If yesterday was the day dedicated to the first international reviews of the iPhone 14 and its Pro and Pro Max variants , today the press focuses on another of the news announced last week in Cupertino : Apple Watch Series 8 . The smartwatch represents an update of the previous version, certainly not a revolution – that’s why the Ultra model took care of it – but it remains a complete and increasingly refined product even in the functions it offers.
The reviews also talk about Apple Watch SE 2, an unprecedented version of the Apple smartwatch entry proposal which – this time yes – is significantly improved compared to the first generation.
Apple Watch Series 8 official, with SE and Ultra: the smartwatch becomes three | Prices
Apple Watch Series 8 official, with SE and Ultra: the smartwatch becomes three | Prices 258
Apple 07 Sep
Apple Watch Ultra vs Series 8: Batteries Compared
Apple Watch Ultra vs Series 8: Batteries Compared 72
Apple 13 Sep
APPLE WATCH SERIES 8
Continuous improvement , says The Verge in its test. There is a lot of difference between Series 4 and Series 8 , but if you go and see the improvements between one series and another – Series 4 vs 5, Series 5 vs 6, Series 6 vs 7, Series 7 vs 8 – all this there is no difference. And with the arrival of Apple Watch Ultra it turned out that Apple Watch 8 became the middle proposal, not the top one anymore.
Engadget shares the same idea , calling him ” the middle child of the 2022 lineup “. Perhaps the Ultra will be awaited with more impatience, we need to understand how the 8 will be received by the public. Certainly it will be appreciated by those who have an older Apple Watch , prior to Series 7. Improvements in stages also for CNET , which focuses on the differentiation of the offer which for the first time, perhaps, is well articulated by covering different types of demand.
Nothing new for Tom’s Guide , ” and that’s okay “, since as MobileSyrup says it remains the best smartwatch around . And again: ” the same but different “, admits Pocket Lint . All the reviewers are of the same mind, in short: Apple Watch 8 has not changed, it has only been perfected . And this, it seems, is good. The only “problem”: if until yesterday the choice was obligatory, today it is more ” complicated ” as The Wall Street Journal says .
Everyone agrees that Apple Watch 8 is an excellent smartwatch, now enriched with features such as skin temperature detection (better: its variations, measured during sleep) and accidents. With the S8 chip little changes compared to S7 and S6 (many agree on this even in practice, beyond the mere technical aspect), so let’s not expect big performance improvements . Much of the Apple Watch 8 is focused on safety and health, with sleep tracking seemingly improved, while battery life seems to be the same all the time .
What makes Watch 8 interesting is the software with all the functions made available by it. The credit therefore goes to watchOS 9 , and from here we deduce that for most of the news you can still rely on a previous generation Apple Watch, or maybe the new SE 2. It is certain that Apple has paid particular attention to all of them. those functions that save lives, as TechCrunch points out : a peculiarity of this new generation. Also interesting is the Low Power Mode , on which the WSJ focuses: thanks to this it is possible to extend the battery life.
So what is it that makes Apple Watch 8 better than 7? Tom’s Guide sums it up like this: the temperature sensor, the accident detection function and the low power mode . For the rest it changes little, including design.
APPLE WATCH SE 2
Waiting for the reviews of the Ultra – probably the most awaited in this round – we report some tests of the “cheap” Apple Watch, SE 2. It is the model that should be taken into consideration , Engadget admits, because the quality ratio- price is excellent . Between 7, 8 and SE 2 there is not a big difference, even if on SE we do not find the always-on display, the ECG, the app for the saturation of oxygen in the blood and the sensor for measuring the temperature. of the skin. it does not have the IP6X resistance, as well as the U1 chip for ultra-wideband. Once you are aware of these shortcomings, you can make the choice because otherwise everything is almost identical.
Apple Watch SE 2 is the new entry-level smartwatch now that Apple Watch 3 has been officially removed: CNET only recriminates the absence of the AOD, otherwise everything is on board (processor same as 8, by the way) . A good choice for the WSJ too if ECG and company don’t care.
