When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
When the Apple Watch Series 9 was released in September 2023, it immediately supplanted the Series 8 in Apple’s lineup as the company’s flagship. It didn’t usher in many significant new upgrades but the Series 9 is still the best Apple Watch you can buy, especially for new Watch wearers and those with older models.
But that’s not to say the Series 8 is past its prime. For certain users, the Series 8 is still a highly useful wearable, especially if it can be purchased at a discount on its original price of $399. Current users don’t necessarily need to rush out and upgrade to the Series 9 and can instead wait for the Series 10 (or whatever gets announced next year).
Below is an in-depth breakdown of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Series 8, with comparisons of the watches’ design, smartwatch capability, health and fitness tracking, and battery life. Read our full review of the Apple Watch Series 8 and full review of the Apple Watch Series 9 for added insight.
Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm, GPS)
Advertisement
The Apple Watch Series 8 isn’t the newest model anymore, but it’s still one of the best smartwatches around, perfect for both fitness nuts and everyday users. This is the best price we’ve ever found for it.
Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm, GPS)
Advertisement
The Apple Watch Series 9 includes the newest S9 processor, a 2000-nit always-on Retina display, expanded Apple Health integrations with Siri, and a unique single-hand gesture to answer calls and interact with widgets. This matches the lowest-ever price too.
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Series 8: Specs
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Series 8: Size and design
The design of the Apple Watch Series 9 (left) is identical to that of the Series 8 (right)
Rick Stella & Antonio Villas-Boas/Insider
Both the Series 9 and Series 8 are identical in size and appearance. However, the biggest distinguishable difference between the two is that the Series 9 is available in a new pink colorway.
Advertisement
Each comes in two different display sizes, 41mm and 45mm, and both feature an always-on display, as well as two case options of either aluminum or stainless steel. Both watches are also compatible with a variety of the best Apple Watch bands and the best Apple Watch Series 9 bands.
For the Series 9, its finish options include pink, Midnight black, Starlight tan, silver, and red in the aluminum case, and gold, silver, and Graphite black in the stainless steel case. The Series 8 comes in Midnight black, Starlight tan, silver, and red with its aluminum case, and Graphite black, silver, and gold with the stainless steel case.
Internally, the Series 9 has Apple’s fast, new S9 chip, while the Series 8 uses the S8 chip.
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Series 8: Smartwatch features
The Series 9 and Series 8 are identical in how they function as a smartwatch. Although Apple released the updated Watch OS 10 operating system alongside the Series 9, it’s also compatible with the Series 8.
Advertisement
The new features native to Watch OS 10 that work on both watches include updated app designs that make better use of the watch’s screen area, a new Smart Stack display setting, the ability to activate the Control Center by pushing the watch’s side button, and new watch faces. It also offers other features like new cycling metrics, updated hiking data, and new mental health insights.
While both watches can use Watch OS 10’s new features, there is one new functionality native to only the Series 9: the Double Tap Gesture. The Double Tap Gesture allows users to interact with the Series 9 by double tapping their thumb and index finger. This gesture can answer or hang up phone calls, start or stop timers, and even take a photo as it’s able to control the main button in any app.
The Series 9 also offers smoother navigation and improved effects thanks to its S9 chip. Its new ultra-wideband chip improves location accuracy for features like Find My iPhone, as well.
Other smartwatch utilities, like sending and receiving text messages, interacting with apps, and taking phone calls, function the same on both the Series 9 and Series 8. The Series 9 does have faster on-device Siri access, whereas the Series 8 utilizes Siri by communicating with the cloud.
Advertisement
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Series 8: Health and fitness tracking
The workout screen on the Series 9 (shown) functions similarly to the Series 8.
Rick Stella/Insider
The Series 9 and Series 8 both have identical health and fitness tracking tools and function similarly when doing things like tracking activities, logging an ECG reading, or monitoring sleep. Since both watches are compatible with Watch OS 10, all new health and fitness features, such as the new cycling metrics and hiking stats, will work the same on either model.
However, the Series 9’s Double Tap Gesture affects how users can use the health and fitness tools. For instance, since it’s programmed to control a certain app’s primary button, it can be used to start or stop a workout. This adds a degree of accessibility the Series 8 doesn’t have.
Beyond that gesture control, though, the Series 9 and Series 8 function the same regarding their health and fitness capability.
It’s worth noting that newer versions of the Series 9 no longer offer a blood oxygen-sensing feature. While the initial release of the watch did have it, an International Trade Commission patent ruling against Apple forced the company to remove access to the technology from its current watches (this also includes the Ultra 2). The ruling does not impact the Series 8 or any Series 9 sold before the decision.
Advertisement
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Series 8: Battery life
Battery life remains the same on the Series 9 (shown) as users can expect up to 18 hours on a single charge.
Rick Stella/Insider
Battery life is yet another area where the Series 9 and Series 8 are alike. Both deliver up to 18 hours of battery life on a full charge, with up to 36 hours of battery life in low-power mode. Low power mode shuts off some sensors while also disabling background apps to help the watch last longer.
The Series 9 and Series 8 are compatible with the same chargers, though the Series 9 does come with Apple’s new USB-C charge cable. The Series 8 can also use this charger, though any new purchase of the watch comes with the standard lightning cable.
Advertisement
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Series 8: Price
The Apple Watch Series 9 is available for purchase starting at $399 for the aluminum body model and $699 for the stainless steel option.
Conversely, the Series 8, which isn’t sold by Apple anymore, can be found via a retailer like Amazon or Target for anywhere from $300 to $350. However, these prices will likely drop now that the Series 9 has been released.
Which should you buy?
The Apple Watch Series 9 (left) isn’t a huge upgrade over the Series 8 (right) but it’s still the best smartwatch you can buy.
Rick Stella & Antonio Villas-Boas/Insider
The Apple Watch Series 9 and Series 8 are nearly identical smartwatches, with the Series 9’s upgraded S9 chip and the new Double Tap Gesture being the most substantial differences. But by and large, they function the same.
Advertisement
Because of that, upgrading to the Series 9 is only for a select set of users. That is, anyone wearing a Series 5 or 6, or older, should seriously consider the Series 9, while those wearing last year’s Series 8 (or the Series 7) can wait until next year. Even 2nd Generation SE users can hold off on upgrading.
But if the new features entice you enough to buy a Series 9, you won’t be disappointed. It’s an improvement over the Series 8, even if it is minimal, and it’s not only the best Apple Watch but the best smartwatch you can buy, too.
Rick Stella
Advertisement
Fitness Tech Editor, Insider Reviews
Rick Stella is the fitness tech editor for the Insider Reviews team. He reviews and reports on all forms of wearables like activity trackers and smartwatches, as well as a variety of other fitness-related wearables. Rick has over ten years of experience covering the verticals of health & fitness, outdoors, and consumer technology.When he’s not putting digital pen to digital paper, Rick enjoys seeing live music, playing soccer, catching up on Netflix shows, and riding his bike. An Oregonian for much of his life, Rick now resides in Brooklyn, NY. He can be reached at rstella@businessinsider.com or on Twitter @RickStella.Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here.Learn more about how we test health, fitness, and outdoor products.
If you’ve ever wanted to lose weight, you’ve probably heard the phrase ‘calories in versus calories out’. While it’s true to a degree, losing weight in menopause isn’t about eating less, but rather eating differently.
Speaking to fitness coach Loretta Hogg, Dr Stacy Sims says: “One of the first things that women often do, because we grew up in an era of calories in, calories out, less calories means fat loss. That is not true because if you are not eating enough, your body holds on to fat.”
This is called the ‘starvation response’, and it’s the body’s way of protecting itself when food is restricted. Metabolism slows down, hunger hormones increase, and fat stores are preserved for survival.
“Staying adequately fuelled” and strength training regularly is what’s actually needed to lose weight while managing our hormone levels in menopause. “When we’re looking at how we’re going to budge some of the meno-pot, we really want to focus on getting strong and building that muscle because if we are working on muscle and our whole focus is muscle and bone, then we end up eating accordingly.”
Advertisement
Fibre and protein are the food groups to focus on, she says. They are filling, aid muscle growth (and so help maintain a healthy metabolism), help reduce food cravings, and provide us with the key nutrients our body needs when oestrogen levels fall.
We know there’s a huge market for protein powders, bars and other supplements, but actually, most of us can get what we need from eating high-protein foods.
The amount of protein you need in menopause depends on your weight. “The recommended protein intake for women over 45 is approximately 1 to 1.5g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, which is higher than the general recommendation for younger adults,” Dr Nadira Awal, a Doctify-rated GP who specialises in women’s health and menopause, previously told woman&home. You can work out your personal recommendation using menopause specialist Dr Mary Claire Haver’s perimenopause protein calculator.
Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.
Dr Sims says many women are “afraid of abundance” when it comes to eating, but emphasises that “without abundance we can’t lose fat”. “Let’s change the focus on not what we want to lose, but what we want to gain. We want to gain bone, we want to gain muscle. We want to fuel for that, so then the body fat comes off,” she tells Loretta.
Advertisement
Dr Sims says the best way for us to gain this muscle and bone growth is through strength training. “We need to focus on heavy lifting,” she explains in another video on her Instagram account. “The caveat here is that most perimenopausal women haven’t had a long history in strength training, and it’s a learned skill.” She says consistency is key, and starting off small, even just focusing on movement without weights, before you start adding some load. “But the goal is to get into heavy resistance training, where we have low reps with a heavy weight,” she says.
Dr Sims says it’s “absolutely safe” for women to lift heavy during perimenopause and menopause – and it’s something we should all be doing. She is keen to emphasise that it’s never too late to start, and that “what matters is your form and your function”.
If you’re new to lifting weights, try a simple dumbbell workout at home and work your way up from there. If you have the means, consult a personal trainer for guidance on developing a workout plan.
Sleep is another lifestyle aspect that Dr Sims says says may affect how you lose weight. She says poor sleep “creates metabolic disturbance and dysfunction and increases fat gain”. Improving our sleep quality can lead to body composition improvements in as little as two to three weeks. High levels of cortisol, caused by poor sleep and ongoing stress, also makes fat loss harder as our bodies hold onto energy rather than using it.
Some key ways to improve sleep include going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, limiting blue light exposure at bedtime, and cutting down on your alcohol and caffeine intake.
Editor’s note: This article is the seventh in an eight-part series led by retired General James Mingus, the thirty-ninth vice chief of staff of the Army, on transforming the Army to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s battlefield. You can read other articles in the series here.
The battlefield in America’s next war will offer no sanctuary. The war won’t be fought from forward operating bases equipped with elaborate gyms, contractor-provided dining facilities, or coffee shops. The battlefield will be austere, harsh, and unrelentingly violent, with victory only possible by combining physical strength, endurance, and a will to prepare.
The Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program is the bedrock upon which this preparation begins. Winning America’s next war requires an Army that can get to the fight, win the fight, and get home from the fight—a mission profile that demands not just fit soldiers built for endurance, but warrior athletes built for endurance and able to leverage strength, speed, and power, and grounded in sound sleep and nutrition.
Culture Shift Begins with Mindset Shift
For the last several decades, the Army took pride in fielding formations rooted in a physical fitness culture relying heavily on push-ups, sit-ups, and miles of running and ruck marching. Physical training began predictably after saluting the flag at 0630 and ended promptly when the basic exercises, calisthenics, and formation run were complete. It was one-dimensional, unimaginative, boring, and, ironically, lazy. Army fitness during this period was solely focused on physical endurance.
Advertisement
In the early 2000s, however, Army fitness began to change, led by special operations units like the 75th Ranger Regiment, which began experimenting with trending fitness regimens like Gym Jones, CrossFit, and Mountain Athlete. By combining emerging principles from several of these programs, special operations units began designing their own programs, such as the Ranger Athlete Warrior program. The rest of the active Army quickly started to model these programs, and the first H2F pilot kicked off in 2018.
Advances in exercise science and twenty years of war helped reframe the Army’s fitness mindset to encompass mental, physical, nutritional, and sleep dimensions. This mindset shift forms the basis of the H2F culture, changing how we train and care for soldiers. The focus is now on building strength and resilience like professional athletes—or more fittingly, warrior athletes. Where mission endurance was the goal before, tactical athleticism is now the goal, with an emphasis on strength, speed, power, and agility.
You Can’t Fake Results
A key part of any fitness program is the ability to measure its effectiveness, and in only a few short years, the return on investment for the H2F program has been profound. Currently sixty-six brigades have an H2F performance team, which consists of twenty-two professionals: a program director, dietitian, physical therapist, and occupational therapist; seven strength and conditioning coaches; four athletic trainers; one cognitive performance specialist; and six military personnel. By 2029, the program will expand to cover the entire active Army, as well as four states of Army National Guard and two Army Reserve commands.
According to analysis from the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, if H2F had been implemented across the entire Army, over a five-year period it would have added 1,080 deployable soldiers to the fighting force. If that’s not compelling enough, also consider these complementary H2F data points compiled by the Center for Initial Military Training Research and Analysis team after analyzing data from 2019 to 2023:
Advertisement
61 percent decrease in musculoskeletal injury referrals
44 percent decrease in behavioral health profiles
79 percent decrease in substance abuse cases
22 percent decrease in fitness test failures
33 percent increase in expert rifle marksmanship qualification
Expanding the Tools
As part of continuous transformation, the Army is looking for unique ways to leverage technology to enhance the H2F program. Several units are experimenting with wearables like rings and watches that measure sleep efficiency, heart rate variability, and blood oxygen saturation—providing rich data to inform approaches to physical, nutritional, and sleep aspects of fitness. Today, entire Army divisions are turning physiological data into leader decision-making information. A company commander who knows his or her soldiers’ sleep scores, for example, is equipped with data to combine with other information to help select the most well-rested platoon to lead a dangerous mission. Individual soldiers will also learn the correlations that exist between their fueling, recovery, and performance habits, which will help in multiple facets of their personal lives.
The Army is also continually working to improve facilities and services that support H2F. Most units now have access to twenty-four-hour functional fitness gyms on post and many units utilize fitness containers—effectively, gyms in a box. Plans are also in place to build additional facilities to ensure soldiers at every post have adequate equipment to train. To improve nutrition, the Army is experimenting with campus-style dining facilities that will supplement, and in some cases replace, traditional dining facilities—affording soldiers a myriad of quick, 24/7 accessible healthy food options. A no excuse not to work out and no excuse not to eat healthy mentality now abounds across the Army.
Soldiering has no offseason and no time-outs, and wars wait on no one. When America calls, the Army responds. Unlike professional athletes who can vary training volume, intensity, and specific exercises over planned cycles or offseasons, a practice known as performance periodization, soldiers have no such luxury. Tactical athleticism via compound periodization is the goal for soldiers—ensuring peak performance at all times by developing key physical attributes (e.g., strength, endurance, and power) year-round to maximize efficiency, prevent burnout, and improve overall warfighting readiness. The H2F tools highlighted above aid in measuring and maximizing this readiness.
What’s Next?
Imagine two Army squads ascending Colorado’s Pikes Peak carrying fifty-pound fighting loads. Squad A trained to get to the top through push-ups, sit-ups, and miles of running. The soldiers of Squad B are warrior athletes who took the H2F approach. When Squad A’s soldiers finally struggle to the top, they’re just happy to be mission complete and they flop on the ground. The soldiers of Squad B assault the mountain, and when they get to the top, they still have enough juice to rip the arms off their adversaries and steamroll into the next mission. In their post-hike squad photo, they’re all standing tall—straight backs, satisfied smiles, and trap muscles extending inches above their shoulders so they almost appear to have no necks. For them the mission is just getting started, and their smirks seem to say, “Is that it? What’s next?”
Advertisement
Welcome to the No Neck Army.
Retired General James Mingus served as the thirty-ninth vice chief of staff of the Army.
Colonel Graham White is an infantry officer and the executive officer to the vice chief of staff of the Army.
The views expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense.
Strongway Gym Supplies has released squat rack cage packages to the market for exercise enthusiasts across the United Kingdom. The packages combine squat cage frames with safety features suited to home-based strength training, now available through the company’s online platform.
The power cage design centres on four vertical posts connected by horizontal crossbeams. Adjustable safety bars mount between the posts at various heights, catching the barbell if a lift cannot be completed. This safety mechanism becomes relevant during heavy squats or bench presses performed without a training partner present to assist with failed attempts.
J-hooks secure the barbell at the proper beginning positions for various exercises by fastening to the posts at predetermined heights. Quick adjustments between squats, presses, and other barbell movements are made possible by the hooks’ ability to slide up or down the posts and lock into position using pin mechanisms. Depending on the exercise being done, pull-up bars that extend across the top of the frame provide grip positions that vary from wide to narrow.
Advertisement
Mandip Walia, Co-Director at Strongway Gym Supplies, said the cage addresses concerns people have about training alone at home. “Without someone there to spot, there’s always the question of what happens if the weight gets too heavy midway through a set,” he noted. “The safety bars remove that worry. Position them correctly and they’ll catch the bar before it pins someone. That makes a genuine difference in how hard someone can train when working solo, especially on exercises like squats where bail-out options are limited.”
Steel tubing forms the frame structure, with powder-coated finishes applied to resist corrosion in garage environments where humidity fluctuates. Bolt-together construction allows the cage to be disassembled if relocation becomes necessary, though the assembled weight often exceeds 100 kilograms once all components are secured together.
Weight storage pegs project from the rear posts on most models, keeping plates within reach whilst adding mass that stabilises the frame during use. The pegs typically accommodate enough plates to load a barbell for intermediate to advanced training sessions without running out of storage capacity.
The complete range of home fitness equipment, include squat racks, is available to be explored at: https://strongway.co.uk/collections/home-fitness.
The cages fit into garages, spare rooms, and basement areas commonly found in UK residential properties. Height clearance sits around 210 centimetres for most models, working under standard ceiling heights but potentially tight in older homes or loft conversions where ceilings run lower. Floor space requirements roughly match that of a small garden shed once the cage stands fully assembled.
Advertisement
The width of the frame includes the length of the Olympic barbell and the space needed to safely enter and exit during exercises. If the dimensions are too narrow, the posts get in the way of natural movement patterns. If they are too wide, they take up too much floor space. Most manufacturers try to find a balance between these factors, but the exact measurements vary from model to model.
Band pegs feature on some cages, providing anchor points at floor level for resistance bands. This allows accommodating resistance during squats and presses, where band tension increases as the bar rises through the movement. The technique has found followers among strength training practitioners, though it remains less widespread than traditional plate loading.
Full details about the squat rack power cage can be viewed at: https://strongway.co.uk/products/strongway-multi-gym-squat-rack-power-cage.
Randeep Walia, Co-Director at Strongway Gym Supplies, remarked that cage packages align with how people actually approach home training. “Training at home has proven effective for improving muscle strength, endurance, and power when maintained consistently,” he explained. “Frequency matters more than location. Training more than three times weekly produces better outcomes, and having a cage at home eliminates the travel time and scheduling constraints that often interrupt consistency. The cage becomes the foundation. Everything else—bench, bar, plates—gets arranged around it.”
Dispatch runs across mainland UK addresses with timelines confirmed during checkout. The cages arrive in multiple boxes given the size and weight of individual components. Instructions guide assembly, though managing the heavier frame sections works considerably better with two people rather than attempting solo construction.
Advertisement
Packages can be purchased as cage-only units or complete setups that include benches, barbells, and weight plates. Pricing reflects the total equipment included, with buyers selecting options based on what they already own versus what needs acquiring.
The release tracks with patterns observed in the UK home fitness market where demand for core strength training equipment holds steady. Power cages appeal to users seeking barbell training capabilities with built-in safety features, particularly relevant for individuals training without supervision or access to spotters during heavier lifting sessions.
Those interested in exploring the range of exercise equipment available at Strongway Gym Supplies can visit: https://strongway.co.uk/.
###
Advertisement
For more information about Strongway Gym Supplies, contact the company here:
Strongway Gym Supplies Mandip Walia +44-800-001-6093 sales@strongway.co.uk Strongway Gym Supplies, 26 The Pavilion, Coventry CV3 1QP, United Kingdom
Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. XPRMedia and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you are affiliated with this page and would like it removed please contact pressreleases@xpr.media
