We've rounded up the best chargers, protective cases and accessories for your Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch has been the most popular smartwatch since its advent in 2015. In fact, it's been so popular that it hasn't just been outselling every other smartwatch, but in 2019 the Apple Watch actually outsold the entire Swiss Watch industry, which includes manufacturers like Rolex, Swatch, TAG Heuer and Tissot. Naturally, with more Apple Watches out in the work, more people are looking for accessories — such as new bands, cases and chargers — to make their Apple Watch feel more personal. And boy, there's a lot out there.
The good news is the Apple Watch hasn't changed that much in the past years. It still looks mostly the same — except for the brand-new Apple Watch Ultra, for those who want Apple's most rugged, feature-packed and expensive smartwatch — and charges basically the same way, for example. That said, there are really only two things to remember when shopping for an Apple Watch accessory.
First, the Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, Series 6 and the SE all have the same size body, so the same case or protective screen will work with all of them. The outliers are the new Series 7 and the Series 8, which have a larger screen; and then there's the Series 3 (which Apple just stopped selling in late 2022), which shares the very old design of the antiquated Series 1 and Series 2.
And second, if you're shopping for a band, make sure to get the correct size. Almost every Apple Watch model comes in two sizes. The Series 4, Series 5, Series 6 and SE all come in either 40mm and 44mm sizes, while the new Series 7 and Series 8 comes in 41mm and 45mm. The Ultra only comes in 49mm size.
If you're shopping for a watch band, the Series 7 and Series 8 are backward compatible for watch straps (meaning the 41mm model will work with older 40mm watch straps, and likewise for the 45mm model with 44mm watch straps). And the Apple Watch Ultra is compatible with the same watch bands as the 45mm Series 7 and Series 8.
