The Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra are the company's newest wearable accessories, and these are the features that might tempt new buyers or Apple Watch Series 7 owners.
Apple Watch Series 8 (left) and Apple Watch Ultra (right)
Apple revealed the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra at its "Far Out" streaming event on September 7. Here's how they compare to the Apple Watch Series 7.
Apple Watch Series 7 vs Apple Watch Series 8 vs Apple Watch Ultra - Specifications
| Specifications | Apple Watch Series 7 | Apple Watch Series 8 | Apple Watch Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (starting) | $399.00 Check prices | $399.00 Check prices | $799.00 Check prices |
| Sizes | 41mm, 45mm | 41mm, 45mm | 49mm |
| Display | LTPO OLED Retina Always-on display 1,000 nits brightness Increased crack-resistance | LTPO OLED Retina Always-on display 1,000 nits brightness Increased crack-resistance | LTPO OLED Retina Always-on display 2,000 nits brightness Increased crack-resistance |
| Case Materials | Aluminum Stainless Steel Titanium | Aluminum Stainless Steel | Titanium |
| Processor | S7 SiP | S8 SiP | S8 SiP |
| Health Sensors | Third-generation optical heart sensor ECG Blood oxygen sensor Fall Detection Crash Detection with watchOS 9 | Third-generation optical heart sensor ECG Blood oxygen sensor Temperature sensor Fall Detection Crash Detection with watchOS 9 | Third-generation optical heart sensor ECG Blood oxygen sensor Temperature sensor Fall Detection Crash Detection with watchOS 9 |
| Water Resistance | 50 meters | 50 meters | 100 meters |
| Dust Resistance | IP6X | IP6X | IP6X |
| Battery Life | Up to 18 hours, More with Low Power Mode | Up to 36 hours with Low Power Mode | Up to 60 hours with Low Power Mode |
| Recharging | Wireless USB-C Fast Charging | Wireless USB-C Fast Charging | Wireless USB-C Fast Charging |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n(2.4, 5 GHz) LTE and UMTS, Bluetooth 5.0 | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n(2.4, 5 GHz) LTE and UMTS, Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n(2.4, 5 GHz) LTE and UMTS, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Other Sensors | GPS/GNSS Compass Always-on Barometric Altimeter Accelerometer Gyroscope Ambient light sensor | GPS/GNSS Compass Always-on Barometric Altimeter Accelerometer Gyroscope Ambient light sensor | Dual-Band GPS/GNSS Compass Always-on Barometric Altimeter Accelerometer Gyroscope Ambient light sensor |
| Colors (Aluminum) | Midnight Starlight Blue Green (Product)RED | Starlight Midnight Silver PRODUCT(RED) | - |
| Colors (Stainless Steel) | Graphite Silver Gold | Graphite Silver Gold | - |
| Colors (Titanium) | Space black Titanium (natural color) | - | Titanium (natural color) |
Apple Watch Series 7 vs Apple Watch Series 8 vs Apple Watch Ultra - Case sizes, Materials, and Weight
The Apple Watch Ultra model is 49mm and doesn't include a smaller or larger option, while the Apple Watch Seris 8 keeps the sizes of 41mm and 45mm.
For the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8 screens, Apple uses Ion-X glass on the aluminum models and sapphire crystal for the high-end metal options.
Apple Watch Ultra, which is only available in titanium, also uses sapphire crystal for the screen cover.
Apple Watch Ultra
The weight of each device depends on the material used in manufacturing. For example, the Apple Watch Series 7 weighs 32g for the aluminum option, 42.3g for stainless steel, and 37g for titanium.
The Apple Watch Series 8 weighs 38.8g for aluminum and 51.5g for stainless steel. Of course, given its larger size, the Apple Watch Ultra weighs more at 61.3g for the titanium-only option.
Apple Watch Series 7 vs Apple Watch Series 8 vs Apple Watch Ultra - Display
The Apple Watch Series 7 has a bigger, brighter, and tougher screen than its predecessors. Apple increased the size of the display by 1mm on both the smaller and larger models.
The bigger size results in a screen area increase of 20% compared to the Apple Watch Series 6. Yet Apple managed to decrease the borders of the screen at 1.7mm, down from 3mm on the Apple Watch SE and Series 6.
The Apple Watch Series 7 has an always-on display of 352 x 430 pixels on the 41mm model, giving it an area of 904 sq mm and 1,000 nits of brightness. On the 45mm model it features a 396 x 484 pixel display, 904 sq mm display area, and 1,000 nits of brightness.
Apple introduced a new display design with the Apple Watch Series 7 that features soft, round corners, making it appear to seamlessly meld with the glass.
On the Apple Watch Ultra, the front sapphire crystal glass is now flat with the edges reinforced by a titanium bezel. If your Apple Watch Ultra bumps into something, the screen should be well-protected.
The brightness of the Apple Watch Ultra can reach 2,000 nits, while the Apple Watch Series 8 keeps the same 1,000 nits of brightness.
The extra size of the Ultra also allows it to display more pixels, namely a resolution of 410 pixels by 502 pixels. Since it's the same size, the Apple Watch Series 8 matches the Series 7's resolution.
To take advantage of the larger display, Apple introduced the Wayfinder watch face. It supports eight complications and features a number of navigational touches.
Apple Watch Series 7 vs Apple Watch Series 8 vs Apple Watch Ultra - Design
The design of the Apple Watch Series 8 is identical to the Apple Watch Series 7. The Apple Watch Ultra keeps the overall aesthetic but has been updated to be more rugged.
The Digital Crown and side button are set inside a new ledge and are easier to control with gloves on. The Digital Crown specifically is larger in size and has increased knurling.
In addition, the Apple Watch Ultra has an all-new Action button in high-contrast International Orange that can be customized for instant access to a variety of features, including Workouts, Compass Waypoints, Backtrack, Shortcuts, and more.
Apple Watch Series 7 and Apple Watch Series 8 both have second-generation speakers and a microphone, used for things like talking to Siri hands-free or taking a phone call.
For the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple used a new dual-speaker setup and a three-microphone array with beamforming.
Apple Watch Series 7 vs Apple Watch Series 8 vs Apple Watch Ultra - Processor
An S7 SiP powers the Apple Watch Series 7 with a 64-bit dual-core processor. The W3 chip is the same found in the Apple Watch Series 4, Apple Watch Series 5, Apple Watch Series 6, and Apple Watch SE. It brings Bluetooth 5.0 to the product line.
Apple Watch Series 8 Crash Detection
A dual-core 64-bit S8 SiP powers both the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra. The S8 includes the updated accelerometer and gyroscope as well as updated Bluetooth, but otherwise contains the same CPU as the S7.
The new models also include the W3 and U1 chips. The Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Series 8 introduce Bluetooth 5.3 into the product line.
Apple Watch Series 7 vs Apple Watch Series 8 vs Apple Watch Ultra - Health & Fitness
The Apple Watch Series 7 and Apple Watch Series 8 both include blood oxygen sensors and ECG capabilities from an optical heart sensor. The watchOS 8 update brought new cycling detection and workout types to the Apple Watch Series 7.
The Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra include a new temperature sensor that can give women insights into their reproductive health, such as cycle tracking and ovulation detection. Temperature sensing involves one sensor on the back of the watch, nearest the skin, and another just under the display to reduce environmental bias.
Apple Watch Series 8
Apple Watch Series 7 vs Apple Watch Series 8 vs Apple Watch Ultra - Battery
The Apple Watch Series 7 boasted a battery life of up to 18 hours which Apple markets as "all-day." Its fast-charging ability reaches up to an 80% charge in approximately 45 minutes using the USB-C magnetic fast charging cable.
The Apple Watch Series 8 offers up to 18 hours of battery life, and up to 36 hours using Low Power Mode. It too offers fast charging via a USB-C magnetic charging cable.
The Apple Watch Series 7 supports Low Power Mode thanks to watchOS 9, though Apple makes no explicit promise on the updated battery life. As they contain the same CPU, software, and standard battery life, it's safe to assume that Apple Watch Series 7 should see a similar 36 hour wear time in Low Power Mode.
Apple Watch Series 8 battery
The Apple Watch Ultra can give users 36 hours of battery life, and up to 60 hours with Low Power Mode. The bundled USB-C charging cable is braided versus the standard cable on the Series 7 and Series 8.
Apple Watch Series 7 vs Apple Watch Series 8 vs Apple Watch Ultra - Other Features
The Apple Watch Ultra includes an emergency feature of an 86-decibel siren if users are lost or injured in the wilderness. The unique sound signature incorporates two distinct alternating patterns, which can repeat for several hours. The first pattern suggests distress, while the second mimics the universally recognized SOS pattern.
Siren app
Users can initiate the siren from the dedicated Siren app which also displays the battery life. If needed, emergency services can be called directly from the app too.
The U1 chip brings Ultra Wideband technology to the Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch Ultra. It offers location-aware tracking to precisely pinpoint the location of iBeacons, iPhones, and iPads with a U1 chip, AirDrop recipient selection, augmented reality image location, and other location-related uses.
Thanks to its large display, the Apple Watch Series 7 introduced a full keyboard that users can tap or slide across, and the Apple Watch Series 8 is no different.
Apple Watch Ultra Depth app, which displays time, current depth, water temperature, duration under water, and max depth reached.
The Apple Watch Series 7 was the first model to come with an IP6X dust resistance rating. Combined with a crack-resistant sapphire crystal screen and a swim-proof WR50 rating, it's a good model for cyclists and athletes.
The Apple Watch Ultra is an even better model for athletes and outdoorsmen of all kinds, with its MIL-STD-810H certification, WR100 score for water resistance of up to 100 meters, and an EN 13319 certification.
This is the first Apple product to receive an EN 13319 certification. European Standards (abbreviated EN, from the German name Europische Norm ("European Norm"), deal with many different types of products and specifications, from portable fire extinguishers to air conditioners.
13319 pertains to diving accessories to ensure that equipment such as depth gauges and the Apple Watch Ultra meet safety standards. This standard ensures the accuracy of depth and time-measuring devices.
The new Depth app from Apple displays metrics critical to recreational divers that includes time, current depth, water temperature, duration underwater, and max depth reached. Satisfying EN 13319 means that divers can safely rely on these Apple Watch Ultra metrics.
Apple mentioned a third-party app called Oceanic+, available in the App Store later this fall. It includes dive planning, dive metrics, visual and haptic alerts, no-decompression limit, ascent rate, and safety stop guidance.
Another addition to the Apple Watch Ultra is an L5 sensor for GPS. It includes both L1 and L5, while the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Series 7 only include L1.
L5 operates at a frequency of 1176.45 MHz, greatly improving the accuracy for locating people lost in the wilderness or just improving location tracking during marathons and other athletic events.
The L5 frequency band is exclusively reserved for aviation safety services, as shown with the helicopter rescuing people in Apple's example during the iPhone event. It's the most advanced GPS signal available for civilians, and its accuracy is good enough for less than three feet of detection.
Apple Watch Series 7 vs Apple Watch Series 8 vs Apple Watch Ultra - Pricing, Storage, and Colors
The Apple Watch Series 7 is available in midnight, starlight, green, blue, and red for aluminum models. Stainless steel models come in graphite, silver, and gold, while titanium is available in space black and a natural color.
Both the Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch Ultra all include 32GB of storage.
Pricing is another shared feature, with the Apple Watch Series 8 keeping the starting price of $399 for the 41mm model. The 45mm device starts at $429. The Apple Watch Ultra starts at $799.
Apple Watch Series 8 (left), Series 7 (middle), and Ultra (right)
The Apple Watch Ultra is only available in titanium, and the Apple Watch Series 8 is only available in aluminum and stainless steel. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 7 is no longer available to purchase, although it came in titanium during its release.
Apple Watch Series 7 vs Apple Watch Series 8 vs Apple Watch Ultra - What to buy
The Apple Watch Ultra is an obvious choice for athletes with its increased water resistance, emergency siren, depth gauge with water temperature sensor, better battery life, and more. The Apple Watch Series 8 has many of the same features, but lacks the Action button and siren, and maintains the 50m water resistance of the Apple Watch Series 7.
Ultimately, a combination of budget and use cases is the ultimate arbiter of which watch to buy or determining if an upgrade is necessary. Apple promoted the temperature sensor for women's health, but it will have other uses as well.
Where to buy an Apple Watch at a discount
Top Apple Watch deals are available on Series 8, Ultra and Series 7 models.
From cash discounts of up to $50 off Series 8 styles to closeout savings of up to $130 off Series 7 models at Amazon, there are numerous deals to choose from.
You can also save $20 on AppleCare for the Apple Watch Ultra when you shop through this activation link at Apple Authorized Reseller Adorama and enter promo code APINSIDER in the same browsing session. Need help with the code? Here's how to activate it.
Comparing prices is easy with the best offers at your fingertips in our Apple Watch Price Guide.