Apple Watch Series 9 vs. Ultra 2 vs. SE: Which Watch Is Right For You?

pcmag.com:

Apple announced two new smartwatches and they both have some new tricks. The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 boast the company's latest S9 processor, brighter screens, and several other functions that last year's Series 8 and Ultra lack. Does this mean either one is worth replacing your current Apple Watch, or that the still-available and more-affordable Apple Watch SE might be a better fit for you? Let's dive into the key differences to see exactly what sets them all apart.

The biggest upgrade to the Series 9 and Ultra 2 is internal. Both watches now use the Apple S9 SiP chip, which appears to be a significant step up from the S8 SiP used on the SE, Series 8, and Ultra models from last year. The new processor adds a few unique features that the older models won't be able to get via software update.

First, the S9 enables a new double-tap gesture where you can activate a function on the watch one-handed by tapping your watch hand's index finger and thumb twice. It enables answering and ending calls, playing and pausing music, and performing other tasks without needing to use your non-watch hand to tap its screen.

Second-generation ultra-wideband wireless communication means the Series 9 and Ultra 2 can locate your iPhone (if it also has an ultra-wideband chip) in better ways than simply making it ring. With Precision Finding, the watch can display the distance between you and your phone, accurate to within fractions of a foot. The watches can also detect when you're physically close to your Apple Homepod and bring up music suggestions.

Finally, the improved processing and machine learning performance of the S9 enables on-device Siri and the ability to access your health data without needing cloud processing.