How to choose the perfect Apple Watch 9: Let our experts pick your perfect configuration

The Apple Watch Series 9 is finally here, but to get the most out of it, you want the perfect configuration. The latest Apple Watches are more customizable than ever, so when you choose which configuration of the watch is best for you, think about your budget, what features you plan to rely on the most and how you want the watch to look on your wrist.

Related: How we select our products

After getting hands-on with the new Apple Watch Series 9, we believe there are several compelling reasons to wrap one around your wrist. This version has a much brighter touchscreen display, which makes it easier to see outside in direct sunlight. You also get a longer battery life (now up to 18 hours) and a much faster processor (which dramatically improves the watch's performance). In addition, Apple has new ways to interact with the watch, making it easier to use. There have also been feature enhancements made to the Watch OS10 operating system and the watch's pre-installed apps. Be sure to check out our full review for the complete scoop.

What you can expect to pay for the new Apple Watch Series 9

The least expensive version of the Apple Watch Series 9 is the GPS only version with a 41mm aluminum casing that's paired with one of Apple's rubber or lower-priced textile watch bands. With this basic configuration, you'll pay $399 (although Amazon has it listed for $390). You can, however, choose from a variety of housing and watchband colors.

How much you ultimately spend will depend a lot on whether you choose the GPS + Cellular version and on which watch band you select. You'll pay a slightly higher price for the 45mm housing size. The price increases again if you choose a stainless steel casing (as opposed to an aluminum one). Both housing materials are waterproof and durable. The aluminum version offers a matte finish, while the stainless steel version has a more sophisticated polished look and covers the display with durable sapphire crystal, as opposed to Ion-X strengthened glass.

Some of the more fancier watch bands from Apple are priced as high as $449, while the "designer" bands from Hermes are priced at $349 (just for the watch band). The more basic bands from Apple start at $99, but there are even less expensive options from third parties. (If you opt for a third-party band, just make sure that it offers high enough quality. With some of the really low cost third-party watch bands, the quality and durability leaves a lot to be desired.)

If you're ready to order your new Apple Watch Series 9, follow these Amazon links to help you find the perfect configuration.

• Apple Watch Series 9 (Aluminum, 41mm, GPS only, rubber or textile band) - $390 on Amazon
• Apple Watch Series 9 (Aluminum, 45mm, GPS only, rubber or textile band) - $420 on Amazon
• Apple Watch Series 9 (Aluminum, 41mm, GPS + Cellular, rubber or textile band) - $490 on Amazon
• Apple Watch Series 9 (Aluminum, 45mm, GPS + Cellular, rubber or textile band) - $520 on Amazon

Apple Watch Series 9: At a glance

Casing size options: 41mm or 45mm | Casing material options: Aluminum or stainless steel | Battery life: Up to 18 hours, 36 hours in Low Power mode | Water resistance: 50 meters | Connectivity: GPS only or GPS + Cellular (both with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) | Display: Always-on Retina LTPO OLED touchscreen | Maximum display brightness: 2,000 nits | Operating system: Apple WatchOS 10 (or later) | Processor: Apple S9 | Watch band: Extensive selection of styles and colors

The Apple Watch Series 9 should look familiar to anybody who already has an Apple Watch. But it's what's inside -- the upgrades to the operating system, the new watch bands, the enhancements to pre-installed apps and the addition of new ones -- that make Apple Watch Series 9 worthy of your consideration.

Five decisions you must make when choosing an Apple Watch

Once you decide you want to wrap an Apple Watch Series 9 around your wrist, assuming you already have a compatible iPhone to pair it with, these are the five key decisions you'll need to make at the time of purchase. 

1. Casing material

Apple Watch Series 9 comes in your choice of two casing materials. The aluminum casing is the less expensive option and is lighter weight. It offers a matte finish with an ion-X strengthened, scratch and crack-resistant glass over the display. The stainless steel option has a more elegant looking polished finish. It uses a durable sapphire crystal covering over the display. Both materials offer the same level of water resistance. Mostly, this is a purely aesthetic choice.

2. Casing size

Choose between a 41mm or 45mm casing size. The 41mm version features a 352 x 420 pixel resolution display and is ideal for more petite wrists (with a diameter between between 5.12 and 7.87 inches). The 45mm version of the watch features 396 x 484 pixel resolution and is better suited to people with a wrist diameter between 5.51 and 9.95 inches. The size casing you choose also impacts the watch's weight, but not its functionality (aside from the slight display size difference).

3. Casing color

Both the 41mm and 45mm version of the Apple Watch Series 9 with an aluminum casing come in your choice of colors, including midnight black, pink, starlight, silver, and (Product) Red. The stainless steel version of the watch comes in gold, silver or graphite. These offer a more polished finished and sophisticated vibe.

4. Connectivity

The Apple Watch Series 9 comes in either a GPS only or GPS + Cellular version, although both also utilize Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The GPS version relies more heavily on the iPhone for a lot of functionality, meaning that to access a cellular network or the Internet, the watch needs to remain within 33 feet or so of the phone. 

The GPS + Cellular version costs about $100 more upfront and will add an extra $10 per month to your cellular bill  (which may vary based on your cellular service provider). This version of the watch gives it much more autonomy. You can use the watch to make and receive calls, send and receive text messages, access Siri, stream music and take advantage of the Internet even when you leave your iPhone at home. 

If you plan to provide the Apple Watch Series 9 to your child or an elderly parent or grandparent, the GPS + Cellular version is definitely the best choice; the watch can be managed from your iPhone using Apple's Family Setup feature, but the person wearing the watch can take full advantage of its safety and communications features.

5. Watch band

Once you choose your Apple Watch Series 9 hardware configuration, it's time to pick a band. All new Apple Watches must be purchased with an Apple watch band. The Solo Loop is made from a liquid silicone rubber that's stretchable. There are no clasps, buckles or overlapping parts. It comes in a variety of colors and sizes.

The Sport Loop (also one of the more affordable band options) is made from a soft, lightweight and carbon neutral nylon material that's also available in a variety of colors. Several stainless steel designs that are more elegant. Apple and Nike have also teamed to offer bands that are sporty looking, while Apple and Hermes collaborated on a series of high-end, designer bands.

The watch itself comes with one watch band of your choosing, but you have the option to purchase as many additional bands as you like. It takes less than one minute to change the watch band on an Apple Watch, so you can go from an ultra durable and waterproof option to something more elegant for work or a formal night out.

Reasons why we recommend the GPS + Cellular version of the watch

The GPS-only version of the Apple Watch Series 9 relies heavily on the iPhone it's paired with to access the Internet, make and receive calls, send and receive text messages and to use Siri. This means the watch and your iPhone need to stay within about 33 feet for the watch to be able to use all of its functionality. 

The GPS + Cellular version of the watch is designed to work autonomously. You can leave your iPhone at home and the phone can still access the Internet and your cellular service provider. You'll pay an extra $100 for the GPS + Cellular capabilities. There's also an ongoing fee added to your cellular bill (about $10 per month, depending on the cellular service provider). This typically gives the watch unlimited calling, unlimited texting and wireless data access.

The most compelling reason to invest the extra money is for the peace of mind that comes with accessing the safety features of the watch without needing an iPhone nearby. This includes the fall detection, crash detection and emergency SOS features. You also get the convenience of of the watch's features and functions from virtually anywhere, with or without the iPhone being handy. 

So, for the extra money it costs to purchase the GPS + Cellular version of the Apple Watch (with the configuration of your choice) and then the extra $10 per month added to your cellular bill, we feel this is a worthwhile investment. This is also a requirement if you plan to manage someone else's watch, and you want them to communicate with it and take full advantage of its safety features. 

Apple AirPods Pro are the perfect companion to the Apple Watch Series 9

One Apple Watch accessory we highly recommend are wireless, noise cancelling earbuds, such as the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen). For listening to music, audiobooks or podcasts, or participating in hands-free phone calls via the watch, using wireless earbuds offers enhanced audio quality. 

Plus, you won't have to keep your wrist held close to your mouth when you're participating in a call, or hold the watch closer to your ear when listening to audio. 

The watch's internal speaker and mic system does allow for decent volume and voice clarity, but it's just nowhere near as good as if you use optional earbuds (or wireless headphones) with the watch. 

Apple Watch Series 9: Here's what's new and improved

In our recently published full review of the Apple Watch Series 9, we talked about how this version of the watch is an incremental upgrade from the Series 8 models, yet is does offer some impressive new features and hardware enhancements. Let's take a look at 15 of what we believe to be the best improvements incorporated into the Apple Watch Series 9 smartwatches.

• Battery life is now up to 18 hours, or up to 36 hours in Low Power mode.
• The watch comes with an Apple Watch fast charging cable that now has a USB Type-C connector (instead of a Lightning connector). 
• Enjoy a 2x brighter, always-on Retina display that now has a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits. This makes the screen easier to see in direct sunlight. However, when in a theater, for example, it can be dimmed down to just one nit, but still be readable.
• The Series 9 watch uses the new, faster and more powerful Apple S9 processor. The overall performance of the watch is smoother and faster, compared to the Series 8 watch, for example.
• This new version of the watch runs using the Apple WatchOS 10 (or later) operating system. As of late-September, Apple had released WatchOS 10.0.2.
• You get access to a new double-tap gesture to more easily control certain watch functions. For example, you can double-tap with your index finger and thumb to (among other things) answer a call, open a notification, check the Smart Stack collection of widgets, or pause/play music, depending on the app being used.
• Some Siri functionality is now handled onboard the watch. Siri also responds faster.
• When dictating text messages, for example, Siri is up to 25% more accurate.
• If the watch gets misplaced, the Find My feature allows you to pinpoint the watch's location with better accuracy.
• The use of the Digital Crown (the dial on the side) is more intuitive, making it easier to access the Smart Stack which is a grouping of selected widgets used to display information that's important to you.
• Apple released a variety of new customizable watch faces in conjunction with the WatchOS 10 operating system. You also get more customization options when designing a watch face to meet your needs.
• The integrated heart rate sensor and ECG app can more accurately alert you about an irregular rhythm, as well as a high or low heart rate.
• You can get on-demand and more accurate blood oxygen level readings.
• In addition to monitoring how long you sleep, the enhanced Sleep app shows you how much REM and Deep sleep you get each night. 
• The preinstalled Mindfulness app helps you log how you're feeling emotionally throughout the day.

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  If you're ready to order your new Apple Watch Series 9, follow these Amazon links to help you find the perfect configuration.

• Apple Watch Series 9 (Aluminum, 41mm, GPS only, rubber or textile band) - $390 on Amazon
• Apple Watch Series 9 (Aluminum, 41mm, GPS + Cellular, rubber or textile band) - $490 on Amazon
• Apple Watch Series 9 (Aluminum, 45mm, GPS only, rubber or textile band) - $420 on Amazon
• Apple Watch Series 9 (Aluminum, 45mm, GPS + Cellular, rubber or textile band) - $519 on Amazon
• Apple Watch Series 9 (Stainless Steel, 41mm, GPS + Cellular, rubber or textile band) - $679 on Amazon
• Apple Watch Series 9 (Stainless Steel, 45mm, GPS + Cellular, rubber or textile band) - $729 on Amazon

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