The new Apple Watch Series 7 has never looked better. Coming from the Series 6 Watch, I'm loving the larger screen size. Battery life is good, too. There are also other quality-of-life improvements, such as fast charging, and software tweaks to take advantage of the bigger screen. Simply put, the latest Apple Watch is perfect for those who are already in the Apple ecosystem to get some exercise done.
Quick specs
- Comes in aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium
- GPS+Cellular, or GPS
- Water resistant up to 50m, IP6X dust resistant
- 64-bit dual-core processor, W3 wireless chip, U1 chip
The Series 7 offers 20 percent more display compared to its predecessor. It may not sound like much, given how small the Apple Watch is. But it's actually quite startling to see the difference once you switch to either the 45mm or the 41mm. The bigger screen enables larger fonts, making it easier to hit on-screen buttons. On the software side, it now has a QWERTY keyboard you can type or swipe for supported apps. Having tested the keyboard, I'm actually surprised at how good it is on the 45mm. This also means it's technically possible to implement it on the older Series 6, but I guess users need a good enough reason to upgrade, right?
Other software improvements include new watch faces, including one that curves nicely around the edge called Contour, and Modular Duo, which takes advantage of the larger screen to show you more data. If you cycle, the Watch now automatically senses when you do and prompts you to record your ride. It's supposedly smart enough to pause your workout when you've stopped at a traffic light, but maybe I moved off too fast, because I didn't see that happening. The Mindfulness app also adds a Reflect feature that lets you take a one-minute break to think about something. I found this oddly amusing as it's quite similar to the onsen baths the hero takes in Ghost of Tsushima where he soaks in a hot spring reflecting.
Besides the software improvements, the hardware also gets a bit of a bump. Apple says it's the most durable Watch yet, with a thicker front crystal that's more resistant to cracks. It also now has fast charging. However, if you're just leaving it charging at night, it's probably not a big deal. If you are using it for sleep tracking, then you'll probably appreciate this feature more. Battery life is also pretty good — at the end of the day I had around 50% battery left. All the previous features, such as O2 measurement, ECG, and heart rate sensors, remain in this model. If you're thinking of getting one, be sure to pick up the new Leather Link strap. The magnetic clasp is pretty fun to play with and offers a secure clasp. It's quite impressive and my current favourite.
The Apple Watch Series 7 starts at a retail price of S$599 (41mm) and S$649 (45mm) for the Aluminum GPS only model, with prices upward of S$1,000 for the Stainless Steel versions. I used to think I could do without a watch, but the Apple Watch has grown on me since I started seriously using it with the Series 6. The Series 7 makes a great upgrade if you have the Series 5 and older. I guess the Series 6 is probably good for another year. Get it from the Apple Online Store, Shopee, or Amazon. Android users should check out the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or the Huawei Watch 3 instead.
Note: Review unit provided by Apple.
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