At the bottom of the new range, the new Apple Watch SE continues the formula of the 2020 SE. It’s the “bargain” model, sacrificing niceties like an always-on screen for a much lower price. Apple’s budget SE brand products are rarely the most exciting, but at least the arrival of this Apple Watch SE helps end the miserable reign of the Apple Watch Series 3. Further up the spectrum, the Series 8 continues the usual evolution of previous top-of-the-range Apple watches, now with a new built-in temperature sensor. And for the first time, there’s a third model sitting at the top, one with an entirely separate set of capabilities. Despite the new Samsung-sounding moniker, the new Apple Watch Ultra is designed to cater to the die-hard outdoor crowd — those who typically turn to brands like Garmin for their needs. We’ve never seen three separate Apple Watch models released at the same time. Image: Apple So that’s one hell of an Apple Watch. How do the features and specifications change in this new series? And are there any big improvements here over the outgoing 7 Series, if you’re thinking of picking up one of those on sale before they’re gone? We’ve only had a short hands-on so far, but let’s take a look at the specs and see where we can find the biggest differences or look for major omissions in these new units.

Apple Watch SE

    The 2022 Apple Watch SE looks like most Apple Watches before it. Image: Apple

At the budget end, the Apple Watch SE brings us a mostly familiar approach: take some of the latest technology and put it in an old frame to sell for less. That’s what the original Apple Watch SE did, and that’s what this new SE does now. The new SE is very similar to the previous SE, but features the S8 CPU and collision detection from the Series 8 and Ultra. Oh, and the back of the new SE is color-matched to the rest of the case, which is a sharp little treat. What you’re missing is the continuous active display, ECG and blood oxygen monitoring — all missing from the previous SE as well. But what you get is more money in your pocket, as the new Apple Watch SE 2022 starts at just $249 for a 40mm model with GPS, or $299 with cellular. That’s $30 cheaper than the starting prices of the first SE when it launched in 2020.

Apple Watch Series 8

    The Apple Watch Series 8 is the direct successor to last year’s Series 7. Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

In any other year, the new Apple Watch Series 8 would be the flagship offering. Continuing Apple’s steady evolution of the watch formula, it looks a lot like the Series 7, but now adds a sensor to detect your body temperature, as well as improved period and ovulation tracking. It also gets the car crash detection that’s prevalent throughout this Apple watch lineup, because Apple is apparently really into car crashes right now. (The main video had a disturbing doom and gloom.) Unlike the SE, you’re not making any significant trade-offs other than the ultra-durable features of the Ultra (more on that in a bit). The Apple Watch Series 8 starts at the usual $399 for the 41mm model with GPS or $499 with cellular, or add $30 to either for the larger 45mm version.

Apple Watch Ultra

    The Apple Watch Ultra has a large, flat screen with a protective bezel.  Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Finally, the new kid on the block is trying to tackle a whole new segment for Apple. The Apple Watch Ultra is Apple’s answer to rugged smartwatches and wearables from brands like Garmin and Polar, designed to be taken to far-flung places for activities like hiking and climbing. The Apple Watch Pro is made of titanium and water resistant to 100 meters. Its flat screen is 49mm wide, making it by far the bulkiest Apple Watch. It also has a programmable action button on its side. On the connectivity side, it supports multi-band GPS with trackback to help you navigate very remote locations and retrace your steps on the return journey. Sold in a single model with a natural titanium finish and GPS and cellular for $799.

Apple Watch Series 8 vs Ultra vs SE (2022) vs Series 7

Categories Apple Watch Series 8 Apple Watch Ultra Apple Watch SE (2022) Apple Watch Series 7 Categories Apple Watch Series 8 Apple Watch Ultra Apple Watch SE (2022) Apple Watch Series 7 Initial price $399 $799 $249 $399 Processor S8 with dual-core 64-bit processor S8 with dual-core 64-bit processor S8 with dual-core 64-bit processor S7 with dual-core 64-bit processor watchOS version watchOS 9 watchOS 9 watchOS 9 watchOS 8 (update to watchOS 9 on September 12) Waterproof Waterproof up to 50 meters Waterproof up to 100 meters Waterproof up to 50 meters Waterproof up to 50 meters Dust resistance IP6X rating IP6X rating No IP6X rating Connectivity Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 5.0 Case material Aluminum, stainless steel Titanium Aluminum Aluminum, stainless steel LTE Yes, from $499 Yes Yes, from $299 Yes, from $499 GPS L1 Dual frequency precision GPS (L1 and L5) GPS L1 GPS L1 GPS Built-in microphone and speaker Yes Yes, triple microphone array Yes Yes W series wireless chip E3 E3 E3 E3 U1 Ultra Wideband support Yes Yes No Yes Altitude always on Yes Yes Yes Yes Compass Yes Yes Yes Yes Digital Crown haptic feedback Yes Yes Yes Yes Heart sensor Third generation optical heart sensor Third generation optical heart sensor Second generation optical heart sensor Third generation optical heart sensor Temperature sensor Yes Yes No No Case sizes 41mm, 45mm 49mm 40mm, 44mm 41mm, 45mm Display Always-On Retina LTPO OLED Display Always-On Retina LTPO OLED Display Retina LTPO OLED Display Always-On Retina LTPO OLED display (1000 nits brightness) Screen size (approx) 41 mm: 1.61 inches, 45 mm: 1.77 inches 1.93 inches 40 mm: 1.57 inches, 44 mm: 1.73 inches 41 mm: 1.61 inches, 45 mm: 1.77 inches Screen brightness Up to 1000 nits brightness Up to 2000 nits brightness Up to 1000 nits brightness Screen resolution 41mm: 352 x 430, 45mm: 396 x 484 410 x 502 40mm: 324 x 394, 44mm: 368 x 448 41mm: 352 x 430, 45mm: 396 x 484 Save 32GB 32GB 32GB 32GB Estimated battery life Up to 18 hours Up to 36 hours Up to 18 hours Up to 18 hours Support Family Setup …