The Complete Guide to Choosing the Right Apple Watch for Free
If you’re buying a gift for someone from an iPhone, chances are they have an Apple Watch listed (if they don’t already have one). Apple Watch is the most popular smartwatch in the world ; The only problem is that there are quite a few of them to choose from. Between episodes 3, 7, SE and others, how do you know which one to buy for this holiday season?
Before we get into the watch itself, let’s talk a little about some of the features of the Apple Watch. While other Apple products have their own variations, the Apple Watch is a little more complex:
GPS vs GPS + Cellular
Many Apple Watch models come in two versions; GPS and GPS + cellular communication. The only difference here is that the latter allows you to subscribe to a cellular data plan for your Apple Watch if you so desire. This is definitely important as you cannot add cellular to an Apple Watch with GPS. If you know that the person you are buying the watch for wants this cellular connection, you will need to buy this particular model for a small additional cost.
Apple Watch dimensions
All Apple Watches also come in two sizes. These specific dimensions depend on the watch model, but you can think of them as “small” and “large”. It can be tricky to know which watch is best for the person you’re buying for, but it’s helpful to know which watch they already like to wear (if they usually wear a small watch, then a smaller Apple Watch is probably best for them.) …
Materials for Apple Watch
Not all Apple watches are made the same. The cheapest Apple Watch is made of aluminum and is the most common model you’ll see. Of the three Apple Watch models that Apple currently sells, two are exclusively aluminum (Series 3 and SE).
However, Apple’s core Apple Watch lineup always comes in three flavors; the aforementioned aluminum, stainless steel and titanium. Stainless steel is the second most expensive (Series 7 stainless steel starts at $ 749), while titanium is the most expensive (Series 7 titanium starts at $ 849). These materials not only look better, but are also more durable; The stainless steel and titanium variants have a tougher glass on the display, resulting in fewer scratches over time.
However, the price difference is large, so you need to weigh whether the premium builds are worth it.
Apple Watch Studio
Traditionally, Apple has sold the Apple Watch as a one-stop-shop; this meant that watches of certain colors were tied to certain colored watch straps, and you bought what Apple offered. It wasn’t perfect, and the watch selection on Apple’s website was confusing.
While this is still the case, Apple now lets you “create” your own Apple Watch using a feature called Apple Watch Studio . If you’re looking to buy an Apple Watch through Apple, this is the best option. After reading our article and identifying the Apple Watch you want to buy for the holidays, you can select it here and then start choosing things like size, case, and band.
Instead of sailing through a sea of different colors, straps, and prices, you can now see exactly how much your specific Apple Watch is worth. If the end result turns out to be more expensive than you thought, you can mix and match options to see what brings down the cost. Again, use this feature if you know which Apple Watch you want to buy, if you intend to buy through Apple. The nightmare of buying an Apple Watch from your regular Apple store isn’t worth it.
Now let’s move on to the watch itself, starting with:
Apple Watch Series 3
If you’re buying an Apple Watch for someone who has never had one before, you might be tempted by Apple’s most affordable option. After all, the watch starts at just $ 199 for the 38mm and $ 229 for the 42mm, and with the Black Friday discounts, you might find the Series 3 really bargain; Why spend extra money on the trendier and more expensive Apple Watch when you don’t even know how your recipient will like it? The Series 3 is definitely the best watch for beginners and bargainers, right?
Without mistakes. Sorry. Nope.
Almost every Apple product now has a “budget” device that offers good value for money. The iPhone SE is probably good enough for the average user, at half the price of the iPhone 13; iPad (9th generation) only costs $ 329, but will work for most people even the MacBook Air, while not cheap , offers most people the computing power they need at a great price for performance.
However, Apple Watch Series 3 is not one of those devices. Instead, they are more of a motivator for buying the next watch. Series 3 launched in 2017, making it the oldest Apple Watch the company has ever sold. Smartwatches four years ago will have a hard time keeping up with them in 2021, but performance isn’t the main issue here. Sure, the Series 3 will be a lot slower than the latest and greatest Apple, but it actually holds up quite well considering its age.
The Series 3 has two major drawbacks; The first, undoubtedly the worst, concerns updates. Miraculously, Series 3 still supports the latest watchOS, albeit without some features. However, the Series 3 update is a nightmare. Since the storage space on the watch is so limited, you have to completely wash the watch every time you want to update.
This is a huge pain that no other supported Apple product has. Before you had to wash your watch to upgrade, the Series 3 was arguably a good newbie watch. Now I really can’t recommend it.
Second knock? It only takes $ 80 to upgrade to the next watch. Of course, this can be quite a large amount, but that $ 80 makes a huge difference. I can’t stop you from buying Series 3, but I can beg you not to. Hell, if you’re using Apple Watch Studio, Series 3 isn’t an option. Even Apple knows it shouldn’t sell you one of these things.
Apple Watch SE
The Apple Watch SE has the perfect name and should be Apple’s most affordable wearable device. With a starting price of $ 279 for the 40mm and $ 309 for the 44mm, that’s $ 80 more than the Series 3, but worth every penny. The watch comes with large screens in almost the same form factor; Comes with more advanced watch features such as an updated heart sensor, fall detection, compass, always-on altimeter and support for family settings; And believe it or not, you don’t have to wash your watch every time you want to update it.
In addition, you get a dual-core S5 SiP, which offers significant performance improvements over the dual-core S3 SiP in Series 3, allowing you to speed up almost all processes. Apple claims the S5 SiP is almost twice as fast as the S3 SiP.
You also have the option of choosing the Apple Watch SE Nike; This watch is almost identical to the standard SE but comes with a variety of Nike straps as well as Nike-exclusive watch faces.
Like the iPad 9, iPhone SE, or MacBook Air, the Apple Watch SE will suit most people. It gives you almost everything you could need in an iPhone companion at a great price. If you are eyeing the Series 3, we strongly recommend that you consider the SE.
Apple Watch Series 7
Apple Watch Series 7 is the latest version of Apple’s smartwatch. It is also the most prestigious device, offering the most features and the most aesthetics of any SE or Series 3. But is the person you buy the device looking for all this “watch”? Let’s see.
Series 7 starts at $ 399 (41mm) or $ 429 (45mm). These displays are 1mm larger than the SE, which doesn’t seem like a lot on paper. The big difference, however, is the Series 7 display design , which pushes the display even closer to the edges than the SE. Apple claims you have 20% more screen real estate than the SE. You may not notice the difference individually, but when you put the watch together, you will feel the Series 7 looks a little more modern. This display is also 70% brighter indoors, according to Apple.
What Series 7 can give you compared to SE is a blood oxygen sensor that many of us have monitored throughout COVID; an ECG sensor that allows you to check your heart for signs of A-fibrillation; Apple’s third-generation heart sensor dual-core S7 SiP chip, which is up to 20% faster than SE chip; and faster charging, up to 33% faster than SE.
The Series 7 comes standard in aluminum, as well as stainless steel and titanium at the higher price tag we talked about earlier. You can also opt for the aluminum variant of Nike, just like the SE, but Apple also offers a special Hermès variant that includes a stainless steel watch with many lovely leather straps. The Hermes Series 7 is priced between $ 1,349 and $ 1,499, so this is by no means a budget option.
Here’s what Apple is ready to sell you. However, if you venture outside the Apple Stores, you will see that you have other Apple Watch options.
Apple Watch Series 6
If you’re wondering why you don’t see the Series 6 on Apple’s website, it’s because the company discontinued the watch after the Series 7 was released. Which is a bummer! Depending on where you find them, Series 6 might be your best bet, especially if you’re looking for the GPS + Cellular option.
On Amazon, Series 6 aluminum watches are priced between $ 385 and $ 420. For the price (or just below the price) of the Series 7 GPS, you can get the Series 6 with cellular connectivity. But what would you give up?
Series 7 exclusive features include its slightly larger and brighter display, blood oxygen sensor, increased durability (at least according to Apple) and fast charging. If you think your recipient can live without these features, the Series 6 might be a winner here. It has all the other features of the Series 7, but since this is a “discontinued model,” you can find a lot on it.
Previous Apple Watch
Although Apple has discontinued them, Series 4 and Series 5 are widely available as well. However, if you are looking to buy a brand new watch that has never been bought or used before, it is best to stick with Series 6 or newer. If you look at Amazon, almost all Series 4 and Series 5 are labeled “Renewed” or “Refurbished,” which indicates a product that has been in an open box, has been used, or has even been refurbished. While there is nothing wrong with that, you may be looking for something new for a holiday gift. Plus, you’ll probably find some good deals on Series 6, SE (or even Series 7) this year.
If you do find Series 4s and Series 5s in your purchases, know that they are very similar. The Series 5 now adds the standard Always On Display, which allows you to have a slim watch face always on throughout the day, plus the addition of a compass, a slightly improved ambient light sensor, and 32GB of storage.