IT’S THE best time of the year to save on pricey purchases you’ve had your eye on. That’s right, Black Friday and Cyber Monday will be here before you know it, and while those two days bring some of the best prices on Apple gadgets all year long, the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving (a.k.a. right now) are worthy of more attention. Black Friday sales have been creeping earlier every year, and in late-October 2023, we’re already seeing four different Apple Watch models on sale—some clearing up to 40 percent off. That includes the coveted, and rarely on sale, Apple Watch Ultra for the lowest price it’s ever been and an Apple Watch SE for under $150.
No matter if you’re shopping for tech gifts or you’re ready to upgrade your own fitness watch, we’re breaking down everything to know about each on-sale model to help you make the right pick. Take advantage of these early Black Friday Apple Watch deals, then, you can enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers from the comfort of your couch instead of by your computer.
Early Black Friday Apple Watch Deals
The Apple Watch Ultra recently got an upgrade (aptly dubbed the Ultra 2), which benefits those who are willing to purchase the “old” version, because now it’s on sale. When it comes down to the best fitness watches for tracking workouts, the Ultra is our editors’ pick for iPhone users. It has an up to 36-hour battery life, enhanced safety features (like a siren you can sound during emergencies) and durability our editors were impressed with. It can even be used as a dive watch up to 100 meters. This is the lowest price we’ve ever seen the wearable hit, so you’ll want to take advantage while you can. If you’re looking for all of the latest specs in a wearable that’s designed for a rugged lifestyle, this is your best bet.
Read more: Early Black Friday Fitness Deals
The Series 8 will cover all of your bases. The up to 18-hour battery life will carry you through both day and night, and as long as you wear it to bed, you can take advantage of sleep monitoring. That, plus a temperature sensor, built-in heart rate monitor and ECG, safety features like Emergency SOS and fall and crash detection, and of course, the expected activity tracking round out the device to be worth the price tag. You’ll need to keep your iPhone nearby if you’re looking to answer calls and texts on the device.
Read more: Early Amazon Black Friday Deals
Apple just dropped the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) in September. While it’s part of the brand’s affordable lineup, it doesn’t skimp out on features. The SE (2nd Gen) gives you more detailed insights into workouts to help you best optimize your performance, like displaying heart rate zones throughout your session. It also has sleep monitors and fall and crash detection. What you won’t find on the SE (2nd Gen) is an ECG or temperature sensor. The wearable is swimproof up to 50 meters and has the same up to 18-hour battery life as the Series 8.
If you’re working with a tighter budget, the SE (1st Gen) is the most affordable Apple Watch. It’s has standard wearable features like activity tracking, heart rate monitor, and a swimproof design, but it doesn’t offer the latest specs like a sleep monitor, temperature sensor and ECG. That said, it’ll get the job done for tracking workouts, having access to texts and calls at your wrist (this model is able to connect to your data plan) and, during Walmart’s early Black Friday sale, comes in at under $150, which is a truly great deal.
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Commerce Editor
Ellen McAlpine is a commerce editor and writer at Hearst Magazines, covering tech, fitness, lifestyle, and beyond. In her time as a writer, she’s covered everything from top tech items like running watches and ring lights to phone cases and beauty tools.
