Which Apple Watch Size Is Right for You? 3 Easy Ways To Find Out

Since its launch in 2015, Apple Watch has evolved significantly and all watches from Series 1 to Series 6 have seen huge improvements in features and performance. One thing that has remained consistent through the years is that Apple launches each Apple Watch in 2 sizes. As such, questions about different Apple Watch sizes and the right size for you are always raised. 

Out of these 6 series of Apple watches, only Series 3,5, and 6 are currently available while Series 1, Series 2, and Series 4 have been discontinued. You can explore the Apple watch band size as the correct fit matters.

When buying an Apple Watch, there are other factors to consider besides the size – different styles for the band and materials being the primary ones. This guide only aims to help you choose the correct Apple Watch size. You can check the other articles related to Apple watches on Technorms.com.

What are the different Apple Watch sizes? When considering Series 3, Series 5, and Series 6, the Apple Watch comes in four sizes: 38mm, 40mm, 42mm, and 44mm. However, which size is best for you? We do an Apple Watch size comparison and try to answer these questions here, along with our own observations about currently available watches.

Apple Watch Size Guide

Although Series 1, 2, and 4 have been discontinued, you may find these watches available at lower prices on e-commerce sites. However, our focus is on the officially available Series 3, Series 5 and Series 6 Apple Watches. 

Series 3 Apple Watches have two types: Series 3 GPS + Cellular and Series 3 GPS.

Series 3 GPS + Cellular comes in 4 types of models: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Nike +, Apple Watch Hermes, and Apple Watch Edition where all these varieties differ in their design in major terms, the rest of the things may or may not be a little bit tweaked here and there. Series 3 GPS has two types: Apple Watch and Apple Watch Nike+.

Series 5 and Series 6 Apple watches also have two types: GPS + Cellular and GPS only.

The Series 5 GPS + Cellular version comes in various forms including Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Titanium, and Ceramic. The GPS version comes only in Aluminum form. 

Series 6 is the latest and most advanced version of the Apple Watch and has some incredible features, unlike the older versions. Apple introduced more health-related features with its Apple Watch 6. There is no Ceramic option available in the Series 6 GPS + Cellular version; the rest of the forms are similar to Series 5. 

Series 3 renders you two choices of size: 38mm and 42mm. Series 5 and Series 6 watches have two slightly bigger sizes for you: 40mm and 44mm. In the next section, let’s see how these Apple Watch sizes go with your preference. 

Series 3: Apple Watch 38mm vs 42mm

When doing a comparison of the Apple watch 38mm vs 42mm, we took an objective look at their dimensions and differentiating factors. As a general expectation, the larger one is suited for men and the petite one goes well for women. But that is not something that you should be bothered with – just pick the one that works best for you.

Both the watches, Series 3 38mm and 42mm are almost the same in terms of their features. The primary difference is in their size and available display area. Those who prefer larger displays should definitely opt for the 42mm Apple Watch with a 740 sq mm display area. The 38mm watch is a price-conscious choice – you can have a decent display while saving a few bucks. 

If spending an extra $30 is not that much of a financial burden on you, Series 3 42mm is definitely recommended due to some picky reasons: 

• A larger display makes it easier to view any content.
• Tapping and selecting elements get much easier when the display has more space on it.
• Less chance of tapping the wrong application which is beside your target app.
• A bigger display means more texts on screen at a time, hence less swiping and scrolling.

The 38mm Apple watch starts from $199 whereas the 42mm base model will cost you $229.

Although the difference in size is just 4mm, displays on these models have a noticeable difference. Usability and clarity-wise, the 42mm Watch is superior. 

Check out Apple Watch Series 3 on Amazon

Series 5: Apple Watch 40mm vs 44mm

Series 5 Apple Watches are in vogue currently. Its top-notch features like an Electrical Heart Sensor, Compass, Fall detection, and enhanced battery life can push any Apple user to buy one. It is of no surprise that just like Series 3, Apple Watches come in two sizes for Series 5 as well: 40mm and 44mm. Everything from features to the material options is alike except for some of their dimensions and the display size. 

The 42mm Apple Watch has a 759 sq mm display area while the 44mm one has 977 sq mm of the total display area. Both 40mm and 44mm watches have a Retina display and the difference in pixels will be hardly visible to the naked eye. However, the bigger watch packs way more pixels for just a 4 mm size difference. The display on the 40mm watch and the 44mm watch is 394×324 pixels and 448×368 pixels respectively. 

Between these two models, the bigger Apple Watch has some obvious advantages that we stated earlier as well – a big display means less swiping and scrolling, more text at a time. More space also makes tapping applications easier and you don’t hit the wrong app. 

When you are ready to shell out $399 for an Apple Watch Series 5 model, a difference of $30 between the 40mm and 44mm should, in our opinion, be a secondary factor in the decision. The primary factor should be knowing which size suits your wrist and how comfortable you are with the display area of these models. 

Our recommendation leans towards the 44mm Series 5 Apple Watch – this is derived not only from looking at the numbers but the experience of Apple Watch users on our team. When it comes to a display as small as the one on the Apple Watch, every mm matter.

Check out Apple Watch Series 5 on Amazon

If you are confused between Apple watches Series 3 vs Series 5, check out this link to help you decide which series goes well with your requirements, budget, and style. 

Series 6: Apple Watch 40mm vs 44mm

Similar to Apple Watch 5, Apple Watch 6 also comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes. The focus of Apple seems to be more on health and fitness-related features with this version of the Apple Watch. You can monitor blood oxygen levels and take an ECG anywhere with Apple Watch 6. This Watch can also track your workout more precisely compared to older versions. 

Both the sizes offer an all-time retina display, so there is no major difference there. Also, the display area is 759 and 977 for 40mm and 44mm, respectively. The battery life for both sizes is 18 hours. 

When it comes to cost, the 44mm size is costly compared to 40mm, so this is also one of the factors to consider while making a purchase.

Check out Apple Watch Series 6 here

Apple Watch Sizes Comparison: Series 3, 5 And 6

Size and dimension details about each Series 3, Series 5, and Series 6 Apple Watch. Note that the height, width, depth, and weight vary based on the material of the Watch.

Apple Watch Band Sizes: How to Choose? 

Apple has kept this simple, fortunately, and there are only two options. A medium band size that fits 150-185mm wrists and a large band size that fits 180-210mm wrists. The best way to choose one is to take a measuring tape and measure your wrist size to identify the one that fits. 

Do consider how you currently wear a watch and how tight an Apple Watch should be on your wrist? The tightness of the band is an individual choice and it depends on the material of the band as well. We’d just recommend not to wear it so tight that it leaves an imprint on your skin or interrupts your blood circulation. 

Apple introduced loop bands with Apple Watch 6; you can slip your hand in the band to wear your watch. They are lightweight, easy to wear, and comfortable compared to regular bands. 

You can check your size and get the band of your choice from the official Apple source to avoid issues. 

How To Decide The Right Apple Watch Size For You? 

Now that you know about your options, you can use any of the options below to decide on the right size of Apple Watch for you.

1. Download the Apple Store App

The Apple Store app also has an option for displaying the original sized Apple Watches on your device, which you can then just set against your wrist to get an idea if the actual sized watch works for you. It’s free to download and can also be used to buy your favorite model quickly and easily.

To try out the original sized Apple Watch on your iPhone: 

1. Open the Apple Store app. 
2. Go to ‘Shop by Product’ and select Apple Watch.
3. Select any of the Apple Watches 
4. When you see the pricing with its type and model name, scroll down to see the ‘Case Size’ section. 
5. Below the available case sizes listed there, you should have a question – “Which case size is right for you?” Tap on it. 
6. You should see the actual Apple Watch case size displayed on the screen. 

You can compare Apple Watch sizes to see which suits your hand well. The app also serves you the option to customize your watch look and color according to your mood and style. 

Just pick up the band color and other choices available in the app if you don’t like the ones available. The app is a great way to make a choice on your Apple watch size when you don’t want to step out of your home and comfort. 

Now that you know about your options, you can use any of the options below to decide on the right size of Apple Watch for you. 

2: Visit the Apple Store

The best way to try the Apple Watch is to make an appointment to go to an Apple Store in person. You can walk in and try it on. Not as convenient as the above option, but it is the most accurate. Besides, you can also get hands-on with the different watch bands and get your pick. 

Tip: You can find cheaper versions of most Apple Watch bands on Amazon, including the Sports band, the sports loop, the leather loop, the stainless steel band, or even designer wrist bands. Needless to say, the quality and durability of each of these items would vary.

3: Take A Printout

To see how the Series 3 Apple Watch would look on your wrist, you can use this printable cutout, courtesy of WonderHowTo. Download it and print it at 100%. The result is a little silly, but it’ll show you the Apple Watch in a different size and with a strap.

Don’t have a printer? You can also fold up a dollar bill in the shape of a 38-mm Apple Watch with these instructions from Time.

While it can’t give a sense of the weight and quality of the Apple Watch, the printout is a fun little project that can show you what it’ll look like on your wrist. There is no printout for the Series 5 models.

Final Thoughts On Apple Watch Sizes

Of all the options, I liked the Apple Store app the best. It was the most convenient and showed the different sizes well enough right there on my phone.

I would definitely recommend trying one on in person in the Apple Store, especially if you’re serious about buying one. That’s the best way to get a sense of the weight and quality of the watch, as well as the size.

There is no difference in Apple Watch sizes when it comes to Series 5 and 6. So, if you were already using a Series 5 watch that was comfortable enough and needed an upgrade, we recommend opting for the same size again. 

References: Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 5 specs as seen here and here respectively. 

(Article Updated on 20th December 2021)