Apple Watch Series 8, SE 2, and Ultra hands-on: triple the enjoyable

Today was an enormous day for Apple wearables. Not solely did Apple announce the brand-new Series 8, but it surely additionally refreshed the SE and unveiled the rugged Apple Watch Ultra. In different phrases, we’ve a completely new Apple Watch lineup.

The Apple Watch Ultra is the star of the present as a result of it isn’t one thing we’ve seen earlier than. It’s obtained an enormous honking 49mm rectangular show, which… really is in a category of its personal. Not solely is it the largest Apple Watch display screen, but it surely’s additionally the brightest at 2,000 nits. As for a way that wrist slab feels, it was really lighter on my wrist than I’d anticipated, in all probability as a result of its case is product of titanium. But make no mistake — it’s a BIG watch.

Another factor that’s instantly obvious is the design tweaks Apple’s made for the intense health crowd. There’s the brand new orange Action button, a button guard, and a redesigned crown. The rim across the show can be raised to guard the sapphire crystal show — which is one thing we noticed on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro as properly. Plus, that show is actually flat.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Next up is the Apple Watch Series 8. At a look, there’s actually not an excessive amount of to distinguish it from the Series 7, although I can positively inform the display screen seems larger. Inside, there’s a brand new temperature sensor, although it’s not one thing I used to be capable of actually take a look at right here in Cupertino. The sensor is supposed to assist retrospectively detect ovulation. It’s additionally obtained an up to date chip — the S8 — which retains issues snappy whenever you’re swiping by way of menus. The Series 8 additionally has a brand new gyroscope and accelerometer to assist name emergency providers if it detects you’ve been in a automobile crash.

Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

The new SE can be a reasonably incremental replace. It, too, will get an improve to the S8 chip, whereas the unique SE was a little bit of a Frankenstein watch. It had the processor of the Series 5 combined in with some sensors used within the Series 6 minus the EKG sensor. The new SE has the identical movement sensors because the Series 8 for crash detection and is 20 % quicker than earlier than. The display screen can be 30 % bigger than the Series 3, and the sensor array shade matches the entrance. It’s principally nonetheless lacking the always-on show and the brand new temperature sensor.

The Apple Watch Ultra, Series 8, and SE can be found for preorder at this time. The Series 8 and SE will ship on September 16, with the Ultra delivery on the twenty third. We’ll be placing all three by way of their paces, so preserve a watch out for our overview.

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