00:00Two new Apple Watches hit shelves for 2023,
00:03the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
00:06If you're an iOS user and looking to either buy a smartwatch for the first time
00:10or upgrade from an older Apple Watch model,
00:13you might be wondering which one is best suited for you
00:16or if you should buy a new one at all.
00:18The real question is, are you just looking for a helpful everyday accessory
00:22and extension of your iPhone
00:24or are you looking for a big screen, adventure-ready companion?
00:28Let's jump into it.
00:30When you think of what an Apple Watch looks like,
00:33the Apple Watch Series 9 is it.
00:35Starting at $399 for the 41mm size and $429 for the 45mm size,
00:42it's a very standard, modern-looking smartwatch.
00:45It's available in both aluminum and stainless steel
00:48and there are a number of color options available to suit your own style.
00:51I personally love the subtle new pink finish that's exclusive to Apple Watch Series 9.
00:57Then there's the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 2,
01:00which comes in just one size and one style.
01:03The device has a more sporty design featuring a flat display,
01:07protruding right side button array,
01:09and orange action button on the left side.
01:12The screen is also 49mm,
01:14the biggest you'll find for an Apple Watch
01:17and one of the biggest you'll find for smartwatches in general.
01:20That display is also brighter than it was before, hitting 3,000 nits,
01:23while the Apple Watch Series 9 is rated for 2,000 nits peak brightness.
01:28Now you might not be able to tell the difference here in the studio,
01:31but outside it's very, very noticeable.
01:34If you're spending a lot of time in direct sunlight for sports and outdoor recreation,
01:38that's something to take into consideration.
01:40This family of Apple Watch devices is leading Apple's mission
01:44to make all of its devices carbon neutral by 2030.
01:47Both the Series 9 and Ultra 2, when paired with certain watch bands,
01:52are the company's first carbon neutral certified devices,
01:55featuring more recycled materials than previously used.
01:58That is a big win for the planet and its consumers, if you ask me.
02:06The most standout changes to this year's models
02:08are relative to performance with the new processor,
02:10which is basically the brains behind the smartwatches.
02:14Apple calls it the S9 chip,
02:15and it promises up to 25% improvement in efficiency.
02:19Think faster performance, smoother animations, better battery life management.
02:24For reference, if you have an older Apple Watch model,
02:26Apple hasn't made any substantial changes like this to the Apple Watch processor
02:31since the Apple Watch Series 6.
02:34This processor is also a big deal because it powers some handy new features
02:38that have been introduced to the 2023 smartwatches.
02:41Powered by a proprietary algorithm in the smartwatch processor,
02:45DoubleTap lets you carry out certain Apple Watch functions
02:48by tapping together the index finger and thumb of your watch hand twice.
02:52DoubleTap can be used to answer phone calls, dismiss timers,
02:56respond to texts, pause music, control the camera remote app, and more.
03:00It's seriously my new favorite Apple Watch feature in years
03:04and could be reason alone to upgrade.
03:06And if that doesn't do it for you, there's an improved Siri experience.
03:11Siri responds faster than before with complete on-device computing,
03:14so nothing is being sent up to the cloud.
03:17This means that Siri can execute certain commands
03:19even when the Apple Watch Series 9 is disconnected from Wi-Fi or your smartphone.
03:25I used to not even be able to set timers using Siri
03:27when I was in my laundry room down the hall away from my smartphone,
03:31and it was quite annoying, so this is a great upgrade as well.
03:35A new ultra-wideband chip makes it a bit easier to find your iPhone
03:38if you've misplaced it, which I do pretty much every single day.
03:42Using the ping feature, you can track down your phone with directions now.
03:46However, this feature does require an iPhone 15,
03:49so keep that in mind when you're weighing which of these features matters most to you.
03:54There are some features exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra 2
03:57that set it apart from the Apple Watch Series 9 as a rugged adventure watch.
04:02The titanium frame and brighter screen mean it's well-suited
04:05to surviving the knocks and dings of outdoor pursuits.
04:08It's also better equipped to help you navigate the outdoors with a dual-frequency GPS.
04:13In open water, it can go twice as deep as the Apple Watch Series 9,
04:17and it could even be used as a dive computer with the built-in Depth app and the Oceanic Plus app.
04:23The added action button on the side can help you
04:25with quick access to some of these sports features.
04:28In terms of safety during all of these adventures,
04:31the Apple Watch Ultra 2's built-in siren is a game-changer for emergencies.
04:36Both the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9
04:39have other safety features like emergency SOS and fall detection.
04:43Both also have a full suite of health sensors,
04:45which can be used not just to monitor your activity for workouts,
04:48but also provide some essential health information.
04:52The skin temperature reader can provide cycle insights,
04:54while the ECG sensor can detect signs of AFib.
04:57The blood oxygen sensor is useful for sleep tracking as well.
05:01To personalize your watch experience further,
05:03you'll make use of WatchOS 10, the software version that ships on both watches.
05:08This gives you a huge selection of watch faces to choose from,
05:12some with many complications.
05:14There are two exclusive watch faces for Apple Watch Ultra that make use of the big screen,
05:18but that all comes down to preference.
05:20When you hit the side button, you get your smart stack,
05:22which you don't get as much control over,
05:25but it does adapt the information you see on your wrist
05:27based on what your watch expects you want to see.
05:30I think the way for you to make the most of your Apple Watch experience,
05:33no matter which watch you're wearing,
05:35is to download third-party apps.
05:37For Apple Watch Ultra 2 users,
05:39you could download some excellent sports apps
05:41like SwingVision for tennis and GolfShop for golf.
05:44Runners get apps like Strava and Nike RunClub,
05:47and I get to sync mine to my Peloton machine.
05:49There are apps for smart home devices, airline tickets, news, and even games.
05:54If battery life is your priority,
05:56I'm going to go ahead and say you might want to consider the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
06:00Even with its brighter display,
06:01the Apple Watch Ultra 2 gets 36 hours of battery life with normal use.
06:06The Apple Watch Series 9 battery life is the same
06:09as the previous-gen Apple Watch Series 8,
06:11and all the Apple Watch models before it, pretty much.
06:14It lasts 18 hours with normal use.
06:16That is a big, big difference,
06:18especially if you're constantly on the go
06:20and don't always have direct access to a power source.
06:23That said, both watches support the Apple Watch Low Power Mode
06:26that debuted last year.
06:28It extends the Series 9 battery life to 36 hours
06:31and the Ultra 2 battery life to 72 hours.
06:34Low Power Mode is available for all Apple Watch models running WatchOS 10.
06:42So, which watch is going to be best suited for you?
06:45With everything we talked about in mind,
06:46I understand price is going to be one of the biggest deciding factors.
06:50The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a high $799 price tag.
06:54You can get the Apple Watch Series 9 for half the price.
06:57Though if you want LTE support,
06:59that will bump the Series 9 starting price from $399 to $499,
07:05kind of narrowing the gap when you consider
07:07that LTE comes standard on the Ultra 2.
07:10Still, the Series 9 is going to be the best smartwatch
07:13for most people in the market for an everyday Apple Watch.
07:17It's a great introduction to Apple Watch
07:19if you've never had one before.
07:20And with that processor I rave so much about,
07:23you know it's going to last you many years to come.
07:26But if you can afford the premium
07:28and could use assistance far above and below sea level,
07:31the Apple Watch Ultra may just be the right watch for you.
07:35On the opposite end, if you just want the bare minimum,
07:38there's always the $249 Apple Watch SE
07:41that you can read my review of on TomSka.com for more details.
07:45So, what do you think?
07:46Still not sure which Apple Watch is right for you?
07:48Let me know in the comments below.
07:50And if you're subscribed, I'll be sure to answer all of your questions.
07:54You can also hit us up on social,
07:56Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok at Tom's Guide.
07:59And as always, I'm at Kate Kozich.
08:01Thanks for watching.
08:02I'll catch you next time.
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