Apple Watch Series 9 review: It's a small upgrade on the Series 8 but worth buying for first-time users or those with a Series 6 or older

When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

As the Apple Watch enters its ninth generation, one thing is clear: The Series 9 is now the best smartwatch you can buy, although it's not overly different from the Series 8. Both mostly look, feel, and function the same.

But look beyond its looks and under the hood, and you'll see the Series 9 is more than a mere generational update. Its new Double Tap Gesture is a major accessibility win, and its brighter screen and faster on-device Siri access are useful improvements. 

The rest of what's new comes from the latest version of its operating system, watchOS 10, so they aren't exclusive. But combine that with a faster processor and enhanced functionality, the Series 9 is the best Apple Watch for most people and warrants an upgrade for owners of older Apple Watch models. For anyone wearing an Apple Watch Series 6 or earlier, it's a no-brainer, but it may not immediately benefit those with the Series 8 or even the Series 7.

The new S9 chipset makes the Series 9 noticeably faster compared to previous models

The new Apple chipset (S9) introduced in the Series 9 (and second-generation Ultra) marks a big performance leap over last year's S8. Apple claims that the S9 is 30% faster than the S8, thanks to a new CPU with 60% more transistors. The S9's neural engine, which handles machine learning, is twice as fast as the one in the S8, Apple says. 

Since the S8's architecture is similar to the S7 and S6 chipsets, the Series 8 Apple Watch didn't see much of a performance improvement over the Series 7 and Series 6. Series 9 finally changes that: In my real-world testing, this was evident in how quickly the watch responded as I navigated its interface, whether it was swiping around, responding to text messages, accessing my weekly fitness stats, or pulling up apps.

Series 8 (and even Series 7) users may not notice a difference right now, but over time, as Apple rolls out new and more demanding software, that will change. We don't think there's an immediate need for these users to upgrade, however, owners of much older Apple Watch models will benefit.

The new Double Tap Gesture is a useful way to interact with the Apple Watch

The new chipset allows for a new feature called Double Tap Gesture (also available in the Ultra 2). It allows you to perform a variety of functions by simply tapping your index finger and thumb together twice. It's a completely new way to interact with the Apple Watch and it could be a game changer for accessibility. 

The currently available functions include answering or hanging up a phone call, starting or stopping a preset timer, or snoozing an alarm. For me, I often used it to bring up the new watchOS 10 feature, Smart Stack, to scroll through each of its widgets. I also used it often while riding my bike, or when my hands were full while shopping or cooking.

Though learning the gesture control's sensitivity took some getting used to, I was quickly hooked and could see how much of a massive upgrade it is to the watch's accessibility. Users with a disability or those who might not be able to use the watch with a second hand, have an improved way to interact with it. I can use it as a helpful additional Apple Watch function but for those who truly need the Double Tap Gesture, it's invaluable.

The Series 9's design hasn't changed but it is the most refined version of the Apple Watch yet

The Series 9 doesn't stray too far from the classic Apple Watch design, though it does feature some subtle refinements compared to prior generations. These include a slightly thinner case and well as softer and rounder edges. But overall, it's as familiar a wearable design as there is.

From a size perspective, you can choose either the 41mm option or the 45mm, which should cater to a wide range of users and folks with different wrist sizes (or anyone who prefers a bigger or smaller wearable). If it is a bigger Apple Watch you're after, consider the Ultra 2, which comes in a 49mm case size and has a noticeably larger screen.

Concerning build quality, the Series 9 is quite similar to the Series 8 and looks and feels almost the same. Weight-wise, it's identical, as both the 41mm Series 9 and Series 8 weigh 42.3 g while the 45mm Series 9 and Series 8 weigh 51.5 g.

The Series 9 does have a brighter screen compared to the Series 8. Now the watch can toggle to up to 2,000 nits, which is double that of the Series 8, making the screen easier to read in high-lighting or sunny conditions.

The most noticeable aspect of the brighter screen in real-world use is how much clearer it looks in direct sunlight. Whether the brightness is double that of the Series 8 is hard to tell but I noticed that the screen was clear and easy to read in bright lighting. I also liked that the screen can dim to just 1 nit which is useful in a movie theater or when waking up in the morning.

Many of the Series 9's newest functions are powered by the new WatchOS 10 operating system

The introduction of WatchOS 10 is where many of the Series 9's newest features are. This includes things like the redesigned appearance of the watch's apps to allow them to use more of the display. Although the redesigns are subtle, I did find them to positively impact my experience. 

For example, after finishing a workout, exiting the activity menu used to require scrolling down to the bottom of the recap screen. Now, there's a small X located at the top left of the screen that allows me to quickly back out. It's a minimal change but I did find it to be an improvement.

I particularly like the new Smart Stack feature, which is a collection of customizable widgets accessible by turning the digital crown on the Series 9's home screen. I set it up to feature the daily weather, my current heart rate, the latest Apple News headlines, and my calendar and found it to be a useful way to get a quick glimpse of info I'd typically have to swipe around for. 

Other WatchOS 10 features include automatic cycling workout detection, updated Compass and Maps functionality for hiking, and new watch faces. Note that these features are native to WatchOS 10, so you'll also find them in Apple Watch Series 4 and newer, but performance will be noticeably better in more recent models.

The Series 9 didn't debut any major new health and fitness features but it's still one of the best fitness trackers

Health and fitness are big selling points for the Apple Watch, but with the Series 9, Apple didn't introduce any new related features. It's a nearly identical experience to the Series 8.

But there's not much fitness-tracking advancement the Apple Watch needs. It's already one of the best fitness trackers you can buy, and arguably the best for iOS users. It has accurate and reliable GPS, tracking compatibility with a wide variety of activities, and its rings-based gamification of being active each day is legitimately motivating.

If you've been holding out for the rumored built-in blood pressure or blood glucose monitoring, you'll have to keep waiting.

For health tracking, the Series 9 introduces on-device Siri access, which now allows the watch to utilize Apple's smart assistant without a tethered iPhone or cloud access. One way this benefits users is providing an easier way for folks to access health data on their Apple Watch.

For instance, instead of manually navigating to the Fitness app, I could ask Siri how close I was to closing either my Move, Exercise, or Stand ring. I could even have Siri tell me how many hours of REM sleep I got the night before.

Other potential uses include being able to ask Siri to read blood glucose levels from a connected glucometer or using it to log when you take a certain dosage of medication. Siri can also update health data like a change in body weight, or can even start or stop a workout. 

On-device Siri feature isn't just for health and fitness use, either, as it can be used for other functions like translating certain words into another language, opening the Settings menu, or asking it to identify a song. 

The fact all of these can be done without a phone tethered to the watch represents another solid improvement over the Series 8 and further adds to the Series 9's achievements in wider accessibility. Plus, Apple says on-device Siri is also a more secure way to use the voice assistant instead of using it via cloud access.

The Series 9's battery life still only gets a maximum of 18 hours

The Series 9's battery life is rated at 18 hours, which has been the ceiling for several generations. I often got less than 18 full hours out of the watch, as I used GPS tracking at least a few times a day. I got in the habit of putting the watch on the charger during the workday and wearing it only while I was active or when I was sleeping. 

I was able to squeeze a bit more life out of the watch by utilizing Low Power Mode, though this isn't something I enjoyed using often. Many of the features that make the Apple Watch useful, like the always-on display, GPS tracking, and heart rate measurements, turn off in Low Power Mode. This renders the watch mostly useless for what I need it for.

Should you buy it?

If you're wearing an Apple Watch Series 6 or older, then yes, you should consider upgrading to the Series 9. Improvements like its fast chipset, brighter display, and Double Tap Gesture function make it a worthwhile investment, even if the Series 9 feels more evolutionary than revolutionary. 

If you're considering buying your first Apple Watch, the Series 9 is the best you'll get right now (the next model won't debut until about September 2024). If budget is a concern and you don't need any of the premium features, check out the Apple Watch SE. If you want advanced fitness tracking, a larger screen, and a more robust build quality, consider the Apple Watch Ultra 2. 

The Apple Watch ecosystem is best for iPhone users, so if you're an Android user, you should check out the best Android smartwatches.

Double Tap, in particular, is a useful new feature. Making commands by tapping your fingers greatly improves the watch's accessibility, and I found it to be legitimately helpful for answering phone calls and snoozing or turning off alarms. For users with disabilities, it could become an essential way to interact with the watch.

Other updates like the redesigned apps and updated Smart Stack design are nice additions, as well, though any Apple Watch capable of upgrading to WatchOS 10 has access to these. Unless the Series 9's new features are important to you, Series 7 or Series 8 can hold off on upgrading for at least another year or two.

41 mm

45 mm