Apple Watch Series 9 Vs 8 (2023)

FAQs

Apple Watch Series 9 Vs 8? ›

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Series 8 are nearly identical smartwatches, with the Series 9's upgraded S9 chip and the new Double Tap Gesture being the most substantial differences. But by and large, they function exactly the same. Because of that, upgrading to the Series 9 is really only for a select set of users.

The Apple Watch Series 9 design is identical to the Watch Series 8 to the millimetre, but the brighter display and the new SiP makes all the difference. The Watch Series 9 and the Watch Ultra were among the highlights of Apple's Wonderlust event.

Apple is releasing new Apple Watch models, called Series 9, on Friday. The Series 9 comes with a faster chip, the SiP 9, that enables new features, including a major improvement to Siri and a gesture that's related to the Vision Pro, Apple's forthcoming VR headset. It's still a relatively small update.

The extra battery life, bigger display for better viewing of images and text, more durable design, and upgraded GPS will appeal to many of you who rely on your Apple Watch for valuable functions every day.

If you're upgrading from an earlier Apple Watch, you want an always-on display, or you want more advanced health tracking, you should consider the Series 8. And if you want the biggest and brightest screen, the best durability and battery life, and even more advanced fitness features, we recommend the Ultra.

“At this time, the Apple Watch isn't equipped to measure your blood pressure alone,” says Dr. Bronstein. “ [It] requires pairing with a [separate blood pressure measuring] device to measure and record your blood pressure.”

The Apple Watch Series 8 is almost identical, both inside and out, to last year's Series 7, including the same processor speeds. It's only worth the upgrade if you think the retrospective ovulation estimate feature may be useful if you're trying to get pregnant (but it isn't an FDA-approved family planning method).

Apple made the Apple Watch Series 9 available for pre-order on September 12. It will go on sale on Friday, September 22.

Apple Watch Series 8 has an innovative sensor that tracks your temperature while you sleep, so you can see changes over time. Cycle Tracking uses this data to provide a retrospective estimate of when you likely ovulated, which can be helpful for family planning.

watchOS 8 brings you new ways to stay healthy, active, and connected. A redesigned Photos app helps you stay connected to your most precious memories, and the new Mindfulness app and new Tai Chi and Pilates workout types will help you lead a healthy and fit life.

How useful is Apple Watch 8? ›

The watch has the long-rumored skin temperature sensor and long-awaited low power mode, which can extend the latest Apple Watch's battery life to 36 hours. The Apple Watch 8 also has a new crash detection feature, leveraging improved motion sensors for instant help when you might need it most.

If you feel that the always-on display, additional health monitoring features, or fast charging would be particularly useful to you, or simply like a specific casing and color combination not available with the ‌Apple Watch SE‌, the Apple Watch Series 8 will be the best model for you.

Arguably, the three biggest differences between the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8 are crash detection, body temperature monitoring, and Bluetooth 5.3.

The Apple Watch Series 9 is the best smartwatch yet thanks to significant performance upgrades and the addition of a handy new double-tap gesture, making it the best Apple smartwatch for most people.

Apple says that the Watch Series 8 offers a battery life of "18 hours after an overnight charge," which includes 90 time checks, 90 notifications, a 60-minute workout with music playback, and 45 minutes of app usage. The smartwatch is also rated to last up to 1.5 hours on a call via an LTE connection.

We will break down their differences here: Apple Watch Series 8 vs Apple Watch Series 7 in a nutshell: Watch 8 adds a new body temperature sensor for ovulation reporting and improved period prediction. Watch 8 comes with new hardware to enable a new car crash detection feature.

Following the Apple Watch Series 9 unveiling, both Amazon and Walmart are slashing Series 8 prices to make room for the new model. That means that if you're not sold on the 2023 device, now's a great opportunity to get a very capable smartwatch for much less, with close to $90 off its retail price.

Overall, the Apple Watch Series 8 is a very minor upgrade over the Series 7, with the body temperature sensor and Crash Detection being the only significant changes, meaning that it is difficult to recommend upgrading.