Upgrading from Series 2 - what to get?

[eddjedi]

I've had my Series 2 watch since launch (so about 5 years now) and the battery is starting to die, it doesn't last a whole day any more and it randomly turns off sometimes. It's done pretty well, and as it is now obsolete OS wise I guess it's time to get a new one.

BUT being a watch, it pretty much does everything I need already. All I use it for is telling the time (obviously), notifications from WhatsApp/Messenger/Calendar etc (the main reason I wear it over a normal watch) and I also play golf so use a GPS app on the golf course. That's pretty much it.

Looking at the Series 8 spec, the only new feature that really appeals to me is the always on display, as I often find looking at my Series 2 doesn't 'wake' it, I have to raise my wrist more than once to display the time which seems like a massive fail on Apple's part with the primary function being a watch, maybe they have fixed that in more recent versions?

The other thing I'm keen for is better battery life, as my S2 has rarely ever lasted more than 24h, it usually lasts about 14-16 which isn't quite a full day (it often reminds me to charge it before I go to bed, which is annoying.)

So my question is, do I really need to spend £419 on the S8, or will the SE version 2 suffice which is nearly half the price? I know it doesn't have the always on display, but does it show the time when you lift your arm (like my S2 should but doesn't?) If it's still flakey, I'll pay the extra, but if not the SE should be fine.

And what about battery life? Is there an Apple Watch that lasts 2 days? That would be the ideal, as I often have to stay one night away for work.

Is it worth considering a slightly older model like the S7?

Any advice appreciated!

 

[Shirasaki]

Apple Watch ultra is the one that lasts 2 days for typical use. However, unless you value battery life A LOT, I’d suggest go for series 8 or even cheaper uses series 7 instead.

There’s really nothing much more added in series 8 compared to 7. But Apple Watch ultra is a nice price bump filled with features you might never touch in your life.

Something else to keep in mind: make sure your iPhone is not too old. Both series 8 and Apple Watch ultra require iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16 or later to pair and use. Also there’s no “wifi” version Apple Watch ultra.

 

[JiggyJaggy]

Series 7 all day long. best blend of value and performance right now.

 

[Howard2k]

If AOD is no big deal then the SE2 is a great watch.

Raise to wake always worked great for me on my previous watch (Gen 1 SE) but some people found they couldn’t make it work without crazy hand movements. That’s not the case for me, it always works fantastically.

I’m barreling towards 50 so the ECG is a feature I wanted. And AOD doesn’t hurt. Finally the S8 comes in silver, which the SE and S7 do not. So if you really care about AOD, ECG, and silver, get the S8. If silver is not important but AOD and ECG are, I’d look for a good deal on an S7. And if none of those three are important then I’d get the SE2.


The Ultra comes only with cellular, as mentioned above, but you don’t need to activate it and you’d still get emergency calling.

 

[wilberforce]

SE2 has a smaller screen than S7/S8.
The increased screen size is noticeable and nice, whether it is "worth" it is subjective.
The overall watch dimensions are almost the same; they made the screen bigger by shrinking the bezels.

 

[Howard2k]

SE2 has a smaller screen than S7/S8.
The increased screen size is noticeable and nice, whether it is "worth" it is subjective.
The overall watch dimensions are almost the same; they made the screen bigger by shrinking the bezels.

Yeah good call. That’s a decent difference too. Especially as your eyes age!