The digital crown doesn't get enough credit

[skillwill]

It's obvious the mouse, and multi-touch are great input and navigation devices - we all remember the first time we touched an iPhone and were blown away.

But, playing around with the AW S3 (my first AW), it really surprised me how useful the digital crown is. When I'd thought about getting an AW I'd always seen myself sticking to the touch screen and not complicating things with a physical button/scroll wheel - but I was wrong, the digital crown is brilliant, the sensitivity and weight is just right. It's a pleasure to use.

You don't see people raving about the digital crown in the same way they did/do about some of Apple's other UI breakthroughs - but it deserves a hat tip.

 

[44267547]

It's obvious the mouse, and multi-touch are great input and navigation devices - we all remember the first time we touched an iPhone and were blown away.

But, playing around with the AW S3 (my first AW), it really surprised me how useful the digital crown is. When I'd thought about getting an AW I'd always seen myself sticking to the touch screen and not complicating things with a physical button/scroll wheel - but I was wrong, the digital crown is brilliant, the sensitivity and weight is just right. It's a pleasure to use.

You don't see people raving about the digital crown in the same way they did/do about some of Apple's other UI breakthroughs - but it deserves a hat tip.

I agree it serves it's purpose and to prevent from having to use your fingers to pinch and zoom on a 38 mm/42 mm display. And it gives the watch a traditional look actually having a crown as well. So I agree Apple did a good job here.

 

[TravisPNW]

Yeah... the Series 3 is my first and I'm happy with everything on my 3rd day of use. The digital crown is nice.

I've seen a lot of comments about the red dot but it doesn't bother me. It goes well with the black watch. I like the color scheme... my car is the same red/black.

 

[576316]

It's great, but there seems to be some variety. My fiance's S3 has a very stiff crown, and it has been since new. My crown is quite loose though and much easier to turn.

 

[Ixidor]

Round vs square case design arguments aside, I think Samsung gear S2/S3 watches don’t get enough credit for their rotating bezels. It feels like a real mechanical watch when you rotate the bezel.

Samsung does make very very good hardware (both phones and smart watches), but the software experience is (imo) severely lacking.

 

[Resqu2]

Besides pushing mine in it never gets turned and the button under it never gets used. Maybe I’m missing something.

 

[Mansu944]

Yeah... the Series 3 is my first and I'm happy with everything on my 3rd day of use. The digital crown is nice.

I've seen a lot of comments about the red dot but it doesn't bother me. It goes well with the black watch. I like the color scheme... my car is the same red/black.

I love the red dot

 

[matrix07]

It's obvious the mouse, and multi-touch are great input and navigation devices - we all remember the first time we touched an iPhone and were blown away.

But, playing around with the AW S3 (my first AW), it really surprised me how useful the digital crown is. When I'd thought about getting an AW I'd always seen myself sticking to the touch screen and not complicating things with a physical button/scroll wheel - but I was wrong, the digital crown is brilliant, the sensitivity and weight is just right. It's a pleasure to use.

You don't see people raving about the digital crown in the same way they did/do about some of Apple's other UI breakthroughs - but it deserves a hat tip.

Yes indeed, it's so underrated. I can't imagine I'm using the watch without digital crown. Rarely that I swipe up & down on the screen. In fact if I have to swipe up/down I would return my watch period.
What great about digital crown is not only its fluidity, but it also never obstruct your view of what's going on. Great little innovation.

 

[44267547]

It's great, but there seems to be some variety. My fiance's S3 has a very stiff crown, and it has been since new. My crown is quite loose though and much easier to turn.

There have been multiple threads on this. It's not uncommon to have different manufacturing inconsistencies with the digital crown and how it turns. I own multiple Apple Watches and they all rotate differently, with different tensions. There's a lot of speculation behind this, but there's never been any real definitive issues with how the digital crown turns.

 

[OBirder]

It's great, but there seems to be some variety. My fiance's S3 has a very stiff crown, and it has been since new. My crown is quite loose though and much easier to turn.

Same experience here. However I like the stiff one on my S3. Prevents accidentally using time travel just with a long sleeve shirt as it did frequently with the loose one on on my S0.

Overall I love the crown too.