At its Far Out event a few weeks ago, the Cupertino company unveiled a wide range of Apple Watch models. Interestingly, we received a low-cost SE 2 model and a brand-new Ultra variant geared toward extreme athletes. Even though I’ve declared the Apple Watch Series 8 the most user-friendly model, I still purchased the Series 7. You must now ask yourself, “Why would a technophile who enjoys owning the newest and greatest Apple products choose to buy an older product when a newer model exists?” Time to unpack!
Time for a story: the first beat on my wrist
Do you want to go back to Christmas 2018? We will. Apple had just unveiled the Series 4 model at the time. I was still a student at the time and had financial difficulties. It was, therefore, impossible for me to pair my iPhone 6S with an Apple Watch. That is, up until I inadvertently took part in a national giveaway. One of the three fortunate winners of the Apple Watch Series 4 Nike Edition was me.
When I started the pairing process, I fell in love with it. It went smoothly. Two products that are perfectly compatible with one another. Though I usually like to keep my wrists free, the Series 4 quickly won me after a few days of use. The pineapple on my tasteless pizza became the Apple Watch. A flavorful addition that significantly alters the outcome. But regrettably, most joyful times come to an end. After using the little guy for a month, I had to say goodbye because I was short on money. I did only use that unit for a month before selling it. That much is true. It did, however, leave a somewhat permanent mark on the heart that it had constantly been watching.
Apple Watch Series 7: Success on the third try
Rewind to the previous week. I’m deliberating which Apple Watch to purchase while seated in front of my MacBook. The Series 7, Series 8, SE 2, and Ultra were my other two choices. Since I upgraded from the original SE in order to get AOD support, SE 2 was out of the question. The Ultra, meanwhile, is too big for my wrist. Not to mention the fact that I am in no way an extreme athlete of any kind who would require the arguably abhorrent rugged design. I was left with the choice between the Series 7 and Series 8 of the Apple Watch.
The second set of hands on my arm is an Apple Watch SE
I graduated from university in 2020, about two years later, and made the decision to reward myself. Coincidentally, the Cupertino tyrant had just unveiled the SE model of the first Apple Watch that was reasonably priced. It made more sense to prefer this model over the Series 6 it accompanied as a recent graduate. The majority of the features I’d anticipate from an Apple Watch were present, despite the fact that it lacked the ECG monitor I had on the Series 4 and AOD support. I was able to track my fitness and activity by taking advantage of the close ecosystem connections.
I started getting irritated with the Apple Watch SE’s battery life a few weeks ago. After all, I have used it every day since it was introduced in 2020. I made the decision to hold off on purchasing the most recent model with Always-On Display support until the September event. AOD was the main factor that prompted me to buy a new model next to the battery. As soon as Apple releases the Series 8, Mahmoud decides to purchase the Series 7 instead. Why?!
Features
I criticized the iPhone manufacturer last year for promoting the Apple Watch Series 7 with software exclusivities. Despite the fact that the new features were functionally compatible with older models, the company didn’t include them. Except for the new hardware, Apple abandoned this strategy this year and omitted any Series 8 exclusives. Therefore, if you purchase the Series 7 today, all you will be missing are the new health monitors and sensors that will be included in the 2022 model.
Crash detection, body temperature monitoring, and Bluetooth 5.3 are arguably the three main differences between the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8. If I can’t just walk to my destination, I prefer public transportation over driving myself around. Therefore, if I’m in a car, it’s probably crowded. There are consequently many people nearby who can handle calling emergency services in the event of a crash if I am unable to do so for whatever reason. Not to mention that I want to purchase an iPhone 14 Pro, so I’ll already be carrying a crash-detecting device.
Apple is currently only allowing the body temperature monitor to track non-male reproductive health. This temperature monitor does not help me in any way because I am a man. Finally, Bluetooth 5.3 is indeed more effective than 5.0. I probably won’t notice the difference, and it’s not worth an extra $100, either.
Design
The only visual difference between the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8 is some minor hardware upgrades. Literally, it’s impossible to distinguish them without looking at the engraved model name. Both watches offer the exact same Midnight color, which I always choose when choosing a finish. Additionally, neither of them provides exclusive watch faces. I will therefore receive the actual same watch for $100 less without the aforementioned unnecessary (for me) sensors. The support for the two models will probably last for the same number of years. This is due to the fact that the S7 and S8 chips, which power each one, have the same CPU. Both models are modern and adaptable in the end. In fact, I’ll probably upgrade once more before they stop supporting watchOS.
I finally feel like I have the whole wearable experience with the Apple Watch Series 7. My old SE looks dated in comparison because of the more comprehensive screen, smaller bezels, and AOD support. And now that I have my ECG back, I can start scans whenever my psychosomatic symptoms suggest that I have a heart condition. Not to mention the support for fast charging that I had been deprived of.
I don’t anticipate upgrading my Apple Watch again until the company makes significant advancements. These might include a completely new chassis, some enhanced hardware features, or standout health monitors. I’m content with my brand-new Series 7 for the time being and am sure that it was the better purchase for me specifically.
Pricing
There is a specific exception in my case, so let me start with the pricing motivator. The Series 7 won’t be a wise purchase at this point if it costs the same as the Series 8, of course. Though, in my specific situation, things are different. On the website of an authorized retailer in my nation, I discovered a time-limited Series 7 offer. There was a roughly $100 price difference between the two models. I could therefore save a fair amount of money by opting for the model that is a year old. I would have been willing to pay a higher price if the Series 8 had made significant changes. Nevertheless, it doesn’t. This leads me to my second point of contention.