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S4 or S5? Coming from S2

A

AbSoluTc

macrumors 603
Original poster
Sep 21, 2008
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I am coming from S2. Still kicking but feeling the pain with how slow it's become and basically useless. I am leaning towards S4 at $399 compared to $699 for the S5. A $300 savings. Really don't need AOD or compass. With those two out, it's the exact same watch right?

Am I missing anything?
 
You're pretty much right on. AOD, compass and an increase from 16 to 32gb of disk space are the differences. I upgraded my S2 to S4 GPS only model last year and thought it a wonderful and significant upgrade. The deals on S4 Stainless honestly have me thinking. Sure it's nice to have the latest tech and all but a $300 savings is quite significant.

One other consideration, S4's I assume would ship with Watch OS 5. Not sure which OS S5 would ship with, though I suspect 6. In my case, I have not upgraded to iOS 13 and won't be doing so until Mail and Exchange issues are fixed. That may or may not be important to you.
 
staggerlee41 said:
You're pretty much right on. AOD, compass and an increase from 16 to 32gb of disk space are the differences. I upgraded my S2 to S4 GPS only model last year and thought it a wonderful and significant upgrade. The deals on S4 Stainless honestly have me thinking. Sure it's nice to have the latest tech and all but a $300 savings is quite significant.
Click to expand...

I have to agree. $300 dollar savings is nice. I can get another HomePod or just save it period. I bought the S4 SS at BestBuy. Was going to go Amazon but waited to long and it sold out. I made the right choice. $400 for a SS 44mm Apple Watch is a great price IMO. $700 is still too much.
 
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I would go with the Series 4, unless you really want the always on display, that’s obviously the big differential here with the Series 5. The Series 4 is still plenty capable, and it’s shares the same 64-bit dual core processor.
 
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Absolutely S4 if you’re coming from anything older. I stuck to my S4 because Apple wasn’t paying enough for trade in and the S5 doesn’t have an upgraded processor. So yeah save the money I say.
 
Well clearly the S4 if you don’t care about AOD. Though my question is why you don’t care about AOD? It’s completely changed the utility of Apple Watch for me. Way more so than a bigger screen, LTE, a faster processor, etc.
 
QCassidy352 said:
Well clearly the S4 if you don’t care about AOD. Though my question is why you don’t care about AOD? It’s completely changed the utility of Apple Watch for me. Way more so than a bigger screen, LTE, a faster processor, etc.
Click to expand...

Because everyone's needs are different. Personally, I can think of one particular time where it might be advantageous for my needs and that's exercise. That said I'm perfectly content with turning on Raise to Wake while exercising or just tap the screen. Either way has been just fine for my needs. Otherwise, I prefer to have the anonymity of the black screen invoking it to wake only when I need to look at it.

Same question to you, what's so compelling about AOD that it's completely changed the way you're using the watch.
 
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I wear my watch on my inner wrist, where raise to wake doesn’t really work. I used to glance at my s3 dozens of times per day expecting to see the time or other information and seeing a black box. It was, by far, the most frustrating part of the AW experience.

Edit: let me expand on the above. IMO, one of the key functions of AW is to display information with maximum ease and convenience - the whole “I don’t have to take out my phone” thing. Yes, it’s also outright better than iPhone for certain things, namely health and fitness. But its ability to be your most readily-accessible screen is, for me, probably the most compelling reason to have an AW. AOD makes AW way, way better at being a ready source of information.

now that I have a s5,I’m blown away by how often I see other people’s earlier generation AWs sitting there as useless black squares.
 
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QCassidy352 said:
I wear my watch on my inner wrist, where raise to wake doesn’t really work. I used to glance at my s3 dozens of times per day expecting to see the time or other information and seeing a black box. It was, by far, the most frustrating part of the AW experience.

Edit: let me expand on the above. IMO, one of the key functions of AW is to display information with maximum ease and convenience - the whole “I don’t have to take out my phone” thing. Yes, it’s also outright better than iPhone for certain things, namely health and fitness. But its ability to be your most readily-accessible screen is, for me, probably the most compelling reason to have an AW. AOD makes AW way, way better at being a ready source of information.

now that I have a s5,I’m blown away by how often I see other people’s earlier generation AWs sitting there as useless black squares.
Click to expand...

I think the key here is that you wear the watch in a way Apple Watch wasn’t designed for. Because in all of their promo videos they show the watch being worn in normal position, outward facing.

For example, I wear my watch facing outward all the time and by the time I’ve brought it up to my face to see the time it’s awake and all data is present on the screen. The only time I see it not working sometimes is when I have my arm resting on a desk and I move it a little bit to look at the watch, I tend to just move the crown to see the time then.
 
I have to chime in here as a former AW2 owner who now has the AW5 and the AOD transform it into feeling like a real watch. The rest is ok and on par with the AW4 so even with the AW4SS deal at Best Buy I couldn't see myself without AOD. Until they fixed the battery issues with 6.1 I was considering going back to AW2 since AW4 without AOD to me felt pointless. Battery is a lot better now and I can get almost 48 hours with really low use but 24 hours with normal use. Still have Noise, app refresh and Siro off since I don't use it anyway. I have the AW5 cellular and really like it.
 
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akash.nu said:
I think the key here is that you wear the watch in a way Apple Watch wasn’t designed for. Because in all of their promo videos they show the watch being worn in normal position, outward facing.

For example, I wear my watch facing outward all the time and by the time I’ve brought it up to my face to see the time it’s awake and all data is present on the screen. The only time I see it not working sometimes is when I have my arm resting on a desk and I move it a little bit to look at the watch, I tend to just move the crown to see the time then.
Click to expand...
Well, I like that I no longer have to wear my watch a particular way. I think that’s how it should be. Not “you’re wearing it wrong.” (iPhone 4 all over again)

I also don't have to bring it up to my face (as you put it) to see the time anymore. Makes it way better when exercising, in meetings, and at other times when you don’t want to have to move to see the time.

I honestly think this is one of those things that people only argue about until they try it. The pre-AW5 way seems fine until you use AOD, then you can never go back.
 
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QCassidy352 said:
It’s completely changed the utility of Apple Watch for me. Way more so than a bigger screen, LTE, a faster processor, etc.
Click to expand...

This. I had an S4 and I can't imagine going back to it. AOD is fantastic with the right watch faces.
 
I can understand all points. However, S4 is fine for me. I don't need AOD. The S4 display is nearly instant on when I look at it. Miles better than my S2 ever was, where I had to beat the screen to turn it on. I like the blacked out screen honestly. I also like being behind a generation. Saves me some green. :D

Used to need the latest and greatest. Not anymore.
 
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If you have a Costco nearby, they should be clearing out any Series 4 stock they may have left, I grabbed a 44mm aluminum in space grey for $299 a week ago. I saw the BB deal for the SS model and none of my local BB's had any, but I'm perfectly happy with the model I got for $299.
 
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I am so happy I skipped the Series 4. I'd pay $1000 extra just for AOD. Completely changes the utility of the watch in little ways that add up to big changes to convenience and productivity.
 
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confessJason said:
I am so happy I skipped the Series 4. I'd pay $1000 extra just for AOD. Completely changes the utility of the watch in little ways that add up to big changes to convenience and productivity.
Click to expand...

Convenience, sure, I see your point there about the AOD. But productivity? How does an ‘always on display’ change the productivity of the Apple Watch?
 
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