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It may be over a year old, but there’s still plenty to love about the Apple Watch series 9. It may have a smaller screen than Apple Watch 10, and lacks the sleep apnea detection feature, but it’s still got a lot to offer. Emergency SOS features, the new Vitals health app and the cCheck In safety tool — plus everything else that launched with watchOS 11.
The best part is that the Apple Watch 9 is a lot cheaper. Not Apple Watch SE cheap, but you can still pick it up for $279 in Amazon’s Black Friday sale. That’s $50 less than the Apple Watch 10’s lowest sale price, and 30% off the retail price.
Apple Watch series 9: was $399 now $279 @ Amazon
Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the perfect smartwatch for people heavily invested in the great outdoors. Not only is it extra durable, with a titanium metal frame, it’s also got the longest battery of any Apple Watch — lasting 36 hours despite having a larger 49mm display.
There are extra bonus features too, including support for scuba diving, while dual-band GPS makes location accuracy even better. Which can be an essential thing to have in the great outdoors. Plus it has everything that the Apple Watch series 10 offers.
Apple Watch ultra 2: was $799 now $719 @ Amazon
At this time of year, older Apple Watches make an appearance at massively reduced prices. These Black Friday Apple Watch deals seem like a great choice — after all, you don’t want to spend more than you need. But are they actually a good deal?
Well, one way to tell is whether they can get the latest software. Apple recently launched watchOS 11, which is compatible with each watch from Series 6 upwards, except the original SE that launched in 2020.
Anything older will be severely feature-limited and potentially insecure, which isn’t ideal given that you can use payment options like Apple Pay on the watch. But even the Series 6 is starting to feel its age with a processor four generations back, and missing newer features like Crash Detection, Sleep Apnea alerts, temperature and cycle tracking.
Really, I’d only recommend buying the Series 9 or higher. And with all these Black Friday deals, there’s barely anything price-wise between a modern watch like the SE 2022 and something pre-Series 9 anyway.
For the cost of a fitness tracker, you can pick up the Apple Watch SE 2022 for just $149 at Amazon, so there’s no reason to chose a less supported watch with fewer features and older hardware.
Apple Watch SE 2022 (40mm): was $249 now $149 @ Amazon
Apple Watch SE 2022 (40mm): was $249 now $149 @ Walmart
Apple Watch SE 2022 (44mm): was $279 now $199 @ Amazon
Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm): was $399 now £279 @ Amazon
Apple keeps the Watch line up pretty tight, typically only offering a flagship model, budget edition (SE), and premium version (Ultra). But right now, the Apple Watch Series 9 is down to $279 at Amazon, saving you $50 — so should you buy last year’s model?
Unless you have specific need to check water temperatures, a brighter display or the ability to play music out of the watch’s speaker, then answer is a resounding yes. It’s almost the same in all the ways that really matter, except it has an older processor.
You’re not going to really notice this, at least not until potentially a few years down the line after Apple has released several watchOS updates. So you get nearly everything in the Series 10, but at $50 less than the newer watch’s Black Friday deal price.
Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm): was $399 now $279 @ Amazon
If you need a great all rounder that’ll pull double duty as a fully-featured smartwatch and a comprehensive health and fitness tracker, that’ll be the Apple Watch Series 10.
I covered the launch event and was impressed but doubtful that Apple would launch the new sleep apnea feature when the watch shipped, but I was happily proved wrong. This is the most exciting addition to the Series 10, along with the larger display and the fact you can now play music from the watch’s built-in speaker.
Watches began dropping at people’s doors in late September, so it really is incredible to see that the Apple Watch Series 10 is already down to $329 at Amazon. As usual, you pay more for the larger model, but there’s $70 off the 46mm edition too.
Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm): was $399 now $329 @ Amazon
Apple Watch Series 10 (46mm): was $429 now $359 @ Amazon
The Apple Watch comes with a magnetic charging cable. You place your watch on top and it begins to wirelessly charge. However, this means having yet another cable you can’t use for anything else.
I recently picked up the Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Charging Station, which has wireless MagSafe charging pads for your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods. It connects to the power via the widely used USB-C port and can top up two devices simultaneously.
It’s really convenient and saves a lot of space and frees up many mains plugs as you essentially bundle three chargers into one. And right now, you can buy the Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Charging Station for just $82 at Amazon, saving 25% on the regular price.
Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Charging Station: was $109 now $82 @ Amazon
So the Apple Watch SE 2022 (40mm) is on sale at Amazon and Walmart for the same price — which do you choose?
Amazon is convenient, especially if you subscribe to Prime. In that case, you could have the watch delivered to your door by Saturday for free. And there’s an extended returns window of mid-January to help you get through the holidays if you’re buying as a gift.
On the other hand, if you order the watch from Walmart, you could collect in-store as soon as tomorrow when the shops reopen, or have it delivered starting Nov 30th. Plus, Walmart gives you two extra weeks for returns, up until January 31st, 2025.
However, both retailers allow third-party sellers on their stores. The above policies generally only apply to products sold directly by Amazon or Walmart, so unless there’s a really good reason otherwise, I’d recommend sticking with the retailers on this one.
Apple Watch SE 2022 (40mm): was $249 now $149 @ Amazon
Apple Watch SE 2022 (40mm): was $249 now $149 @ Walmart
I’m probably breaking some cardinal rule here, but after telling you what a good deal the Ultra 2 is at the moment, I’m going to tell you not to buy it — at least, if you’re a dedicated runner.
My coworker and keen marathon runner, Nick Harris-Fry, tested the Apple Watch Ultra 2 against the Garmin Epix Pro at a recent race and found that the Epix Pro edged out on top for training analysis and location accuracy.
Ordinarily, the Ultra 2 is still the better value option, as the Garmin model usually retails for $1,100. However, the Garmin Epix Pro is currently down to just $749 at Amazon for Black Friday, only $30 more than the discounted Ultra 2.
If you’re an advanced runner and need access to Garmin’s free training tools, sprint over to this huge deal. But, if running is only part of your training (or doesn’t factor in at all) and you want the close connection with Apple devices and services, go for the Ultra 2.
Apple Watch Ultra 2: was $799 now $719 @ Amazon
Garmin Epix Pro: was $1,099 now $749 @ Amazon
Apple is two generations into its rugged Garmin alternative, the Apple Watch Ultra. It has a larger case and display, and double the battery life (that’s a pretty huge deal as it jumps from 18 hours on the Series 10/SE to 36 hours on the Ultra 2) compared to the other models.
Of course, these additions come at a price. The Ultra 2 is usually $800, standing price-wise alongside the best Garmin watches. Despite being over a year old, it rarely gets a discount, which is why it was a surprise to see the Apple Watch Ultra 2 down to just $719 at Amazon.
Alongside the extra features you get on the Ultra series (including support for scuba and dual-band GPS) it has everything you find on the Series 10, making it pretty impressive companion for your iPhone. If you want sports tracking with smartwatch features, this is the one to go for.
Apple Watch Ultra 2: was $799 now $719 @ Amazon
I’m a big fan of the Apple Watch SE (2022). It’s the watch I recommended to my partner’s mom. She’s been thrilled with it, and has been using it to track her sleep and steps after abandoning Fitbit a few years ago.
Plus, she generally keeps her phone in her bag, so finds it really useful that you can answer calls and often sends us messages dictated to Siri. It’s a great option, unless you need the slightly brighter, larger display and ECG on the Series 10.
And it’s even better right now as the Apple Watch SE 2022 (40mm) is down to just $149 at Amazon for Black Friday. It’s a $100 saving, bringing Apple’s wearable down to the same cost as a fitness tracker — and you get a lot more for your money with the Apple Watch.
Apple Watch SE 2022 (40mm): was $249 now $149 @ Amazon
Apple Watch SE 2022 (44mm): was $279 now $199 @ Amazon
Black Friday 2024 is here, bringing some massive Apple Watch deals with it. If you’ve been looking for the best Apple Watch , you may have noticed there are only really three models; the Series 10, SE (2022) and Ultra 2.
Each model serves a different purpose; Series 10 is the flagship and most feature-packed, the SE (2022) is the more affordable option, and the Ultra 2 is a rugged watch designed for the outdoors with double the battery life.
But there are a lot more Black Friday Apple Watch deals than you’d expect for such a small range. The Series 10 and SE are available in two sizes and multiple colors, while the Ultra 2 comes in two colors with a range of straps.
Plus, the discount varies by retailer, so I’ll be scouring all the sales as they go live to see which stores have the top savings. And if several retailers have the watch for the same price, we’ll dive into the merits of one shop over the other.
If you’ve been thinking about getting a new smartwatch to complement your iPhone, there’s never been a better time. I’m James Frew, Tom’s Guide’s Fitness Editor, and I’ve been testing smartwatches and fitness trackers for more than eight years.
I used to love the open nature of Android smartwatches, but since I switched to an iPhone in 2019, I’ve come to appreciate just how seamlessly Apple integrates all its devices. And that’s why the Apple Watch is one of the best smartwatches available now.
There are a few different models though in several colors and sizes, so I’ve been scrolling through the sales to find you the best Black Friday Apple Watch deals right now, so you can save on Apple’s latest watches, whether you’re after a fitness tracker for yourself or a gift for someone this holiday season.
