Should you buy an Apple Watch Series 8 on Black Friday? No. Get this one instead.

Don’t settle for outdated tech this Black Friday – here’s why the Apple Watch Series 9 is the smarter, more future-proof choice over the Series 8

Apple Watch Series 9 on wrist
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/ T3)

If you’ve been eyeing an Apple Watch this Black Friday, you might be tempted by the Apple Watch Series 8 deals. Before you buy one, please heed my advice!

Apple itself doesn’t sell it anymore, and most of what you’ll find are refurbished models or leftover stock. While there is nothing wrong with getting second-hand products (it's better for the environment), the refurbished Watch 8s are not much cheaper than the watch I'd recommend.

While the Series 8 was a great smartwatch in its prime, it’s been surpassed in every way by the Apple Watch Series 9. And there are actually good deals available on the newer version, as you can see below.

Apple Watch Series 9 41mm Alu Case/ Light Pink Sport Loop
Apple Watch Series 9 41mm Alu Case/ Light Pink Sport Loop: was £349 now £299 at Argos

The non-LTE version of the smaller Apple Watch Series 9 is down to £299 at Argos for Black Friday. This is a good deal on the wearable that introduced offline Siri, Double Tap, and other key features to the mainline Apple Watch series!

Apple Watch Series 9 [GPS + Cellular 41mm] Silver Alu Case with Winter Blue Sport Loop
Apple Watch Series 9 [GPS + Cellular 41mm] Silver Alu Case with Winter Blue Sport Loop: was £449 now £375 at Amazon

This is the LTE (cellular) version of the smaller 41mm Apple Watch Series 9 for those who like to use their watch independently from their iPhones. This one comes with a blue Sports Loop, which I find more comfortable for sleeping and better suited for exercise.

The Series 9 offers notable upgrades that make it a much better buy, especially if you’re already planning to spend hundreds of pounds. It introduces the new S9 SiP processor, making it faster and more efficient.

That improved efficiency also extends to battery life, giving you more power for longer. It also boasts Double Tap gesture control, allowing for one-handed operation—perfect for when you’re multitasking. Plus, its brighter display ensures better visibility, even in direct sunlight.

What’s more, Black Friday has brought some excellent discounts on the Series 9, making it more affordable than ever. Rather than settling for last year’s model, take advantage of these deals and get a watch that’s ready for the future.

There are a lot more wearable deals out there, all of which we keep collating in our best smartwatch Black Friday deals live hub. For anything else, head over to T3's main best Black Friday deals roundup.

Matt Kollat
Section Editor | Active

Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator who works for T3.com and its magazine counterpart as an Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in several publications, including Techradar and Fit&Well, and more. Matt also collaborated with other content creators (e.g. Garage Gym Reviews) and judged many awards, such as the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance's ESSNawards. When he isn't working out, running or cycling, you'll find him roaming the countryside and trying out new podcasting and content creation equipment.