Apps I need help deciding between the SS and Aluminum.

[bricktop_at]

I see this analogy a lot on this forum sadly and usually it’s used to be derogatory and provoke. In your case though, please explain how an aluminium Apple Watch ‘looks and feels like toy’?? Sorry but this comes across as elitist and unnecessarily provocative and I really don’t get it.

I can only speak for myself of course, but „feels like a toy“ is exactly how I would describe wearing Alu after having worn SS, Ti or the ceramic Watch. They all give a much higher impression of quality and „substance“ compared to the lighter aluminum models.
That‘s a personal feeling and in no way should put others down, but it pretty accurately describes how I feel about the aluminum Watch and also why I would never buy one again.

 

[macphoto861]

While I do appreciate the more premium metals, I also like the way the AL looks (especially the lighter shades). I've switched back and forth several times over the years (I think I've had three SS, and three AL), with the conflict being between wanting a perpetually pristine screen that I didn't have to worry about accidentally hitting against things, and having trouble spending the extra money for a disposable item that will be outdated in a few years.

When I'm in SS mode, I justify it by saying that I'm going to keep it for 4-5 years. But then after a year or two I'm lured in by new features, and shift back to AL (which is where I'm at now). One disappointment is that my most recent SS watch DID somehow incur damage to the crystal. I'm not sure what caused it, but a small speck appeared (thought it was white latex paint, as I'd recently done some interior painting), but it could not be removed, and close examination under a loupe revealed that it was indeed a tiny scrape.

 

[skyhawkmatthew]

I apologise if I came across as derogatory; I certainly didn’t mean it that way at all; just doing a poor job of trying to describe, as others said, the different “feel” between case materials.

I had always had Al watches up until the S7, liked them very much and honestly had never considered the higher tier models. In fact, I initially felt the Ti watch was quite heavy on my wrist until I got used to it, and only now do I have the opposite perception of the Al watch when I put it back on: it just feels less substantial (the smaller screen of the S4 obviously doesn’t have anything to do with the material but doesn’t help with the general perception).

It is difficult to describe the “vibe” if you like, but especially when on a “fancier” band like the Milanese, the Ti has a presence that the duller Al (especially in grey and with the cosmetic damage my particular watch carries) can’t quite match. I’m again not at all trying to disparage the Al watch, it’s just that different materials do have different qualities and that’s why Apple offers a choice. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Al models, and I would never judge someone based on what model they chose - I fully admit that the premium I paid for the Ti was at the end of the day a waste of money for different trim on a gadget that will soon be obsolete, but I like it.

 

[jz0309]

I am trying to decide between the Series 7 Stainless Steel and Aluminum Apple Watch. Any real life recommendations?

Is the sapphire crystal worth the extra cost?

Which case is more scratch resistant?

Thanks!

OP, you sure started some thread here - what did you decide on?

 

[1rottenapple]

Ok alimunum version is inferior. I see people with cases on their watches and cracked Apple Watch screen. And scratches on the screw ew. Imho get the higher end model and keep it for 3 years. If you’re gonna upgrade yearly get alimunum. I have s5 titanium and no scratches on the screen. I have finally nicked the body but it took years of use to finally happen. I’m looking to buy a newer model either s7 or s8. I want stainless steal since it’s so nice and classy. The titanium have a dull finish to them. I’ll get over the heaviness.

 

[ISKOTB]

Ok alimunum version is inferior. I see people with cases on their watches and cracked Apple Watch screen. And scratches on the screw ew. Imho get the higher end model and keep it for 3 years. If you’re gonna upgrade yearly get alimunum. I have s5 titanium and no scratches on the screen. I have finally nicked the body but it took years of use to finally happen. I’m looking to buy a newer model either s7 or s8. I want stainless steal since it’s so nice and classy. The titanium have a dull finish to them. I’ll get over the heaviness.

well said! I have a SS7 and I did not get the titanium because of the dull finish and I got over the heaviness in about a day or less.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Ok alimunum version is inferior. I see people with cases on their watches and cracked Apple Watch screen. And scratches on the screw ew. Imho get the higher end model and keep it for 3 years. If you’re gonna upgrade yearly get alimunum. I have s5 titanium and no scratches on the screen. I have finally nicked the body but it took years of use to finally happen. I’m looking to buy a newer model either s7 or s8. I want stainless steal since it’s so nice and classy. The titanium have a dull finish to them. I’ll get over the heaviness.

I’ve got an S5 aluminium with no scratches on it, so is mine inferior?

Perhaps those that scratch and crack their watches are at fault, rather than the actual watch itself? Food for thought…

 

[Monkswhiskers]

I have had a SS 3/4/5 I am going to go Alu for the upcoming 8.

Reasons:-
Stronger haptics
Lighter
Less screen reflectivity outdoors
(These are all sports reasons swim/run/bike)
Lastly, price

I will miss the SS impervious screen but I have noticed that there are a lot of tiny nicks and marks on my SB5 casing which I hadn’t had with previous models so maybe they have dumbed down the coating process (same use case for all my watches)

If I HAD to spend the cost of a SS on a watch I would get the Garmin Epix 2 at this point

 

[macphoto861]

I will miss the SS impervious screen

I was a little surprised to find that it can actually be damaged (aside from the already well-known fact that it will shatter if dropped). Mine got a small nick (maybe about the size of a large grain of sand). I don't know what I hit to cause this, and I assume that the AL's glass screen would have shown even more damage, but it was a bit of a surprise to see, as this was my fourth SS AW and the screens on the other three were pristine when I sold them.

 

[ssledoux]

I’ve only had aluminum up to now. I tried stainless back with S2, and didn’t love the weight/thickness at the time, so went back to aluminum. I’m contemplating SS with the S8, but only because I like the fact that it looks good with almost every band, and the hardware is easy to match.

This pic is my current watch (S7 starlight aluminum). I wear it from the time I wake up until I go to bed every day. I live on property, so that includes a good bit of time in the barn daily feeding and caring for various animals with all that entails, along with lots of grandkid chasing and the usual daily grinds of cooking, laundry, cleaning, etc.

Not a mark that I can see, and I bump it into stuff fairly often.

 

[The Game 161]

SS just love the look. certainly don't like the lack of resale value though. I mean now on comparison sites my graphite series 7 is like £220 to sell when I paid £699

 

[Howard2k]

SS just love the look. certainly don't like the lack of resale value though. I mean now on comparison sites my graphite series 7 is like £220 to sell when I paid £699

That's quite the loss! I like the idea of Ti but that catastrophic resale is brutal.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

SS just love the look. certainly don't like the lack of resale value though. I mean now on comparison sites my graphite series 7 is like £220 to sell when I paid £699

You’d probably get closer to £400 if you sell privately but either way these things lose a hell of a lot in a very short space of time. It’s probably because a lot of people don’t like buying something someone has worn, therefore the desirability is less. I don’t sell my Apple watches though and wear my aluminium ones for 3 years before passing them on. I lose little I suppose but have no interest paying 700 quid for a smartwatch.

 

[Matcha]

here's my 2 cents! A few months ago I rubbed my watch against a concrete wall pretty badly I am positive the glass rubbed the wall because of the angle I was walking but to my surprise only the steel was scratched and the glass remained flawless I will only get the sapphire AW Models, here's a picture from the day I scratched the steel.

 

[ZacksWorld]

I'd say get the aluminum; it's cheaper, lighter, and has a better resale value so when you go to upgrade you will recover more of the cost (making it even cheaper-cheaper than the SS) — sure, the SS is shinier and more durable, but the chances you'll scratch or damage the watch in any meaningful way is very low and the money saved can be well-spent on many other things that will make more of a difference in your life than a different metal and glass on an item you'll want to upgrade in 12-24 months.

 

[Dino F]

I had an original S0 back in the day in aluminium I think it was (it was a grey colour).

When I upgraded to the SS S4 watch, it felt SO much better due to the much heavier weight.

I also guess it depends on how careful you look after your watch - I have never had a case on mine nor a screen protector and it still looks pristine (I wear mine ever day) with no marks to the watch or the screen.

I am going to upgrade to this year's S8 but I may have to drop back down to aluminium again due to cost.

 

[macphoto861]

here's my 2 cents! A few months ago I rubbed my watch against a concrete wall pretty badly I am positive the glass rubbed the wall because of the angle I was walking but to my surprise only the steel was scratched and the glass remained flawless I will only get the sapphire AW Models, here's a picture from the day I scratched the steel.

I've had three SS Apple Watches over the years, and I've had several instances where I whacked it pretty hard against something like a brick wall, and thought for sure the screen was going to have some damage, but always looked pristine. But inexplicably, my most recent SS (an S5) one day suddenly had a visible nick on the screen, and I don't remember any significant impact that may have caused it.

 

[Salt City Ute]

OP, you sure started some thread here - what did you decide on?

I ended up buying the stainless.

 

[bricktop_at]

I ended up buying the stainless.

I‘m sure you made the right decision 👌🏻

 

[jav6454]

I ended up buying the stainless.

It's a nice decision. I also have stainless.

 

[JustAnExpat]

Whatever your choice, remember this is technology first, design second. You will not be keeping this "watch" (ugh! I hate that term) for generations.

 

[bricktop_at]

Whatever your choice, remember this is technology first, design second. You will not be keeping this "watch" (ugh! I hate that term) for generations.

You sound like „technology first, design second“ is universally valid for everyone…. unfortunately that’s not the case. It depends on the priorities.

I for example would rather wear a ceramic S5 or stainless steel of any generation from S4 upwards than an aluminum Apple Watch of any flavor.

 

[Indianwin2001]

I have had a SS 3/4/5 I am going to go Alu for the upcoming 8.

Reasons:-
Stronger haptics
Lighter
Less screen reflectivity outdoors
(These are all sports reasons swim/run/bike)
Lastly, price

I will miss the SS impervious screen but I have noticed that there are a lot of tiny nicks and marks on my SB5 casing which I hadn’t had with previous models so maybe they have dumbed down the coating process (same use case for all my watches)

If I HAD to spend the cost of a SS on a watch I would get the Garmin Epix 2 at this point

This would be the best thing to do. The Epix is awesome if you are into the fitness portion of these watches.

 

[ssledoux]

I’ve got an S5 aluminium with no scratches on it, so is mine inferior?

Perhaps those that scratch and crack their watches are at fault, rather than the actual watch itself? Food for thought…

I’ve had every series in aluminum (tried a SS back around series 2 or 3 and at the time the thickness made it dig into a weird spot in my arm and it bothered me, so I didn’t keep it). I have some very fine hairline scratches (if you could even call them that) on my glass that I have to look HARD to find, and I’m sure I’ve had that before and just not noticed, but I have never had a scratch on the aluminum on any of them.

That being said, I really want a SS, and have had to make myself refrain from buying one before the 8s come out. I just like having nicer bands to wear, and most of those have SS hardware, which make it look more ”finished” for lack of a better word.

I may keep my S7 aluminum for sleep tracking and also for activities like swimming, hiking, going to the beach, etc.