Along with the upgraded Watch SE and the tough Apple Watch Ultra, the Apple Watch Series 8 was also introduced. The Series 8 stands modestly in the background as the Ultra model steals the show as the newest and shiniest product. The Apple Watch Series 8 has played it safe this year by offering a comparable design to its predecessor and the same technology, just like the iPhone 14 did when compared to the iPhone 14 Pro.
However, does that imply that it is a model to ignore? Or is the Apple Watch Series 8 a fantastic update for people who currently own an older edition of the Apple Watch and the ideal entry point for those who want to enter Apple’s smartwatch ecosystem? Here is our review.
Contents
Apple Watch Series 8: Design
The Apple Watch Series 8 might easily be mistaken for the Apple Watch Series 7. The Watch Series 8 adopts the same design as its predecessors, unlike the Watch Ultra, which can be easily distinguished from its siblings. If something isn’t broken, why fix it? It’s not a negative thing that the Apple Watch design has remained largely the same since the initial model debuted in 2015. A rectangular face with rounded edges and rounded corners provide a gentle and welcoming look without any sharp angles. Would flat edges like the rest of Apple’s most recent devices have been preferable? Yes, but primarily to make a small modification.
Though it’s not a major surprise that the Apple Watch design has remained the same, it does function effectively as it is. The Series 8 is equally as pleasant to wear as the Series 7 and is light enough not to be a major distraction, even while sleeping. As you might anticipate, aluminum variants are lighter than stainless steel models, although stainless steel models do have a more upscale appearance, particularly in the case of the Hermès edition.
A speaker is located on the left edge, while the right edge has the Digital Crown, which has an electrical heart rate sensor, and a button that are both simples
to operate. On the Watch Series 8, there isn’t an additional programmable Action button as there is on the Watch Ultra, which is unfortunate because we’d want to have seen that to be able to rapidly start an exercise or halt a workout when we have damp hands, for example. An optical heart rate sensor, a number of additional sensors, and buttons for quickly removing the Watch straps are all located on the underside of the case.
Though it’s not a major surprise that the Apple Watch design has remained the same, it does function effectively as it is. The Series 8 is equally as pleasant to wear as the Series 7 and is light enough not to be a major distraction, even while sleeping. As you might anticipate, aluminum variants are lighter than stainless steel models, although stainless steel models do have a more upscale appearance, particularly in the case of the Hermès edition.
Apple Watch Series 8: Display
Similar to the Series 7 model, the Apple Watch Series 8’s display is located on top of the device’s case, maximizing the available space. The Series 7 added 20% more display space to the Series 6 display, however the Series 8 makes no more additions. With 1.7mm borders and a resolution of 484 x 396 pixels on the 45mm model and 430 × 352 pixels on the smaller size, the Series 8 provides the same display as the Series 7.
The display has great bold colors and deep blacks, and it has a respectable brightness of 1000 nits. Throughout our trial time, we haven’t had trouble seeing the Series 8’s display in bright situations, and the general viewing experience is excellent, especially on the bigger 45mm model, which provides a tiny bit more information than the 41mm model.
The Series 8 differs from the Apple Watch SE by having an Always-on Retina display, just as the Series 7. It implies that you can always view crucial information in a condensed style, such as the time and your Activity Rings, for instance. It’s a nice-to-have feature rather than a necessary one, but it’s useful if you don’t want a black rectangle on your wrist while your Apple Watch isn’t in use. Additionally, once you have it, you’ll find it difficult to give it up.
Apple Watch Series 8 health and activity
In 2022, the market for fitness and health trackers will be quite congested. The variety of devices to track your daily activity, including Fitbit, Garmin, Oura, Amazon Halo, Whoop, and Amazfit, can often feel overwhelming. Despite all of that, Apple has done a fantastic job of making the health and activity suite for the Apple Watch feel at once approachable, natural, and thorough.
Your activity rings, notably your Move, Exercise, and Stand rings, are the center of your Apple Watch Series 8’s activity tracking system. Each one motivates you to burn calories, exercise for a certain number of minutes, and stand up frequently during the day. One of the most well-known activity metrics available, “closing your rings” every day has become something of a cultural phenomenon.
Apple Watch Series 8: Performance And Battery Life
The Apple S8 is a brand-new CPU for the Apple Watch. It can be found in every watch this year. According to some estimations, it may not be significantly faster than Series 7, but the fact that this chip is in the larger, more demanding Ultra suggests it will likely be more than capable of handling Series 8. It is, too.
The days of Watch apps opening slowly are long gone. When you’re outside, the Watch immediately identifies the GPS signal, which is crucial if you’re planning to run. Certain wearables make you wait. The processor in this place is quick enough to guarantee that the Series 8 will always be responsive.
But there’s more to it than that. You might want to wear the Apple Watch all night long now that it can track your sleep. To track sleep, you need 30% battery life, and the Watch may ask you to recharge it briefly before bed if that is necessary.
Naturally, this implies that you might not charge the Watch until the morning, in which case quicker charging is preferable. Fast charging is available for both the Series 8 and Watch Ultra. The Series 8 recharges from flat to 80% in one hour, which is a major improvement over the Watch SE’s recharge period of 90 minutes.
Conclusion
Even if there aren’t many significant improvements between the Apple Watch Series 8 and the Watch Series 7, there are still many positive things to say about this wearable. No, it might not be worth it this time around if you’re thinking about upgrading from the Series 7 unless you truly want the body temperature sensor, international roaming, or automobile crash detection. But for those who have a Series 6 or earlier, the Watch Series 8 is a terrific upgrade, and for those who are brand-new to the Apple Watch universe and have decided the Watch SE isn’t enough, the Watch Series 8 is a great place to start.
READ MORE
