Never. Stick with aluminum — it looks as good, it's cheaper, lighter in weight. The internal guts are identical to the over-priced stainless steel.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Watch 4 stainless or Not
- Thread starter Tarheel5
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
This is a great case for choosing SS over aluminum. If you're planning to keep the watch for most of its useful life, it makes sense to go with the more durable materials. Plus, the depreciation hit isn't as heavy when spread out over four years.
I my case, I plan to upgrade more frequently, so aluminum makes sense for me. Appearance wise, the SS models definitely look better, IMO.
Reference the bolded, that entirely is an opinion. I agree that the internals are exactly the same with performance, but in terms of aesthetics, the stainless really is on a different level. The aluminum is more of a ‘matte finish’, where as the stainless holds more of a ‘traditional look’ with the watch. So to say it looks ‘as good’ is entirely subjective and not a fact. In my opinion, I think the aluminum looks cheap-er I think due to the matte finish, where as the stainless just offers that more elegant look from my standpoint.
I have had two Aluminium Watches, The Series 1 & 3, and now the Stainless S4.
The SS 4 looks great with every watchband, even the sports band because of the steel finish (shiny) looks better.
But I bought it because I found it on sale, 50% off. The price was so low that I couldn't let pass the oportunity to buy that model.
Two things to have in mind, the part where the magnet is on the milanese band, scratches EASILY!! Just a week later after I bought it that part scratches.
The screen resist a lot of scratches I swam and played a lot with my dog, both aluminium watches had some visible scratches because of that (I didn't like screen protectors).
The SS 4 looks great with every watchband, even the sports band because of the steel finish (shiny) looks better.
But I bought it because I found it on sale, 50% off. The price was so low that I couldn't let pass the oportunity to buy that model.
Two things to have in mind, the part where the magnet is on the milanese band, scratches EASILY!! Just a week later after I bought it that part scratches.
The screen resist a lot of scratches I swam and played a lot with my dog, both aluminium watches had some visible scratches because of that (I didn't like screen protectors).
Wow...first time I’m hearing this. I have the gold Milanese Loop & have no scratches on that part at all @ a friend of my has the silver one that came with her S3 & has no scratches.
You found a recent Apple product with 50 percent off? Without any contract?
Sure you did
I have the same band and the magnet part edge it very sharp its scratch my hand all the time
I've had a black milanese loop for over a year. It has not scratched anything on 2 watches, and i haven't scratched myself with it or anything. It hasn't scratched me either.
good to know mine ss gold melrose loop the magnet edge sharp and scratch my hand maybe i should take it back to Apple to see it
I've had both Aluminum (S2 Rose Gold) and Stainless Steel (S4 Gold). I wear my watch to do everything (gym, basketball, woodworking, surfing, wakeboarding, etc.). My aluminum S2 had scratches everywhere, even though I was a stickler about never letting it touch anything that would scratch the body or screen. Despite my efforts, it was covered in them. I have had my stainless S4 for six months and I can't find a single scratch on the body or screen (knock on some flipping wood).
People that complain about the weight difference between the two, cahmahhhhhhn. Unless you're a feeble little 95yr old woman (no offense to feeble little 95yr old women) you'll survive. It's .3oz weight difference.
People that complain about the weight difference between the two, cahmahhhhhhn. Unless you're a feeble little 95yr old woman (no offense to feeble little 95yr old women) you'll survive. It's .3oz weight difference.
I will NEVER buy an Aluminum watch ever again. Worrying about it every day, the horrible feeling of scratching the body or glass.. ect.
It just wasn't for me.. Best advice, buy a stainless one a few months into release at a discount.
I've nailed my SS on brick without a single scratch, that's so satisfying.
It just wasn't for me.. Best advice, buy a stainless one a few months into release at a discount.
I've nailed my SS on brick without a single scratch, that's so satisfying.
Last edited:
You found a recent Apple product with 50 percent off? Without any contract?
Sure you did
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-watch-4-or-waiting.2186202/page-2#post-27500370
I agree with what another member said above, I didn’t like the aluminum model when I first purchased it when it debuted back in 2015. It was too light weight and the display durability with scratches at that time was not on par with what I was expecting. I immediately sold it, upgraded to the 316L stainless and I wouldn’t consider any other model due to the sapphire display and the scratches can be removed with a polishing cloth on the regular stainless model.
Even more impressive is the space black stainless, with the DLC coating on the casing.
Even more impressive is the space black stainless, with the DLC coating on the casing.
Last edited:
I’d definitely take it to Apple. You never know, they might replace it.
The SS looks way, way better.
But for me, the massive price difference is hard to justify. You could potentially get the aluminum S4 and likely aluminum S5 at launch for the same total price. Would you rather have an aluminum S5 or a SS S4 the second year out?
Difficult question to answer without knowing much about the S5, but to me, it’s a no brainer. Despite how much the watch has evolved by now, it’s still likely to improve greatly between iterations tech-wise at this point in the tech’s lifecycle, and I’d much rather have the better tech on a smart watch.
Another way to look at it: would you rather be wearing an aluminum S4 or a stainless S3 right now?
But for me, the massive price difference is hard to justify. You could potentially get the aluminum S4 and likely aluminum S5 at launch for the same total price. Would you rather have an aluminum S5 or a SS S4 the second year out?
Difficult question to answer without knowing much about the S5, but to me, it’s a no brainer. Despite how much the watch has evolved by now, it’s still likely to improve greatly between iterations tech-wise at this point in the tech’s lifecycle, and I’d much rather have the better tech on a smart watch.
Another way to look at it: would you rather be wearing an aluminum S4 or a stainless S3 right now?
Yeah, i was looking to get stainless this time around for the 4, but the cost difference is just too much. I also already had a milanese loop in black that works well with the space grey aluminium watch.
I'd rather upgrade more often at this point (as performance looks to be improving very rapidly) than try and push the more expensive device out for too long. I still have my Series 2, which i use whilst my 4 is on charge.
I'd rather upgrade more often at this point (as performance looks to be improving very rapidly) than try and push the more expensive device out for too long. I still have my Series 2, which i use whilst my 4 is on charge.
The price gap you‘re describing is only (nearly) there if you compare the non-LTE aluminium version to the SS (with LTE). If you compare with the feature-identical aluminium LTE-Watch, the gap closes considerably. So the question if you need/want LTE I think is very important when deciding between aluminium and SS. If you want LTE, I think 200 $ is a quite reasonable price for the much nicer SS Watch body plus the much more scratch-resistant sapphire screen. If you don‘t want LTE, the aluminium Watch maybe makes more sense.
$200 is steep no matter how you look at it, (and I say this as a stainless owner myself). Is it reasonable for the quality of the materials? Yes. Is it reasonable for what Apple is charging, probably not in the consumer’s eyes for a sapphire display for a stainless casing, which most don’t know about the sapphire anyways. Not to mention, then you have to add in the $13 a month LTE fee in addition. ‘Reasonable’ is very subjective word in that stance.
You can argue this way or that way, but the other poster I quoted claimed the SS is nearly twice as expensive as the aluminium Watch. All I added was that this is only (vaguely) true if you have no interest in LTE.
By the way, in Europe adding the Watch to your LTE plan is way cheaper. I‘m only paying 5 Euro more per month.
I’d say for my sake, the aluminum is great for me. I had an SS, but since I use a case and screen protector than it makes no sense for me to have the SS other than the status.
I also work in the freezer here and didn’t want my SS to freeze up .
So I just bought the aluminum and bought Apple care
I also work in the freezer here and didn’t want my SS to freeze up .
So I just bought the aluminum and bought Apple care
if they made a non-lte stainless thats probably what id take. i dont need to pay $10/month for a device ill always have tethered to my phone, and pay a premium charge on top of that. ive been wanting a new ss model because i have a link bracelet with my series0 ss but i can never not feel silly paying for an lte model when ill never use the lte feature. if they made a gps only ss for a reduced price comparable to the difference of the aluminiun lte to aluminum non lte i wouldve upgraded shortly after the 4 came out
I have had stainless ever since Gen 0 with the exception of the series 3 when I had a ceramic. Yeah it’s a helluva hit financially with depreciation but having the stainless/ceramic gives me piece of mind as these watches are virtually indestructible and I can bash them and knock therm without any worries of damage. My black SS series 4 is mint and looks as fresh as I did when it came out if the box nearly a year ago. The cases and glass in the aluminium’s do not stand the ravages of time well. The other thing is that the SS looks classy. There is a clear difference in how the SS looks in comparison to the aluminium.
At the end of the day though, no matter which watch you buy, they all do the same thing and just as well so it comes down to your wallet and how much you wish to spend.
At the end of the day though, no matter which watch you buy, they all do the same thing and just as well so it comes down to your wallet and how much you wish to spend.