We’ve now had plenty of time to play with the Apple Watch Series 9 since the company unveiled it back in September. And this means we’ve become experts at spotting the differences to the previous generation, the Apple Watch Series 8. 

For those weighing up which generation to choose (or Series 8 owners who want to feel better about sticking with their current model), it’s important to understand everything that makes these watches tick.

After all, the Series 9 and Series 8 still have much more in common than they do differences.

Below, we’ve pulled together all the biggest changes – and a few of the key core features of both watches – to help you decide which you prefer.

Double Tap gesture unlocks one-hand use

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Apple’s ‘Double Tap’ gesture feature might not be the flashiest new change we’ve seen arrive to the smartwatch series, but it has proven to be one of the most useful additions in years. 

This new feature essentially unlocks one-hand use, with Series 9 owners able to tap their thumb and index fingers together to control the primary option on the screen. 

So, for example, if there’s an incoming call and your non-watch hand isn’t free to tap the screen, you can now double-tap your fingers to answer it.

We also regularly use it to remotely control the iPhone camera or scroll through the watch face’s Smart Stack. 

Sadly, though, this isn’t one for Series 8 owners.

That’s because Double Tap is powered by the all-new S9 SiP and 4-core Neural Engine, which processes data from the built-in accelerometer, gyroscope, and optical heart rate sensor to register the gesture.

The same design with hidden tweaks

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Are you struggling to tell the difference between the Series 9 and Series 8? You should be, because these two smartwatches are essentially identical in design. 

Apple is sticking with the same 45mm and 41mm case size options of the Series 8 for the newer model, while the display size, band mechanism, button layout, and more are unchanged, too. 

However, Apple has snuck in a couple of design improvements. 

The Series 9 can reach a whopping 2,000 nits of brightness, which is double what you can manage on the Series 8.

For when you need that screen to get really dark, like in the cinema, it can now also go all the way down to 1 nit of brightness. 

The price is right

We weren’t sure whether Apple would hike up the price for the Series 9, but the latest smartwatch begins retailing for the same price as the Series 8 did – $399/£399. 

As ever, though, with the Series 8 now no longer on sale via Apple, it’s very likely you’ll find third-party retailers reducing the asking price of the watch to clear dead stock. 

Supercharged Siri 

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Ah, Siri – you remember Siri on the Apple Watch, right?

Apple is using the Series 9 – thanks to that fancy S9 SiP and Neural Engine – to make its smart assistant much more useful on the wrist. 

For the first time, Siri requests will be processed on the watch itself, which means you’ll no longer have to rely on a cellular connection or Wi-Fi for queries that don’t require information from the internet. 

So, starting a workout via Siri will be much quicker, for example.

The assistant is also getting smarter, and you can now even ask the assistant how your Activity ring is looking for the day, or whether you got a good sleep.

Again, though, like with the Double Tap gesture, this quicker and sharper version of Siri isn’t available on previous devices like the Series 8. 

18-hour battery life forever

Those hoping that the immovable, never-ending promise of 18-hour battery life on Apple’s Series devices would be improved for the Series 9 will no doubt be disappointed following its unveiling. 

Apple is staying true to its perennial battery life estimate, which is the same as the Series 8 – and every Series device that came before it.

As we’ve noted over the last few generations, however, the number of hours of use you can expect has drastically improved.

We’d guess there may be some sneaky battery gains on account of that all-new S9 SiP, but, even if there aren’t, the fact Apple delivers ‘all-day’ battery life while improving the speed and efficiency of actions on the watch isn’t the worst thing to happen. 

Finding your phone is much easier

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If the Double Tap gesture is the handiest feature exclusive to the Series 9, the improvements made to Precision Finding appear to be a close runner-up. 

With the S9 SiP including a second-gen Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip, the near-daily act of finding your lost phone has been made even better. 

Providing you also have an iPhone 15, the Series 9 can provide distance and direction cues, as well as visual, haptic, and audio guidance. And, you guessed it, this one will not be available through Series 8 devices (or older).

This new and improved UWB chip also deepens the integration between the Apple Watch and HomePod, kicking in playing suggestions and more when you’re within 4m of the speaker. Pretty neat.

Leather is out

Apple spent a solid chunk of time waxing over its ‘Apple 2030’ environmental goals during the unveiling of the Series 9 back in September – and part of this drive includes phasing out leather watch bands. 

Starting with the Series 9, official Apple leather bands are no longer being sold. This also includes the long-standing Hermés collection of straps, which are now made up of woven bands.

For those who want a leather band with their new device, the Series 8 is the only choice. 

Remember, though, you’ll have to buy it from elsewhere, as Apple no longer sells the 2022 smartwatch.

Speaking of bands, the popular Sport Loop band has also been redesigned with more recycled materials, while Apple has also created a new ‘FineWoven’ material to help fill the leather void. 

These FineWoven bands, Apple says, have a suede-like feel and will be available in the Modern Buckle and Magnetic Link styles. And while we haven’t tried them in our time with the Series 9, iPhone users have consistently complained about the quality of FineWoven cases since their debut. 

Instead, you might want to consider picking up a third-party option like the ones in our best Apple Watch bands guide, for example.

Don’t forget about watchOS 10

The Series 9 boasts a few enticing and exclusive tricks, but don’t forget the majority of software features are existing ones or are new features landing watchOS 10 – an update the Series 8 will be getting.

You can read about everything new with watchOS 10 in our dedicated guide, but the highlights include a strong new emphasis on ‘Smart Stack’ widgets and a completely fresh look and feel to the operating system.

When added to the already-great GPS and heart rate tracking, health insights such as temperature monitoring, blood oxygen saturation readings, and Fall Detection, plus an App Store overflowing with great integrations, it can be easy to forget that the Series 8 is an exceedingly powerful watch in its own right.

Series 9 vs. Series 8: Which is better?

After months of daily use with the Apple Watch Series 9, we can confidently say it’s a better smartwatch than the Series 8 thanks to the improved Siri, more helpful Precision Finding, and the exclusive Double Tap.

That said, it’s also an incredibly minimal upgrade over the Series 8, which is also the more affordable option. If you can still find stock of the Series 8 and it is available for slightly less, we recommend choosing it over the Series 9. 

If you want the very best of what Apple offers in 2024, though, the Series 9 is the pick. And, like with any newer release, it’s also likely to receive software updates for longer than the Series 8.