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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)
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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)
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
To help you do this, we’ve tapped our Start TODAY experts for simple tips to lighten up meals, move in ways that boost metabolism and and refocus our mindset to get motivated to keep working toward your goals. Apply their strategies and finish the month feeling lighter, more energized and motivated to move forward. Here’s the plan to make it happen:
>>Download the 31-day calendar here
31-Day HIIT & Walking Challenge
This month’s workout plan is focused on short workouts that pack a punch. “HIIT workouts give you a bigger bang for your workout buck! They provide a more efficient workout because you’re alternating the pace and intensity rather than sticking to a steady, moderate pace,” says Mansour. “Changing things up with HIIT prevents boredom and keeps your muscles guessing. This is how we can get the body to change — whether that change is speeding up your metabolism, burning more calories, building muscle, losing weight, or just improving overall health — keeping your body guessing is the magic ticket to seeing results!”
Active recovery days include stretching to improve flexibility and walking for a cardiovascular workout that aids muscle recovery. When weather permits, Mansour encourages people to get outside on walking days. “Walking outdoors isn’t just a workout, it’s a chance to breathe in fresh air and get out of the house to change your environment,” she says. “Each time you go outside on a walk, even if you go on the same path, you’ll see or feel something different. Maybe it’s a change in weather, plants or flowers, people or things. Prioritizing taking your walk outside can hugely benefit your mental health. Getting out of your regular environment and into nature can be a form of meditation, too.”
Get the full 31-day workout plan with unique workouts sent to you daily — plus, walking podcasts, healthy spring recipes and mindfulness tools — in the Start TODAY app!
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Lighten up comfort food favorites by adding seasonal ingredients, like in this Spring Asparagus Pasta.
3 Simple Spring Diet Tips
In addition to mixing up your workout routine, use spring as an opportunity to start lightening up your meals by packing them with seasonal ingredients. Start TODAY dietitian Natalie Rizzo shares her top tips:
Incorporate more seasonal foods. After a long winter of eating the same foods, your palate is ready for a change! Aim to add at least one spring fruit or vegetable to your meals each day, like asparagus, peas, spinach, radishes, citrus or strawberries. This Spring Asparagus Pasta is a simple weeknight dinner that feels both light and comforting. Seasonal produce is fresher, more flavorful, and an easy way to naturally boost vitamins and fiber. Plus, seasonal produce is more affordable than other items in the produce section.
Use fresh herbs to brighten up your dishes. Fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, parsley, mint, or dill can instantly upgrade simple meals without extra salt or heavy sauces. Sprinkle them on salads, roasted veggies, eggs, soups, or grain bowls for a burst of spring flavor. Cilantro is the perfect finish to this Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potato, while herbs are blended into cottage cheese in this Herby Cottage Cheese Toast with Tomato recipe for a pop of fresh flavor.
Shift from heavy comfort meals to balanced plates. As the weather warms up, it’s time to move away from heavy comfort foods and embrace lightened up spring dishes. Build plates with a mix of lean protein, whole grains or starchy veggies, and plenty of colorful produce. Think roasted veggie grain bowls, hearty salads like this BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad, or simple stir-fries instead of creamy casseroles or heavy stews.
A sprinkle of fresh cilantro is the perfect finish to this Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potato.
Spring Clean Your Mindset with This Mental Health Exercise
Yes, we are working to propel ourselves forward toward our health goals, but an important part of that process is slowing down and reflecting.
Getting permission not to rush in a world that feels like it’s moving faster than we can keep up is a reminder that most of us need.
Yasmine Cheyenne, start TODAY mindfulness expert
“Getting permission not to rush in a world that feels like it’s moving faster than we can keep up is a reminder that most of us need, but how often would we admit that?” says Cheyenne. “ When the to-do list feels long, and we’re trying to get everything done, we often say the opposite, disregarding how we feel, and push ourselves. Yes, we all have deadlines and things that need to be done. But we also need the reminder to take care while handling our responsibilities.”
This can be easier said than done. So Cheyenne offers up a simple exercise to help: Write down the words you need to hear each day to make yourself a priority and work toward your goals. Put them somewhere you see often, like your fridge or bathroom mirror, and recite them out loud daily.
“This is a perfect example of a reminder that seems small, but can come at the perfect time and help us care for ourselves,” she explains. “One of my favorite examples is: Take it slow and don’t rush, your nervous system deserves peace.”
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“When you tell yourself the thing you’ve been needing to hear, it allows you to admit the quiet rumbling within you and take the steps you need. It might be admitting ‘I’m tired and will give myself an early night this week.’ Or you’re saying ‘I’m so proud of the way I’ve committed to moving my body everyday.’ Whether you’re cheering yourself on or reminding yourself of what you need, we don’t always slow down enough to hear what we need from ourselves, and this practice is a great way to start.”
Talking out loud to yourself may feel strange at first, but Cheyenne says over time it will help shift your mindset and translate those words into action. “When we hear ourselves recite these words, it’s like we’re planting positive seeds within us. The more we say what we need, the more we remember it, and we’re more likely to follow through and care for ourselves,” she says. “Our actions really start with the words we say to ourselves. Reading them out loud helps us rewire the way we talk to ourselves and that inner shift is exactly what opens the door to transformation.”
Join our live “Spring Reset Workshop” on March 22 to get one-on-one coaching from Yasmine Cheyenne and connect with other Start TODAY members. Sign up here!
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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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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?”
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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.
