The best October Prime Day deals on Apple Watch to shop in the final minutes of Amazon's sale
Now's the best time to buy an Apple Watch for yourself or for that special someone in your life. We're in the last few hours of the Amazon Prime Day October 2023 sale, so this is officially your last chance to lock one in before it ends. Luckily for you, you don't have to wade through all the deals to see what's worth buying. We've collected them here for your browsing convenience, so all you have to do is shop 'til you drop -- or until Prime Day ends at 11:59 p.m PT tonight, anyway.
One of our favorite deals that you won't want to miss out on while it's still available is the Apple Watch Series 8, starting at $300. It's 25% off, which means you save $99 on last year's model of the popular smartwatch.
Even though the new Apple Watch Series 9 was just released, there's absolutely nothing wrong with an older version of the smartwatch. You can get by just fine without upgrading to the latest model immediately. Plus, all versions of the Apple Watch can be configured with GPS only or GPS + Cellular. We highly recommend spending a bit more money on the GPS + Cellular version so the watch can work almost totally autonomously from your iPhone.
Keep reading to find the rest of the last-minute Apple Watch deals you should snap up before they disappear.
The best Apple Watch deals at the Amazon Big Deal Days sale
Apple Watch Series 8: $300 and up (25% off)
The Apple Watch Series 8 is a durable smartwatch that is swim-proof, dust-proof and crack-resistant. For regular smartwatch users, it packs just about every feature you could ask for into a compact, comfortable-to-wear package.
The Apple Watch 8 has a number of health-tracking features, including an optical heart sensor, electrical heart sensor for ECG, blood oxygen sensor and a new body temperature sensor. It also comes with a new crash detection feature, which detects where the wearer is in a severe car crash and alerts emergency services.
You can also tap into yoga, meditation and other workout programs via Apple Fitness+. (Apple Fitness+ is a subscription service. It costs $9.99 a month; Apple Watch buyers get the first month free.)
The Apple Watch Series 8 is the obvious choice for anyone who doesn't need any of the Apple Watch Ultra's ridiculously long feature list. It's just right, and a great upgrade from the previous line's offerings. It's also more affordable and frequently goes on sale.
This is one of the lowest prices for the Apple Watch 8 we've ever seen. Pricing varies for additional models based on size and cellular options, but the Apple Watch 8 is discounted across all models.
Why we like the Apple Watch 8:
Apple Watch Ultra 2: $749 and up (6% off)
Designed for adventurers, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is not only more rugged than the Apple Watch Series 9, it's also packed with additional potentially life-saving features. In addition to the titanium casing, the battery life of Apple Watch Ultra 2 is up to 36 hours (72 hours in Low Power Mode), which is significantly longer than the regular versions of the watch. You also get a much brighter, always-on retina display that's equipped with a Night Mode for better viewing in low light situations.
This higher-end version of the Apple Watch includes all of the communication, safety, health, fitness and related sensors and internal equipment built into the Apple Watch Series 9 and then some.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is on sale during Amazon Prime Big Deal Days for $749, the lowest price we've ever seen. There's just one 49mm titanium case size available, but the band style options come in a variety of new colors. For example, the Alpine Loop comes in blue, indigo and olive, while the Trail Loop now comes in orange/beige, green/gray and blue/black. Apple Watch Ultra is only available with GPS + Cellular connectivity.
Why we like the Apple Watch Ultra 2:
- An always on Retina LTPO OLED display with a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits.
- It runs using Apple's new S9 chip and a 4-core Neural Engine.
- A three-month subscription to Apple Fitness+ is included.
Apple Watch SE (2nd Generation) GPS + Cellular: $279 and up (15% off)
The Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) is also on sale. This Apple Watch features the 44mm aluminum housing in midnight black and comes bundled with a Sport Band (size M/L) in midnight black.
This version of the watch comes with both GPS and cellular support, so you don't need to remain tethered to your iPhone to make sure you have continuous service. You can fly free and go anywhere you want with a cell-based connection, which makes that model perfect for anyone who hates being tied to their phone unnecessarily.
That means the person wearing it will be able to make and receive calls, send and receive text messages, plus perform other features without needing their own iPhone. This includes being able to use all of the Apple Watch's safety features, like Fall Detection, Emergency SOS Calling, and Crash Detection.
Using the Family Setup feature, an adult can adjust the watch's parental controls to determine exactly who the wearer can communicate with and what smartwatch features they can use. For example, a child can be blocked from communicating with strangers and be prevented from streaming music with explicit lyrics, yet the parent will be able to track their child's location in real-time.
Plus, this Apple Watch runs using the WatchOS 10 operating system, so it offers the latest software-based features available for all current Apple Watch models. It can do just about anything you need it to, and while it isn't a flashy, brand new option like some of the others in the Apple Watch lineup, it's still a great, capable smartwatch.
Why we like the Apple Watch SE (2nd Generation):
- It's a smaller, more affordable Apple Watch that fits more budgets.
- It has most of the same features as other current Apple Watch models.
- it has reliable parental controls and other tracking features.
Apple Watch Series 8 with Graphite Milanese Loop band: $649 (13% off)
Here's another prime example of an Apple Watch that's been discounted in conjunction with Amazon Prime Day October 2023. This is the GPS + Cellular version of the Apple Watch Series 8 (last year's model) with a 41mm graphite stainless steel housing and an upgraded graphite Milanese Loop watchband.
This version of the Apple Watch Series 8 runs the WatchOS 10 operating system. Feature-for-feature, it can do just about everything the Apple Watch Series 9 with a similar configuration can do, but the performance will be slightly slower.
Really, you're paying mostly for the fancy loop here, but it's still well worth the money if you're a fashionista -- or just want something a little classier than the generic Apple Watch band everyone gets at purchase.
Why we like the Apple Watch 8:
Apple Watch Series 8 with Starlight Milanese Loop: $699 ($100 off)
Head over to Amazon right now to snap up this higher-end configuration of the Apple Watch Series 8. It's the GPS + Cellular version with a 45mm, starlight stainless steel casing and a starlight Milanese Loop watch band (size M/L).
Last year, this way of the most expensive Apple Watch configurations, but because it's now an older model, it's being discounted by $100, bringing the price down to $699.
This version of the Apple Watch offers the GPS + Cellular configuration, so you'll need to pay about $10 per month to your cellular provider for 5G connectivity.
Why we like the Apple Watch 8:
More Apple Watch coverage is just a click away
If you need help choosing which Apple Watch configuration is right for you, check out our recent coverage. Here's how to pick an Apple Watch size. You can also read our in-depth review of the Apple Watch Series 9. And if you're wondering why our in-house smartwatch experts are loving the new Apple Watch lineup, check out our recently published article, entitled 9 things we love about the Apple Watch Series 9, Why you need one.
When is Amazon Big Deal Days?
The Amazon Big Deal Days sales event (also known as October Prime Day) kicks off at midnight PT (3:00 a.m. ET) on Tuesday, Oct. 10 and runs through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023.
What else is on sale during Amazon Big Deal Days?
During the Amazon Big Deal Days sales event, you'll also find big discounts across all of Amazon's departments, including home, tech, kitchen, fitness and so much more. This is the perfect time to kick off (and potentially even finish) your holiday shopping, without having to deal with Black Friday crowds and having the gifts you want to purchase being sold out. You'll find deals on luggage for your holiday travels, too.
Do you need to be a Prime Member to shop Prime Big Deal Days deals?
While some of the best Amazon Prime Big Deal Days offers are Prime-exclusive or invite-only, there will also be tons of deals that are open to all shoppers. So even if you don't have an Amazon Prime membership, there will be deals available to you.
If you want to shop the best deals, though, you'll want to sign up for a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime. Prime memberships costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year, and include access to Amazon Prime Video (Thursday Night Football) and a number of other great perks.
What other stores are holding competing early Black Friday sales?
Savvy shoppers know that any of the Amazon Prime Day events offer the perfect time to find tens of thousands of popular products on sale from Amazon, including some at their lowest price of the year. However, many other popular online and retail merchants, such as Walmart, Target, Best Buy and even your favorite department stores, such as Macy's, all tend to kick off sales either at the same time or around the same dates as Amazon Big Deal Days.
- Best Buy's 48-Hour Flash Sale is happening on Oct. 10 and Oct. 11, the same days as Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days.
- Walmart's Holiday Kickoff sale will run from Oct. 9 through Oc. 12.
Do products on sale during Amazon Big Deal Days sell out?
You bet they do -- and sometimes things sell out within hours. If you see something on sale that you want to get your hands on during the Amazon Big Deal Days sale, order it right away. Often, quantities are limited. Once a product is sold out at the sale price, Amazon won't always restock right away and when it does restock, the sale price likely won't be offered.
Can products bought from Amazon during Amazon Big Deal Days be returned?
Unless it specifically states in the product description or near the "add to cart" and "buy now" buttons that the product being offered on sale is a final sale or not returnable, Amazon's regular return policy for that product will be honored.
On the right side of a product description on Amazon, just below the "buy now" button (and where it says "ships from and sold by"), look for the heading that says "returns."
If the text says, "eligible for return, refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt," that's the return policy that will be honored. However, you may be responsible for paying return shipping to Amazon, unless you drop off the product as a Whole Foods or Kohl's, which accepts some Amazon returns.
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