The new Apple Watch Series 8 was just released this September, and as usual I’ve been eager to get my hands on the latest model to test it out and see how it improves upon previous versions. In this in-depth review, I’ll be going through all the key features of the Series 8 to evaluate the upgrades and help you decide if it’s worth buying.
Design and display
The Apple Watch Series 8 retains the same overall design and display size as the Series 7 from last year. It comes in 41mm and 45mm case sizes, with minimal bezels around the display.
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The display on the Series 8 is an always-on LTPO OLED that is extremely responsive and bright, with excellent visibility even outdoors in sunlight. The resolution remains 396 x 484 pixels on the 45mm model I tested.
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The design continues the rounded square shape and digital crown we’re used to, but the back crystal is now flat instead of curved. The build quality feels very premium.
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You can choose between aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium casing materials. I appreciate the lightweight feel of the aluminum model I’m reviewing.
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Overall, there are no major design changes this year, but the Apple Watch still has in my opinion the most attractive and premium smartwatch design on the market.
Health and fitness tracking
Health and activity tracking are core focuses of the Apple Watch, and the Series 8 brings some key upgrades in this department.
Sensors
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The optical heart rate sensor has been upgraded this year for better accuracy during intense workouts. There’s also a new temperature sensor for tracking ovulation cycles and detecting fevers.
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The Apple Watch can now detect if you get into a car crash and automatically call emergency services if you’re unresponsive, thanks to new accelerometers able to detect extreme G-forces and barometric pressure changes. This is a potentially life-saving feature.
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Overall, the sensor upgrades this year are meaningful and showcase Apple’s leadership in wearable health tech. The temperature sensor, car crash detection, and improved heart rate monitoring will really appeal to users focused on health.
Fitness tracking
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For fitness tracking, the Apple Watch monitors metrics like steps, distance, calories, heart rate, and now also running power.
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There are built-in Workout apps for popular activities like running, cycling, yoga, hiking, and swimming. The watch auto-detects many workouts and you can customize metrics displayed.
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The watchOS 9 update brings new running metrics like stride length, ground contact time, and vertical oscillation to the Workout app. There are also new triathlon and multisport modes.
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Overall, the Apple Watch offers extremely robust and motivating fitness tracking. The Series 8 builds on this core strength with better accuracy, more metrics, and improved software. It’s the best Apple Watch yet for fitness buffs.
Smartwatch features
Beyond health and fitness, the Apple Watch is of course a highly capable smartwatch for notifications, apps, payments, and more. Here’s an overview of the key features:
Notifications and calling
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You can receive notifications for texts, calls, emails, and apps right on your wrist. There are ample customization options for controlling which apps can send notifications.
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The Series 8 supports taking calls directly on the watch via the built-in speaker and microphone. Call quality is impressive and the watch works independently from your iPhone over LTE.
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Overall the Apple Watch is excellent for notifications and quick interactions. The large, bright display makes notifications very readable.
Apps and payments
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There are thousands of apps available for the Apple Watch, including navigation, music, social media, news, games, and more. Apple still doesn’t allow third-party watch faces though.
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The Series 8 utilizes the Apple Watch Wallet for contactless payments through Apple Pay. This is very convenient for payments on the go.
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Performance is snappy thanks to the new S8 SiP chip. Apps launch quickly and interactions are smooth. There’s also 32GB of storage for music, apps, and more.
Battery life
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Apple claims 18 hours of battery life on the Series 8, which is quite standard for a full-featured smartwatch like this.
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I found I could get through a full day with around 40% left, or nearly 1.5 days total before needing to charge. This is with continuous heart rate monitoring and notifications enabled.
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There are new low power modes that can further extend battery life by disabling certain features. This allows the watch to last around 36 hours in the first low power mode.
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Overall battery life remains roughly the same as Series 7. 1.5 days is decent but I wish it could last 2 full days. The new low power modes help improve longevity when needed.
Verdict
So in summary, the Apple Watch Series 8 represents an iterative upgrade over previous versions, with the headline additions being the temperature sensor, car crash detection, and improved workout tracking. It retains everything we love about the Apple Watch like the gorgeous design, responsive performance, seamless iPhone integration, and excellent fitness/health features.
For existing Apple Watch owners, the Series 8 alone may not be worth upgrading from a recent model like Series 6 or 7. But for first-time buyers or those with older models, the Series 8 offers the best Apple Watch experience yet and is well worth considering, especially if the new health sensors appeal to you. Overall it remains my top smartwatch recommendation thanks to its balance of fitness tracking, notifications, apps, design, and iOS ecosystem integration.
