Apple Series 9
Fitness Trackers

Series 9

Apple

Released Sep 1, 2023 · Analysis updated Feb 9, 2026

Apple Watch Series 9 fitness tracker with double tap control, on-device Siri, brighter display, and faster S9 chip for efficient workout tracking. The Apple Series 9 scores 80/100 based on 27 expert reviews in the fitness trackers category. Coverage includes reviews from Gadgetguy, Thedisconnekt, Tomsguide, and Techgearlab.

Critic Score

What's this?
80

based on 27 expert reviews

GadgetguyThedisconnektTomsguideTechgearlabNextpit+22 more

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Pros

  • Double tap feature(13)
  • On-device siri(8)
  • Brighter display(7)
  • Faster performance with s9 chip(7)
  • Brighter screen(6)

Cons

  • Abysmal battery life(13)
  • Same old design(5)
  • Few new features(4)
  • High price(3)
  • Not worth upgrading from series 8(3)

27 Expert Reviews

90
Independent publication10/2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 is a fantastic smartwatch, and if you have an iPhone, and don't already have a recent watch, then this is the one to buy.

90
Independent publication02/2024

The Apple Watch Series 9 is an excellent smartwatch, delivering superb features and a brilliant user experience.

90
Major publication

The Apple Watch Series 9 is the best smartwatch yet thanks to significant performance upgrades and the addition of a handy new double-tap gesture.

85
Established publication11/2024

The Apple Watch Series 9 stands out as an industry-leading smartwatch for a host of higher-end functions and features, seamless integration with iPhones, and Apple's extensive and refined app marketpl...

85
Established publication02/2024

The Apple Watch Series 9 is one of the best Apple Watch to date—there's no disputing that, though it primarily delivers subtle enhancements over its predecessor.

85
Major publication10/2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 offer small but meaningful updates with brighter screens, faster chips, and new hands-free gestures that keep Apple at the top of the smartwatch pack.

85
Established publication10/2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 refines what was already great, with faster performance and improved Siri functionality.

85
Major publication10/2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 is just like the Series 8 but improves on it in a few small ways: the processor is faster, battery life is considerably better, the screen is brighter, and you get the new dou...

85
Independent publication02/2024

The Apple Watch Series 9 is a super smooth lifestyle assistant and fitness tracker with impressive new features, though battery life remains a problem.

85
Independent publication11/2024

The Apple Watch Series 9 solves hands-full problems with its new Double Tap gesture and offers faster Siri performance, making it a notable upgrade over its predecessors.

85
Independent publication09/2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 offers a solid update with its innovative double tap gesture, faster performance, and brighter display, though it lacks major design changes or new health sensors.

85
Independent publication09/2023

Minor updates make the Apple Watch Series 9 surprisingly solid, with brightness and a new chip the main features.

83
Major publication

The Apple Watch Series 9 is largely more of the same again – but with a twist, thanks to the upgraded S9 chip and genuinely useful, game-changing new feature in the form of Double Tap.

82
Established publication09/2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 offers incremental hardware improvements and excellent sports features through watchOS 10, though GPS accuracy in cities remains a concern.

82
Independent publication05/2024

The Apple Watch Series 9 is an iterative upgrade with meaningful improvements in speed and hands-free capabilities, making it a worthwhile buy for those upgrading from older models.

82
Established publication10/2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 offers a brighter screen and some environmental improvements, but lacks significant new features despite a more powerful processor.

82
Independent publication09/2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 is an upgraded version of last year's Series 8 with some sneaky new strengths like Precision Finding and a brighter display.

80
Major publication

After using the Apple Watch Series 9 long-term, I found the world's most popular smartwatch is now more accurate at reading your body's health data.

80
Major publication09/2023

Iterative updates aren’t flashy, but these smartwatches are mainly for folks who don’t have Apple Watches yet.

80
Independent publication

The Apple Watch Series 9 offers meaningful improvements with its faster S9 chip, brighter display, and new features like double tap, though some capabilities are still pending and the upgrade may not ...

78
Major publication

The Apple Watch Series 9 checks all the right boxes but feels like bigger changes are coming with future models.

75
Major publication09/2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 is at once a boring and necessary upgrade, offering subtle improvements like on-device Siri and a double tap gesture, but maintaining the same design and battery life limitati...

75
Independent publication03/2024

Trialling the Series 9 has been great; I love my old Apple Watch SE and this one is much better.

75
Major publication11/2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 has iterative updates, but one key feature might make the upgrade worth it.

72
Major publication02/2024

The Apple Watch Series 9 has a few upgrades this time, including a faster S9 chip, a double tap gesture that lets you pull up the Smart Stack, end timers, pick up calls, and so much more one-handed.

72
Independent publication10/2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 offers incremental improvements but maintains the same design, making it hard to recommend for existing Series 7 or 8 owners.

35
Independent publication12/2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 is described as a 'gleaming piece of junk' with abysmal battery life and poor user experience despite its premium hardware.