Should You Upgrade to the New Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2?

The Apple Watch has reached a point where each successive model adds a handful of features but doesn’t necessarily justify an upgrade even if yours is a few years old. The 2023 Apple Watch Series 9 follows that trend. 

Its body is identical to last year’s Series 8, and the Series 7 before that. There are a few iterative improvements including a new, faster processor, brighter screen and the ability to more precisely find a lost iPhone 15. Coming in October 2023, you’ll be able to control certain actions by double tapping your index finger and thumb. 

None of that is anything groundbreaking, but they’re nice features if you’re coming from an older Watch or buying one for the first time. The same goes for the new Apple Watch Ultra 2, which gets the same (limited) upgrades and a handful of nice-to-have, but certainly not necessary, features including the low-power mode now lasting up to 72 hours. 

Our advice here is the same as when it comes to upgrading your iPhone: If you’re happy with your current device, don’t upgrade just because there’s something new. Apple is making a big deal about certain Watch/band combinations being carbon-neutral, and that’s a good thing. But the most environmentally friendly decision you can make is to keep the device you already have.     

For an in-depth analysis of the new phones, we suggest reading what The Wall Street Journal’s Nicole Nguyen has to say about the Series 9. Our hands-on testing didn’t deliver a lot of surprises. It looks, feels and behaves like any other Apple Watch. The most noticeable upgrade in daily use was the on-device Siri processing. Now, instead of every Siri request being sent to the cloud first, commands that don’t require data from the internet—setting a timer, for example—happen right on the Watch, meaning they’re faster and can be used even if you don’t have a network connection.

If you’re shopping for a new Apple Watch and can find a Series 8 or the original Ultra for a discounted price, we recommend you choose one of those over the 2023 models in most cases. You’ll get a nearly identical experience and you may be able to save a significant amount of money.

Unlike with iPhones, which can usually net a decent trade-in value if they’re in good condition, you’re not likely to get much back for turning in a used Apple Watch. The maximum Apple offers through its trade-in program as of publication is $190 for a Series 8 or $380 for an Ultra, which means you’ll pay at least $210 for a new Watch if you’re going from one Series to another; it’ll cost $420 if you want to go from last year’s Ultra to this year’s. So if you are going to upgrade and you want to get the most value back, consider selling on eBay or another market-based venue.

Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra or Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) (2022 models)

Upgrade? No

The list of updates to the 2023 Apple Watches is so small that, other than in niche cases, you don’t even need to think about upgrading if you bought a 2022 model. The successive generations are nearly identical, both functionally and aesthetically. Is it a good thing to have a brighter screen? Sure. Are faster Siri responses nice? Yes, they are. But those are simple quality of life tweaks; they’re not big enough improvements to go all-in on a new device. 

The one feature that might possibly justify the upgrade for some is “double tap,” which allows you to control certain commands on the Watch by tapping your thumb and index finger together twice. Apple says you’ll be able to answer a call, pause a song or dismiss alerts with this gesture. For times when you can’t use a second hand to tap on the Watch’s face, it could be useful. In our limited early testing of the feature, it’s a surprisingly satisfying way to interact with the device. We’ll be testing the feature more extensively when it publicly launches.   

If there’s any “maybe” here, it’s for Apple Watch SE owners. The lower-price Apple Watch, while it hits all the essentials, doesn’t have as many features as the “Series” models or the Apple Watch Ultra. If you bought an SE and discovered you want more out of your wearable like an always-on screen or or the blood oxygen and ECG sensors, you might consider upgrading (but you’re probably fine).

Apple Watch Series 6 or Apple Watch Series 7 (2020 and 2021 models)

Upgrade? Maybe, but only if you need a larger screen or want the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s activity-focused features

The Apple Watch Series 6 and 7 are nearly identical, both inside and out, to the Series 8 (and therefore Series 9). The biggest difference between them is a larger screen on the Series 7. If you’ve felt like your Series 6’s screen is too small, then consider the Series 9 (or the Ultra 2). But if you’ve been using the Watch for this long and haven’t yet minded the screen size, we recommend you keep it.

Apple Watch Series 5 or Apple Watch SE (1st generation) (2019 models)

Upgrade? Maybe, if your Watch is feeling sluggish or small

Even though they’re more than four years old, the Apple Watch Series 5 and the original Apple Watch SE are still great devices and there’s a good chance they’re still fulfilling your needs. Their processors are slower than the Series 9 and Ultra 2’s, so if you’ve noticed the screen responding more slowly to your taps or apps taking forever to launch, consider upgrading, but don’t think it is totally essential. It’s a clear path from the Series 5 to the Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 if you choose to upgrade. If you’ve been happy with the SE’s performance, you’re probably best off sticking with the upgraded version. 

Apple Watch Series 4 (2018 model) or older

Upgrade? Yes. You’ll get a much better experience (and your battery is likely in rough shape)

Compared with the rest of the models above, the Apple Watch Series 4 is the most likely to be showing its age at this point. It is the last non-SE Watch without an always-on display, and it only has a quarter as much storage as more recent models (this isn’t likely to be a huge issue, but the Apple Watch Series 3 lost the ability to easily update its software based on storage limitations). Plus a four year old battery likely doesn’t hold the charge it used to. You can get a $100 battery replacement, but you’ll get much more value out of a brand new Watch.

The advice, recommendations or rankings expressed in this article are those of the Buy Side from WSJ editorial team, and have not been reviewed or endorsed by our commercial partners.