The new Apple Watch is here—on pre-order now and on sale on Friday, October 15. When it arrived, it surprised a lot of people who’d been expecting a much-rumored new design with flat edges to match the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 look. But what appeared was much more similar to last year’s model—and much better-looking than the rumors.
There are other new features, such as the promise of much greater durability as part of the modified design, much faster recharge thanks to an improved charging puck. And, above all, a display that’s almost 20% bigger than last year.
So, should you buy the Apple Watch Series 7? Or is the SE or Series 3 a better choice? I’ve been testing the new Watch for more than a week now, putting it through its paces for the authoritative review.
Apple Watch Series 7 In a Nutshell
Pros:
- Slick, bright, big display
- Subtly improved design
- Great durability
Cons:
- No new health features
- Design too similar?
Apple Watch Series 7: Technical Specifications
Case size 41mm and 45mm | Price 41mm from $399, 45mm from $449 | Processor Apple S7 | Storage: 32GB | Memory: not stated | Battery: Up to 18 hours | Dimensions: 41mm: 40.9mm H x 34.8mm W x 10.7mm D; 45mm: 45.08mm H x 38.21 W x 10.7mm D | Weight 41mm aluminum 32g, 45mm aluminum 38.8g, 41mm stainless steel 42.3g, 45mm stainless steel 51.5g, 41mm titanium 37g, 45mm titanium 45.1g
Apple Watch Series 7 Design
This wasn’t the design that was expected but if you ask me, it’s much better. A gentle evolution of Apple Watch Series 6, which itself was near-identical to Series 4 and Series 5, this is only the third design in the history of Apple Watch. So, how is it different?
Where last year’s models were sized at 40mm and 44mm—which refers to the height of the case—the new Apple Watch comes in two different sizes, 41mm and 45mm. One measly millimeter, you say; how will that make a difference? Well, the interesting thing is that while it is completely imperceptible on the wrist both in terms of size and weight, the bigger display makes for quite a difference.
The other changes in design are very subtle. The essence of design is preserved from the Series 6, but with smoother, more rounded corners that remains comfortable to the touch. The rounded corners make for a look that gently squeaks out into the corners like a paint overspill that reaches the furthest corners of the floor.
You can see the corners of the display from the most oblique of angles: Even almost side on, a twinkle of display is evident. The result is deeply effective, from a wider range of angles than before. And since this display moves more than any other, tipping as your wrist moves even slightly, that’s important.
Oh, and there are new colors this year. The five colors for the aluminum Apple Watch are: Midnight (black with a strong hint of deep indigo), Starlight (think silver with overtones of gold), Blue (a sultry shade), PRODUCT(RED) (less yellowy than last year’s) and Green.
Green is one of the hero colors this year, but it’s very subtle. In fact, in most lights you’d think you had a black Watch. But catch the light just right and you can see the deep, bottle-green hue shine out. It’s subtle but distinct—which is a good summary of this year’s design overall.
One other thing about this year’s refined design: It’s more durable than ever. The shape, combined with a thicker profile, makes for a more solid and stronger Watch. Apple says that it is up to 50% thicker than Series 6, which adds a lot more strength. But the new Watch’s display has a crystal top which is sturdier and more crack-resistant than before. If you’re active, sporty or just clumsy, this is the Apple Watch for you. As well as being water-resistant, this Watch is dust-resistant, too, with an IP6X rating, the first time an Apple timepiece has had such a rating.
One more thing: the new Apple Watch models are bigger than ever before but Apple has made sure that straps from previous models will fit this new Watch. Upgrading doesn’t mean ditching your collection of bands.
Apple Watch Series 7 Display
Ah, that display. At just one 1mm taller, you’d think there’d be no visible difference, but, oh, there really is. That’s because as well as a slightly bigger case, there are much thinner bezels around the display—40-percent thinner, in fact, which adds up to a display that’s almost a fifth bigger than on last year’s Watch.
At first, I didn’t notice any difference, but the more I looked at the Watch, the more I saw just how much bigger familiar Watch faces looked. Everything was just that little bit more legible, a touch easier on the eye.
It’s brighter, too. The always-on display that arrived with Series 5 means you can sneak a glance at your wrist and see the time discreetly, but it wasn’t always bright enough to be easily seen. Now, it is. Even without waking the screen, you can see the display clearly indoors and pretty effectively outdoors in natural light.
The Watch looks almost the same as Series 6, but there’s a big difference in the display. It’s more inviting and immersive than ever.
Apple Watch Series 7 UI And Features
To make the most of the larger display, Apple has subtly changed how things work. So, not only can it display quite a lot more text at a time, which is handy for longer texts and emails, but it’s easier to tap buttons and keys and such.
Then, there are all-new elements such as a QWERTY keyboard for text entry. I’ve tried these on other wearable devices and they stink. However, the bigger keys here and the brilliant detail that is QuickPath, where you swipe your finger along the keys and rely on word prediction, is highly effective. I found it was hard to see the message I’d just typed before I sent it, which was a pain, but otherwise this is a highly effective system.
There are no new health sensors this time around, so the enhanced user interface figures to be your main benefit for upgrading. Customization is also good as ever. New Watch faces include Contour, where the digits around the analog clock change shape and dominance according to the time. It’s the only Watch face where the red notification dot is pushed off center by the 12 at the top of the display.
World Time ambitiously shows you what the time is all around the world simultaneously and, although it occasionally seems like information overload, it’s very effective. Though my top tip is: Memorize which countries you’re going to want to know about to make it easier to read quickly.
The third new Watch face is Modular Duo which has two big information areas. I prefer an analog face so I’ve used this digital one much less, but it certainly has a lot going on. For all that, I still find Infograph the best Apple Watch face ever.
Apple Watch Series 7 Performance
The new Apple Watch comes with the S7 chip. But even Apple admits that the performance level here is akin to that on Series 6. Does this matter? Definitely not. We are so used to the idea that there must be a significant uptick in performance that we sometimes forget that the real-world experience is really what’s paramount.
This Watch is fast and responsive with no lag. Ever. And that was true on the Series 6 as well, despite having the older chipset. It’s a highly effective Watch that’s easy to use and where everything works at speed, from opening apps to launching Apple Pay,
The other main hardware upgrade, processor-wise, is the arrival of the U1 Ultra Wideband chip. We’re not sure what sort of plans Apple has for it down the line, but for now, it seems be used to turn the Watch into the car key you’re least likely to lose.
Meantime, the crowd-pleasing features of earlier Apple Watch models are all still here, such as blood oxygen monitoring from Series 6, and ECG and heart health notifications, for instance. There may not be new health metrics, but these remain key.
Apple Watch Series 7 Battery
The new Apple Watch has significantly enhanced charging capabilities, thanks to the new charging puck and USB-C cable supplied in the box. As with last year’s aluminum and stainless-steel Watches, there’s no power brick in the box, so you’ll need to bring your own. But the new puck is a third faster than Series 6, meaning that you can charge from flat to 80-percent in 45 minutes. Which means in practical terms that you need never charge your Watch overnight, just whack it on the charger first thing while you shower and breakfast, say.
And when you go to bed and want to use the Watch for sleep tracking, well, just eight minutes on the new puck delivers eight hours of sleep tracking. This is a major step forward, and you don’t need a highly powered charger to do it.
Of course, the Series 7 works on legacy pucks, and older Watches charge on the new one. But the combo of Series 7 and the new charging arrangement is unbeatable.
Should you upgrade from the Apple Watch Series 6?
In some ways, it’s tricky to answer that. Series 6 was so accomplished that you might want to wait another year before you change models. Except the new display is highly appealing and if durability is important, or the new charging features will make your life easier, then the Series 7 is a decent upgrade.
Which Apple Watch should you choose?
It’s pretty straightforward. If you want the best health sensors then you shouldn’t look anywhere except Series 7. If that’s not your focus then the Apple Watch SE could be enough. And if your budget is tight, the Apple Watch Series 3 is a great introduction to the best smartwatch in the world.
Is the Apple Watch Series 7 worth it?
Coming in at the same price as Series 6 but with significant updates, I’d say Series 7 is worth it. The screen increase may sound tiny but the more you look at it, the more intoxicating the bigger size becomes. That faster recharge is key if you like to wear your Watch at night, and overcomes all other battery issues.
And the durability, the improved interface and new elements like a QWERTY keyboard all contribute to a highly proficient and enjoyable new Watch. And that’s before we get to the cool new colors.
Apple Watch Series 6 was already leagues ahead of rival smartwatches. This update leaves the competition panting to catch up.
