And let’s go with another ‘gadget’ from Apple. Those of Cupertino put on their boots in September presenting devices. One of these was the new generation of Apple Watch , a best-selling smartwatch that has so far given the company much joy in terms of market penetration.
The ‘so far’ does not imply that users will not like this new Series 8. Quite the opposite: it’s a top-of-the-range smartwatch that will leave you speechless… if you haven’t worn its predecessor on your wrist before . The new Apple Watch brings almost nothing new, and while it’s still a great device, it’s not worth upgrading if you already had the previous generation. I tell you everything in this analysis.
The Apple Watch Series 8 is available in a 41 or 45-millimeter case.
- Presentation year: 2022
- Variants: GPS + Cellular or GPS
- GPS + Cellular version finishes: aluminum (midnight, stellar white, silver or red) and stainless steel (graphite, silver or gold)
- GPS version finishes: aluminum (midnight, stellar white, silver or red) and stainless steel (silver and space black)
- 41mm model dimensions: 41mm high, 35mm wide and 10.7mm thick
- 45mm model dimensions: 45mm high, 38mm wide and 10.7mm thick
- Weight of the 41 mm model: aluminum version GPS + Cellular 32.2 g, aluminum version GPS 31.9 g and stainless steel version GPS + Cellular 42.3 g
- Weight of the 41 mm model: aluminum version GPS + Cellular 39.1 g, aluminum version GPS 38.8 g and stainless steel version GPS + Cellular 51.5 g
- Functionalities: GPS (L1), GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou, compass, always-on altimeter, blood oxygen sensor, electrical heart rate sensor, 3rd generation optical heart rate sensor, SOS Emergency function, emergency calls abroad, Fall Detection and Shock Detection function (accelerometer up to 256 G-forces), high dynamic range gyroscope and ambient light sensor
- Speaker: yes
- Microphone: yes
- Able to receive calls: yes
- Apple Pay: yes
- Resistance: waterproof up to 50 meters and IP6X certified for dust resistance
- Capacity: 32GB
- Materials: sapphire crystal and ceramic back cover
- Display: Always-on Retina OLED LTPO with up to 1,000 nits of brightness
- Screen size: 45 mm or 41 mm
- Screen resolution: 396 x 484 pixels for 45mm and 352 x 430 pixels for 41mm
- Processors: S8 chip with 64-bit dual-core processor, W3 (Apple Wireless Chip) and U1 Chip (Ultra Wideband)
- Connectivity: LTE and UMTS (GPS + Cellular model), Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and Bluetooth 5.3
- Battery: integrated rechargeable lithium-ion with up to 18 hours of autonomy and up to 36 hours in low consumption mode
- Charging: fast magnetic charging cable with USB-C connector
- Price: 499 euros
The design of the Apple Watch Series 8 is completely identical to the previous model . In fact, I have tried the same configuration that I had last year -we remember that the materials of the case and the types of straps are determined by your choice-.
As you know, you can choose between a size of 41 or 45 millimeters , between the GPS + Cellular version and the GPS -only version , and between two materials: aluminum and stainless steel .
Colors vary depending on the model you select. If you choose the aluminum case, both in the GPS + Cellular version and in the GPS-only version you have four colors available: midnight, stellar white, silver or red . If you choose the stainless steel case, in the GPS + Cellular version there is graphite, silver or gold and in the GPS-only version silver and space black .
The world of straps is vast and it’s hard to think that you won’t find one that fits you : sports, braided, leather, with a buckle, ‘loop’ type -without ties-, brand name… you can configure it in many materials, formats and colors. The same with the spheres, that there are dozens to choose from.
I have tried the Sport Band in starry white.
This watch maintains the classic crown and button to control and manage apps , in addition to, obviously, the touch screen functions. The three things have a very correct sensitivity.
I run the 41mm GPS + Cellular version in stellar white with the Sport Band also in stellar white. I really like it that way and I find it very elegant. Needless to say, it is very comfortable and very light , you hardly notice that you are wearing it, and although the strap is light, it is not dirty at all.
As for durability, it can be submerged up to 50 meters -which I have not tested- and has an IP6X dust resistance rating. In the end, in my previous experience, what you realize is that, if you do not wear some type of protector, the glass ends up scratching with use and the passage of time, even if you are very careful. The box, on the other hand, is still like new . The front includes “a hard shock-resistant front glass,” they say from Apple, which gives some peace of mind when you wear a wearable of this price on your wrist.
Internal technology: made to fly
I repeat myself again: there are not many changes as far as the internal part is concerned. It is true that the chip changes -S7 in the Apple Watch Series 7 and S8 in the Apple Watch Series 8, both with two cores-, but you probably won’t notice the difference in your day to day . Of course, it works super well and the fluidity and response are perfect.
The Apple Watch Series 8 features the new WatchOS 9 operating system , which brings with it many new features dedicated to training and health monitoring , as well as a new set of custom screens and extra features. However, the Series 7 will also receive the update, so we would have the same.
The autonomy of the Apple Watch has always been the pending issue , and in this generation this does not change. We have an integrated rechargeable lithium-ion battery that offers us up to 18 hours of autonomy, according to the company.
