Best Apple Watch 2024: Buyer’s Guide to the Series 10, SE & More
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Do you want an Apple Watch that can replace your satellite messenger, your cycling computer, and your running watch? Then, my friend, the Watch Ultra 2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is for you. Like the Series 10, it can monitor your nightly breathing disturbances to notify you if you might have sleep apnea. It has the S9 chipset that debuted in the Series 9, which allows for faster processing and Double Tap, and the ultra-wideband chip for precision-locating your phone. It also has a new, shockingly bright 3,000-nit display. I didn't see a difference on a sunny day on the water, but you might if you’re on a glacier somewhere.
However, many of the Watch Ultra 2’s best new outdoor features are only fully apparent when you're also within reach of your iPhone. The touted offline maps are visible on the watch only when you download them on your iPhone and have it charged and within Bluetooth range of the watch. If you start a cycling activity on your watch, it shows up as a Live Activity on your iPhone. Many of these features—along with the handy Action button and the three-mic array—are also available on last year's debut Watch Ultra. Again, if you've already bought a Watch Ultra, I would probably wait to upgrade. If this is your first, however, you will thoroughly enjoy the Watch Ultra 2—and this year, it comes in a satin-black titanium finish that just looks way better than the old version. This is the watch to get if you love outdoor sports but also want the full functionality of a smartwatch—as long as you don't accidentally close the tab that tells you how to get back home. Like the Series 10, it doesn't have the blood oxygen sensor.
Do you suspect that you might have sleep apnea? The Breathing Disturbances feature only works with the Series 10, the Watch Ultra 2, and the Series 9. If you're interested in this feature and you own a Series 9 (7/10, WIRED Review) from last year, you don't have to upgrade. It has the S9 chipset for faster onboard processing of Siri commands, which improves battery life noticeably and theoretically provides more privacy for your sensitive medical data. It also has Double Tap, which borrows from Apple's accessibility learnings. The accelerometer, gyroscope, and optical sensor will detect the minute shifts as you tap your index finger and thumb on your watch hand twice to activate the primary button on your watch screen; it's nice for stopping and starting music or timers around the kitchen.
The Series 9 has health sensors that the SE doesn't have, like ECG monitoring, blood oxygen sensing, and skin temperature sensing. It's also compatible with watchOS 11. However, it may be hard to find. Apple no longer sells the Series 9 on Apple.com, but you can still find it on sale at third-party retailers, however.
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