Apple has given us another generation of its watch technology, in the form of the Watch Series 7, in an attempt to satisfy our appetite for power-packed tech on the wrist. In this review, we will discuss the new features and offer a recommendation on whether this update is worthy of your hard-earned cash.
The biggest changes are found in the display. The Watch Series 7 provides a 1 millimeter larger physical display than the series 6 (41 and 45 mm, instead of 40 and 44). More importantly, the border or bevel has been reduced by 40 percent to provide a significant increase in screen real estate. The display now curves around the edge of the face to provide a fresh robust visual presentation. The added real estate allows WatchOS 8 to provide Series 7 wearers with more information, including a full-size keyboard. Indoor brightness has been increased approximately 70%, whereas peak brightness is still 1000 nits, the same as Series 6.
Second, charging has been increased 33% on the Series 7, compared to its predecessor. This is particularly helpful for those who wear their watch to bed and want to give it a quick power refresh before starting their sleep cycle (Apple claims that 8 minutes of charging will provide 8 hours of juice). Additionally, the front crystal display is 50 percent thicker to provide better resilience to scratching, cracking, and breakage. The Series 7 is Apple’s first offering to include IP6X dust resistance certification. It also features 5 new colors in aluminum.
On the downside, this is the first watch Apple has ever released without a new and improved processor. In fact, the internals remains virtually unchanged from Series 6. The lack of internal hardware updates may disappoint some, but the hardware does not suffer from lackluster performance. The interface still feels robust and responsive.
Before offering my recommendation on who should upgrade, have a look at our Watch Series 7 review on Gotta Have It TV.
Overall
-
Design
(5)
-
Build Quality
(5)
-
Features
(5)
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Enhancements
(3.5)
-
Warranty
(4)
-
Price
(3.5)
User Review
( votes)Summary
The Apple Watch Series 7 offers noticeable improvements over the previous version, especially in display and battery improvements. However, the processor remains unchanged from the Series 6, which will cause many to hold out upgrading until the next refresh cycle on this one.
Pros
- Excellent design, featuring new colors
- Good build quality
- Larger display
- Faster charging
- Improved Durability
Cons
- These devices are a bit on the pricy side
- Same processor as the previous generation
- Sleep tracking not as good as Oura Ring
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Who’s Gotta Have It?
With its limited hardware updates, Watch Series 6 owners have little motivation to make the upgrade to Series 7. Although as a Series 6 owner myself, I must confess that the larger display and significantly faster charging have me feeling like the grass is greener on the Series 7 side. If you are sporting a Watch Series 5 or earlier, there are enough cumulative updates for the upgrade to Series 7 to make a lot of sense.
I must confess that shortly after purchasing my Series 6 last year, it took a hard drop from my charger face down to the tile floor where the screen shattered in a magnificent manner. I ended up deciding to replace the screen myself, and it proved to be one of the more difficult repairs I have tackled to date. After going through that process, having a front crystal display that is twice as thick is a compelling motivator to upgrade to the Series 7.
So, what do you think? Do you Gotta Have It? I’m taking a pass on this one simply because I upgraded last year to the Series 6 and the added updates in Series 7 don’t add up enough to tempt me to shell out the cash for the improved display and faster charging. Nonetheless, I gotta say, I’m looking forward to seeing what is in store for us in next year’s refresh.
What’s Delicious
- The larger display with a smaller border, curved edge, and brighter interior screen is its biggest selling point
- The battery that charges 33% faster gets extra bonus points
- The front crystal cover that is 50 percent thicker is much appreciated
- IP6X dust resistance certification is a nice-to-have feature
What’s Lackluster
- Using the same processor as the Series 6 leaves one wondering if there was a supply chain issue that held up production of a new chip
- The same biochips as in the previous generation is a let-down
- No improvements in the communication chip mean there are very few interior improvements over the Series 6
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