Do you need an Apple Watch to track your fitness or the health of a loved one, but are befuddled by seemingly endless options? Our Apple Watch guide makes it easy.
The first thing to know is it must be paired to an iPhone. If you don’t have an iPhone, buy one first.
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The best Apple Watch for most people
The best Apple Watch for most people is the second-generation Apple Watch SE. It features the same S8 chip as the Apple Watch Series 8, crash detection like the Series 8, and it does everything most people want in a smartwatch: notifications, heart rate tracking, fitness tracking, and sleep tracking. All that for $150 less than the Series 8.
What do you miss by opting for the budget Apple Watch SE instead of the new Series 8?
- The Series 8 is available in 41mm and 45mm while the SE only comes in 40mm and 44mm.
- Always-On display (which drains battery life anyway).
- Blood oxygen sensor.
- ECG .
- Wrist temperature and retrospective ovulation estimates.
While some of these are very nice to have, the SE is a tough bargain to beat.
If you want to read my thoughts on the Apple Watch Series 8, which I spent a few days with, check out my Apple Watch Series 8 review on Reviewed.
Differences in Apple Watches
Let’s keep this simple: every Apple Watch is basically the same. If they’re in the same series, that is. So a Series 8 has some extra features over a Series 7, but two Series 8 watches are practically the same. Some come with different bands (which you can replace) or fashionable exclusive watch faces (that aren’t very useful), but they’re all pretty much identical, with a few differences:
- The stainless steel models are nicer and have more scratch-resistant screens, but are much more expensive. The basic aluminum model is plenty durable, though it may get a few light scratches over its lifetime.
- However, if you want to buy an Apple Watch for a relative without one, which Apple offers through a feature called Family Setup, they will need a GPS + Cellular Apple Watch. We go into detail on that below.
- Apple sells two sizes of watch. For the Series 7 that’s 41mm and 45mm. If you have a tiny wrist, go for the smaller watch. Otherwise, go for the bigger screen, which is easier to see and tap.
Who needs a cellular Apple Watch?
We recommend the GPS-only model for most people, but some may need cellular connectivity:
- People frequently separated from their iPhone.
- Anyone with safety concerns, where you may not have time to reach for an iPhone.
- Folks who need always-on Fall Detection.
- And the aforementioned Family Setup scenario.
Understand that between the additional cost for a cellular model and the monthly fee (around $10 per month), you may end up spending more than double what you would have for the basic Apple Watch. Make sure your needs justify the price. For an in-depth guide to our rationale, see the TidBITS article “Do You Need Cellular in Your Apple Watch?“
What about the Apple Watch Ultra?
The high-end Apple Watch Ultra is Apple’s premium watch for serious adventurers, with double the usual Apple Watch battery life, more durability, cellular connectivity, an extra button, and other features. In the future, it will be usable as a computer for scuba diving. However, beyond the price, be aware that the Ultra is BIG on your wrist. If you’re interested, we recommend trying it on in an Apple Store first.
An Apple Watch for a relative who doesn’t have an iPhone
If you have a family member who does not have an iPhone, you can set up an Apple Watch for them with a feature called Family Setup. Unfortunately, there are some pretty big limitations for an Apple Watch on Family Setup:
- The Apple Watch must be a cellular model.
- The ECG feature is not available.
- The Apple Watch Series 7 won’t take blood oxygen measurements.
- Irregular heart rhythm notifications won’t be sent.
- The Apple Watch can’t be used for sleep tracking.
There are some other limitations as well. However, important features like heart rate, high and low heart rate notifications, heart rate variability, walking steadiness, and fall detection are all available.
For that reason, if you decide to go the Family Setup route, we recommend an Apple Watch SE GPS + Cellular. The SE doesn’t support ECG or blood oxygen readings anyway, so there’s no need to spend more on an Apple Watch.
Cheap Apple Watch bands
Apple sells a variety of Apple Watch bands, some costing hundreds of dollars. But there is no reason to spend so much. You can customize your Apple Watch with cheap Apple Watch bands from Amazon, often just as good as Apple’s bands (sometimes even made in the same factory), for a fraction of the cost.
One thing to know about buying Apple Watch bands: make sure the band fits your size of watch. Generally, all the small-size watch bands are interchangeable, but not with the big watch bands and vice-versa.
Here are some examples of how much money you can save with third-party bands:
- Apple Milanese loop: $99; Sunnywoo Milanese loop: under $20.
- Nike band: exclusive to Nike Apple Watch; SVISVIPA band: $8.
- Apple doesn’t even sell a basic leather band unless you want to spend hundreds on an Hermès. You can buy a nice OUHENG leather band for under $20.
- Apple Sport Loop: $50; Geoumy three-pack: under $20.
If you want an “official” Apple Watch band, here’s a tip: buy some of the cheap ones to see what style you like first.
What is an Apple Watch good for?
Why would you want an Apple Watch? Here are some of the things it can do:
- Fitness and health tracking: Heart rate, irregular heart rhythm ECG, daily activity, O2 level, etc. If you have concerns about your heart health, consider an Apple Watch.
- Quickly viewing messages and notifications without having to grab your iPhone.
- Glancing at important information like weather forecasts, current temperature, calendar appointments, fitness metrics, and sunrise/sunset times. This is done through small icons on the watch face called complications.
- Phone calls and voice messages sent through the built-in Walkie-Talkie app to other Apple Watch wearers. This can be a potentially life-saving feature if you get in a bind and can’t reach your iPhone.
- Fall detection, which can call a loved one for help if you fall down.
- You can also set up an Apple Watch to share health metrics and alerts with loved ones. This makes an Apple Watch a great gift idea for an ailing or elderly relative who needs a little extra care.
There are many apps available for the Apple Watch, but they’re not the main draw like on the iPhone and iPad. The best use of Apple Watch apps is installing additional complications on your watch face.