Apple Watch Series 9 (45 mm, GPS, aluminium) / Apple Watch Series 8 (45 mm, GPS)

Apple Watch Series 9 (45 mm, GPS, aluminium): 45 mm aluminium case, GPS model; Pink, Midnight, Starlight, Silver and (PRODUCT)RED. The 41 mm, GPS + Cellular and stainless steel (sapphire crystal) versions differ in size and materials.

Apple Watch Series 8 (45 mm, GPS): Apple Watch Series 8, 45 mm aluminium case, GPS model. The 41 mm case, GPS + Cellular and stainless steel versions are separate models; weight and screen size differ.

Specification	Apple Watch Series 9 (45 mm, GPS, aluminium)	Apple Watch Series 8 (45 mm, GPS)
Release year	2023	2022
Display	Always-On Retina LTPO OLED; up to 2000 nits, as low as 1 nit; 326 ppi LTPO is a panel technology that can lower the refresh rate dramatically, letting the display stay dimly on when the wrist is down. The 1-nit minimum avoids glare in a dark room. Apple	Always-On Retina LTPO OLED; 396 × 484 pixels; 1143 sq mm display area; up to 1000 nits The LTPO panel can lower its refresh rate a lot, so the screen stays on dimmed when the wrist is down. Apple
Chip	S9 SiP; 64-bit dual-core processor, 4-core Neural Engine Apple	S8 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor; W3 wireless chip; U1 (Ultra Wideband) Ultra Wideband is used for close-range location with an iPhone; availability varies by region. Apple
Storage	64 GB Apple	32 GB Apple
Controls	Digital Crown with haptic feedback, side button, double tap gesture Double tap lets you answer notifications or calls by tapping the thumb and index finger of the watch hand together twice, without touching the screen. Apple	—
Health sensors	Electrical heart sensor, third-generation optical heart sensor, temperature sensing The electrical sensor is for ECG recordings; the optical sensor measures pulse with light. Temperature sensing tracks overnight changes in wrist temperature. Apple	Blood oxygen sensor; electrical heart sensor (ECG app); third-generation optical heart sensor The Blood Oxygen app is not for medical use. The ECG app is not intended for people under 22 and may not be available in every country. Apple
Blood Oxygen (US)	On watches sold in the US without the feature, a redesigned version arrives with iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1; the reading is calculated on iPhone The watch collects sensor data, the paired iPhone calculates the value and shows it in the Health app. Watches bought outside the US are not affected. Apple	—
Other sensors	Compass, always-on altimeter, high-g accelerometer, high dynamic range gyroscope, ambient light sensor Apple	—
Location	L1 GPS, GNSS, Galileo and BeiDou It is a single-frequency (L1) receiver; drift in cities can be more likely than with dual-frequency watches. Apple	L1 GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou; compass; always-on altimeter This is single-frequency (L1) GPS; drift between tall buildings can be higher than on dual-frequency models. Apple
Wireless	Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Bluetooth 5.3, second-generation Ultra Wideband Ultra Wideband lets you locate an iPhone 15-family phone with Precision Finding showing direction and distance; availability varies by region. Apple	—
Battery and charging	Up to 18 hours normal use, up to 36 hours in Low Power Mode; fast charge to about 80% in 45 minutes Fast charging requires Apple’s fast-charging cable and a suitable adapter. Apple	Up to 18 hours; built-in lithium-ion battery; USB-C magnetic fast charging cable Apple’s 18-hour figure is based on 90 time checks, 90 notifications, 45 minutes of app use and a 60-minute workout with music; sleep tracking is not part of that scenario. Apple
Durability	50 m water resistant (ISO 22810:2010); IP6X dust resistant; Ion-X front glass Suitable for swimming. Ion-X is the strengthened glass used on aluminium cases; steel cases use sapphire crystal. Apple	Water resistant to 50 metres under ISO 22810:2010; IP6X dust; ceramic and sapphire crystal back Suitable for shallow-water activities in a pool or the sea; not for scuba diving, waterskiing or high-velocity water. Apple
Size and weight	45 × 38 × 10.7 mm; 38.7 g; fits 140–245 mm wrists Apple	45 × 38 × 10.7 mm; aluminium GPS: 38.8 g Apple
Compatibility	iPhone XS or later with iOS 17 or later It cannot be used with Android phones. Apple	Requires iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16 or later It cannot be used with Android phones. Apple
Motion and safety	—	High-g accelerometer up to 256 g (Fall Detection and Crash Detection); high dynamic range gyroscope; Emergency SOS; international emergency calling On the GPS model, Emergency SOS needs a nearby iPhone or Wi-Fi Calling; international emergency calling works only on cellular models. Apple
Connectivity	—	Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 2.4 and 5 GHz; Bluetooth 5.3 Apple
Colours	—	Aluminium: Midnight, Starlight, Silver, (PRODUCT)RED Apple