Claiming the overall top spots on our list of the best smartwatches for 2023, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 — both new 2023 models — are among the most advanced on the market. But they both are about to get more challenging to buy: Due to an ongoing legal battle over patent infringement, Apple will be pausing US sales for both models starting on Dec. 24 (unless the company’s appeals push that deadline back).
Here’s the good news: Both models are actually on sale ahead of that deadline:
Right now, you can pick up the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for as little as $699 thanks to a discount with instant coupons at Amazon. The discounts vary by size and style, but you can get at least one model with the small band for under $700, while some models with the larger bands will cost you closer to $730. Both are nice discounts compared to the Apple Store price of $799.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the latest and greatest wearable the company offers. It has a huge 49mm display and high-precision GPS for use when you’re out in the wilderness, or when just want reliable data for your workouts. The extra-long battery life ensures you get multiple days from a single charge, and the rugged titanium case is strong yet light, perfect for your next adventure. You also get access to all the usual features, including fitness and activity tracking, heart rate monitoring and more.
Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 9 is being sold for $70 off the Apple Store price — $329 for the 41mm GPS model, $359 for the 45mm model. That model is smaller than the Ultra, lacks the Action Button and some of the extreme sports features of the Ultra, like the diving features, but is otherwise the state of the art when it comes to Apple wrist-based tech.
Note that the 2022 Apple Watch SE will not be affected by the sales pause, so there’s no urgency there. The same goes for older Apple Watch models. But in the absence of a last-minute deal, the Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches may well disappear from store shelves by Christmas. That means you’ve got less than a week left to take advantage of this offer, and with the recent news, there’s a good chance that it will be selling fast. We’d definitely recommend you get your order in soon if you’re hoping to take advantage of these savings.
More holiday shopping deals from CNET