Review | The Apple Watch Series 9 review: first chip upgrade in years, finger-thumb tap feature and enhanced iPhone connectivity – but is it worth buying?

The Apple Watch 9 looks like the 8, but the first chip upgrade in 3 years enhances Siri and iPhone connectivity. A finger-thumb tap feature will soon be enabled
The screen is also brighter. But pre-existing features, like movement tracking and the ability to reply to WhatsApp messages on your wrist, make the watch shine

Wearables

Ben Sin

Published: 5:15pm, 24 Sep 2023

Why you can trust SCMP

The Apple Watch Series 9 at first glance looks like not much of an upgrade. Its outer appearance is virtually identical to the last two generations, and the most tangible new feature – the ability for the watch to detect your thumb and index fingers tapping together – won’t be ready until October, when it will become available via a software update.

But after wearing the new watch over multiple days in Chiang Mai, Thailand, we are reminded again why this product is so dominant in its class – it just serves our daily lives so well.

Design and hardware

The Apple Watch 9 comes in two sizes as before. We wore the larger 45mm version, but the 41mm should be enough for most people.

Among the main new features in the Apple Watch Series 9 is its ability to detect thumb and index finger tapping – but not until a software update, due in October, makes the feature available. Photo: Ben Sin

The Watch 9’s 1.9-inch display is sharp and vibrant as in previous generations, but is noticeably brighter, going up to 2,000 nits. This came in handy during motorbike rides under the harsh Thai sun – we could see the screen clearly even from a distance.

While the outer casing material (aluminium or stainless steel – we tested the former) and overall dimensions are the same as before, this latest upgrade sees the Apple Watch get a new chip for the first time in three years.

The outer casing and dimensions of the Watch 9 are the same as the previous generation, but the Watch 9 is equipped with a new chip. Photo: Ben Sin

This new chip is essentially built on the same architecture as the A15 chip that was in the iPhone 13 series, so it is very powerful for a watch.

It’s the combination of this chip, plus the existing sensors like in the accelerometer, gyroscope, and optical heart rate reader that allow the Apple Watch to accurately detect the aforementioned finger tap gesture.

Although we couldn’t try it for this review, we tried it at the Apple launch event earlier this month and it worked well.

The new chip features a neural engine, allowing Siri to be handled mostly on-device without the need for internet connection.

This came in very handy during treks through the Chiang Mai mountains when we had no cellular reception but were still able to ask Siri to do simple tasks like start a timer or mark our location in case we got lost.

Software and features

The redesigned apps in WatchOS 10, which the Apple Watch 9 ships with, span the screen better than before. Photo: Ben Sin

The Apple Watch 9 ships with WatchOS 10, which offers redesigned apps that span the canvas of the watch screen a bit better than before, and the ability to play FaceTime video messages directly on the watch face.

But what makes the watch so great to use are existing features like the automatic cycling and walking tracking, or that you can respond to WhatsApp messages directly on your wrist – this is a feature that most other smartwatches still cannot get right.

To respond, merely speak to your wrist and get accurate voice dictation, or type on a mini keyboard. You can also read entire emails on your wrist. Features such as these on the Apple Watch allow you to check your phone less.

Apple Watch Series 9 has features like the automatic cycling and walking tracking, and users can respond to WhatsApp messages directly on their wrist. Photo: Ben Sin

Performance and battery life

The new chip also improves battery efficiency, but unfortunately, because the screen is brighter and the watch can do more things, this means battery life remains the same. This is a watch you will have to charge almost nightly.

As far as overall performance, the Watch 9 is responsive and fast as expected. Siri responds much faster now because it doesn’t need to connect to the internet, and when the Apple Watch is used as a remote camera shutter for the iPhone, there’s almost no perceptible lag.

Connectivity between the Apple Watch 9 and the iPhone has almost no perceptible lag. Photo: Ben Sin

Conclusion

While we don’t think the Apple 9 is big enough of an upgrade to warrant Apple Watch 8 owners buying one, those with an Apple Watch 7 or older will definitely benefit from switching over. And for first-time Apple Watch users, this is as good a time as any to jump on board.

The Apple Watch Series 9 starts at HK$3,199 for the 41mm model with aluminium casing and GPS connectivity. The price jumps accordingly as you switch to larger size, stainless steel case, or add LTE connectivity

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