I think you should factor in (or compare) the 3 times incident fee + initial cost and the cost of a replacement watch for 3 times… that tips the scales a little
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.
SS series 5 or Aluminum Series 6
- Thread starter JustCrusin
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I wondered if someone would notice that. I see you are paying attentionI think you should factor in (or compare) the 3 times incident fee + initial cost and the cost of a replacement watch for 3 times… that tips the scales a little
But you need to at least count one incident fee in the comparison
😉I wondered if someone would notice that. I see you are paying attention
But you need to at least count one incident fee in the comparison
However, AC+ also extends your regular warranty that has no incident fee. Battery issues, for instance, in the first two years are completely covered with no fee.
That's a really good price for a SS AW5. I paid a lot more than that for mine.
When you buy 'stuff', do you go for practical or do you prefer spending a bit more for the precision / finer things? It's really about who you are. It seems to me that your having chosen to spend a bit more for the the stainless watch, you're probably in the second category.
Ruggedness wise, I think the sapphire crystal will be much less likely to scratch (that's why they put sapphire over the iPhone's camera lenses). My SS AW5 still looks great and it still looks new. but then again, when you buy the more expensive item, at least subconsciously, you tend to take really good care of it.
Your call.
When you buy 'stuff', do you go for practical or do you prefer spending a bit more for the precision / finer things? It's really about who you are. It seems to me that your having chosen to spend a bit more for the the stainless watch, you're probably in the second category.
Ruggedness wise, I think the sapphire crystal will be much less likely to scratch (that's why they put sapphire over the iPhone's camera lenses). My SS AW5 still looks great and it still looks new. but then again, when you buy the more expensive item, at least subconsciously, you tend to take really good care of it.
Your call.
This is true, yes. But arguably the highest risk is from accidental damage, as the battery is only covered if it gets below 80% battery health in the first two years. I suspect a very small proportion will get below 80% in 2 years. It will be very frustrating to reach 82%. And if you don't have AC+, the battery replacement charge is only $79. Exactly the same cost as AC+. What a surprise!
And the advantage of paying the battery fee instead, is that you are not limited to doing so under 2 years or under 80% battery health. So if you paid for AC+, and your battery goes bad just after two years, you land up having paid both the AC+ fee and the battery fee.
Furthermore the AC+ really only covers the second year. The first year is already covered by the standard warranty.
Apple Watch Owners
Your battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles. The one-year warranty (for Apple Watch and Apple Watch Sport) and two-year warranty (for Apple Watch Edition) include service coverage for a defective battery.
Last edited:
All this talk about warranty. I bought my first Apple Watch, series 0, the first day they showed up at the Apple Store. I've had various AWs of every model (except 6) since then, both aluminum and stainless, and have never had a problem with any of them. They're good, they're rugged, and the battery lasts a long time (currently my AW 5 battery health is 96%). I recently gave the one I bought in 2015 to my niece who still uses it to change music sets in her dance class as she demonstrates.
It eases my mind... simple as that
I hate dings and dents or even cracks, so having the possibility to claim an incident and get the watch replaced is nice and - for me - definitely worth it.
I usually don't bother with AC but for my Watch I did. Only because it's a much higher risk of damage given that it's on my wrist. Even then, it's not a slam dunk for me.
Obviously if AC was not beneficial to Apple's bottom line they would not offer it, and I am careful with my stuff in general, so even though I did purchase AC this time I'm not sure I will for my next one. If I have a next one.
Obviously if AC was not beneficial to Apple's bottom line they would not offer it, and I am careful with my stuff in general, so even though I did purchase AC this time I'm not sure I will for my next one. If I have a next one.
I also got my S5 Stainless Steel during the BestBuy sale a few months back. I've had every single Apple Watch since the original, but always in aluminum. I already had an S6 Nike aluminum, but the price was too good to pass up for my first ever SS Apple Watch. I have to say, although I don't love my aluminum S6 any less than I did before, the SS is just a whole different product. The shine, the weight, it's just different. It's like dress shoes vs your favorite pair of Nikes. Both functional and comfortable, but different products. I also have an S5 ceramic, which is yet another totally different look and feel. I rotate between the three watches depending on my mood on any given day.
In short, I don't think you will regret the S5 SS purchase - it's an amazing, solid watch, and you aren't missing out on much against the S6.