Series 8 brings a few new features to keep you safe and elevate your health tracking.
With Series 7 in 2021, Apple made the bezels slimmer and made the watch’s edges more rounded.
The Series 8 carries over the same design as the Series 7.
It features the exact same screen sizes, bezels, and case sizes.
It also still uses the same bands as previous generation Apple Watches.
So if you have a collection of Apple Watch bands already, they can still be put to use.
The design still holds up well and looks good in each casing and with Apple’s bands.
That hasnt changed with the Series 8 model.
Unboxing and Setup
Both the aluminum and stainless steel Apple Watches come in a rectangular box.
The watch itself and the band are in two separate packages.
In the watch box, you get the watch, a USB-C Apple Watch charging cable, and documentation.
Setting up the Series 8 is very similar to previous Apple Watch generations.
The setup process requires an iPhone 8 or newer.
The iPhone also needs to have iOS 16 or later installed.
The process of setting up an Apple Watch is just what you could expect from Apple; simple.
The Display
The Apple Watch Series 8 comes in two display sizes; 41mm and 45mm.
When you raise your wrist, the screen will automatically illuminate the face.
The displays are edge-to-edge with minimal bezel, and can reach 1000 nits peak brightness.
You wont have trouble viewing the display in the sun.
The Apple Watch features multiple health sensors, and this year the Series 8 brings a temperature sensor.
This sensor is mainly for women to track ovulation and menstrual cycle.
The temperature sensor is in addition to Apple’s menstrual cycle tracking features that came with watchOS 6.
Thankfully, the Apple Watch Series 8 features water and dust resistance.
The Series 8 is IP6X dust resistant, which will help protect the internals of the watch.
But you wont have to worry about damaging the watch through regular usage.
For starters, there are multiple improvements to the Workout app.
You now have new ways to view your workouts with more information at a glance.
it’s possible for you to input them from your Apple Watch and set reminders to take them.
Battery Life
The Apple Watch has had 18 hours of battery life since the first generation.
That usage included enabling the always-on display, which can impact battery life slightly.
I didn’t enable cellular connectivity, since the watch can be paired to your phone for notifications.
Apple Watch Series 8 also supports fast charging, just like Series 7.
The charging puck in the box enables this using USB-C. Low Power Mode saves battery by disabling the always-on display, delaying notifications, and disabling multiple health features.
The band and case material options have changed over the years, but Series 8 has a simple lineup.
The Series 8 comes in two case materials; aluminum and stainless steel.
The aluminum watch is excellent for regular smartwatch use cases such as working out or casual wear.
The stainless steel version is great for everyday wear or for dressing up.
As for colors, the aluminum finish comes in Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and Product Red.
The stainless steel versions also come in four colors; Silver, Gold, Graphite, and Space Black.
In years past, the Apple Watch came in two high-end case materials: titanium and ceramic.
Apple also offers multiple bands for the Apple Watch.
There are also additional bands from Hermes that you might purchase through Apples website.
Lastly, the Apple Watch offers multiple watch faces for displaying different information.
Crash Detection
One of the new features Series 8 brings this year is called Crash Detection.
It does this thanks to two new motion sensors; a high g-force accelerometer and a new gyroscope.
You wont accidentally trigger Crash Detection through normal usage since it only runs if you are driving a vehicle.
Can a Smartwatch be Repaired?
At the time of writing, there is no iFixit teardown for Series 8.
However, the Apple Watch has scored a reparability score of 6/10 by iFixit in the past.
Parts like the display and battery are replaceable on Apple Watch if you have the patience.
Should You Buy the Apple Watch Series 8?
There is almost no reason to upgrade if you have an Apple Watch that is relatively new.
