After a week with the Apple Watch Series 9, and a demonstration of some of the features unavailable at launch, it's clear that it's largely more of the same again – but with a twist.

Brighter, more powerful screen, Useful new double-tap gestures, New S9 chipset

Same 18-hour battery life, Identical design and sizes, watchOS 10 covers most bases on older watches

Time for a change? Not with this update, which nets you a great device but one with few surprises over the Series 8

Brighter display, More powerful SiP, Your bands still fit, Double-tap should be great…

… But it’s not there at launch, Battery life no better, No big reason to upgrade, Still requires an iPhone

Iterative updates aren’t flashy, but these smartwatches are mainly for folks who don’t have Apple Watches yet.

Pink!!!!!!, Precision Finding, Double-tap is great for single-handed use, Minor Siri and screen brightness improvements, The Modular Ultra face is a data nerd’s dream, Precision Finding, Minor Siri and screen brightness improvements, Double-tap gesture is great

You need an iPhone 15 to get Precision Finding, I meant it when I said minor Siri and screen brightness improvements, No pink, The minor changes feel even more minor with the Ultra, Need iPhone 15 for Precision Finding

It’s hard to know the right time to upgrade. It’s a question I get a lot, having done this job for as long as I have. It’s the double-edged sword of FOMO: wanting to get your hands on the latest thing as soon as possible, while worrying that next year’s model will just be that much better.

Apple Watch Series 9 is the biggest year-over-year leap in recent years. It has not one, not two, but a whopping four new features, most powered by its updated chip. Apps load faster, voice dictation is near instant and the display gets both brighter in the sun and dimmer in darkness.

Upgraded internals pair well with a powerful new watchOS....

Powerful new S9 chipset, Brighter AMOLED display, Expanded Find My Phone feature, Onboard Siri query processing, Excellent WatchOS 10 updates

Key new features not available at launch, Battery life still unimproved

The Apple Watch Series 9 is a fantastic smartwatch for iPhone users. It’s full of sensors, excellent software and high-end hardware. A redesign, or a least a freshening up of this near decade-old design wouldn’t go amiss in the future though.

Certain models made from recycled aluminium, Faster Siri, Accurate tracking, Very bright screen

Design remains the same, Health data needs to be shown better

“The Apple Watch Series 9's 24/7 comfort, extensive features, fast performance, and seamless integration with the iPhone make it a must-buy.”

Supreme 24/7 comfort, Choice of size, color, and bands, Extensive health, fitness, and safety features, Fast, smooth, and usable performance, Total, easy integration with the iPhone

Less than two days battery life with moderate use, Almost no reason to upgrade from previous version

While it's a shame that picture and sound quality haven't been upgraded, the iPhone 13 was great in these regards and the iPhone 14 is, too Excellent display Admirable headphone performance Solid build quality No upgrades to picture or sound Familiar design Notch is still present

The Apple iPhone 14 is no match for the just-released iPhone 14 Pro, but if you ignore that, it’s one of the most effective phones around.

Great cameras, front and back, Fast performance, Good battery life, Innovative safety features

Design too familiar, Some average features