The Apple Watch Series 9 has officially landed, bringing with it some minor under-the-hood improvements, watchOS 10, and a new millennial pink(!) color. The new smart watch is technically the best Apple has ever done, although all updates are quite iterative. Fortunately, if you’re looking to buy an Apple Watch for the first time or make the jump from a previous model, the Next-generation 8 Series is on sale at Best Buy on select styles starting at $279 ($120) or on Amazon for $20 more.
So what exactly are you missing out on by opting for the Series 8 over the Series 9? Well, for starters, the Series 9 includes a new S9 SiP chip, enabling faster performance, built-in Siri processing, and Apple’s handy double-tap feature. It also features a second-generation ultra-wideband chip for more precise tracking, which could be a blessing if you’re someone who constantly loses their phone.
Other than that, the two models are almost identical. The Series 8 still offers fast performance, the same fitness tracking capabilities, and supports newer features like Crash Detection and watchOS 10. Not bad for a watch that currently costs more than $100 less.
Apparently, iteration is the name of the game this year for Apple. The company also announced a newer version of the Second generation AirPods Pro during its iPhone 15 event earlier this month, one that ships with dust resistance and a charging case that (finally) supports USB-C instead of Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector. And now, less than a day after they became available, they are on sale at Amazon and Best Buy for $199.99 ($50 off) – the typical retail price of the previous model.
Unsurprisingly, the second-generation AirPods Pro are still the best pair of headphones you can get if you’re an iPhone user. They offer a host of software tricks if you’re stuck in the Apple ecosystem, including spatial audio, automatic device switching, and solid Find My support, along with noise cancellation and top-notch sound. Additionally, the latest model supports adaptive audio, conversation awareness, and other notable improvements as a result of iOS 17, some of which are more important than the actual jump to USB-C (sorry, not sorry).
