In case you haven’t heard (by which I mean living under a rock for the past few months), Apple recently released its first smartwatch: the Apple Watch. In usual Apple fashion, they kept it under wraps until the very end and hyped it up from then on the whole way. In fact, consumers were so excited to get one that many models sold out super quickly. With that in mind, is this wrist piece even worth it?
Well, after spending some time with it, we are proud to present our review of the Apple Watch.
Apple Watch – Design and Features
The design of the Apple Watch is nothing short of perfection. The actual watch piece is seamlessly built, and it looks absolutely gorgeous in person. The display is clear and vibrant, and comes in either 38mm or 42mm (the difference really is hardly noticeable). The overall look is great, but we will dive deeper into that when we talk about the different models.
The Apple Watch includes a lot of cool features. For one thing, a ton of developers immediately jumped on board to make apps for it. This is great because by the time the watch gets into people’s hands it will have all of their favorite apps on it. That will instantly separate it from Android Wear watches that are still struggling to get an app base.
The Apple Watch also has Health integration. It looks awesome and it functions well. I couldn’t use it myself, especially while running but I’ve heard it pretty darn good. Plus, in my opinion, the Apple Watch is just a tad too expensive to take out running.
The watch also has messaging built into it. But, while it has messaging, it doesn’t have a native keyboard. I both like and dislike this. I like it because Apple recognized there would be no comfortable way to text on the Watch. I dislike it because it means the only way to text is through voice recognition. I get too awkward speaking in public to really enjoy this. But, you can set up generic messages to send, which is great for when you can’t replay immediately.
Really the only thing the watch has going against it is the battery life. In best case scenarios it barely lasted a day, which to me is totally unacceptable. Apple put so much into making this watch, they could have given it a better lifespan.
The Many Faces of Apple Watch
Well, there are three faces of Apple Watch to be exact. The watch comes in three standard models. The Sport, the standard watch, and a ridiculous premium watch (You can see some pictures at the end of this review).
The cheapest is the Sport Watch at $349. It manages this lower cost by being made of cheaper materials. Instead of stainless steel, the sport is made of aluminum, and the sapphire glass is replaced with Ion-X glass (the material used in rocket ship windows). The difference isn’t that noticeable, though there is a noticeable weight difference. The more costly models carry a bit more weight than the Sport.
The standard watch will run you $549, or $599 for the 42mm model. This model is made with sapphire glass, which is virtually impossible to scratch, and stainless steel. It comes with the standard sport band or you can purchase premium bands for a bit more. For the Milanese loop, which is actually really comfortable and hands down my favorite, it will cost you an additional $149. The classic buckle and leather loop will cost you the same, and a modern buckle will cost you $249. If you are looking for total premium, you can get the linked bracelet for $449. All in all, the prices are a bit ridiculous. But, at the same time, the quality of these bands is exceptional.
If you have an absurd amount of money to spend, you can shell out $12,000 for the premium Apple Watch. This watch is made of solid gold, and really offers nothing else. It is literally nothing more than a super expensive watch for the sake of being a super expensive watch.
The Verdict
If you have an iPhone and love it, then get the Apple Watch. It has a beautiful design, stellar app selection, and the basic model isn’t that expensive. It has a lackluster battery life, but the sheer amount of effort put into this device is commendable. As with everything Apple makes, the Apple Watch is the king of smartwatches.
Picture Gallery
(Image courtesy of Apple Online Store)
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