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Which watch series will you buy?

  • Series 3

    Votes: 10 9.0%
  • Series 4

    Votes: 101 91.0%

  • Total voters
    111

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
Original poster
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,741
The question needs to be asked. Given the lower price of the 3, is anyone tempted to get the 3 over the 4?

One paper, the 4 has a lot going for it, no question but how much of that will be noticeable in day to day activities?
 
The Series 4 is improved in almost every way over the Series 3 in terms of health, physical changes, display, Haptic Digital Crown, ect, that all said, it really depends what you want from the Apple Watch. The Series 3 still offers many of the same features, but obviously lacks the health advancements, updated heart rate sensor, design/aesthetics, etc.

For Me, the Series 4 is the future strictly because of all the health advancements they managed to incorporate, improved health tracking, and simply because I really do like the new gold stainless. The downside, it is more expensive, which some may not find appealing, but there again, really depends what someone values in the newest Apple Watch versus the Series 3.
 
I have a series 3 and am getting series 4. I always upgrade when there is a redesign
 
In my opinion. If you’re buying a new watch for the first time you should get the newest version. Hell I have the series 3 and I am seriously considering getting the series 4
I'm on the Series 0, and the battery has had it. the performance is painful and I think its time to upgrade. The battery gives out around 8:00pm, depending how much activities I do that day, i.e., running cardio class, and karate will kill the battery.

The Series 4 is improved in almost every way over the Series 3 in terms of health, physical changes, display, Haptic Digital Crown, ect, that all said, it really depends what you want from the Apple Watch. The Series 3 still offers many of the same features, but obviously lacks the health advancements, updated heart rate sensor, design/aesthetics, etc.
That's the thing for my needs, I use it to track my exercise, but I couldn't care less about the other health features. I know worth is subjective and personal, but the price difference is not something to sneeze at.
 
I'm on the Series 0, and the battery has had it. the performance is painful and I think its time to upgrade. The battery gives out around 8:00pm, depending how much activities I do that day, i.e., running cardio class, and karate will kill the battery.


That's the thing for my needs, I use it to track my exercise, but I couldn't care less about the other health features. I know worth is subjective and personal, but the price difference is not something to sneeze at.

That is exactly where I am. My series 0 battery is dead by about 8. Makes me wonder if that is part of the plan. My wife got hers replaced because the battery bulged and popped the screen so hers lasts all day.
 
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Will make bugger-all difference day to day.

Going for a run? Strava.

Want to see the time? Look at your watch.

Want podcasts? Wait for Watch OS 5.

Music? Might sync over a bit faster with BT 5.0 on the 4.

Battery life? Charge every day or two on either watch, on either size.

Notifications? Yep.

Notifications from emails that you can actually read? Wait for Watch OS 5.

Do you fall over day to day and lay there unconscious? Well if you do then maybe you need to be thinking about the S4 ;)

Only Americans get ECG functionality, and not even at launch. How often do most people go for an ECG in a year anyway, let alone care about it day to day. You may end up developing an interest in looking at health stats on your phone, or not. And even if you do, you may still be dissatisfied. Look at the woeful state of HRV. It records it randomly (which is useless) and the Breathe app to force a reading only worked for a while, for some users. Apple Support are clueless about HRV even is, let alone try to help you with it. Health is hamfisted on it, even the layout is poor on the phone app. All very rushed.

For most users there's nothing truly in 4 for them other than a slicker experience. It's a weak update for functionality for the vast majority of users when it comes to actual usage.

I'd be considered a power user, the type that Apple hates when it comes to tech. I hit brick walls all day long when using the 3 because it lacks basic functionality and 4 solves not a single one of them. They would need to be partnering with serious businesses to make this thing special for fitness and syncing, and it's just not happening any time soon.

4 looks better though, can't wait to get one :D

Apple Watch trajectory is looking solid however. That's all that's happening here. Apple are throwing stuff into it so that it ends up being a good product one day. You're talking about quite a few iterations before it's genuinely a fitness/health tool that can replace a bunch of other tech laying around.

It can't even compete with Garmins from half a decade ago for basic fitness functionality and metrics. It's like a TOMY child's toy version of a real fitness product. Both 3 and 4.
 
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The one thing that could make me switch would be the volume. I always thought it is a little too low on my S3, other than that I'm happy with my S3
 
The series 4 has a 64bit chip. I don’t know what exactly Apple plan to use 64bit for on a watchbin future, but I know that you don’t want to be the guy buying a 5c, when the 5s just had a 64bit chip announced.

Longevity wise it just seems like a bad idea to me.
 
The larger screen alone was enough to motivate me to upgrade to Series 4 from Series 1. The louder speaker for Siri, and electrocardiogram (even though the app is coming later) are 2 bonuses that are moving me to preorder instead of waiting until Christmas to upgrade my wife's watch.
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That is exactly where I am. My series 0 battery is dead by about 8. Makes me wonder if that is part of the plan. My wife got hers replaced because the battery bulged and popped the screen so hers lasts all day.
For what it's worth, Apple touted product longevity, along with using responsibly sourced and recycled materials, as a goal to reduce it's environmental impact - augmenting its use of clean energy. Based on their commitment to the environment, I would say "it's not part of the plan" for the batteries to degrade, but rather a function of chemistry and physics.
 
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I have a s3 and think there is not enough there to upgrade. But if I were buying new, I’d get the s4 because the new processor will future proof it a lot better for future software updates.
 
Since you'll be upgrading from a S0, I think the S3 will be a huge upgrade. From what I can tell, if you just want the most basic model for workout tracking and don't care about the new features, then the S3 will meet your needs very well.
 
I'm on the Series 0, and the battery has had it. the performance is painful and I think its time to upgrade. The battery gives out around 8:00pm, depending how much activities I do that day, i.e., running cardio class, and karate will kill the battery.


That's the thing for my needs, I use it to track my exercise, but I couldn't care less about the other health features. I know worth is subjective and personal, but the price difference is not something to sneeze at.

Since you got your money's worth with the 0, I would think spending the extra to get the latest tech would be the right choice. You won't be upgrading again soon if you hold onto it that long so get the best.
 
I think if you have a Series 0, 1 or maybe even 2, the Series 4 is the logical upgrade if you want to upgrade. If you are a new Apple Watch user and the price tag doesn't scare you, I think Series 4 is the watch to choose. If you have a Series 3 already, I don't know that upgrading this year seems necessary, unless you have funds to blow.

Series 4 seems like the first real overhaul (aside from maybe the performance jump from Series 0 to Series 2), so I think the price can be justified in my opinion.
 
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The value proposition is a real question. I will probably replace my Series 3 with a 4 - justifying it with the ECG feature (here's hoping it doesn't become the next AirPower...) but it doesn't feel like it's actually compelling at all. The S3 is still an amazing piece of tech, and the lower price makes it killah.

Hey, help me fund the S4 purchase, buy my S3 Nike+. Still has over a year of AC+, LNIB... ;)
 
I'm still waiting to dip my toes into the pool on an Apple Watch, I literally just want one with GPS for tracking runs and cycling (Strava app?). Would be nice to have speed in real time and elevation changes while cycling. I think either the 3 or 4 can both do this, or neither can.
 
Oh yes I do and have seen Apple's patents for the same. *rolls eyes*
Yes, because seeing a patent makes you an expert. *rolls eyes*

You do understand that a patent only protects an idea, regardless of how feasible that idea is?

First off, there is no way to measure peripheral blood pressure passively, such as with a simple electronic sensor. Even if it were possible, the reading would be highly inaccurate. Second, measuring BP via the watchband requires having electronics and moving parts such as an air bladder and a pump installed in the band. Aanother company (Omron, which makes consumer grade medical devices) showcased a BP measuring watch awaiting FDA 510k clearance at CES last January. It isn't as simple as just "shipping a smartwatch with an apple watch band that can do this."
 
What I would like to know is if the original charge puck will work with the S4. Not a huge deal, but if my old one will be useful as a backup for a S4 it makes the whole deal just a little better.
 
Will make bugger-all difference day to day.

Going for a run? Strava.

Want to see the time? Look at your watch.

Want podcasts? Wait for Watch OS 5.

Music? Might sync over a bit faster with BT 5.0 on the 4.

Battery life? Charge every day or two on either watch, on either size.

Notifications? Yep.

Notifications from emails that you can actually read? Wait for Watch OS 5.

Do you fall over day to day and lay there unconscious? Well if you do then maybe you need to be thinking about the S4 ;)

Only Americans get ECG functionality, and not even at launch. How often do most people go for an ECG in a year anyway, let alone care about it day to day. You may end up developing an interest in looking at health stats on your phone, or not. And even if you do, you may still be dissatisfied. Look at the woeful state of HRV. It records it randomly (which is useless) and the Breathe app to force a reading only worked for a while, for some users. Apple Support are clueless about HRV even is, let alone try to help you with it. Health is hamfisted on it, even the layout is poor on the phone app. All very rushed.

For most users there's nothing truly in 4 for them other than a slicker experience. It's a weak update for functionality for the vast majority of users when it comes to actual usage.

I'd be considered a power user, the type that Apple hates when it comes to tech. I hit brick walls all day long when using the 3 because it lacks basic functionality and 4 solves not a single one of them. They would need to be partnering with serious businesses to make this thing special for fitness and syncing, and it's just not happening any time soon.

4 looks better though, can't wait to get one :D

Apple Watch trajectory is looking solid however. That's all that's happening here. Apple are throwing stuff into it so that it ends up being a good product one day. You're talking about quite a few iterations before it's genuinely a fitness/health tool that can replace a bunch of other tech laying around.

It can't even compete with Garmins from half a decade ago for basic fitness functionality and metrics. It's like a TOMY child's toy version of a real fitness product. Both 3 and 4.
A majority of the 3 to 6 million Americans that have Afib absolutely care about their Heart rate and rhythm everyday, especially those with silent or intermittent Afib. Kardia made a watchband that does the same thing for series 3, that and the success of the heart study shows it’s a popular function.
 
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