Apple Watch Series 12 vs Apple Watch Series 9
Sqwod verdict
Our pick: Apple Watch Series 9 takes it — 85 vs 84.
Both are strong — the call comes down to what you prioritise:
- Apple Watch Series 12 — You're on a Series 9 or older and want the most accurate wrist heart rate Apple has made, plus a readiness score you can use to steer clients' training, with no subscription.
- Apple Watch Series 9 — You want one device for training, daily life, and health basics.
Apple Watch Series 12
84Score · Medium
from €434
The new Health Sensing System is the real upgrade: heart rate every five seconds, far more frequent HRV and a daily Readiness score, with testers finding it close to a chest strap. Battery is still rated at 24 hours and the design is unchanged, so Series 11 owners can skip it.
Our pick 
Apple Watch Series 9
85Score · High
from €419
The best all-rounder — workouts, notifications, sleep, ECG — no subscription. Battery and depth-of-recovery data are the compromises.
Compare side-by-side
| Apple Watch Series 1284Scorefrom€434Review → | Apple Watch Series 985Scorefrom€419Review → | |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | — | Watch |
| Battery life | — | ~18 h (36 h low-power) |
| Screen | — | Always-on OLED |
| Sleep tracking | — | Basic |
| Recovery / HRV | — | HRV metrics |
| Subscription | — | None (Fitness+ optional) |
| Water resistance | — | 50 m |
Prices are our researched reference points.
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