Apple Watch Series 7 vs Series 6: Features comparison

The Apple Watch Series 7 vs Series 6 is already on the table, and we will bring you all the comparison details. But which should you buy? We compare the two. The September ‘California Streaming’ event wasn’t all about new iPhones. As expected, the Watch Series 7 also launched, continuing Apple’s tradition of updates.

The new device represents the foremost significant update we’ve seen to the core Apple Watch line since 2018. Razor-thin bezels and new curved edges leave almost 20% more screenland, meaning there’s no space for a full on-screen keyboard.

Apple is heavily promoting its durability, adding IPX6 dust resistance to the prevailing WR50 water resistance. Do these new features justify buying the Series 7 when it finally is available? Should the existing Series 6 users upgrade to the new model? Here’s how the devices compare, for your clarification.

Apple Watch Series 7 vs series 6 Design and display

Much has been made from the Apple Watch Series 7 design, which represents the most important hardware changes we’ve seen since 2018. Apple trimmed the bezels down to just 1.7 mm in thickness,  and the new curved edges help deliver an immersive all-screen design.

It paves the way for larger displays – you can now choose from 41mm and 45mm, whereas you could only choose from 40mm and 44mm on the Series 6. It seems like a minor change, but Apple says this enables nearly 20% extra screen area. This makes all the difference when it involves typing – there’s now space for a full keyboard on-screen.

The Always-On Display is supposedly 70% brighter on the Series 7 than the Series 6.

Performance

Apple didn’t mention performance during the launch event or within the official handout. That’s because it’s using an equivalent Apple S6 chip as last year, with no changes or upgrades of note. The Series 7’s new design has been built around the older silicon – this might be in response to the continued global chip storage.

That means performance is going to be almost identical on both watches – it’s never a reason to shop for one over the opposite.

Battery life

Battery life was widely tipped to be a neighborhood Apple would improve on the Watch Series 7, but that’s not the case. The company continues to say 18 hours of typical usage on one charge – that is the same because of the Series 6. However, it’s not clear what proportion the brighter Always-On Display might affect that.

Charging speeds have got their updates. The Series 7 supports fast charging, as per Apple’s claims you’ll hit 0-80% in 45 minutes. This typically slows down as you approach 100%, but it intensifies from the 1.5 hours it takes to completely charge the Series 6.

In typical Apple fashion, Apple doesn’t mention the specific battery capacities or the wattage of the new charging architecture.

Software and other features

The new Watch Series 7 is going to be the primary wearable to run Apple’s new watchOS 8 software out of the box. It was announced back at WWDC in June 2021, adding a couple of the latest features to the now-familiar user experience.

First up, the Photos app has been redesigned and now allows you to use portrait mode images as a watch face.

Apple watchOS 8

There also are various new ways to speak using Messages. New Focus and Mindfulness functionality has been added, and the health experience received an upgraded. The Fall Detection safety turns on during workouts and Siri can now work offline.

However, these changes won’t be exclusive to Series 7. All recent Apple Watch models (Series 3 or newer) are going to be eligible for a free update to watchOS 8. The update will be available for all the Series 6 owners as soon as 20 September. Again, the software experience isn’t a reason to select one over the opposite.

Price difference between Apple Series 7 vs Series 6

With no confirmation on the release date so far, only a starting price for the Series 7 is confirmed. $399 will get you the 41mm GPS-only model just like the entry-level 40mm Series 6 configuration. It remains to be seen what proportion costlier models will cost, but they’re likely to be an equivalent as last year:

Smaller size, GPS-only: US$399 

Larger size, GPS-only: US$429 

Smaller size, cellular: US$499 

Larger size, cellular:  US$529

However, while the Series 7 will occupy its RRP for a short time after launch, the Series 6 is often discounted.