Thursday, March 28

Apple Watch Series 8 vs. Apple Watch Series 7 | Digital Trends Spanish


This year’s Apple Watch Series 8 and 2021’s Apple Watch Series 7 are strikingly similar, both offering a wide range of apps and functionality that far outstrips any competing smartwatch brand. The biggest differences between the Watch 7 and Watch 8 are some high-level health and safety features that Apple has added to the newer model.

In 2022, instead of piling on a series of special features and updates for its general audience of iPhone users, Apple opted to target high-end sports fans with its new Apple Watch Ultra, designed especially for adventure lovers. For the rest, Apple has made a much easier decision with the mid-tier Apple Watch 8. Below, we compare and contrast the new Apple Watch Series 8 with the Apple Watch Series 7 to clearly establish what has changed and what has stayed the same.

specs

Apple Watch Series 8
Apple Watch Series 7
Screen Size 41mm: 1.53 inches

45mm: 1.78 inches

41mm: 1.53 inches

45mm: 1.78 inches

box size 41mm

45mm

41mm

45mm

resolution in pixels 41mm: 352 x 430 pixels

45mm: 396 x 484 pixels

41mm: 352 x 430 pixels

45mm: 396 x 484 pixels

Touch screen 41mm: LTPO OLED Retina

45mm: Always-on LTPO OLED Retina

41mm: LTPO OLED Retina

45mm: Always-on LTPO OLED Retina

Storage 32GB 32GB
wireless-interface Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, NFC, LTE Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, NFC, LTE
Width 0.41 inch / 10.5mm 0.41 inch / 10.5mm
blood oxygen sensor
Yes Yes
accelerometer Yes Yes
Gyroscope Yes Yes
ambient light sensor Yes Yes
heart rate sensor Yes Yes
Barometer Yes Yes
gps Yes Yes
Compass Yes Yes
water/dust resistance IP6X IP6X
battery life Up to 18 hours (36 hours in Low Power Mode) Up to 18 hours (36 hours in Low Power Mode with WatchOS 9)
Price From $399 From $399
Availability Manzana amazon, Walmart

Design and display

Manzana

At first glance, it’s pretty hard to tell the difference between the 2021 Apple Watch Series 7 and the new Apple Watch Series 8. They both have the same design, dimensions, and weight, and are available with the same 41mm and 45mm cases. There are some subtle differences in colors and finishes. The Apple Watch Series 8 comes only in aluminum and stainless steel, while the Series 7 offered a titanium option that now appears to be reserved exclusively for the Apple Watch Ultra.

Both versions have the same color options for the stainless steel models (silver, gold, graphite, and space black), although the Series 7 has more color options on the aluminum models, including blue, green, red, star light Y midnight. The Series 8 removed the green and blue hues, but added silver and kept the red colors, star light Y midnight.

The 41mm Apple Watch Series 8 features an always-on LTPO Retina OLED display with a resolution of 352 x 430 pixels, while the 45mm model’s resolution is 396 x 484 pixels, identical to previous models. The aluminum model’s screen is covered by Ion-X front glass, while the premium stainless steel model has a stronger sapphire crystal cover. The screen can reach a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits, while the storage capacity is 32GB, both of which are the same as the Apple Watch Series 7. New faces for the Series 8 include Lunar, Astronomy, Modular and Metropolitan.

There is very little difference here. Nothing that really tips the scales.

Winner: Tie

Performance, battery life and charging

Manzana

The Apple Watch Series 8 features a new dual-core S8 chip that is reportedly 20% faster than the previous generation S7 chip. The connectivity of the new series includes LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless pairing with other devices, just like its predecessor. The new watch’s battery should last around 18 hours on a single charge, identical to the previous watch series.

Apple Watch Series 8’s new Low Power Mode allows the watch to run for up to 36 hours on a single charge. That’s twice the nominal battery life of 18 hours. You can do this because Low Power Mode disables some services and features, such as the Always-On Retina display, automatic start of exercises, and heart health notifications, while keeping most operations in normal mode. Both watches support magnetic wireless charging, and a full charge – from zero to 100% – takes an hour.

Winner: Apple Watch Series 8

Health and fitness tracking features

Manzana

Apple introduced two new sensors for Apple Watch 8: a new skin temperature sensor – designed to detect a 0.1 degree Celsius change in temperature on your body – and an under-display sensor to measure temperature fluctuations during the watch. sleep. The Watch 8 takes your wrist temperature during sleep every five seconds, which Apple says can help you recognize illnesses early and help with ovulation tracking. It can also adjust menstrual predictions by alerting users to unexpected cycle deviations. Irregular menstrual cycles can indicate health problems, and that’s where temperature screening data can help women and families.

Other novelties included in the Series 8 are a blood oxygen sensor to measure SpO2 levels, an electrical heart sensor to measure electrocardiogram (ECG), a third-generation optical heart rate sensor for monitoring pulse sensor, an ambient light sensor, an upgraded high-G sensor, an accelerometer, and a gyroscope. These sensors are not new, but they are improved versions of features that were already present in the Apple Watch Series 7.

Winner: Apple Watch Series 8

Software and updates

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The Apple Watch Series 8 arrives with the latest operating system, WatchOS 9, which has also been available for older Apple Watch models since September 12. Mind you, some of the newer features will be restricted to iPhones updated with iOS 16 or later. The Series 8 is an update to the Series 7, so you can expect to do “more things faster” with the new model, though the speed boost may not be as noticeable, except for those who use their Apple Watch a lot for communicate, listen to music and constantly monitor your physical condition.

The updated operating system carries most of the weight, and WatchOS 9 will be available for all but the oldest Apple Watch models. The new WatchOS will introduce four new watch faces, several updates to the Workout app, improved sleep tracking, atrial fibrillation (AFib) history, and a new Medications app.

Winner: Apple Watch Series 8

Special features

Manzana

The Apple Watch Series 8, just like the Series 7, has an always-on display, drop detection, and all the watch faces you know and love. A big difference between Apple Watch 8 and its predecessors are two new and improved sensors that increase safety and peace of mind for families. A three-axis gyroscope and a G-Force accelerometer that records 3,000 samples per second can detect when you’re in a car accident. Crash detection uses sensors and features like the barometer, GPS, and microphone on your new iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro to determine the severity of the crash.

When it detects a serious crash, Apple Watch 8 automatically calls 911 for help, provides your location, and notifies your emergency contacts if you don’t respond to an onscreen notification within 10 seconds. Both versions of the watch offer a water resistance rating of up to 50 meters and IP6X dust resistance, although shock detection is what gives the Series 8 the win here.

Winner: Apple Watch Series 8

Price and availability

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The Apple Watch Series 8 is available from September 16. The base model with GPS connectivity and a 41mm case size is $399, while models with cellular connectivity start at $499. The 45mm model starts at $429, while its “cellular” sibling is $529.

For Watch Series 8 buyers, Apple is offering a free three-month subscription to Apple Fitness+, discounted from the standalone purchase price of $10 per month or $80 per year. Best Buy is also accepting pre-orders for US shoppers and offering four months of free subscriptions to Apple Fitness+ and Apple News+, plus a bonus six-month subscription to Apple Music on select models.

Apple no longer sells the Series 7 outright, though it’s still available at discounts at Amazon and Walmart.

Winner: Apple Watch Series 8

Overall Winner: Apple Watch Series 8

Manzana

The Apple Watch Series 8 is a worthy successor to the Apple Watch Series 7 because its updates are substantial and not cosmetic. For Apple Watch Series 7 owners, the Series 8 is objectively superior, but unless you really need the specific new features introduced in it, your device is still useful and beautiful, and most of the core specs remain. the same.

Get yours on Apple

Publisher Recommendations










es.digitaltrends.com