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Best Apple Watch (2022): Which Models to Buy, or Avoid | WIRED

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Apr 13, 2022 9:00 AM

Which Apple Watch Is Best Right Now?

Apple offers multiple versions of its popular fitness smartwatch. Here's our guide to them all.

We Gadget Labbers all agree: If you have an iPhone, the Apple Watch is the best wearable to go with it. The only question is, which version do you get? Last year, Apple announced its latest edition, the Series 7. The company is still selling the Series SE and the aging Series 3, but the much-loved Series 6 has gotten the boot. (You may still find it on sale, though.) All these watches look reasonably similar and have a rotating stable of features. Here, we go over which one is best for you and whether older models are worth the price.

Be sure to check out our other buying guides, especially our guides to the Best iPad, Best Smartwatch, and Best iPhone.

Updated April 2022: We added information on Apple Watch accessories and service, and added information about the U1 chip.  

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  • Photograph: Apple

    Best for Most People

    Apple Watch SE

    At one time, the mere existence of the Apple Watch SE irritated me. Apple released the Series 6 and SE in unison. It removed several of the most popular Apple Watch features for the SE, like the always-on display and electrocardiogram (ECG) readings. Why not simply continue selling the Series 5 at a lower price? 

    But Apple has rearranged its lineup since. This midrange option is probably the best watch for most people. It has an upgraded Retina display, a faster processor than in either the Series 3 or 5, a fall detector, more memory, and a louder speaker. We also saw it go on sale earlier this for year for as little as $220. If you're shopping for a watch to give to your child or elderly family member, this is also the most affordable model that works with Family Setup.

  • Photograph: Apple

    The Best Apple Watch

    Apple Watch Series 7

    Let's be honest: If this is your first Apple Watch, you will hold onto it for a while, so you should probably get the latest model. That means you should get the Series 7. The Series 7's standout feature is an updated display (and new, more fun colors). You get 20 percent more screen area and a full-size keyboard, which means that texts are easier to both read and write. It also has faster charging than previous watch models, which is important for a watch that you have to charge every day. 

    Many of its other features are designed to make it a better, and more capable, sports watch. It's more water- and dust-resistant than any previous Apple Watch, and its updated algorithms include better fall detection and more accurate calculation of ebiking fitness metrics. The Series 7 is also the only one among Apple's current watch lineup to include the ultra-wideband chip, which is helpful if you use your watch to find your AirTags (or, you know, you might rather not).

    This might not have been the dramatic redesign the rumors had us expecting, but Apple has never made a clunker watch. This one performs very well. 

  • Photograph: Apple 

    If You Can Find It for $300 or Less

    Apple Watch Series 6

    Last year, the Series 6 was the most full-featured watch that Apple offered. It had the most complications and the most onboard health-tracking sensors, like optical wrist-based SpO2 measurements and ECGs, all of which I like and found useful. It also has faster charging times than earlier models (although notably not faster than the Series 7), which is a necessity if you want to wear it overnight to track your sleep and charge it in an hour while you shower and eat breakfast before work.

    If it goes on sale for significantly under $399, it's still a great buy. That comes with one important caveat, though: If you want a cheaper watch for a family member to use with Family Setup, SpO2 monitoring doesn't work on the Series 6 if the user is under 18 or doesn't have a paired iPhone. You should probably get Nana the SE instead.


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