Apple Watch Series 8: Watches don't come much smarter than this

There are small changes this year, but the Apple Watch Series 8 is still an excellent smartwatch overall.

Apple Watch Series 8 worn by a man outside
(Image: © Future)

Our Verdict

There's little in the Apple Watch Series 8 to tempt people to upgrade from recent models, but it remains an excellent balance of health, fitness, productivity and app support overall. Battery life is still much lower than dedicated fitness watches, but overall this is the smartest watch around.

For

  • Bright always-on screen
  • Growing mix of health sensors
  • Crash detection feature
  • Fast and smooth performance

Against

  • Temperature sensor has limited uses
  • Battery life lower than fitness watches
  • Feels like slow upgrade progress
  • Only works with iPhone still

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Apple Watch Series 8: Specs

Case material: Aluminium/stainless steel
Sizes: 41mm and 45mm
Processor: Apple S8
Battery life (quoted): 18 hours

The Apple Watch Series 8 is the latest flagship model in the line-up… depending on whether you include the new Apple Watch Ultra, we suppose. But that's designed to be more niche – the Series 8 is the elite Apple Watch for the rest of us.

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The Verdict
8

out of 10

Apple Watch Series 8

There's little in the Apple Watch Series 8 to tempt people to upgrade from recent models, but it remains an excellent balance of health, fitness, productivity and app support overall. Battery life is still much lower than dedicated fitness watches, but overall this is the smartest watch around.

Matt Bolton

Matt is Managing Editor at TechRadar.com, and previously worked on T3, MacLife and MacFormat. He's been testing technology for over a decade, working in specialist Apple publications as well general technology and creative journalism, and has charted Apple’s ups and downs since his student days (but still hopes to hear “one more thing”). By day, you can find him covering TV, audio, smart home gear and more at T3.com, as Home Tech Editor. By night, he's probably updating or pairing or installing some new piece of technology in the quest for the perfect setup.