Comparison of the three new Apple Watches and their specifications

At its “Far Out” event, Apple announced the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, new AirPods Pro headphones, and a whole host of new Apple Watches. We’re used to seeing an annual Apple Watch refresh, where one flagship in the series begets another flagship, but this year marks the introduction of three new models: the Apple Watch Series 8, the Apple Watch Ultra and a new Apple Watch SE. These watches are designed to offer new options in the entry-level, flagship (for generalists) and specialist markets.

At the bottom of the new range, the new Apple Watch SE continues the formula of the 2020 SE. It’s the “cheap” model, sacrificing niceties like an always-on display for a much lower price. Apple’s SE brand of budget products is rarely the most exciting, but at least the arrival of this Apple Watch SE helps end the Apple Watch Series 3’s decrepit reign.

Further up the spectrum, the Series 8 continues the usual progression of previous high-end Apple Watches, now with a new built-in temperature sensor. And for the first time there’s a third model to sit atop, one with an entirely separate set of capabilities. Despite the new Samsung-sounding moniker, the new Apple Watch Ultra is designed to meet the needs of outdoor enthusiasts, those who normally turn to brands like Garmin for their needs.

Image: Apple

So that’s a lot of Apple Watch. But how do the features and specifications evolve in this new range? And are there any big improvements here over the outgoing 7 Series if you’re considering picking one up on sale before it’s gone? We’ve only had a brief hands-on look so far, but let’s take a look at the specs and see where we can find the biggest differences or look for any major omissions in these new units.

Apple WatchSE

Image: Apple

At the budget end, the Apple Watch SE brings us a rather familiar approach: take some of the latest technology and put it in an old chassis to sell it for less. That’s what the original Apple Watch SE did, and that’s what this new SE does now. The new SE looks a lot like the previous SE, but it packs the S8 processor and collision detection from the Series 8 and Ultra. Oh, and the rear of the new SE is color-matched to the rest of the case, which is a sharp little treat.

What you lose is always-on display, ECG and blood oxygen monitoring – which were also missing in the previous SE. But what you do gain is more money in your pocket, as the new Apple Watch SE 2022 starts at just $249 for a 40mm model with GPS or $299 with cellular. That’s $30 cheaper than the starting prices of the first SE when it launched in 2020.

Apple Watch Series 8

Photo by Victoria Song/The Verge

Any other year, the new Apple Watch Series 8 would be the flagship offering. It continues Apple’s steady development of its watch formula, looking a lot like the Series 7 but now adding a sensor to detect your body temperature as well as better period and ovulation tracking. It also gets the car crash detection that’s prevalent across this whole line of Apple Watches, because Apple is apparently really into car crashes right now. (The opening video had an alarming amount of doom and gloom.)

Unlike the SE, you don’t make any major compromises outside of the Ultra’s extra rugged features (more on that in a moment). The Apple Watch Series 8 starts at the usual price of $399 for the 41mm model with GPS or $499 with cellular, or add $30 to either for the larger 45mm version.

Apple Watch Ultra

Photo by Chris Welch/The Verge

Finally, the newcomer is trying to tackle a whole new segment for Apple. The Apple Watch Ultra is Apple’s answer to rugged smartwatches and wearables from brands like Garmin and Polar, designed to be taken to far-flung places for activities like hiking and rock climbing. The Apple Watch Pro is constructed from titanium and water resistant up to 100 meters. Its flat screen measures 49mm in diameter, making it by far the bulkiest Apple Watch. It also has a programmable action button on the side. Connectivity-wise, it supports multi-band GPS with trackback to help you navigate to far-flung places and retrace your steps on the return trip. It is sold in a single model with a natural titanium finish and both GPS and cellular for $799.

Which Apple Watch is for you?

The Apple Watch has been a mainstay in Apple’s garden for years, but we’ve never had so many choices at once. In the past, the question for Apple users was mostly whether or not to get an Apple Watch, as it’s the only game in town that has this level of iOS integration. Now, finding the right one for you may be something that requires a bit more thought and consideration. Be sure to check out our spec comparison chart and let us know in the comments if any of them seem like the right choice for you.

Correction on September 8, 1:49 p.m. ET: The Apple Watch Ultra supports Bluetooth 5.3, not 5.0 as mentioned earlier in this article. We regret the error.

Update from September 8 at 2:48 p.m.: Added the weights of all Apple Watch models listed to the comparison chart.