Apple Watch Sequence 8: Every week with the brand new highest smartwatch (for now)

The Sequence 8 is the center kid of Apple’s 2022 Watch lineup, and sadly it could be the very best to put out of your mind. With its major updates being crash detection and a brand new pores and skin temperature sensor that permits for ovulation monitoring, the Sequence 8 appears like a small replace to remaining 12 months’s Sequence 7. At $399, it additionally faces stiffer festival from the Watch SE, which now not most effective noticed a worth aid this 12 months to $250, but in addition stocks the similar processor because the Sequence 8, amongst many different options. And with the high-end Watch Extremely arriving quickly, it’s exhausting to believe someone is feeling fascinated about the Sequence 8.

Nonetheless, since the general public don’t improve their smartwatches on a once a year foundation, a generational comparability isn’t essentially the most helpful to make. By itself, the Sequence 8 is a wonderful watch that makes an excellent multipurpose wearable with very good well being and health gear. I’ve spent a couple of week checking out the Sequence 8 along the Watch SE, in addition to the Sequence 7. (Sure, this is a large number of watches on my wrists.) And, whilst I don’t really feel able to pronounce a complete verdict, I will very easily say the general public will probably be glad with the Sequence 8.

It’s exhausting for me to in reality evaluate the Sequence 8 to the Sequence 7 as a result of I won a bigger measurement to check than standard. The older style in my ownership is the 41mm model, whilst the Sequence 8 I’ve is the 45mm possibility. It doesn’t translate to a significant practical distinction, however the measurement discrepancy did make some options more difficult to check.

The Apple Watch Series 8 showing a workout tracking screen, on the wrist of a person looking at their watch in a gym.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

As an example, I’m already extra delicate than maximum about slumbering with an eye on my wrist. That the 45mm Sequence 8 is larger than my Sequence 7 intended I hated checking out its sleep-tracking much more than standard – such a lot in order that I’ve been getting rid of this a part of the evaluate procedure. As a substitute, I wore the brand new 40mm Watch SE to mattress, which made for a tolerable revel in.

I’ve up to now worn the Sequence 8 on a redeye flight to peer if I’d get some temperature readings then, however in spite of my having arrange a Sleep Center of attention as required, the watch didn’t monitor sleep. I’ll need to do extra checking out, however between that and likewise checking out the Watch SE in a single day, I will’t overview options like the brand new pores and skin temperature sensor for now.

Apple makes use of the knowledge it collects when you sleep to calculate a baseline in your frame temperature, and through the years it appears to be like at deviations to evaluate if and whilst you ovulated. The Sequence 8 calls for no less than 5 nights of knowledge to decide the baseline, and then extra time is needed to gauge your cycles.

An Apple Watch Series 8 on the wrist of a person gripping a red kettlebell, showing its Always On Display.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

With all that’s excited about checking out this option, I’ll want to wait somewhat longer sooner than I will get a greater thought of the way helpful it’s. I can also’t safely check crash detection, in order that’s now not one thing I will vouch for both.

For now, regardless that, residing with the Sequence 8 is so much like the use of the Sequence 7 . The brand new beige Starlight colour possibility isn’t one thing I’m fascinated about, however it does make the Watch really feel much less like a black stone on my wrist.

Regardless that the Sequence 8 makes use of a more moderen S8 system-in-package processor, it didn’t really feel dramatically sooner than its predecessor. It did remaining somewhat longer normally, regardless that I would like extra time checking out to understand needless to say. I additionally suspect that the bigger measurement would possibly have one thing to do with this. I used the new low energy mode in watchOS 9 one morning when the Sequence 8 used to be down to twenty p.c battery and I nonetheless needed to run to the health club for an 8am exercise. It controlled to remaining every other two hours no less than whilst additionally with the ability to monitor my efficiency all over the HIIT magnificence. I used to be inspired by means of how little it felt like I needed to sacrifice in change for the additional juice.

The Apple Watch Series 8 on a person's wrist, showing a paused workout tracking screen.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

I additionally loved testing every other watchOS 9 updates like aerobic zone pages all over workout routines and the brand new watch faces. The Lunar display screen specifically helped me understand that the Mid-Autumn Pageant used to be this previous weekend, since I may obviously learn the date in Mandarin at the web page. (The date for the pageant in Mandarin may be a colloquialism that refers back to the moon.) After I switched Center of attention Modes on my telephone, the corresponding image confirmed up on the best of the Sequence 8’s display screen to signify it additionally followed that profile. Reminders to take the drugs I’ve stored to Apple Well being had been additionally useful, and I preferred with the ability to use the watch to log capsules I took.

These kind of options will probably be to be had to these the use of older Apple Watches as soon as the device replace is put in.

Whilst it’s great that you’ll get ECG and blood oxygen readings at the Sequence 8, I didn’t run the ones very a lot all over my time with the instrument. Those aren’t gear that I’d use ceaselessly sufficient to warrant spending an additional $150 at the higher-end style. For the general public, the Watch SE gives masses for a pleasing value — particularly if you’ll reside with out an always-on show and IP6X mud resistance.

The Apple Watch Series 8 on the wrist of an arm held up in mid-air with a bike seat in the background.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

The Sequence 7 and eight each fee sooner than the SE, however the inexpensive watch by no means took longer than 45 mins to get sufficient juice for an afternoon’s use. Additionally, I’ve but to misplace my Apple Watches, so the U1 chip that’s lacking from the SE hasn’t felt as vital. At the Sequence 8, that extremely wideband function will permit extra actual location by way of Apple’s To find My app.

I’ll in all probability stay the use of the Sequence 8 as my number one smartwatch (after buying and selling it in for a smaller style), however now not as a result of I truly want the surface temperature sensing or crash detection; my activity calls for me to stick up to the mark on the newest units and lines. But when I had been making the verdict for myself (and now not my profession), I’d in all probability purchase the Watch SE. Nonetheless, the Sequence 8 is well-rounded and full-featured, and arguably the most productive smartwatch round. This is, till we get our palms at the upcoming Watch Extremely.

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