Stainless vs Aluminum - Why buy SS?

[The-Real-Deal82]

I’m one of those people that enjoy the lightweight feel of the Apple Watch so for me it has to be aluminium. It offers a nice break from some of my heavier dive watches and to most people I’d say Apple watches are all pretty much the same on first impressions. I wouldn’t pay a premium to own a heavier smartwatch personally as that aspect is not important for me personally.

 

[mlody]

For me it is SS or nothing.

 

[AttilaTheHun]

I guess I got spoiled testing my son's Stainless Steel S0 to see if I want an S3 or S4. I don't find the screen to be a fingerprint magnet at all. Guess I wash my hands a lot

When I went into Best Buy to see other colors, I was not impressed with the silver aluminum. Looked a major step down from the SS S0 I have. Just aesthetics, I know. The grey one looked better.

I am leaning toward the Black SS.

How is your black SS doing Relentless Power?

My AW 3 LTE black battery is not bad charging once every 2.5 days, but I use only heat bit study no other programs

 

[Arni99]

I hate scratched watch displays. Therefore I got the SS with Sapphire display.

 

[Dodgeman]

I first has the space gray and got it for under $300 on a black Friday sale.

When the new watch dropped Series 2, I strictly wanted something A) more durable and B) something that looked better.

It carries a premium and it stands out from all the Jane and John Doe with the same space gray watches.

Wound up getting rid of the Iphone and sold it off and sure that person came out ahead.

Actually picked up the X and was thinking of going back to AW and to be honest thought of 3 watches the SS again maybe not blk but silver or even a space gray with a band I like.

 

[mcarthon]

I mostly use mine for exercising and tracking my sleep so the SS was def out. Not a big fan of wearing watches anyways so the lighter version was a must. I have banged his thing on door frames a lot from walking by and swiping it against the frame and still no scratches or dents.

It’s an aluminum series 3

 

[ebika]

I love the materials in the SS, including worrying less about scratching the sapphire crystal, and being able to polish the SS case. At 42.4g for the 38mm watch, I honestly can't feel the weight on my arm.

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

I mostly use mine for exercising and tracking my sleep so the SS was def out. Not a big fan of wearing watches anyways so the lighter version was a must. I have banged his thing on door frames a lot from walking by and swiping it against the frame and still no scratches or dents.

It’s an aluminum series 3

This. It just drives me a little crazy when people act like the aluminum/ion X are this fragile thing. I get that there are a couple people on here who had bad experiences, but I just don’t think that’s the norm. I’m terribly clumsy, and I have never had noticeable damage appear on any of my aluminum apple watches.

 

[44267547]

This. It just drives me a little crazy when people act like the aluminum/ion X are this fragile thing. I get that there are a couple people on here who had bad experiences, but I just don’t think that’s the norm. I’m terribly clumsy, and I have never had noticeable damage appear on any of my aluminum apple watches.

From all my readings, I wouldn’t say that the aluminum model is ‘fragile’, it’s the display that many complain about that scratches relatively easily. In comparison, when you look at a 38 or 42 mm display in terms
Of seeing the scratches, the protection is far less than that of the Sapphire display on the stainless model.

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

From all my readings, I wouldn’t say that the aluminum model is ‘fragile’, it’s the display that many complain about that scratches relatively easily. In comparison, when you look at a 38 or 42 mm display in terms
Of seeing the scratches, the protection is far less than that of the Sapphire display on the stainless model.

Even so. It just hasn't been my experience as a clumsy person wearing one for years. I've never seen a scratch.

 

[Lennyvalentin]

It just drives me a little crazy when people act like the aluminum/ion X are this fragile thing.

The only marks I have on my Sport watch is a few super thin scratches a few mm in length that don't show up unless you go hunting for them. Watch turns 3 years old in june.

I haven't babied this thing. I've banged it into stuff by mistake slash out of clumsiness. If one simply takes reasonable care of one's possessions, the alu/glass watch can easily last for years.

Feels like many young people today are way entitled and have no respect for their own things. This subforum was filled with reports of people with cracked screens not even a week after the watch launched. I can't even begin to understand how someone can't make it through a single week without breaking their new watch.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

Even so. It just hasn't been my experience as a clumsy person wearing one for years. I've never seen a scratch.

It also depends how picky you are. Like you, I've had the aluminum version for years, and it's held up amazingly well even with bumps along the way. That being said, I have had a few instances where I did manage to scratch up the screen. This is in completely understandable situations like hard scraping against very coarse rock/brick/etc. So my screen does have noticable (if you look closely) scratches along the display. I've never been too anal retentive with regards to keeping pristine devices, so I'm (mostly) fine with it. But it does make me consider the SS model going forward. I would definitely care more about the saphire front and back (I have lots of "microabrasions" along the HR monitor, I'm guessing from my arm hair) than the SS material.

But that being said, buying the SS for me would mean I'm planning to go 4-5 years with it... but upgrading every 2-3 years (aluminum) at the same cost seems like a better option...

 

[JackieInCo]

I hate scratched watch displays. Therefore I got the SS with Sapphire display.

I still have three series 2 watches and it's been a year. I still wear them as well as my three series 3 watches. None of the watches has ANY scratches on the screens and I've even had the seatbelt buckle in my car band up against the glass several times last summer.

 

[44267547]

It also depends how picky you are. Like you, I've had the aluminum version for years, and it's held up amazingly well even with bumps along the way. That being said, I have had a few instances where I did manage to scratch up the screen. This is in completely understandable situations like hard scraping against very coarse rock/brick/etc. So my screen does have noticable (if you look closely) scratches along the display. I've never been too anal retentive with regards to keeping pristine devices, so I'm (mostly) fine with it. But it does make me consider the SS model going forward. I would definitely care more about the saphire front and back (I have lots of "microabrasions" along the HR monitor, I'm guessing from my arm hair) than the SS material.

But that being said, buying the SS for me would mean I'm planning to go 4-5 years with it... but upgrading every 2-3 years (aluminum) at the same cost seems like a better option...

I previously owned the aluminum model before upgrading to the stainless model, I see others saying that they have no marks on the watch casing from hitting it on various objects, etc. (Which all may be true) And the casing for the aluminum model is very strong with the 7000 series, but if you look closely at the Ion-X display on the Sport model, I’m there are most likely minuscule hairline scratches, but like you said, it depends how closely somebody is looking. From a distance, the Ion-X display looks perfect, but if you look at certain angles with the light reflecting, you can see scratches.

With the stainless model, the Sapphire display is incredibly durable, but to me has the ultimate protection where I don’t have to be concerned about looking at any scratches on a 38 or 42 mm display, given that it can scratch, it’s much less likely over the Ion-X Glass.

 

[mcarthon]

The sapphire is harder to scratch but it’s also easier to crack I think since it’s not as flexible as the ion x.

But it comes down to preference and if it’s worth the extra funds.

 

[44267547]

The sapphire is harder to scratch but it’s also easier to crack I think since it’s not as flexible as the ion x.

But it comes down to preference and if it’s worth the extra funds.

That is true, that if the sapphire is dropped, it’s likely more prone to shatter versus crack as the Ion-X Apple Watch display would. But of course it all depends on the angle and surface type that would impact the overall damage as well.

 

[neoelectronaut]

FWIW I got a small scratch on the face of my aluminum Series 1 watch within the first week of ownership. I was bummed for a few hours and then I got over it.

Though it's probably just a scratch on the coating as I can't feel it with my fingernail.

 

[Wildo6882]

FWIW I got a small scratch on the face of my aluminum Series 1 watch within the first week of ownership. I was bummed for a few hours and then I got over it.

Though it's probably just a scratch on the coating as I can't feel it with my fingernail.

That's what I'm worried about. I just got a Series 1 for $174 and can get a Series 3 SS 42mm with AC+ for $600. Not sure if it's worth the difference as I have never use an AW before.

 

[neoelectronaut]

That's what I'm worried about. I just got a Series 1 for $174 and can get a Series 3 SS 42mm with AC+ for $600. Not sure if it's worth the difference as I have never use an AW before.

You can almost buy four watches for the price of the stainless steel with Applecare, but it's your money, you do you.

 

[Wildo6882]

You can almost buy four watches for the price of the stainless steel with Applecare, but it's your money, you do you.

Very valid point. Which is why I’m kind of leaning towards the series 1. Then I can determine if this is something that I like, and want to use for the long-haul. And then maybe see what Apple puts out in the fall.

 

[neoelectronaut]

For what it's worth I found the Series 1 to be perfectly fine over the last three weeks that I've used it. The only thing I could argue was "slow" about it was any sort of Siri interactions, and even that seems to be hit and miss.

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

For what it's worth I found the Series 1 to be perfectly fine over the last three weeks that I've used it. The only thing I could argue was "slow" about it was any sort of Siri interactions, and even that seems to be hit and miss.

Yeah, and Siri can be like that on Series 3.

 

[neoelectronaut]

Yeah, and Siri can be like that on Series 3.

Well dang, there you go then. If you don't plan on swimming with your watch, don't need GPS functionality, and don't need the LTE hardware, I'd say you'd be perfectly fine with the Series 1.

 

[canyonblue737]

Let me be clear why... I bought a Space Black SS. I've bumped it into brick walls, metal edges, a piece of coral swimming in the ocean and more. The screen and the bezels look PERFECT. Not a single scratch. That is why I bought a SB SS.

 

[barjam]

Even so. It just hasn't been my experience as a clumsy person wearing one for years. I've never seen a scratch.

I tried the aluminum 3 and bumped it against a sheetrock wall... four scratches on day two of ownership. I returned it and went back to SS.

Look at your screen in bright light. No scratches?