The Apple Watch is now on its 8th generation and is generally considered the best smartwatch you can buy. This year sees three versions of the Apple Watch: Series 8, a new SE, and the Ultra.

Even though the Apple Watch Ultra has taken the spotlight in tech news, the Series 8 is the mainstream Apple Watch that most people will buy. The Series 8 is very similar to the Series 7, but does bring some new features that are worth discussing.

Apple Watch Design

The Apple Watch got its first redesign in 2018 with Series 4, and since then, Apple has made minor tweaks to its design. With Series 7 in 2021, Apple made the bezels slimmer and made the watch's edges more rounded. The Series 8 carries over the same design as the Series 7. It features the exact same screen sizes, bezels, and case sizes. So if you know what the Series 7 Apple Watch was like, you will be right at home with the Series 8.

It also still uses the same bands as previous generation Apple Watches. So if you have a collection of Apple Watch bands already, they can still be put to use. The design still holds up well and looks good in each casing and with Apple's bands.

One of the big selling points of the Apple Watch is that it's wearable for any occasion, and the ability to easily swap out the band enables you to customize it. That hasn’t changed with the Series 8 model.

Unboxing and Setup

Both the aluminum and stainless steel Apple Watches come in a rectangular box. The inside of the packaging is unique for an Apple product, with illustrations of other Apple Watches in various case and band combinations. The watch itself and the band are in two separate packages. The reason for this is you can customize an Apple Watch style through Apple’s website, therefore making it easier to ship the watch that you selected.

In the watch box, you get the watch, a USB-C Apple Watch charging cable, and documentation. Setting up the Series 8 is very similar to previous Apple Watch generations. The setup process requires an iPhone 8 or newer. The iPhone also needs to have iOS 16 or later installed.

You start pairing the watch to your phone by lining up your iPhone’s camera to the watch’s screen, or you can pair it manually. The process of setting up an Apple Watch is just what you can expect from Apple; simple.

The Display

The Apple Watch Series 8 comes in two display sizes; 41mm and 45mm. Both displays are LTPO OLED displays, which means they feature always-on while using little power by dialing the display down from 60Hz to as little as 1Hz. When you raise your wrist, the screen will automatically illuminate the face. The displays are edge-to-edge with minimal bezel, and can reach 1000 nits peak brightness.

You won’t have trouble viewing the display in the sun. The Apple Watch Series 8 offers a great display that is in line with what you can expect from Apple's flagship products.

Temperature Sensor

Apple's marketing is emphasizing that the Apple Watch is a guardian of your health, especially since many users have stories of the watch saving their lives. The Apple Watch features multiple health sensors, and this year the Series 8 brings a temperature sensor. This sensor is mainly for women to track ovulation and menstrual cycle. The temperature sensor is in addition to Apple's menstrual cycle tracking features that came with watchOS 6.

If you wear the watch while you sleep, you can track your body temperature and estimate when you may be ovulating—this is a significant step forward for women's health.

Durability: Water and Dust Resistance

If someone wants to use a smartwatch daily, it has to be durable for daily usage. Thankfully, the Apple Watch Series 8 features water and dust resistance. The Series 8 is IP6X dust resistant, which will help protect the internals of the watch. In terms of water resistance, the Series 8 has a WR50 rating, which means it can survive up to a depth of 50 meters.

This means that even though the Series 8 is not as resistant as the Apple Watch Ultra, it can survive being in the rain and can take a swim in a shallow pool. It is important to note however that the Apple Watch isn't dive-proof, so don't push it too hard. But you won’t have to worry about damaging the watch through regular usage.

WatchOS 9

The Apple Watch Series 8 runs watchOS 9, which brings multiple enhancements to the experience of using an Apple Watch.

WatchOS 9 brings many new health and workout features, further pushing the message that the Apple Watch is a great companion for your health. For starters, there are multiple improvements to the Workout app. You now have new ways to view your workouts with more information at a glance.

The Workout app can show you your progress on your activity rings, a feature many Apple Watch users love since it gives you a feeling of accomplishment and can help you stay active. To further improve the health experience on Apple Watch, watchOS 9 brings a new app called Medications that helps users keep track of prescribed medications, vitamins, and supplements. You can input them from your Apple Watch and set reminders to take them.

WatchOS 9 also brings a redesigned calendar app, new watch faces, banner notifications, and much more. WatchOS 9 even has multiple hidden features you may not know about. If you are interested in learning more about the features that were introduced in watchOS 9, check out our article covering the five best watchOS 9 features that were revealed during WWDC.

Battery Life

The Apple Watch has had 18 hours of battery life since the first generation. While that may not sound like incredible battery life, it makes it through a full day of normal usage. Most days I would put the Series 8 back on the charger at night with 48%-50% left on the battery. That usage included enabling the always-on display, which can impact battery life slightly.

I didn't enable cellular connectivity, since the watch can be paired to your phone for notifications. Having cellular enabled on Apple Watch can impact battery life significantly, so you should only use it if you need to leave your phone behind. Apple Watch Series 8 also supports fast charging, just like Series 7. The charging puck in the box enables this using USB-C.

So, if you find yourself running through the battery quickly with heavy usage or plan to use the sleep tracking feature, the fast charging will come handy. If you plan to use the watch for more extended periods of time without charging, Apple Watches have a Low Power Mode. Low Power Mode saves battery by disabling the always-on display, delaying notifications, and disabling multiple health features. As a companion device to your phone, the Apple Watch can handle most use cases and still have a charge at the end of the day.

Style and Customization

No matter what your style or preference is, Apple Watch Series 8 has you covered. The band and case material options have changed over the years, but Series 8 has a simple lineup. The Series 8 comes in two case materials; aluminum and stainless steel. The aluminum watch is excellent for regular smartwatch use cases such as working out or casual wear.

The stainless steel version is great for everyday wear or for dressing up. As for colors, the aluminum finish comes in Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and Product Red. The stainless steel versions also come in four colors; Silver, Gold, Graphite, and Space Black.



In years past, the Apple Watch came in two high-end case materials: titanium and ceramic. These models were part of the Apple Watch Edition line, but unfortunately, Apple didn't continue them this year. The ceramic model was stunning on the Series 5, so it is a shame that Apple didn't continue it. Apple also offers multiple bands for the Apple Watch. There are bands made from various materials, such as leather, nylon, stainless steel, and many more.

You can choose between the case materials and the watch bands in the Apple Watch Studio. There are also additional bands from Hermès that you can purchase through Apple’s website. If you don’t find any of Apple's bands to your liking, there are plenty of third-party options that you can try out. Lastly, the Apple Watch offers multiple watch faces for displaying different information.

You can set watch faces to display your activity rings, glance-able information like weather conditions, and even Disney characters just for fun. With a choice between multiple case finishes and colors, a multitude of watch bands, and customizable watch faces, you can find a style that works for you and any occasion.

Crash Detection

One of the new features Series 8 brings this year is called Crash Detection. It'll detect if you have been in a car crash and contact emergency services if you don’t respond to the watch’s prompt on the screen. It does this thanks to two new motion sensors; a high g-force accelerometer and a new gyroscope. While we haven’t tested the feature ourselves, Apple’s safety features have a good track record for being functional and accurate.

You won’t accidentally trigger Crash Detection through normal usage since it only runs if you are driving a vehicle. This safety feature is a great addition to Apple Watch since thousands of people die from car crashes each year. We sincerely hope it's a feature you'll never have to make use of, but it’s great to have just in case.

Can a Smartwatch be Repaired?

Since you wear the Apple Watch on your wrist and are not expected to put a case on it, you may ding it against hard surfaces. The most likely piece of the Apple Watch that will break is the glass, especially since the aluminum version lacks the sapphire front crystals. At the time of writing, there is no iFixit teardown for Series 8. However, the Apple Watch has scored a reparability score of 6/10 by iFixit in the past.

Someone looking to repair an Apple Watch can use the same tools they would on a smartphone, such as a suction tool, heat, and others. Parts like the display and battery are replaceable on Apple Watch if you have the patience. Apple Watch repairs are manageable, but they can be difficult for a person who doesn’t have a lot of experience repairing devices. If you are concerned about potential damage, and you're not very experienced with repairs, it might be a good idea to consider AppleCare+.

Should You Buy the Apple Watch Series 8?

Yes, but only if you currently don’t have an Apple Watch or if you have a Series 4 or older. While the Apple Watch Series 8 is arguably the best smartwatch on the market, Apple made minimal changes this year. There is almost no reason to upgrade if you have an Apple Watch that is relatively new. The Apple Watch isn’t a product that will receive major upgrades every year, but this year's model is arguably the smallest upgrade we've seen yet.

However, if you have an aging Apple Watch or don’t have one in the first place, this is a great time to purchase one.