Realistically picking an Apple Watch can be a difficult task, especially if you are one of those parents who are not ”down with the kids” or a self-proclaimed technophobe. Whether it is for yourself or for someone else, picking which Apple Watch is the right one can be an easy, stress free task when presented with a simple comparison of the key features each generation has.
We’ve done the legwork so you can make your decision after a quick read of our advice. We will provide examples of our readily available refurbished Apple Watches, their key features, compare them and finish with our personal recommendation.
Apple Watches naturally have a shelf life like all Apple products due to the evolution of the Apple iOS software. Who remembers the iPhone 3GS? iPhone 4s? Maybe even the First-generation iPad – Oh the nostalgia. Because of this, the 1st Generation, the Series 1 and Series 2 are no longer part of our stock range, so we’ll skip straight to the Apple Watch Series 3.
Refurbished Apple Watch Series 3
Released in September 2017, the Series 3 Apple Watch burst onto the scene with, at the time, revolutionary technology. The Series 3 Apple Watch was the first to offer both cellular and GPS versions. This meant you could finally no longer rely on your phone being present in order to connect with friends and family and/or listen to Apple music/podcasts. You will need to activate its e-sim by acquiring a pay monthly contract, alternatively pair with your phone (GPS model).
The Apple Watch Series 3 has a dual-core Apple S3 processor which is 70% faster than its predecessor, it also features an upgraded Bluetooth chip (4.2). You can use Apple Pay with this device and it has Siri available on demand. It even boasts an impressive 18 hours of battery life. The watch is water resistance (up to 50 meters) and comes in a 38mm or 42mm watch face. Colours available include Silver, Grey, and Gold.
The series 3 Apple Watch runs on watchOS7 and is only compatible with the iPhone 6s and above, or IOS 14 and later. This ensures all the latest Apps and fitness features can be used freely.
Price: £110—£190
Refurbished Apple Watch Series 4
One year on from the Series 3, Apple released the Apple Watch Series 4.
The Series 4 watch quickly became extremely popular, achieving over 11.5 million sales and winning many accolades, most importantly, the smartwatch of the year for 2018 despite only being released in September. Discontinued late in 2019, Apple decided to trump themselves again by releasing further ground-breaking technology with the new ECG feature. The new heart rate sensor received clearance from the food and drug administration in America and can measure your heart rate whilst notifying the emergency services should your body experience blood flow issues.
The Apple Watch Series 4 features the new and improved S4 dual-core processor (Double the power of the Series 3). Stand out differences to the Series 3 also include an upgraded memory by way of 16GB of storage and a larger display (available in 40mm and 44mm). Apple decided to move the microphone to the opposite side to improve call quality too. Other changes include the new digital crown incorporating haptic feedback with the Apple Haptic Engine and includes the newly designed wireless W3 chip. Similarities to the Series 3 include its ability to run on the latest Phone IOS and WatchOS7, download a wide plethora of applications and its water resistance.
The Series 4 is available in both GPS and cellular options as well as sports two larger sizes of 40mm and 44mm watch face. Apple also released 6 different varieties of colour including gold, silver, grey but also offers the former in stainless steel options.
Price: £140—£240
Refurbished Apple Watch Series 5
Like clockwork, September 2019 saw the release of the Series 5 Apple watch. The heaviest but most robust Apple watch released to date, saw yet more industry-leading technology. This time with the ”always-on display”. Enabled by a LTPO OLED screen, this watch has refresh speeds of less than once per second to avoid any sort of delays or wait times. Upgrading the internals is normal with a new Apple release, and the device includes the new S5 Chip for optimum processing speed when in use.
This time round the Series 5 Apple watch added international emergency calling and a magnetometer which effectively means it can be used as a compass. It also added a better ambient light sensor and offers an upgraded GB storage of 32GB. The Series 5 encompasses all of the features previously seen on its predecessor, ie Water resistance and apple pay. expanding the colour range, Apple released 12 different colours in order to target a wider audience, the colours include the normal Gold, silver and Grey but also in different finishes including Aluminium, stainless steel, titanium and a more uniquely, ceramic white. It is also available in the GPS and Cellular options based on the customer’s requirements. It is available in 40mm and 44mm which when compared against the Series 3 is 30% larger.
Price: £250—£350
The Apple watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE are yet to join our ever-growing product range, we anticipate it will not be too long before they hit our shelves. Trust us when we say you will be the first to know once they do.
Based on the Apple watches breakdown above and the sales history to date, our recommendation would be the Apple Watch Series 4. It has all you need to kick start your relationship with this additional Apple accessory and we are sure you will not regret it. The main reason behind our recommendation is that it has the ECG feature, slightly larger screen options, waterproofing and sits right in the mid-point price range. Holding their resale value well, if you are looking to take the next step up to the Series 5/6, you can trade-in your old/current device in order to get money off your upgrade.
