The Apple Watch Series 8 is available alongside the Apple Watch Ultra and the second-generation Apple Watch SE. All other Apple Watch models have been discontinued through Apple, though luckily, all the straps remain compatible across all the generations.
This feature explains what models are available, how much they cost and what the differences are between them all in order to find the right one for you and your budget.
Apple Watch Ultra
Designed for extreme sports enthusiasts, the Apple Watch Ultra is offered in Titanium with International Orange accents, and there are three strap options.
Sizes: 49mm
Models: GPS and Cellular only
Material: Titanium
Colours: Natural Titanium
Strap included: Alpine Loop, Ocean Band, Trail Loop
The Apple Watch Ultra has a Titanium case and it comes in a 49mm size option only. It's much more rugged than the other Apple Watch models - and more durable, and it has an extra programmable button on the left edge.
Designed for extreme sports enthusiasts, the Watch Ultra is offered in a natural Titanium colour only, with International Orange accents, and there are three strap options, each of which comes in three colours and is made for different extreme sports.
The Apple Watch Ultra is compatible with the standard 45mm straps too though so you can buy an additional strap, but it isn't available as a model within the Apple Watch Studio.
Apple Watch Series 8
The Apple Watch Series 8 isn't as feature-rich as the Watch Ultra, but it has a softer design, waterproofing, built-in GPS and the same processor as the Ultra.
Sizes: 41mm, 45mm
Models: GPS only and GPS and Cellular
Materials: Aluminium, Stainless Steel
Colours: Four aluminium, three stainless steel
Straps included: Solo Loop, Braided Solo Loop, Sport Band, Sport Loop, Leather Link, Modern Buckle, Milanese Loop
The Apple Watch Series 8 isn't as feature-rich as the Watch Ultra, but it has a softer design, waterproofing, built-in GPS and the same processor as the Ultra.
It comes in 41mm and 45mm size options so it's smaller than the Watch Ultra, but like the Ultra it offers an Always-On Display, built-in compass, always-on altimeter, a blood oxygen sensor, and body temperature sensor, as well as a U1 chip.
The aluminium models come in Silver, Starlight, Midnight and Product(RED) colour options with either a Solo Loop, Braided Solo Loop, Sport Band, Sport Loop. There are several colours available in each, which you can read all about in the strap section below. The aluminium models also come in GPS and Cellular connectivity options.
The stainless steel models are a good chunk more expensive, and they come in Graphite, Silver and Gold colour options with Braided Solo Loop, Sport Loop, Leather or Stainless Steel straps, with prices varying depending on your strap choice.
The Leather strap options are made up of Leather Link and Modern Buckle styles, while the stainless steel strap is the Milanese Loop option. It's worth noting the Leather Loop is only available for the 45mm models and the Modern Buckle is only available for the 41mm models. The Stainless Steel Watch models all come with GPS and Cellular as standard, with no GPS-only models.
You can of course buy an additional strap separately - we'll go into more detail about those further down - or you can use the Apple Watch Studio to create your perfect Apple Watch but you'll pay extra.
Apple Watch SE (2022)
The Apple Watch SE comes in aluminium only, with 40mm and 44mm size options. It misses out on a couple of the Series 8 features, but is a great entry device.
Sizes: 40mm, 44mm
Models: GPS only and GPS and Cellular
Material: Aluminium
Colours: Three aluminium
Straps included: Solo Loop, Braided Solo Loop, Sport Band, Sport Loop.
The Apple Watch SE is the entry-level model, offering the same design as the older Series 6 with a larger display, along with a number of its features, but not as streamlined a design as the Series 8 in terms of display.
It has plenty of features, including waterproofing, built-in GPS, an always-on altimeter, a built-in compass, fall detection and Car Crash Detection. It misses out on the Always-On Display from the Series 8 though, as well as blood oxygen monitoring, body temperature sensor and the electrical heart rate sensor for taking an ECG, plus there aren't as many finish options as the Series 8.
It has the S8 processor under its hood though - which is the same as the Watch Series 8 and Watch Ultra, and the Watch SE comes in GPS only and GPS and Cellular models.
The Watch SE is only available in aluminium and there are no leather or stainless steel straps offered as standard, though you can buy the straps separately or use the Apple Watch Studio to create your perfect device.
Apple Watch Straps
There are numerous straps available for the Apple Watch, each of which is compatible with all of the ranges.
As we mentioned above, you can buy any of the straps below separately to give you an alternative option to the strap included with the Apple Watch model you pick, or you can use the Apple Watch Studio creator to build your ideal Apple Watch.
You'll notice the strap sizes are 41mm and 45mm. For those with a Series 1, 2 or 3 Apple Watch, choose the 41mm size for the 38mm model and 45mm size for the 42mm models. For those with a Series 4, 5, 6 or 7, choose the 41mm size for the 40mm model and the 45mm size for the 44mm model. If you have a Watch Ultra, you'll want the 45mm straps.
Made of soft nylon material, strong and scratch-resistant. The connectors are made of stainless steel and are very durable.
Color: black, green, orange, blue, gray, red, yellow
Ultimal paracord watch bands are hand-made with superior quality 550 paracord.It is adjustable and easy to wear and is available in a variety of colours.
Color: black, green, orange, blue, yellow
With a buffer layer inside to protect the iWatch screen from daily scratches and accidental bumps.All cutouts are precisely made to work smoothly with the screen, buttons and watch crown.
Color: black, green, gray