by The Apple Watch Series 8 may be Apple’s latest smartwatch, but its unveiling was somewhat overshadowed by the Apple Watch Ultra. With Black Friday fast approaching and last year’s watch on sale, the new features in the Watch 8 make it worth buying over time Apple Watch Series 7?
Since the Watch series 6, we had hoped for a design refresh on the Apple Watch, but Apple has left the core aesthetic largely unchanged. The biggest improvement is expanding the screen a bit towards the corners. This means that at first glance there is little difference between the Apple Watch Series 8 and the Series 7 or even the Series 6.
Still, it’s what’s inside that counts, and the Apple Watch remains by far the most capable wearable fitness tracker/smartwatch. That’s because it is so deeply connected to the iPhone’s iOS operating system. It also runs its own version of the App Store, so many of your apps will immediately appear on the Watch when it’s plugged in.
Since there’s very little difference between the Series 7 and Series 8 models, it’s easy to determine which side you’ll end up on with slim margins.
For example, if you want to track menstrual cycles, the Apple Watch Series 8 is the way to go, as it adds a Cycle Tracking feature. The Series 8 has a new temperature sensor that helps you understand how temperature variations are related to ovulation, what it means if the temperature is different from your baseline, and how to use this health metric when trying to conceive.
The Apple Watch Series 8 also has a feature you’ll hopefully never use: Crash Detection. With more advanced gyroscopes and accelerometers, the Apple Watch Series 8 can determine when the wearer has been in a car accident, even collecting air pressure data that suggests when an airbag has deployed. He can then contact the emergency services. It’s a nice addition to have, even if you hope you never need it.
The Apple Watch Series 8 is not much more expensive
However, other than these two main features, the Apple Watch Series 8 remains very close to the Series 7 in terms of overall functionality. There is no major leap in battery life, and all watchOS 9 features are available on both models. That means things like the new “Low Power Mode” are ubiquitous in both.
As you might have guessed, picking up a Series 7 or Series 8 can be more of a numbers game than anything else, and Apple no longer ships the Series 7 on its own site. Fortunately, there are a handful Black Friday deals there, so you can still get one for a good price.
Amazon is currently offering the smaller size, 41mm, for $299.99 as part of its “refreshed” range, but you can also get the 45mm size for $369.99 (opens in new tab)or as low as $349 (opens in new tab) if you like the Product Red colorway.
And yet it’s not that cheap, especially when you can pick up a brand new Series 8 for just $30 more from Apple (opens in new tab). In fact, the Apple Watch Series 8 is down to $379 in a current sale at Amazon (opens in new tab)making it an easy pick-me-up over its aging sibling – even with only two major new features.
Consider the trade-in value
A final consideration is trade value. Just as you can trade in your old phone when you buy a new one, you should also plan to trade in your old watch for a new one. Apple fans know that Apple devices are worth more than other manufacturers. Spending a little more money on a watch now will equate to more trade value later.
While there’s only a slight difference in features to help you choose between the Apple Watch Series 7 and Watch Series 8, the same can be said about the price difference at the moment. With that in mind, we recommend spending the extra $30 if you can. Not only do you get some smart new features, but you also give yourself a better chance of selling the Apple Watch for more later on.
