Apple Watch Series 8 Review: A Spectacular, Everyday Smartwatch

Wondering how the Apple Watch Ultra compares? Read our in-depth review once you’re done scoping out Apple’s latest mainstream smartwatch here.

If you’re thinking you’d like a new Apple Watch, this is the perfect time to get one. Apple just released three new Apple Watch models, and there are more options than ever before.

First up is the Apple Watch Ultra, the priciest in the range and designed for those often engaged in extreme sports or outdoor adventures with extra sensors designed for greater GPS accuracy. Of course, it works for non-sporty types too. But it’s quite big and a little heavy (not to mention super expensive) so it may not be for you.

That leaves the Apple Watch SE and the Apple Watch Series 8, which I’ve had the pleasure of spending a bit more time with to deliver this review. In summary, the Apple Watch Series 8 is bigger than the SE, but a bit lighter on features, weight and size compared to the Ultra (and it’s much more light on your wallet too).

The Apple Watch Series 8 looks familiar, but with a few added tricks.

David Phelan

As with every previous Apple Watch, it’s a device for Apple lovers: You need an iPhone to set it up, although you can now use some models without the iPhone nearby—handy if you’re setting it up for a family member, for instance, who doesn’t have an iPhone.

Could this be the perfect smartwatch for you? Or does it leave something to be desired? Read on for a full, in-depth review of Series 8, with comparisons to the cheaper SE and the chunkier Ultra.

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Apple Watch Series 8

Apple Watch Series 8: Technical Specifications

Price: 41 millimeter, $399; 45 millimeter, $429 | Case size: 41mm, 45mm | Processor: Apple S8 64-bit dual-core | Display: 41mm: 352 x 430 pixels, 45mm: 396 x 484 pixels LTPO OLED always-on screen, 1,000-nit maximum brightness | Connectivity: GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, LTE cellular | Storage: 32GB | Battery: 18 hours in normal use, up to 36 hours in Low Power mode | Weight: 41mm, starts at 1.1 ounces; 45mm: starts at 1.4 ounces

Best for

• Strong performance
• Slick design
• Low-power mode for extended battery life

Skip because

• Over-familiar design
• Sub-par 18-hour battery life

Apple Watch Series 8: Design and Display

The Apple Watch design has evolved since it was first launched in 2015. It still has the same rectangular design with curved corners, but has grown gently in size. The Digital Crown has evolved and the side button has become flatter so that it’s now flush with the case. In contrast, the side button on the Ultra is raised so it’s easier to use with gloves on.

But if you’ve liked the looks of any previous Apple Watch, you’ll surely like this. It still comes in two sizes and has the same design as last year’s Series 7. That model saw slightly increased case sizes from 40mm and 44mm to 41mm to 45mm. Series 7 also squeaked the display further into the corners of the Watch, adding almost 20% to the size of the screen compared to Series 6. (The new SE, by the way, has the same size screen as Series 6, not Series 7.)

Apple Watch Series 8 looks as good as ever.

David Phelan

So gentle has the size change been over the years that the bands which were released for the first Watch still fit the latest models, so updating your timepiece doesn’t require jettisoning your band collection. If you have a 38mm or 40mm Watch, the straps will fit the 41mm Series 8. If you had a larger Watch in 42mm or 44mm, then the bands will neatly fit the 45mm case. Those straps will fit the Ultra too. Though not all bands are backward-compatible to earlier Watches, all are forward-compatible.

Series 7 slightly changed the curvature of the front glass to make the Watch tougher. Apart from the Watch Ultra, this is the most durable and knock-proof Watch yet, Apple says, though if you have Series 7, you won’t see any differences. Also coming from the Series 7: Faster charging capabilities, something definitely worth having if you plan to wear the Watch at night to make the most of the sleep tracking features.

There’s a change to the design that you won’t notice on a daily basis and that’s the introduction of a pair of temperature sensors. One lives on the back where it touches against your wrist to measure your temperature, and the other is just beneath the display on the front. More on those later.

Health features on Apple Watch Series 8 get an upgrade with new temperature sensors.

David Phelan

Series 8 comes in two metal finishes: Aluminum and stainless steel. Aluminum comes in four colors: Midnight, Starlight, Silver and PRODUCT(RED). You can choose from GPS and GPS + Cellular options. With cellular, you can connect the Watch to the internet even if your companion iPhone isn’t nearby, providing you sign up to a separate data plan.

The stainless steel Watch models all have cellular connectivity included and there are three colors to pick from: Graphite, Silver and Gold. You could also choose Space Black, but you’ll need to spring for the Hermes edition for that.

The display is protected by Ion-X glass on the aluminum models, which is in the same arena as something like Gorilla Glass. There’s no glass on the stainless steel ones, strictly speaking. Instead, they have sapphire crystal fronts, and sapphire crystal is tougher.

Apple Watch Series 8: Health features

Apple realized early on that health tracking is key to a device like the Apple Watch. After all, as the company points out, it’s Apple’s most personal device, something you wear next to your skin all day long. So, it can track your wellness metrics constantly. As well as doing the things most common fitness trackers do—such as counting your steps and extrapolating how many calories you’re burning especially during routine movement or workouts—the Apple Watch does more.

Since the first-generation model back in 2015, it’s had a heart rate sensor on board, though initially that was there so Apple could have the most accurate guide to your caloric exertions. But now, it does a lot more. For a start, the Series 8 can quietly track your heart rate. If it suddenly spikes high or low, the Watch takes notice and notifies you if things seems to be going awry. I’d say the Apple Watch is worth wearing for this reason alone.

Apple Watch Series 8 includes new temperature sensors.

David Phelan

But Series 8 also has sensors sophisticated enough to be able to measure an ECG (or EKG) on your wrist, in 30 seconds. There’s also a blood oxygen sensor so you can track your blood oxygen levels. And that new temperature sensor on Series 8 means you can get better cycle tracking, handy for family planning, as it can offer deeper insights into the menstrual cycle. It even assesses ovulation estimates retrospectively. Additionally, for everyone, it will track your body temperature while you’re sleeping, which can give health insights.

Something else common to Ultra, Series 8 and SE is crash detection, made possible thanks to the inclusion of a new advanced accelerometer which is capable of measuring up to 256G force levels. That’s eight times more capable than the accelerometer on previous Watches. It means that if, heaven forbid, you’re in a car crash and you don’t respond, the Watch can contact emergency services and share your exact location. It needs to be a Watch with cellular connectivity or else connect via the signal picked up by a companion iPhone. Note that the iPhone 14 series handsets all come with crash detection built-in too.

And there’s Fall Detection, which was introduced a couple of years back. If you fall down hard and don’t get up, the Watch can let your chosen contacts know or contact emergency services. It’s back on all this year’s Watches, including Apple Watch SE.

Apple Watch Series 8: Performance And Battery Life

There’s a new processor for the Apple Watch, called the Apple S8. It’s in all this year’s Watches,. It may not be that much faster than the Series 7, according to some estimates, but the fact that this chip is in the bigger, more demanding Ultra tells you it’s probably going to be easily powerful enough for Series 8. And it is.

Long gone are the days of slowly-opening apps on the Watch. If you’re outdoors, the Watch grabs the GPS signal quickly, which is important if you’re about to go running. Some wearables leave you waiting. The processor here is fast enough to make sure the Series 8 is consistently responsive.

Apple lists an 18-hour battery life, enough to get you through the day, every day. The only time I’ve seen the battery life really low is if I forget to charge it overnight. There’s now a Low Power mode on Series 8, as there is for Watch Ultra. It extends the life of the Watch to around double, 36 hours. You still get a lot of apps and performance aspects, but you lose the always-on display. It’s a handy feature if you need it.

There’s more to it than this, though. Now that the Apple Watch offers sleep tracking, you may want to wear it through the night. You need 30% battery life to track sleep and the Watch will demand a little recharge before your slumbers if necessary.

This means, of course, that you may not charge the Watch until the following morning, in which case, faster charging is better. Both the Watch Ultra and Series 8 have fast charging. Series 8 recharges from flat to 80% in an hour, a significant increase over the recharge time for the Watch SE which takes 90 minutes.

While some smartwatches offer days and days of charge, Apple has never sought to do that, instead focusing on adding features while maintaining 18 hours battery life. Series 8 has enough juice to get through a whole day with ease and will leave you confident that you’re not going to run out of battery.

Apple Watch Series 8: Compared To Apple Watch SE

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Buy Apple Watch SE

Apple Watch SE: Technical Specifications

Price: 40mm $249, 44mm $279 |Case size: 40mm, 44mm | Processor: Apple S8 64-bit dual-core | Display: 40mm 324 x 394 pixels, 44mm: 368 x 448 pixels, LTPO OLED always-on screen, 1,000-nit maximum brightness | Connectivity: GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, Cellular connectivity | Storage: 32GB | Battery: 18 hours | Weight: 40mm: From 0.93 ounces, 44mm: From 1.16 ounces

The most affordable Apple Watch is the new SE. It is the smallest of the new Watches and uses the case design first seen on the Apple Watch Series 4, released in fall 2019. The same design was found on Series 5 and Series 6.

Those Watches—in addition to Series 7, Series 8 and Watch Ultra—all had an important feature the SE lacks: The always-on display. Sure, it’s easy enough to raise the Watch to light it up, but once you’ve used a Watch with always-on, you really don’t want to go back. This, for me, is the most important reason to consider Series 8 over SE. Yes, even more important than the obvious health benefits Series 8 offers, with lots of useful sensors to measure your fitness.

Apple Watch SE (left) has the essential features, but doesn’t quite match the more capable Series 8.

David Phelan

But the SE has useful qualities of its own, starting with weight: It’s lighter than Series 8. The aluminum SE weighs as little as 0.93 ounces for the 40mm case (GPS only), or 1.16 ounces for the 44mm size. The addition of cellular connectivity adds a whisker to each. Series 8 weighs more, and that may be important to you, especially if you’re planning to use the sleep tracking features, which are common to all 2022 Watches.

The rear of the Watch has a new design, with a process Apple says has an 80% smaller carbon footprint. The back now uses a nylon composite and sapphire crystal combo for added durability.

The Apple Watch Series 8 is the best all-around smartwatch and the perfect choice for iPhone users.

David Phelan

Apple Watch Series 8: Verdict

Apple Watch Series 8 is the slickest Apple Watch yet. Sure, it’s not as capable as the Watch Ultra, but it’s much smaller and lighter. While the Ultra isn’t overbearingly heavy, this is much more manageable, fitting more wrists more easily.

The design is terrific, though familiar as it is unchanged from Series 7. The curved glass in front of the display is still highly appealing and pleasing to the touch.

The latest features are useful, particularly, the temperature sensor, crash detection and the low power mode that extends usage considerably. If that sounds like a short list, it is, but factor in the already extensive features in the Apple Watch, and it adds up nicely. In fact, unless you need the extreme sports capabilities of the Ultra, Series 8 adds up to the best smartwatch around.