The best Apple Watch for teens will likely be quite different from the best Apple Watch for adults as it will fit a very different purpose. They are an excellent way to track your health and fitness goals, listen to music, or take calls while out and about. If needed, they can be a great way for your teen to check in and let you know their location so you don't have to get constant updates on location via text.
With at least two sets of new Apple Watches launching every single year, the best Apple Watch changes constantly, and so do their prices. If you're looking for a cheaper option to get a teen who may not be looking for the most advanced chips or the absolute greatest battery life, our favorite pick is the Apple Watch SE (2022). It's super solid and still quite powerful for teens, thanks to its relatively recent specs, great look, and excellent price point.
However, you could opt for a much more expensive choice as a particularly luxurious gift or for someone who plans on using it for years. We go over all the pros and cons of the most recent Apple Watches and more below.
If you are a parent looking to get a gift or have a bit of money saved away for yourself, here are the best Apple Watches for teens right now.
Best Overall: Apple Watch SE (2022)
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While the Apple Watch SE (2022) may be lacking some of the fancier features on the Series 9 and Ultra 2, it has everything a teen would need at a more affordable price point, making it our pick for the best Apple Watch for teens overall.
The most notable upgrade between Apple Watch SE (2022) and the first-generation Apple Watch SE, is the inclusion of the powerful S8 chip. This is the same processor in the Apple Watch Series 8, making the second-generation SE 20% faster than the first-generation SE. Other upgrades include an updated accelerometer and gyroscope, for better fall detection and performance metrics.
Apple Watch SE (2022) features all-day activity tracking, crash detection, heart health, mindfulness, sleep tracking, optional built-in cellular, and Family Setup so you can have your family joined at the wrist. You can listen to all your favorite music, podcasts, and audiobooks, and with a variety of watch faces, bands, and hardware materials to choose from, you can make your Apple Watch SE (2022) uniquely your own.
Runner-up: Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9 features a large, clear display capable of a brightness of 2000 nits, making it perfect for both light and dark environments. The shape of the watch is brilliant and refined, with soft, rounded corners that come from years of developing Apple Watches. It comes with the super advanced S9 SiP chip and even has an upgraded Neural Engine for AI use.
The Series 9 is outfitted with a full keyboard so you can tap or slide from letter to letter with QuickPath and you can fully customize it with watch faces specifically designed for this model. It has an IP6X certification making it an incredibly durable piece of hardware, and is swimproof up to 50 meters.
It comes in a large array of colors and materials, is fast-charging, and comes with precision Find-My capabilities, meaning you can track down your iPhone 15 with pinpoint accuracy.
Best value: Apple Watch Series 8
The Apple Watch Series 8 is a bit dated at this point as it has now been discontinued but, as the Series 9 did not receive a whole lot of upgraded features, it's great value right now. Series 8 features an ECG sensor, the now-banned blood oxygen sensor, Emergency SOS calling, and crash detection.
Like the series 9, the Series 8 also comes with temperature sensing and cycle tracking. Thanks to its IP6X dust and scratch resistance, it is unlikely to take too much damage and water resistance works up to 50 meters.
If you want a nice screen, the Series 8's always-on Retina LTPO OLED display makes for a great view and a peak brightness of 1000 nits means it's easy to watch whilst out in the sun. Though the S8 SiP chip isn't the most advanced one out there, it's still more than capable of handling anything you can throw at it.
Best Gift: Apple Watch Ultra 2
As we say in our Apple Watch Ultra 2 review, “The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is an elite outdoor smartwatch with the adventurer in mind, but those who can't make full use of its skillset might prefer the Series 9". It is a truly excellent bit of kit and a great gift but may be a little too much for someone who isn't an adventurer.
Are the Apple Watch Ultra 2 features overkill for your teen? — probably, but that’s why it’s an ultra-cool, amazing gift. It features the Action Button that gives users quick control over a variety of functions. It’s completely customizable so you can do things like control a workout, mark a GPS point, or begin a dive.
It boasts incredibly good battery life for an Apple Watch of up to 36 hours of normal use and up to 72 hours of low-power setting use. It comes with a variety of unique, rugged-looking bands, and is the right training partner to really push your teen’s limits. It’s a gift that will keep on giving once your teen becomes a young adult.
Bottom line
If you're a teen looking for a new Apple Watch, you'll quickly notice there's a wide selection of versions available. Our favorite model for those under 20 is the Apple Watch SE (2022). It lacks some of the features found on Apple's current flagship model. And yet, the differences probably won't mean much to younger wearers. You certainly can't deny its impressive price point. Apple Watch SE (2022) provides everything your teen needs to conquer their health and fitness goals, improve mindfulness and sleep, and stay connected.
