of the family, utilizing Apple’s Family Setup. With mobile connectivity, they’ll use the Apple Watch to make and obtain cellphone calls, get textual content messages, dictate textual content replies, and entry on-line data just like the climate. This smartwatch is right for individuals who’d just like the comfort of messaging at their fingertips with out being anchored to tech 24/7.
You’ll be able to even arrange this smartwatch out of your iPhone so long as the wearer is in your Apple household group. If you’re connecting an aged relative who has well being points, the added well being sensors within the Sequence 8 may make it well worth the peace of thoughts to improve. Clients who’ve reviewed the watch additionally agree that it affords glorious worth for the value, particularly if you’re new to the Apple Watch household.
Apple Watch SE tech specs: Show dimension: 40mm or 44mm | Battery life: As much as 18 hours | Storage capability: 32GB | Options: Most inexpensive Apple Watch, household arrange for teenagers and older adults, well being and placement monitoring, and fall and crash detection
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What are the tariffs within the U.S.?
The latest U.S. tariffs on imports from nations like China, Vietnam, and India intention to spice up home manufacturing, however are prone to drive up costs on shopper electronics. Merchandise like smartphones, laptops, and TVs might change into dearer as firms rethink international provide chains and weigh the price of shifting manufacturing.
Additionally: Tariff war has tech buyers wondering what’s next. Here’s what we know
Smartwatches and wearable gadgets, that are predominantly manufactured in these areas, at the moment are topic to tariffs as excessive as 54% on Chinese language imports and 46% on Vietnamese imports. In consequence, customers might even see worth will increase of roughly 20% (or extra) on this stuff.
Producers are exploring choices like relocating manufacturing to nations with decrease tariffs, however such shifts are complicated and should not present rapid aid. Within the brief time period, buyers ought to anticipate larger prices for smartwatches and wearables because of these commerce insurance policies.
Proper now, it seems like some tech could also be exempt from the issued tariffs, however because it’s at all times altering and growing, we’re keeping track of it and can replace you on the newest.
Additionally: Tariff exemptions for electronics offer a break for tech – but not for long
The Apple Watch Sequence 10 is the mannequin that can fulfill most customers, whereas the Apple Watch Extremely 2 is the smartwatch constructed for energy customers, hardcore athletes, and out of doors fanatics. There are a number of different choices as properly, so this is a chart that breaks down the options of every mannequin.
| Apple Watch mannequin | Value | Show dimension | Battery life | Storage capability | Chip |
| Apple Watch Sequence 10 | $399 | 42mm or 46 mm | 36 hours | 64GB | S10 SiP |
| Apple Watch Extremely 2 | $799 | 49 mm | 72 hours | 64GB | S9 SiP |
| Apple Watch SE | $249 | 40 or 44mm | 18 hours | 32GB | S8 SiP |
Having bother deciding between Apple Watch fashions? Here is a fast abstract of the first motive to purchase each.
| Select this Apple Watch… | If you need… |
| Apple Watch Sequence 10 | One of the best Apple Look ahead to most individuals, with all the newest well being and health options at an approachable worth. It tracks coronary heart well being, respiration, sleep apnea, exercise (in fact), and health. It is thinner and lighter with a bigger show as properly. |
| Apple Watch Extremely 2 | All the very best smartwatch options Apple has to supply, geared in direction of customers who’d use the look ahead to out of doors athletic or rugged actions. Whereas the Extremely 2 is particularly loaded with health and sturdiness options for athletes and adventurers, its bigger and brighter show, higher battery life, and emergency siren will attraction to many others as properly. |
| Apple Watch SE | A extra budget-friendly Apple Watch. This contains all the fundamental options at a cheaper price and is a good decide for first-time Apple Watch patrons or to provide to a child or an aged member of the family since you possibly can configure it utilizing Household Setup even when they do not have an iPhone. |
Whereas all of the Apple Watches on this checklist have a slew of health-tracking options and different helpful apps, their variations are what it’s good to think about earlier than shopping for one, together with:
- Show dimension: Apple Watch shows now are available in primarily three totally different sizes (40/41, 44/45, and 49). Relying on the dimensions of your wrist and the way a lot you need to work together with the look ahead to fast actions, the show dimension will probably be a giant think about figuring out which mannequin makes essentially the most sense.
- Options: Apple methodically provides an increasing number of new options to the Apple Watch annually, so we in contrast security options, well being sensors, band choices, battery life, and different helpful choices.
- Pricing: Every Apple Watch has plenty of totally different variations, so pricing can fluctuate extensively — particularly based mostly on which band you decide. We included budget-worthy choices under $250, in addition to the extra premium choices which can be over $1,000.
All the Apple Watches included on this checklist have been chosen based mostly on how they carried out when tested in the real world by the ZDNET staff. After we check smartwatches, we sometimes comply with the identical routine for each to see which performs greatest.
- Every day put on: We put on the smartwatch as our major watch, with communications, functions, and different components being examined as if it have been our solely smartwatch.
- Software choice and efficiency: One side that makes smartwatches totally different than customary watches is the help for functions. We load up the watch with apps after which check the efficiency and performance of these functions. For instance, Apple notably excels within the space of third-party utility help.
- Exercises: Smartwatch makers have embraced well being and health so we take smartwatches out for working with GPS, rowing on the Hydrow, biking on trails, and strolling with the household. GPS and coronary heart charge information is tracked after which we consider the accuracy towards confirmed GPS sports activities watches.
- Sleep and exercise monitoring: Sleep monitoring has improved with smartwatches over time and we consider and evaluate them to sensible rings and different watches. Nighttime can also be a great time to cost your smartwatch, so you might select to not use your watch to trace sleep so your watch can serve faithfully all day and into the evening.
For a deeper look into our testing course of, take a look at our complete smartwatch testing methodology.
Sure, you want an iPhone to arrange an Apple Watch. Nevertheless, with all of the fashions on this checklist, you need to use the Family Setup choice to have one iPhone arrange watches for a number of members in your Apple household group — even when they do not have an iPhone. However to reiterate, you can not use an iPad, a Mac, or a non-Apple smartphone to arrange an Apple Watch.
Essentially, all Apple Watches can monitor your steps and health information, show notifications out of your iPhone, present fundamental data like climate, begin timers, ship and obtain textual content messages, reply cellphone calls, and obtain helpful apps. The newest variations have further options and performance, together with sleep monitoring, superior well being monitoring, automotive crash detection, and worldwide emergency calling.
Apple not too long ago launched a number of updates coming to the Apple Watch by way of WatchOS 26, its smartwatch software program. These embrace a Exercise Buddy function by way of the Health app that can information you thru your exercises, together with stats and encouragements as you run, cycle, or power prepare.
The Apple Watch’s Good Stack is getting smarter, with the algorithm together with extra contextual information, like sensor and routine information, to trace at sure apps or functionalities, like a touch to open the Pilates exercise in Health when it senses your arrival on the pilates studio.
A brand new hand gesture is arriving to the smartwatch as properly. When a wearer receives a message or name they don’t seem to be able to reply, Wrist Flick will dismiss notifications and calls, or silence pings. All a person has to do is flip their wrist.
Additionally: The features and apps coming to Apple WatchOS 26 I’m most excited about
Sure, many older Apple Watch are in the stores refurbished at locations like BackMarket and are nonetheless a number of the greatest smartwatches available on the market. Simply remember that Apple releases a brand new Apple Watch annually, so a refurbished mannequin that’s already dated might find yourself being 4 or 5 generations behind the newest improvements in the course of the time you personal it.
A very powerful options to search for in the very best Apple Watch fashions embrace superior well being sensors (ECG, blood oxygen, wrist temperature, and many others.), connectivity choices (is mobile included or additional, in order for you the watch to work when an iPhone is not close by), battery life, and sturdiness (water resistance, mud resistance, and a crystal face to withstand cracking).
One of the best Apple Look ahead to health monitoring is the Apple Watch Sequence 9 or the Apple Watch Extremely 2, which each come geared up with the widest number of well being sensors, together with ECG, sleep monitoring, coronary heart and respiration features, wrist temperature, and extra.
If you happen to’re somebody who spends time climbing, doing triathlons, and concerned in out of doors actions in excessive temperatures, rugged situations, and plenty of mud and water, the Apple Watch Extremely 2 could also be price the additional price. Its design makes it extra sturdy and water resistant (as much as 100m) than the opposite Apple Watch fashions, and it contains an Motion Button for fine-tuning exercises and hikes.
Whereas it is not made particularly with children in thoughts, the Apple Watch SE is a wonderful smartwatch for older children with standout options plus parental controls. Together with enabling cellphone calls and textual content messages, the Apple Watch SE additionally tracks your kid’s sleep, has state-of-the-art well being trackers, options an SOS functionality, and pairs with hundreds of apps.
Additionally: The best smartwatches for kids
As well as, you need to use Apple’s Household Setup to verify your child’s location, arrange shared contacts, implement parental controls like display screen time utilization, and extra. Your youngster does not even want their very own iPhone to have an Apple Watch — they’ll pair it up with yours, so that you’re absolutely in management.
You can not use an Android cellphone to arrange and pair with an Apple Watch, and there are not any good workarounds for that. Nevertheless, in case you have an Android cellphone, there are a number of smartwatches you possibly can select from that provide many of the identical options as an Apple Watch. Those under are smartwatches that ZDNET has reviewed and rated properly in our testing.
Different Apple Watches we have examined
Smartwatches Reviewed & In contrast
