There are a lot of Apple Watch models out there, and when you’re shopping refurbished, the range gets even wider. You’ve got everything from the entry-level SE through to the flagship Ultras, spanning several years of releases, at prices that vary considerably.
The good news is that choosing the right one doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you want a watch that does everything, something to track your fitness, a sensible gift, or just want to know the time and get your notifications, there’s a refurbished Apple Watch that fits. This guide walks through every model we stock here at The iOutlet, explains what each one is good for, and helps you figure out which is worth your money.
WatchOS support
Before look at the models, it’s worth knowing that Apple drops older Apple Watch models from its software updates over time. As of watchOS 26, the following models are no longer receiving software updates:
- Apple Watch Series 3
- Apple Watch Series 4
- Apple Watch Series 5
- Apple Watch SE (1st generation)
These watches still work and will tell the time, track steps, and handle basic notifications, but they won’t receive new features or security patches going forward. If long-term software support matters to you, we’d recommend Series 6 or newer.
The models at a glance
| Model | Case sizes | Chip | Battery | watchOS 26 |
| Series 3 | 42mm / 38mm | S3 | Up to 18 hrs | ✗ No |
| Series 4 | 44mm / 40mm | S4 | Up to 18 hrs | ✗ No |
| Series 5 | 44mm / 40mm | S5 | Up to 18 hrs | ✗ No |
| SE (1st gen) | 44mm / 40mm | S5 | Up to 18 hrs | ✗ No |
| Series 6 | 44mm / 40mm | S6 | Up to 18 hrs | ✓ Yes |
| Series 7 | 45mm / 41mm | S7 | Up to 18 hrs | ✓ Yes |
| Series 8 | 45mm / 41mm | S8 | Up to 18 hrs | ✓ Yes |
| SE (2022) | 44mm / 40mm | S8 | Up to 18 hrs | ✓ Yes |
| Series 9 | 45mm / 41mm | S9 | Up to 18 hrs | ✓ Yes |
| Series 10 | 46mm / 42mm | S10 | Up to 18 hrs | ✓ Yes |
| Series 11 | 46mm / 42mm | S10 | Up to 24 hrs | ✓ Yes |
| Ultra | 49mm | S8 | Up to 36 hrs | ✓ Yes |
| Ultra 2 | 49mm | S9 | Up to 36 hrs | ✓ Yes |
Under £100: The budget picks
Apple Watch Series 3
The Series 3 is the most affordable Apple Watch we carry, and it’s honest about what it is. You get heart rate monitoring, basic fitness and activity tracking, a Retina display, and Apple’s familiar interface. It’ll pair with your iPhone for notifications and calls.
What it doesn’t have: An always-on display, ECG app, blood oxygen monitoring, crash detection, fall detection, or watchOS 26 support. The S3 chip also feels noticeably slower than newer models.
Best for: Someone who genuinely just wants a smartwatch for the basics, time, steps, and notifications, and wants to spend as little as possible. Not ideal if you want health-focused features or long-term software support.
Apple Watch Series 4
The Series 4 was a landmark redesign, it introduced the larger case sizes (44mm and 40mm), a bigger OLED display, and crucially, the ECG app and fall detection. The ECG feature alone made it a genuinely useful health tool, not just a fitness tracker.
That said, like the Series 3, the Series 4 no longer receives watchOS updates. It runs watchOS 11 and won’t go further.
Best for: Budget-conscious buyers who want an ECG-capable watch and don’t mind older software. Still a solid daily driver for basic health monitoring.
The Series 5 added something the Series 4 didn’t have: an always-on display. This was a big deal, you could glance at your wrist without raising it or tapping the screen. It also came with a compass and international emergency calling.
ECG and fall detection are both present. The S5 chip is a step up from the S4. It’s out of watchOS support now too, but if the always-on screen is important to you and you’re keeping an eye on price, this is the lowest-cost way to get it.
Best for: Buyers who want always-on display and ECG on a tight budget, and accept the software support trade-off.
Apple Watch SE (1st generation)
The original SE launched in 2020 as Apple’s value-focused Apple Watch. It uses the same S5 chip as the Series 5 and 6, offers heart rate and activity tracking, sleep tracking, emergency SOS, and fall detection, but drops the always-on display, ECG app, and blood oxygen monitoring.
It no longer receives watchOS updates, but remains a practical everyday watch for many people.
Best for: Light users who want a capable, reliable watch without health-sensor extras, at a great price.
Under £150: Where value gets serious
Apple Watch Series 6
This is where things get significantly more capable, and the Series 6 is the oldest model that still receives watchOS 26 updates. That alone makes it an important milestone in the lineup.
The Series 6 brought blood oxygen monitoring, a faster S6 chip, an always-on display that’s 2.5x brighter than the Series 5, and an updated optical heart sensor. You also get ECG, fall detection, and emergency SOS as standard.
For a watch that’s still fully supported by Apple’s latest software, the Series 6 represents excellent value at the refurbished price.
Best for: Anyone wanting a fully featured health watch with ongoing software support, at an accessible price. The sweet spot for value-conscious buyers who don’t want to compromise on features.
Apple Watch SE (2022)
The 2022 SE was a meaningful upgrade over the original. It uses the S8 chip, the same processor found in the Series 8, and adds crash detection, which the original SE didn’t have. It also has a new back case design and improved motion sensor.
It’s still missing an always-on display, ECG, and blood oxygen monitoring, but it’s genuinely fast, runs watchOS 26, and covers everything most casual users need.
Best for: First-time Apple Watch buyers, gifting, and anyone who wants a clean everyday watch without the health-sensor bells and whistles. Also a brilliant option for kids or teenagers.
Apple Watch Series 7
The Series 7 introduced a larger display in the same case footprint, the screen was 20% bigger than the Series 6, with thinner borders. It also brought fast charging for the first time on an Apple Watch (0–80% in around one hour). Blood oxygen monitoring, ECG, always-on display, and fall detection are all present.
Best for: Users who want a larger screen, faster charging, and full health features in a mid-range refurbished price. A solid all-rounder.
Under £200: A big step up in capability
Apple Watch Series 8
The Series 8 added crash detection and a wrist temperature sensor, two features that weren’t in the Series 7. The temperature sensor enables retrospective ovulation estimates in the Cycle Tracking app, which was a genuinely meaningful health addition for many users. It uses the S8 chip, shares the same case sizes as the Series 7 (45mm / 41mm), and includes all the health features you’d expect: ECG, blood oxygen, always-on display, fall detection, and emergency SOS.
It also runs the Vitals app (introduced in watchOS 11), which gives you a nightly summary of heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen, and sleep duration.
Best for: Anyone who wants a comprehensive health watch, particularly those interested in cycle tracking or who wants the crash detection safety feature. Very capable at the refurbished price.
Apple Watch Series 9
The Series 9 was a notable upgrade in usability. The S9 chip introduced double tap gesture, a hands-free way to interact with your watch using two taps of your finger and thumb. It also brought Precision Finding for iPhone, which lets you locate your iPhone with directional arrows and haptics. Siri queries run faster and more of them are handled on-device.
The display gets brighter too, up to 2,000 nits compared to 1,000 nits on the Series 8, which makes a real difference outdoors. All the health sensors from Series 8 carry over: blood oxygen, ECG, crash detection, fall detection, temperature sensing, and the Vitals app.
Best for: Users who want the double tap gesture for hands-free interaction, a brighter display, or faster on-device performance. A great choice if you’re buying a watch for sports and outdoor use.
The latest models
Apple Watch Series 10
The Series 10 is a significant leap in design. Apple gave it the largest Apple Watch display yet in an aluminium or titanium case (46mm or 42mm), while actually making the watch thinner and lighter than its predecessors, at just 9.7mm thick for the 46mm model. The wide-angle OLED display is noticeably larger.
It also introduces sleep apnoea notifications, a water temperature sensor, and a depth gauge (to 6m), which make it genuinely useful for water sports. Fast charging gets quicker too, 0–80% in about 30 minutes on the 46mm model.
The S10 chip brings even faster Siri, and double tap gesture is present. All previous health features continue.
Best for: Anyone who wants the slimmest, largest-screened Apple Watch in the lineup, with the latest health features including sleep apnoea detection. Also the watch of choice if you swim regularly or do water sports.
Apple Watch Series 11
The newest standard Apple Watch. The Series 11 shares the same case sizes and design as the Series 10, but extends battery life to up to 24 hours (18 hours on previous models). It also adds hypertension notifications, a genuinely useful health addition, and comes in new colour options.
Everything else from the Series 10 carries over: sleep apnoea notifications, depth gauge, water temperature sensor, S10 chip, and the wide-angle OLED display.
Best for: Buyers who want the very latest Apple Watch and the improved battery life. The hypertension feature makes it the most health-complete Apple Watch in the standard line.
The outliers: Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2
Apple Watch Ultra
The original Ultra launched in 2022 as Apple’s watch for serious outdoor and endurance use. The 49mm titanium case is substantially larger and more robust than any aluminium model. It brings up to 36 hours of battery life in normal use, precision dual-frequency GPS for accuracy in dense environments, water resistance to 100 metres (suitable for snorkelling and scuba diving to 40m with the depth gauge), and a built-in siren.
It uses the S8 chip and includes every health sensor from the Series 8 lineup: blood oxygen, ECG, temperature sensing, crash and fall detection.
Best for: Hikers, trail runners, triathletes, divers, or anyone who pushes their kit hard and wants the longest battery life and best GPS on an Apple Watch. Also ideal for those who simply want a more rugged, larger watch for daily use.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
The Ultra 2 upgraded the S8 chip to the S9, bringing double tap gesture, faster on-device Siri, and Precision Finding for iPhone. The display gets brighter, up to 3,000 nits, which is the brightest of any Apple Watch. Battery life stays at up to 36 hours (72 hours in low power mode).
Like the Ultra, it has precision dual-frequency GPS, 100m water resistance, depth gauge to 40m, water temperature sensor, siren, and all health sensors.
Best for: All the same users as the Ultra, but those who want the improved chip, gesture controls, and brightness advantage.
Which one is right for me?
Not sure where to start? Here’s a quick breakdown by what matters most to you.
I want the best value watch that still gets software updates: Apple Watch Series 6, the oldest model on watchOS 26, with always-on display, blood oxygen, and ECG.
I want a reliable everyday watch without health-sensor extras: Apple Watch SE (2022), fast S8 chip, crash detection, and watchOS 26, at a genuinely accessible price.
I want a comprehensive health watch at a mid-range price: Apple Watch Series 8, crash detection, temperature sensing, Vitals app, and ECG. Everything most people need.
I want the newest features and best display without going Ultra: Apple Watch Series 11, hypertension notifications, 24-hour battery, sleep apnoea detection, and the latest S10 chip.
I want the longest battery life and best GPS, I’m active outdoors: Apple Watch Ultra 2, 36 hours battery, precision GPS, 100m water resistance, and the S9 chip.
I’m buying as a gift for someone who mainly wants a watch: Apple Watch SE (2022) or Series 7, approachable, fully functional, and great value.
I want to spend as little as possible and just want the basics: Apple Watch Series 3 or Series 4, knowing these won’t receive further software updates.
What about GPS vs GPS + Cellular?
Most people don’t need cellular. The GPS model connects to your iPhone over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, which means it handles calls, messages, Apple Pay, and music streaming when your phone is nearby.
GPS + Cellular lets the watch work completely independently of your iPhone, using its own eSIM connection. This is useful if you go running without your phone, travel frequently, or want the watch to function as a standalone device.
Cellular does add an ongoing monthly cost (typically around £5–10/month with most UK carriers), so it’s worth factoring that in alongside the purchase price.
Can I use a refurbished Apple Watch with any iPhone?
You’ll need an iPhone running iOS 17 or later to pair with a Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, Ultra, or Ultra 2. For older models, the iOS requirement is lower, Series 8 and SE (2022) require iOS 16 or later, for example.
As a rule, all Apple Watches are iPhone-only. They don’t pair with Android phones.
All the refurbished Apple Watches we sell have been factory reset and are ready to pair with your Apple ID from scratch. No previous owner’s data or accounts are attached.
Ready to find yours? Browse all refurbished Apple Watches or check our Apple Watch Hot Deals for the best prices right now.
