Apple Watch Series 7 Review
With its great looks, larger display and full QWERTY keyboard, there’s a whole lot to love about the Apple Watch 7. It’s beautiful and practical in equal measures - Practically perfect?... It certainly comes close!
Apple Watch Series 7 Review
Design:
This latest offering from Apple has been treated to a bit of a design makeover. It’s still the same trusty ‘squircle’ shape, but the overall look is now softer and smoother. The corners have been slightly more rounded off and the display is more seamlessly moulded to the chassis. These subtle, sophisticated changes add up to an overall more aesthetically pleasing piece of wrist candy.
It was never going to take me long to get to the bit about the bigger, brighter, always-on display. The enlargement makes such a significant improvement to the look and functionality of this watch that I can’t contain myself from mentioning it any longer! But more of that in a bit…
This watch also boasts slimmed down bezels, making for a sleeker and more streamlined appearance.
Apple have gone to great lengths to ensure that this model is more durable and it’s even crack resistant. Which means you can feel free to put it through its paces during a workout, without having to worry about wear and tear.
The all-new, contemporary case colours are ever so slightly brighter than previous offerings, but in my humble opinion the colour options are even more beautiful than we’ve come to expect from Apple. They include Green (my personal favourite), Midnight (black/blue blend) and Starlight (silver/gold blend). However, more neutral colours are available in the stainless steel and titanium models, if you prefer a more understated look. Whatever your colour preference, all will look even more stunning when paired with one of our gorgeous Apple Watch 7 Straps, available in a wide range of colours and materials. So, get shopping!
Functionality:
The Apple Watch 7 includes the usual features we’ve come to expect, such as ECG and blood oxygen monitoring and the same high swim-proof rating. Plus, it has some handy little extras, such as larger calculator buttons and a dust resistance certification.
When it comes to fitness tracking, this model continues where the Apple Watch 6 left off by monitoring heart rate, counting steps and providing GPS tracking. It provides support for the usual workout types we’ve come to expect, but with one note-worthy addition…Outdoor cycling tracking has been added to the mix, meaning it can detect when you’ve hopped on your bike and will commence enabling a workout accordingly. In other good news for cyclists, the cycling algorithm has been improved to accommodate metrics for a range of electric bikes, in addition to standard bikes.
And so, back to my favourite subject, the larger display! This makes such a massive difference in terms of the ability it gives you to be highly functional from your wrist that I just needed to mention it again for emphasis! Plus, in addition to the increased size, the curvature of the display means it’s much easier to read the screen from an angle, even side-on.
Undoubtedly though, my absolute favourite new feature when it comes to functionality is the full QWERTY keyboard. If you’re anything like me, you’ll have been eagerly awaiting this addition with bated breath for a long time! And it certainly doesn’t disappoint either! In my opinion, the increased options this little keyboard give to the user take this watch up a significant notch in the usability stakes, making it so much more practical that you’ll wonder how you ever got by without it.
Pros:
It goes without saying by now (but forgive me for saying it anyway!) that the winning combination of the larger display and full QWERTY keyboard is what makes the Apple Watch 7 experience feel like something of a gift from the gods of practicality. Pardon the slight exaggeration, but I feel it important to highlight the sheer unadulterated usability these features give to the wearer, to the extent that it almost (not quite) feels like wearing an iPhone on your wrist, with all the possibilities that brings. Let’s just say that the novelty factor of wrist-based texting has yet to wear off on me!
Add highly reliable fitness tracking, much faster charging (courtesy of the USB-C magnetic charger which comes as standard) and a significantly brighter always-on mode to the equation and this really is an exciting bit of kit.
Cons:
I’m almost stuck for words here, but given that one of my personality traits is being able to see the negative in almost anything, I’ll give it a go!
On the flip side of the fast charging is the fact that there has been no extension to the 18 hour battery life. A minor but notable quibble.
Perhaps the more significant issue is the lack of additional health features. This is slightly disappointing, particularly given that, generally, people are becoming increasingly health focussed and many would likely have welcomed a health upgrade. For me though, this was only a mild disappointment, as opposed to a serious gripe.
Verdict:
Without question or hesitation, for me, the Apple Watch 7 ranks top of the class when it comes to smartwatches. It’s undeniably beautiful. However, its true beauty lies in its practicality, usability and in the multitude of features and capabilities it has to offer. All of which means that this watch is so much more than a fashion accessory.