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Exchanging my 42mm for a 38

dmaxdmax

dmaxdmax

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 26, 2006
773
176
probably.

I put on DW’s 38 when setting up something so I wouldn’t drop it. It feels great! I’ll wear it for a few days before deciding.
 
How about the smaller screen? I have enough problems hitting the little app icons without dealing with a smaller screen. I admit it would look better on my wrist but I already set my text to a larger size.

Lisa
 
The choice between 38 and 42 really comes down to how it looks on your wrist. The price difference is nominal and the 4mm isn’t that much of an impact on being able to see text. Plus the text can be enlarged in settings.
 
lclev said:
How about the smaller screen? I have enough problems hitting the little app icons without dealing with a smaller screen.

Lisa
Click to expand...

This is exactly why I need a few days. Purchased from bhphoto so can exchange thru 1/31

If I go 38mm I may indulge myself with the black mesh band. (Either size will be black ss)
 
One thing that I know for sure after 24 hours is that I greatly prefer the feel of stainless steel over the aluminum.
 
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dmaxdmax said:
One thing that I know for sure after 24 hours is that I greatly prefer the feel of stainless steel over the aluminum.
Click to expand...

The stainless steel actually feels like a watch on your wrist, where as the aluminum is best suited for fitness with it being light weight . But the real selling point on the stainless besides aesthetics, is the sapphire display. That alone is worth it to me.
 
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dmaxdmax said:
probably.

I put on DW’s 38 when setting up something so I wouldn’t drop it. It feels great! I’ll wear it for a few days before deciding.
Click to expand...

What's a "DW"? Or rather, who? Someone on this forum? Doug Whitehouse? Darious Wilson? Donna Wilhelm? Donald Wrump? No clue. Please enlighten us.
 
lambertjohn said:
What's a "DW"? Or rather, who? Someone on this forum? Doug Whitehouse? Darious Wilson? Donna Wilhelm? Donald Wrump? No clue. Please enlighten us.
Click to expand...
Doctor Watson

On some boards DW is used for Dear Wife. (Dear Son etc). That isn’t the convention here - sorry.
 
Or a drum manufacturer. dw

Wearing the 38mm case. I love it. It’s a smart watch - not a SMARTWATCH for my wristsize.
 
The only real day to day issue could be battery life on the 38 being less than the 42. However, since the Apple Watch 3 last 2.5 days on the 42 as long as it lasts a full day (24 hours not 16) on the 38 it probably doesn't matter.
 
I’ve got a 38mm and I have quite wide wrists etc and find it a good sized watch. It’s less noticeable and less bulky on the wrist if wearing a tight shirt cuff etc. Also, this S3 GPS is my first AW and I don’t like the stupid circle App OS thing going on, it’s really fiddly and awkward, so I changed it to list the apps that you can easily scroll though. I think if I couldn’t have changed the stupid circle app OS screen, I would probably have returned the watch.
 
I’ve been wearing both today. Each was 100% at 7am. I didn’t make any calls. At 10pm:

42mm - 67%
38mm - 50%

This is enough to make me third guess my decision to return the 42.
 
I like bigger watches... I feel like the smaller watch makes my wrist look bigger.... even though my wrists are small.
 
At 2:25:
42mm is 60%
38mm is 33%

That’s with no phone calls.
 
8am - the 38mm was 20%.
The 42 was charging so can’t compare.


Both watches were opened on 12/25. The 42 has seen a little more action as I was planning to return the 38.

Based on one whole date of evaluation I’m back to returning the 38. Difference is too big since I was hardly doing anything. A dozen texts.
 
dmaxdmax said:
8am - the 38mm was 20%.
The 42 was charging so can’t compare.


Both watches were opened on 12/25. The 42 has seen a little more action as I was planning to return the 38.

Based on one whole date of evaluation I’m back to returning the 38. Difference is too big since I was hardly doing anything. A dozen texts.
Click to expand...
Battery capacity of 38mm and 42mm (cellular) respectively
  • 38mm: 1.07Whr
  • 42mm: 1.34Whr
 
Last edited:
dmaxdmax said:
I’ve been wearing both today. Each was 100% at 7am. I didn’t make any calls. At 10pm:

42mm - 67%
38mm - 50%

This is enough to make me third guess my decision to return the 42.
Click to expand...

FYI that test is useless because the phone can only connect to one watch via Bluetooth at a time. The other watch will spend its time trying (and failing) to connect to wifi. That uses much more battery.
 
nicho said:
FYI that test is useless because the phone can only connect to one watch via Bluetooth at a time. The other watch will spend its time trying (and failing) to connect to wifi. That uses much more battery.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that makes sense. I'm almost enjoying the indecision as I know that either choice will be fine.
 
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