Apple Watch 9 was released in September 2023 and Apple Watch 5 was unveiled in September 2019. For someone looking to upgrade from Apple Watch 5 to Apple Watch 9, the comparison study below lays out the feature differences between the two variants in detail.
Main differences
- Apple Watch 9 uses the latest 64-bit dual-core S9 processor chip. Apple Watch 5 makes use of a 64-bit dual-core S5 processor chip.
- Apple Watch 9 has introduced the double tap feature.
- Apple Watch 9 has a higher device storage of 64 GB while the Apple Watch 5 has a storage of 32 GB.
- Apple Watch 9 supports the crash detection feature. Apple Watch 5 does not support the crash detection.
- Apple Watch 9 has a peak brightness of 2000 nits. Apple Watch 5 has a peak brightness of 1000 nits.
- Apple Watch 9 offers aluminum and stainless steel cases. Apple Watch 5 offers aluminum, stainless steel, ceramic, and titanium cases.
- Apple Watch 9 is available in 41 mm and 45 mm sizes. Apple Watch 5 is available in 40 mm and 44 mm cases.
- Apple Watch 9 is compatible with Bluetooth 5.3 standards. Apple Watch 5 is compatible with Bluetooth 5.
We look at these differences in fine detail below.
Chip – S9 vs S5
Apple Watch 9 uses the latest 64-bit dual-core S9 chip. The S9 chip is based on the Apple A15 chipset. The S5 chip of Apple is based on the A5 SoC.
- S9 chip is compatible with the double tap feature of the Apple Watch 9
- S9 chip is more power efficient.
- S9 chip features a 60 percent higher number of transistors (5.6 billion) than the S8 chip
- The GPU or graphics processing of the S9 chip is up to 30 percent faster than the S8 chip
- The neural engine in an S9 chip is twice as fast as the S8 chip. The S9 chip uses a 4-core neural engine. This neural engine helps in augmenting the Artificial intelligence and machine learning performance of the Apple Watch 9.
You will experience a faster performance in the Apple Watch 9 than the Apple Watch 5.
Display
Apple Watch 9 and Apple Watch 5 offer Ion-X and Sapphire display glass.
- Apple Watch 9 aluminum and Apple Watch 5 aluminum offer Ion-X display glass.
- Apple Watch 9 stainless steel, Apple Watch 5 stainless steel, Apple Watch 5 ceramic, and Apple Watch 5 titanium offer Sapphire display glass.
The core difference between Apple Watch 9 and Apple Watch 5 in display configuration lies in the peak brightness:
- Apple Watch 9 can achieve a peak brightness of 2000 nits
- Apple Watch 5 can achieve a peak brightness of 1000 nits
Since the Apple Watch 9 comes in 41 mm and 45 mm sizes, it does offer higher display resolution than the Apple Watch 5 which comes in 40 mm and 44 mm sizes.
| Apple Watch 9 Display Resolution | Apple Watch 5 Display Resolution |
|---|---|
| 45 mm – 484 x 396 pixels 41 mm – 430 x 352 pixels | 44 mm – 368 by 448 pixels 40 mm – 324 by 394 pixels |
Double tap feature
Apple Watch 9 features a new double-tap feature.
The S9 chip in the Apple Watch 9 is compatible with the double tap feature.
The double-tap feature is a gesture action feature. You can tap your index finger and thumb together twice to answer a call, reply to a message, see and scroll through your Smart Stack, and more.
The double-tap feature can be turned on or off. You can also open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap My Watch, go to Settings > Gestures, then tap Double Tap.
Crash detection
Apple Watch 9 includes a crash detection feature.
Crash Detection is designed to detect severe car crashes – such as front-impact, side-impact and rear-end collisions, and rollovers – involving saloons, minivans, SUVs, pick-ups and other passenger cars.
When a severe car crash is detected, an alarm will sound and an alert will be displayed on your iPhone or Apple Watch. If you’re unable to respond, your device automatically calls emergency services after a 20-second delay.
Apple Watch 5 lacks the crash detection feature.
Temperature Sensor
Apple Watch 9 includes a temperature sensor to take wrist-based temperature readings.
To establish your temperature baseline, wear your Apple Watch to bed with Sleep Tracking turned on. You can track nightly changes in your wrist temperature, which can provide insight into your well-being.
You can choose to turn off the temperature sensor through the watch interface.
Apple Watch 5 lacks a temperature tracking sensor.
Device storage
Apple Watch 9 has 64 GB internal storage and Apple Watch 5 has 32 GB of internal storage. Higher storage affords higher space for storing personal audio content, GPS topographical or regional maps, and even user-specific data.
Final thoughts
Apple Watch 9 offers a new-generation experience. If you are considering an upgrade from Apple Watch 5 to Apple Watch 9, you will gain the following new features:
- Double tap feature
- Crash detection
- Faster and more efficient S9 chip
- Better peak brightness levels