Apple Watch Series 7 vs. Apple Watch Series 8 Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade?
The Apple Watch Series 8 replaces the Apple Watch Series 7 in Apple's smartwatch lineup, but how different are the two successive smartwatch generations?
![Apple Watch Series 7 v 8 1](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.macrumors.com/t/VU_Avz-yguwpj1ciWJohUq8O60Q=/400x0/article-new/2022/08/Apple-Watch-Series-7-v-8-1.jpg?lossy)
In 2021, Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 7, including features like taller casing sizes with larger displays, slimmer bezels, improved durability, and faster charging technology. The Apple Watch Series 7 has now been discontinued by Apple, and as year-old models, prices at third-party resellers are falling. As such, some customers may be weighing up whether to upgrade to a Series 7 or a Series 8.
The Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8 share the overwhelming majority of their features, so should you consider buying or sticking with the Series 7 to save money? This breakdown also serves as a way to see all the differences that the new Apple Watch brings to the table.
Differences
Apple Watch Series 7 |
Apple Watch Series 8 |
S7 chip |
S8 chip (Same CPU as S7) |
Gyroscope and accelerometer |
More powerful gyroscope and high dynamic range accelerometer |
- |
Crash Detection |
Third-generation optical heart sensor, electrical heart sensor for ECG, and blood oxygen sensor |
Optical heart sensor, electrical heart sensor for ECG, blood oxygen sensor, and body temperature sensor |
- |
Wrist temperature sensing during sleep |
- |
Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates |
Aluminum casing in Midnight, Starlight, PRODUCT(RED), Blue, or Green |
Aluminum casing in Midnight, Starlight, PRODUCT(RED), or Silver |
Stainless Steel casing in Gold, Silver, or Graphite |
Stainless Steel casing in Gold, Silver, or Graphite |
Titanium casing in Titanium or Space Black |
- |
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Apple Watch Series 8 is a very minor upgrade over the Series 7, with the body temperature sensor and Crash Detection being the only significant changes, meaning that it is difficult to recommend upgrading. Many Apple Watch Series 7 users will likely not be able to justify upgrading to the Series 8, but some customers coming from an older model could still have good reason to preference the latest models, namely those who do not have an iPhone 14 model with Crash Detection and women who want to take advantage of the cycle tracking features. The Apple Watch Series 8 is very similar to the Series 7, so customers who have an older Apple Watch model and are looking for an upgrade may prefer to look for a discounted Apple Watch Series 7.
Popular Stories
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
Apple in 2025 will take on a new compact camera module (CCM) supplier for future MacBook models powered by its next-generation M5 chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Writing in his latest investor note on unny-opticals-2025-business-momentum-to-benefit-509819818c2a">Medium, Kuo said Apple will turn to Sunny Optical for the CCM in its M5 MacBooks. The Chinese optical lens company...