Every autumn, the holiday discount season asks a quiet question of anyone standing at the edge of an upgrade: is the newer thing worth the small extra step? Here TechRadar, writing as Black Friday approached in November 2022, weighs a discounted Apple Watch Series 7 against a fresh Series 8 that sits only about thirty dollars above it. Its answer is that the newer watch earns its modest premium, because two additions, cycle tracking through a temperature sensor and crash detection, speak to the body and its safety in ways a familiar design cannot, and because Apple devices tend to keep their w
Black Friday Makes the Apple Watch Series 8 an Easy Pick Over the Series 7
A feature you'll hope never to use
Mark
So what's the actual argument here? Why pick the Series 8?
Mimi
The price gap is small. A renewed 41mm Series 7 is $299.99 at Amazon, and a new Series 8 is down to $379 there. TechRadar says that's about $30 more than comparable Series 7 prices.
Mark
And what do you get for that?
Mimi
Cycle Tracking using a new temperature sensor, and Crash Detection. Otherwise the watches are very similar, with the same watchOS 9 features and no big battery jump.
Luke
Careful with the math, though. $299.99 for the 41mm and $379 for the Series 8 isn't $30. The $30 figure matches the 45mm Series 7 prices, and the article doesn't say which Series 8 size is $379.
Mimi
Fair. The gap depends on which sizes you compare, and the piece is loose about that.
Mark
What about the trade-in argument?
Mimi
It's that Apple devices hold value better, so the extra spend comes back later at resale.
Luke
That's a claim, not a measured figure. The article gives no resale numbers for either watch.
Mark
Anything else unproven?
Luke
Crash Detection is described by what it can do, not how well it works in practice. And these are Black Friday prices, so they may not last.
Mimi
Right. It's a buying guide with a clear opinion, built on a modest price difference.
Le Pouls
- A renewed Series 7 is on sale, but a brand new Series 8 sits only about $30 above it, forcing a choice that looks small on paper.
- The Series 8 looks almost identical to its predecessors, so shoppers must dig past the surface to see why it deserves the extra money.
- Cycle tracking with a new temperature sensor and crash detection that can call emergency services mark the only real gaps between the two models.
- Battery life and watchOS 9 features are shared, so the decision becomes a numbers game that tilts toward the Series 8 once trade-in value is considered.
Every autumn, the holiday discount season asks a quiet question of anyone standing at the edge of an upgrade: is the newer thing worth the small extra step? Here TechRadar, writing as Black Friday approached in November 2022, weighs a discounted Apple Watch Series 7 against a fresh Series 8 that sits only about thirty dollars above it. Its answer is that the newer watch earns its modest premium, because two additions, cycle tracking through a temperature sensor and crash detection, speak to the body and its safety in ways a familiar design cannot, and because Apple devices tend to keep their worth long after the box is opened.
This Black Friday, TechRadar lays out a simple dilemma for shoppers. Amazon is selling a renewed Apple Watch Series 7, but a brand new Series 8 costs only about $30 more. The publication's verdict is that the newer watch is the easier choice.
The Series 8 arrived somewhat overshadowed by the Apple Watch Ultra, and it looks nearly identical to the Series 7 or even the Series 6. Apple mostly left the design alone, stretching the display slightly toward the corners. What matters more is what the watch does. It ties deeply into the iPhone and runs its own App Store, and TechRadar considers it the most capable wearable of its kind.
The two real differences are features. Cycle Tracking uses a new temperature sensor to help users understand ovulation and temperature changes from their personal baseline, which is useful for those trying to conceive. Crash Detection uses advanced motion sensors and barometric data to recognize a serious car crash and contact emergency services, a feature the reviewer hopes no one ever needs. Battery life and watchOS 9 features are otherwise the same on both.
The numbers favor the new model. The 41mm Series 7 is listed at $299.99 and the 45mm at $369.99, while Amazon has the Series 8 near $379 during the sale. TechRadar also points to resale: Apple devices hold their value well, so paying a little more now may bring a better return when it is time to trade the watch in. Shoppers should check whether that price holds once the sale ends.
Here is the choice TechRadar lays out for Black Friday shoppers: a renewed Apple Watch Series 7 at Amazon, or a brand new Series 8 that costs only about $30 more. The publication's verdict is that the newer watch is the easy pick.
The Series 8 arrived somewhat overshadowed by the Apple Watch Ultra, and with last year's model now discounted, the question is whether the Series 8's additions justify buying it instead. On looks, the answer is no help. TechRadar notes that people have hoped for a design refresh since the Series 6, but Apple has mostly left the core aesthetic alone. The biggest change has been stretching the display a little further toward the corners, so at first glance the Series 8 is hard to tell apart from the Series 7, or even the Series 6.
What the watch does is another matter. TechRadar calls the Apple Watch far and away the most capable wearable fitness tracker and smartwatch, because it ties so deeply into the iPhone's iOS. It also runs its own App Store, so many of your apps show up on the watch almost instantly when it is connected.
The differences between the two models come down to two features. The first is Cycle Tracking, built on a new temperature sensor in the Series 8. The sensor is meant to help users understand how temperature variations relate to ovulation, what it means when temperature departs from a personal baseline, and how to use that metric when trying to conceive. The second is Crash Detection, which TechRadar describes as a feature you will hope never to use. Using more advanced gyroscopes and accelerometers, the Series 8 can work out that the wearer has been in a car crash, even drawing on barometric pressure data that suggests an airbag has deployed, and can then contact emergency services.
Beyond those two, the watches are close. There is no big leap in battery life, and every watchOS 9 feature is available on both, including the new Low Power Mode. That makes the decision, in TechRadar's words, more a numbers game than anything else, and Apple no longer ships the Series 7 on its own site.
The numbers are these. Amazon lists the 41mm Series 7 at $299.99 under its renewed range. The 45mm size is $369.99, or as low as $349 in the Product Red colorway. But a brand new Series 8 is available from Apple for just $30 more than those prices, and Amazon has it down to $379 in a current sale. TechRadar's point is that a renewed older watch is not especially cheap when a new one sits so close.
The publication adds a final consideration: trade-in value. Just as people trade in old phones when buying new ones, it suggests planning to trade in an old watch. Apple devices, it says, hold value better than those of other manufacturers, so spending a little more now should return more later.
Its advice is to spend the extra $30 if you can. You get the two new features, and a better chance of selling the watch for more down the road. Whether the Series 8 stays at $379 beyond the Black Friday window is something shoppers will have to check for themselves.
Citations marquantes
TechRadar advises spending the extra $30 if you can, for the new features and better resale prospects.— TechRadar buying guide
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