Apple Watch 7 Review, Specs, Price, Design, Features, Battery
Apple Watch 7: The most usable smartwatch yet
The large display of the Apple Watch 7 makes it the most practical version of this smartwatch to date. And we're not saying that just because we love QWERTY keyboards.
Pros
- Amazing Performance
- Faster charging
- Larger display
- Brighter always-on mode
- QWERTY keyboard
Cons
- No added health features
- Still 18-hour battery life
Apple Watch 7 Review
It's not a question of a completely iPhone-free Apple Watch experience, but when. With its slim bezels and large display, the Apple Watch 7 is the most useful standalone smartwatch ever.
Apple's latest smartwatch is mostly an incremental upgrade from the Apple Watch 6, maintaining 18 hours of battery life, the same CPU, and adding no new health features. But the enhanced display is a game-changer and makes it difficult to revert to the previous generation model. The Series 7's large screen optimizes wearable computing for more everyday applications, making it practical to be productive from your wrist.
From a full QWERTY keyboard and large calculator buttons to a brighter Always-Mode and exclusive watch face, the Apple Watch 7 offers a tailored version of watchOS 8 that you won't find on the Apple Watch SE or Apple Watch 3, both of which remain the same. are on sale. Faster charging, greater durability, and contemporary case colors are almost an afterthought, but a welcome one.
This Apple Watch 7 review covers all the changes, from small to big, making it the best smartwatch you can buy. Be sure to check out our Apple Watch 7 tips and guide on how to use the Apple Watch for more ways to enjoy Apple's smartwatch. We can also tell you the Apple Watch settings to enable immediately.
| APPLE WATCH 7 SPECS | |
|---|---|
| Starting Price | $399 |
| Sizes | 41mm, 45mm |
| Chipset | S7 |
| Storage | 32 GB |
| Connectivity | Cellular (optional,) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, U1 |
| Durability | IPX6 |
| Waterproof | Up to 50 meters |
| Sensors | Heart rate, ECG, SpO2 |
Apple Watch 7 price and availability
Top
Apple Watch Series 7
Apple Watch Series 7 GPS, 41mm (Product) RED Aluminum Case with (Product) RED Sport Band - Regular
Buy on AmazonThe Apple Watch 7 is available now and starts at $399 for the 41mm model. The larger 45mm model starts at $429. For cellular support, which optionally lets your Apple Watch not work with your iPhone, you'll spend $499 for the 41mm size or $529 for the 45mm size.
Stainless steel cases start at $699, while titanium cases start at $799.
Apple Watch 7 Design
The Apple Watch 7 features the first real product redesign since the Apple Watch 4. Given that, it's not a huge change—the iconic curved quirk is strong—but it's clear that Apple wanted a softer overall aesthetic for its smartwatch.
At first, the corners are sometimes slightly rounded, while the display matches the chassis more seamlessly than on the Series 6. I probably wouldn't have noticed these adjustments if I didn't compare the Apple Watch 7 vs. However, see side-by-side 6. And even with the larger Apple Watch 7 size (41mm and 45mm), the smartwatch doesn't really look that big with the naked eye. Does anyone have a micrometer?
You can better tell the Series 7 and Series 6 apart from the Apple Watch 7 colors, which are brand new. I am testing the Green model. Midnight is kind of black, with a subtle hint of blue. Starlight is a wonderful mix of silver and gold. While Apple offered Blue and Red last year, they are a bit brighter now. If you want a more neutral metal, you'll need to purchase the stainless steel or titanium versions. It doesn't bother me, but you deserve to be special about how everything you wear every day looks like.
The Apple Watch 7 has the same swim-proof rating (up to 50 meters) as the previous model but also earned IP6X certification for dust resistance for the first time. I hope it pays off in the kitchen because I've recently taken to making pasta and flour is just about everywhere. The changed geometry should make the latest Apple Watch more crack-resistant, making it a little safer to wear while playing sports.
Apple Watch 7 Display
The display is bigger, and bigger is better. With more screens, the smartwatch is transforming more and more into a mini iPhone for your wrist, and that's awesome. The Apple Watch 7 display is about 20% larger than the Series 6 display, and more than 50% larger than the Series 3 display. The display borders are also 40% thinner than before.
The screen is curved in such a way that the watch is easy to read off-angle and the edges of the UI are visible from the side. The take-over effect isn't as pronounced as the promo video shows, but it's noticeable with the new Contour watch face. About that in the following watchOS 8 sections.
Aside from the smaller bezel and bigger screen, the Apple Watch 7 is 70% brighter in Always On mode. This means you won't notice any difference with the face in direct sunlight as we did with the Apple Watch 6 versus the Apple Watch 5. Instead, you should be able to see your screen more easily when your wrist is not raised. I noticed a huge difference with the Series 6 as well.
Apple Watch 7 watchOS 8
In the past, Apple's watchOS looked the same across all of its smartwatches, with select apps exclusively for the new hardware inside a given model. The Apple Watch 7 doesn't have new sensors, however, so instead, the company switched to watchOS 8 for a bigger screen. Apart from the established features like sleep tracking, cycle tracking (which is why it is one of the best smartwatches for women), calendar alerts, weather notifications, and the Find My app for Apple Watch, watchOS 8 has some exclusive tricks on the series. Huh. 7.
It's mostly the same UI I've been using for months, with a few tweaks. The buttons are big all around, from Control Center to the Calculator app. Some apps even flex clever animations like HomeKit. I especially appreciate the larger Apple Maps UI, which lets you see nearby landmarks more easily.
And then there's the QWERTY keyboard. I've had an Apple Watch keyboard on my wish list for literally years. It's also the one thing I said should the Apple Watch 7 steal from the Galaxy Watch 4, so I'm thrilled to put it into action. This is also something that would keep me from returning to older Apple Watch models.
Ever since I took the Apple Watch 7 out of the box, I've practically been texting away from my wrist. I prefer swiping my words rather than tapping individual characters, but either method works well. My mom, who has a pretty hard time on her iPhone without typos (sorry if you see that), can even manage coherent messages using the Apple Watch 7's keyboard.
I mentioned the dedicated contour face in the display section. It looks sharp, but not so easy to read. I much love the new modular Duo watch face, which lets you stack two big complications on your wrist. Apple Watch 7-specific portrait and world clock face also complement the larger display. After seeing the Galaxy Watch 4 with combinable faces, I wish the Apple Watch 7 offered similar customization, but I'm still satisfied with my watch face library.
Apple Watch 7 Health and fitness features
Do I think it's strange that the Apple Watch 7 doesn't offer new wellness features in an age when most people are obsessed with health? Absolutely. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 pushed boundaries with body composition analysis, and the best Fitbit watches remain overall wellness devices. By going out on a health upgrade this year, the Apple Watch runs the risk of falling behind the competition.
That said, the Apple Watch is still a reliable fitness tracker and one of the best runnings watches out there. It monitors your heart rate, counts your steps, and tracks your mileage with GPS, plus offers support for dozens of workout types. It added tai chi and automatic outdoor cycling tracking this year, which means it can detect when you've hopped on your bike and enable workouts. Cycling algorithms have also been adjusted to accommodate metrics for the best electric bikes, which are less strenuous to ride than regular bikes.
The Apple Watch is my go-to for fitness tracking, though sometimes I'll wear one of the best fitness trackers to compare metrics or gain access to some of the activity tools the Apple Watch lacks. For example, a native Tabata timer and guided exercises are features found in some of the best Garmin watches and Fitbit watches.
But when I wore the Apple Watch on several outdoor walks and indoor workouts for my Apple Watch 7 workout test, the large display made it easy to see my mid-exercise metrics at a glance. I do a lot of heart rate-based training, so the ability to see heart rate zones at all times is important.
The biggest missing feature of the Apple Watch is the recovery tool. We'd like to see the Apple Watch offer a rest mode or give you an earned way to justify taking a day off.
Apple Watch 7 Battery life
The battery life of the Apple Watch Series 7 can last up to two days, but if you pass on the popular features. Instead, 18 hours of battery life checked in with daily activity tracking, an always-on display, and a few phone calls from my wrist.
Now, the Apple Watch 7 claims to charge 33% faster than the Apple Watch 6, as long as it's charged with the new magnetic to USB-C charger that comes in the box. (However, it doesn't come with a wall adapter.) But when I charged the Apple Watch 6 with a USB-C cord, it charged almost as fast. I am documenting the Charging Test on Tom's Guide TikTok account, which you should follow if you haven't already.
As someone who charges their Apple Watch for short periods
throughout the day, I spend less energy worrying about whether I have enough juice to go for an outdoor walk or make it through the night. Eight minutes of charging before bed would give me eight hours of Apple Watch sleep tracking. Guess I no longer need this $10 Apple Watch accessory to extend battery life.Apple Watch 7 Final Decision
We have seen this happen with smartphones. The bezels shrank and the displays grew until we ended up with the huge phones and phablets we have now. With its big screen, I can't help but believe that the Apple Watch is destined to take a similar path to freedom. Smartwatch is already an extension of your iPhone on your wrist, but it is clearly capable of becoming more than an accessory.
It's the top smartwatch choice for anyone with an iPhone, and easily the best Apple Watch ever. The keyboard does make a difference, and if the time has come to recommend fully adding cellular support to your smartwatch, it is now.
If you're torn between Apple's $279 midrange model and the latest-gen smartwatch, you should take a look at how the Apple Watch 7 vs. Apple Watch SE compares. And if you're looking for a low-cost smartwatch, we've compiled a list of the best affordable smartwatches overall.
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