Apple Watch 7 vs Apple Watch 6: Should You Upgrade?

Alongside the new iPhone 13 series and the refreshed iPad mini, Apple also unveiled its next-gen Apple Watch Series 7 during yesterday’s California Streaming event. Although the Apple Watch 7 did not match the leaked renders that suggested a flat-edged design, Apple made a couple of significant upgrades to the Series 7 over its predecessor. So, in this story, we will compare the latest Apple Watch 7 with previous year’s Apple Watch 6 in terms of design, health features, and other categories. Without wasting any more time, let’s check out this in-depth comparison between Apple Watch 7 vs Apple Watch 6.

Apple Watch 7 vs Apple Watch 6: In-Depth Feature Comparison

Design and Build

The design of Apple Watch models has remained more or less unchanged over the past years. However, with Apple Watch 7, the company has made slight design changes to make it stand out and appeal to more users. So, compared to Apple Watch 6, Apple has made the Apple Watch 7 models much curvier overall. Moreover, the latest models come in two new bigger sizes – a 41mm model and a 45mm model. The 41mm replaces the Series 6’s 40mm variant, while the 45mm replaces the 44mm variant. However, it is worth mentioning that your older bands will be supported by the new Watch 7.

Furthermore, the latest smartwatch comes with the same WR50 rating for water resistance, much like its predecessor. However, unlike the Series 6 models, Apple Watch Series 7 is the first Apple Watch to have the IP6X rating for dust resistance.

Display

Now, coming to the biggest change, Apple has upgraded the display on the Apple Watch 7 to give it a truly bezel-less look. Compared to the 1.78-inch display on the Apple Watch 6, the Watch 7’s display is 20% larger and extends to the edges. Moreover, the Cupertino giant was able to reduce the bezel around the larger display to just 1.7mm. The company has managed to fit a bigger display in the same chassis as the Apple Watch 6.

So, although Series 7 will have similar dimensions as the Series 6 watch, the display on the new watch will be larger and more immersive than before. Also, the display is now rounded at the corners and delivers a wraparound effect to give the next-gen watch a more cohesive look.

Other than this, the Apple Watch 7 display is also 70% brighter vs the Apple Watch 6 display in terms of the always-on display. That means you will be able to check the time more easily when idle in comparison to the previous-gen model. Plus, Apple has redesigned some of the UI elements on the Series 7 to utilize the larger screen area. For instance, you now have larger on-screen buttons, can read long texts in one go, new in-depth activity complications, and quirky watch faces to match the larger curved display on the Series 7. Moreover, unlike the previous-gen model, Series 7 features a full keyboard with swipe support to input texts.

Features

Apple usually introduces new and exclusive features for its new-gen Apple Watch models each year. For instance, last year, the company added support for blood oxygen monitoring and the much-requested Always-on Display feature to Apple Watch 6. This year, however, it looks like there are very limited features exclusive to the Apple Watch 7.

In fact, the Apple Watch 7 will come with the same health monitoring sensors as its predecessor. No new health-tracking features have been introduced with the latest model.

New features aboard Watch 7 will only include the ones that come with watchOS 8, which the company announced earlier this year. So, with the new firmware update, coming on 20th September, users will be able to track pilates, yoga, and other such activities along with Apple Fitness+ integration. You will also be able to set a Portrait watch face in watchOS 8. Other than this, the only exclusive feature of the Apple Watch 7 that is not there on its predecessor is the aforementioned on-screen keyboard with QuickPath and Machine Learning (ML) support.

Performance

Turning to the performance side, Apple did not mention anything about the Apple Watch Series 7’s CPU. However, a 9to5Mac report states that the Apple Watch 7 is powered by the same S6 system-in-package (SiP) as the Series 6. The processor is essentially based on Apple’s A13 Bionic chipset and powers last year’s Apple Watch models. This is a disappointment as the Apple Watch upgrades are usually accompanied by a powerful new chipset. We expected Apple Watch 7 to come with the next-gen S7 chipset, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here.

Hence, ideally, you shouldn’t expect any major improvements in performance with Apple Watch 7 as compared to its predecessor. However, with watchOS 8 optimizations, the newer models might feel a tad bit faster and fluid than the existing ones.

Battery Life

Although Apple did not reveal the battery capacity of the Apple Watch 7, the company claims to deliver the same 18-hour battery life on a single charge, much like the Apple Watch 6.

However, the company did mention that the Apple Watch 7 will be able to fully charge up to 33% faster than its predecessor. Well, that’s thanks to a new charging architecture and the faster USB-C charger in the box. As per Apple, the Series 7 can charge up to 80% in 45 minutes and a 10-minute charge session could provide enough power for an 8-hour sleep tracking.

Color Options

As for the color and build options, Apple has expanded the color options for the aluminum models of the Apple Watch 7. The aluminum models for the Watch 6 came in four colorways – Silver, Gold, Space Grey, and Blue. However, the Watch Series 7 will be available to buy in five new colors, including Midnight, Starlight, Greed, Blue, and Product Red.

As for the stainless steel models, unlike the two options for Series 6, the Series 7 will be offered in three colors – Silver, Graphite, and Gold. And for the titanium models, Series 7 will come in Natural and Space Black colorways.

Price

Now, turning to the price, the company has launched Apple Watch 7 at the same starting price of $399 as its predecessor. So, as usual, Apple is replacing its previous-gen Watch model with the latest one, keeping the Apple Watch SE at the same $279 price point.

Meanwhile, the company is still offering the Apple Watch Series 3 at an entry-level price of $199 for those looking for a more affordable variant of the Apple Watch.

Apple Watch Series 7 vs Apple Watch Series 6: Which One Should You Buy?

Now, although Apple will not officially sell the Apple Watch 6, users can still buy the previous-gen Apple Watch from third-party resellers until stocks last. So, which one should you get if you are in the market for an Apple Watch? Well, if you want the latest and greatest from Apple, we recommend you go for the latest Apple Watch 7. The larger display, dust resistance, and faster charging are reasons enough to convince prospective buyers. Otherwise, if you don’t care much about these minor upgrades and just want the Apple Watch experience, go with Apple Watch 6, which will now sell at reduced prices. So, are you planning to upgrade your existing watch? Which Apple Watch model will you buy and why? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.