So I’ve owned the Apple Watch Series 8 for around two full years now. In this long-term review I’m going to discuss how it’s holding up in terms of wear and tear and battery life, my favourite faces and apps, how it’s performed in general, and see if it’s still worth buying in 2024. We’ll also take a look at the bands I’ve been using.
Specs
The Series 8 is available in 41 or 45mm sizes, I opted for the larger 45mm size. For context my wrists are around 18cm. The 45mm watch looks about right on my wrist, it’s definitely a fairly large watch, but not overly so.
It’s worth noting that some third party bands aren’t available in the smaller 41mm size, so keep that in mind when you’re deciding which is the best size for you. In terms of colour and material I went for the silver aluminium which gives a nice minimal look.
Bands
In terms of bands my series 8 came with the white rubber sport band from Apple, the design is fairly basic, but it does the job and has a super clean aesthetic.
I also have two other bands, first up is the Ultra Orange Sport Strap from Nomad. This is probably my favourite band, the rubber is rugged and strong, and I love the super vibrant look.
Then lastly I have a black Parallax Band from Caseology, black is always a solid choice and alongside the white and orange bands I have three straps that offer very different looks.
Wear & Tear
In terms of wear and tear the Series 8 has held up nicely. The aluminium build quality feels pretty solid, I’ve not really picked up any scratches or marks, there’s just a few tiny scuffs that are barely visible.
The screen itself is also in great shape, I’ve accidentally knocked this watch multiple times and have never used a screen protector, but I can’t see any significant marks or scratches.
Battery Life
Battery life is another positive to the Apple Watch Series 8, of course it doesn’t last quite as long as when I first got it, but I can still easily get a full days use on a single charge, even with the Always On display being active.
Charging time with the supplied charger is also impressive, you should be able to get a full charge in under an hour. In addition there’s a low power mode than extends battery life to around 36 hours, so this is a great option for when you can’t get to a charger and really need that extra time.
Best Faces
There’s a whole bunch of watch faces to choose from, and you can customise the colour and layout to get the look you want.
I tend to go for the more minimal face designs along with vibrant colours, there’s also a few really nice options from Nike available too.
Best Apps
In terms of apps, outside of tracking my activities and steps I don’t really use the fitness and health features that much. I mostly use my Apple Watch as an extension of my iPhone, so I find it useful for notifications from new messages and emails.
Another great use case are the contextual apps like timers and countdowns, these are really convenient to have on your wrist. I also use my Apple Watch as a media controller for both music and movies.
The Apple Music app is awesome, with this I can seamlessly control music on all my devices including my iPhone, my Mac and my living room music system. In a similar vein, being able to pause movies on my Apple TV 4K is another cool use case.
Still Worth It?
So to conclude, is the Apple Watch Series 8 still worth your money in 2024?
If you’re already invested in the Apple ecosystem with an iPhone and other devices, then I’d say this is definitely a product that’s worth your attention. Also if you purchase a Series 8 right now you can get some fantastic deals if you buy it used or refurbished.
If you have a Series 7 it probably isn’t worth upgrading, but if have an older model, or this would be your first Apple Watch, then it becomes a far more compelling purchase.
I love the way it seamlessly integrates with my iPhone, my Mac, and my Apple TV 4K.
Having notifications and contextual apps on my wrist is super convenient, and when you consider the premium design, responsive performance and good battery life, then it’s a product that’s easy to recommend.
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