REASONS TO BUY
App-rich library
Excellent display quality
Great health sensors
REASONS TO AVOID
Poor battery life
Poor charging time
Auto-adjust brightness
Apple Watch Series 8 Review
This wearable blew us away with its rich app store that puts the smart in smartwatch
Credit: Apple
RELATED: Best Smartwatch
Our Verdict
Those with iPhones searching for the top smartwatch should look no further than the Apple Watch Series 8. This stylish wearable earns one of the top spots in our comprehensive smartwatch review for its vast library of applications and top-tier health options. Hallmark apps such as Twitter, duo for WhatsApp, Spotify, and much more are included in this device's vast library. We were particularly impressed with this watch's safety features, especially fall detection. The Series 8 is a light, smooth, and stylish watch that also boasts an impressive display. The only drawbacks of the Series 8 are its high price point and average battery capacity. Our review of the best smartwatches shows how it stacks up versus competing products.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product Apple Watch Series 8 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Smartwatch for iPhones | Best Smartwatch for Samsung Phones |  Best Battery Life | ||
| Price | $430 List $489.00 at Amazon | $310 List $142.98 at Amazon | $280 List $243.00 at Amazon | $350 List $349.99 at Amazon | $200 List $119.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This juggernaut of a smartwatch blew our testers away with the sheer performance of its smart and health features | Android users will not be disappointed with this product. Samsung improves upon previous models while maintaining what they have done well | Google's first smartwatch has a lot going for it but lacks a competitive edge | A worthy choice if you are looking for a top-tier Android-compatible option, but definitely not the best model we have tested | This wearable doesn't have much going for it, we recommend looking at other options |
| Rating Categories | Apple Watch Series 8 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 | Google Pixel Watch | Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 | Mobvoi Ticwatch E3 |
| Ease of Use (15%) | |||||
| Smart Function (30%) | |||||
| Display (15%) | |||||
| Health (20%) | |||||
| Battery (20%) | |||||
| Specs | Apple Watch Series 8 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 | Google Pixel Watch | Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 | Mobvoi Ticwatch E3 |
| Water Resistance | 5 ATM | 5 ATM | 5 ATM | IP68 and pool swimming suitable | IP68 and pool swimming suitable |
| NFC (contactless payment) | Apple Pay | Samsung Pay | Google Pay | Google Pay | Google Pay |
| GPS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Speaker | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Display | Always-On Retina LTPO OLED | AMOLED | AMOLED with DCI-P3 color | Dual Display LCD over Retina AMOLED | HD 2.5D curved |
| Resolution | 396 x 484 pixels | 396 x 396 pixels | 450 x 450 pixels | 454 x 454 pixels | 360 x 360 pixels |
| HR Monitor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Other Sensors | Blood Oxygen ECG Skin Temperature High-g accelerometer Gyroscope Compass Altimeter Ambient Light |
Accelerometer Gyroscope Barometer Ambient Light Compass ECG Blood Oxygen |
Compass Altimeter Blood Oxygen Multi purpose electrical ECG Accelerometer Gyroscope Ambient Light |
Accelerometer Gyroscope Blood Oxygen Low Latency Off-Body Sensor Barometer Ambient Light |
Accelerometer Gyroscope Blood Oxygen Low Latency Off-Body Sensor |
| Processor | S8 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor | Exynos W920 (Dualcore, 5nm) | Exynos 9110 SoC · Cortex M33 co-processor | Qualcomm® Snapdragon Wear™ 4100 Platform and Mobvoi dual processor system | Qualcomm® Snapdragon Wear™ 4100 Platform and Mobvoi dual processor system |
| Operating System | watchOS | WearOS | WearOS | WearOS | WearOS |
| Available Sizes | 41 mm, 45mm | 40mm, 44mm | 41mm | 48mm | 47mm |
| Size Tested | 45mm | 40mm | 41mm | 48mm | 47mm |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Apple Watch Series 8 is a feature-rich device with a simplistic interface that anyone can use. Additional temperature sensors add a new level to the already advanced health features, helping users better track sleep and ovulation cycles. It features an incredible display that makes interfacing with applications and photos a real joy. This watch also has a great GPS and cellular capacity for individuals willing to pay more.
Performance Comparison
The display on the Series 8 is in a league of its own.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Smart Function
For this metric, we allocated points based on this watch's performance in app selection, communication features, music control, cellular capabilities, and whether or not contactless payment options were available. We found that the Series 8 stood second to none, showcasing the best smart functions available on the market today.
The app diversity on the Series 8 is immense, boasting the most popular apps of any smartwatch. Apps such as Facebook messenger, duo for WhatsApp, Spotify, and many more are available on the app store. These apps are adapted versions of the base app for smartwatches; therefore, the capabilities are more limited. The watch also comes with utility apps such as weather, calendar, etc., with competitor apps on the app store.
An incredible amount of smart apps and features enhance life on the go.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Making phone calls on the Series 8 is effortless. You will enjoy crisp and clean call quality thanks to the high-performance speaker and microphone. Text messaging is also available, allowing users to receive and send messages. Users who find the keyboard to be small should try the scribbling feature. Scribbling enables you to write out text messages instead of typing them out. If scribbling is not for you, there is always a reliable talk-to-text feature to fall back on.
A special bonus of the Series 8 is its excellent music control capabilities. Apps such as Pandora and Spotify are available for the watch. However, Spotify only allows the user to play music from their playlist or recently played. Despite this, music control for this wearable is ahead compared to others. Exhibiting remarkable quality and UI that is ahead of its time.
You will find that the call quality on the Series 8 is crisp and full of clarity.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Health
Applications are great, but almost any digital product has an app store. What really makes smartwatches hot is that they double as fitness trackers. The Series 8 does not differ in the slightest, scoring exceptionally high on our health metrics. Our testers evaluated this device's proficiency at step counting, workout tracking, and heart rate (HR) monitoring, the utility of safety features, and the availability of additional health features.
The step counter on the Series 8 will give you a heightened level of accuracy. In our three trial tests, we found an average step difference of 0.6. This tier of accuracy can easily compete with the top fitness trackers on the market.
HR monitoring is similarly exceptional in its tracking capabilities. Not only can the Series 8 accurately monitor heart rate over a steady exercise, but it can also reliably detect changes in HR when altering intensity within a workout. However, the workout tracking feature was lackluster, given the high performance of the previous trackers. We were disappointed that you could not review past workouts on the watch, but it is possible to view them on your iPhone.
No other smartwatch can compete with the Series 8 in terms of health and fitness capabilities.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Whether or not you pay for celluar+GPS, the Series 8 still allows for emergency calls. To make an emergency call, press and hold the side button, and an emergency SOS prompt will appear. Another important safety feature unique to this product is the fall detection feature. If you take a hard fall or get hit in a collision, the Series 8 will automatically prompt you to an emergency call. If it is a false flag, do not worry; simply decline the prompt.
In the event of an emergency, you can count on the Series 8 with SOS alerts.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Battery
Watches are worn throughout the day, which requires a reliable battery life. Nothing is more frustrating than when your smartwatch dies mid-afternoon when you need it the most. Accordingly, we assessed the Series 8 watch's performance in overall battery duration, quick charge, and total charge time.
This is the one metric that the Series 8 fails to make a huge impression. The total charge time of this watch is about 18 hours which is solid but, compared to the previous metrics, uninspiring. It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to fully charge this device and about 22 minutes to charge it up to 25%.
Although the battery life is not remarkable, it is at least satisfactory.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
With such an awesome array of capabilities, a less tech-savvy person may find this power intimidating. Fortunately, this is one of the easiest watches to use on the market, staying true to Apple's original design. Our tests for this metric include screen responsiveness, crown scroll utility, charging setup, and water resistance.
The screen is smooth and responsive to the slightest of movements. Whether you move your wrist fast or slow, the Series 8 will reflect these movements almost perfectly. Crown scrolling makes navigating apps a breeze, especially since the scroll can be customized depending on whether the user is left or right-handed. The haptic feedback is a welcomed addition, alerting the user through a soft vibration when they have reached maximum scroll.
The Series 8 interface is simplistic.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Charging this device is an intuitive and straightforward process. The charging station may be a small area, but due to the strength of the charging magnet, it is unlikely that placing the watch on the charging port will be a cumbersome procedure. Lastly, the water resistance of this watch meets the basic requirements and can be used in rain and shallow water. Just make sure to take it off before scuba diving!
The charging setup for this wearable is straightforward - simply place it on the charging station.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Display
Our display metric measures the Series 8 watch's screen quality, auto brightness proficiency, and visibility in light.
The screen quality is second to none, featuring an impressive 396 x 484-pixel display that is vibrant and impactful. Even viewing photos with low light, the Series 8 can maintain imposing quality.
A great display can give a top-tier smartwatch a competitive edge.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Auto brightness works as expected, but there is no ability to turn this feature off. Sometimes it overcompensates for changes in lighting. For instance, we found that it could be too dim in bright settings. With this gripe in mind, it is worth mentioning that the overall quality does not suffer in the slightest.
Compared to other smartwatches, the Series 8 is somewhat lacking in visibility in light environments.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Should you buy the Apple Watch Series 8?
You will likely not find a better smartwatch than the Apple Watch Series 8. Not many smartwatches can claim such an impressive range of smart and health features. If you are an iPhone user with a lax budget, this product will not disappoint. Android users or those on a tight budget should look elsewhere.
What other Smartwatches should you consider?
Android users who still want a high-quality smartwatch should check out the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5. If you work in an occupation requiring lots of traveling and need a watch with reliable battery life, look no further than the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3.
—
Jessica Riconscente and Jared Eastlick
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