Apple Watch Series 7 Review (Stainless Steel) New model with a larger screen, what kind of users do you recommend?
About a month after the new product launch event in September, the new Apple Watch in 2021, the “Apple Watch Series 7,” has finally been released.
"Apple Watch Series 7" has changed the body design, such as increasing the case size by 1 mm and slightly increasing the size of the screen. It may have been a slightly modest update for users who wanted a major design change like the one from Series 3 to Series 4, but even so, it is a slightly updated model with a slight difference due to the larger screen. .
I purchased the Apple Watch Series 7 on the day it was released. We will deliver a review on the features, new functions, and usability of the same model that we found after using it for a few days.
It seems that there were many people around me who were wondering whether to postpone the purchase, so based on the experience of the author who has replaced the Apple Watch every year, I also wrote a little advice at the end. . If you are considering purchasing the Apple Watch Series 7, I hope you can refer to it.
Table of contentsAbout the model purchased this time
This time, I purchased the "Apple Watch Series 7" 45mm / stainless steel case model.
I really wanted the titanium case "Apple Watch Edition Series 7", but I couldn't get it near the release date, and the staff at the Apple Store strongly recommended it (laughs). This time I bought a stainless steel model since the Apple Watch Series 4.
Left: Stainless Steel / Right: Titanium
The stainless steel case model is more durable than the cheap aluminum case, and the gleaming luster creates a sense of luxury.
The above-mentioned "Apple Watch Edition Series 7" has a dull luster and a calm luxury impression, but the stainless steel case has a sparkling luster and a slightly flashy impression.
On the other hand, the stainless steel model is the heaviest among the cases that can be selected with the "Apple Watch Series 7". The weight difference between stainless steel and titanium is only 6.4g, but in my experience, the stainless steel case can sometimes feel heavy.
In addition, both stainless steel and titanium are about the same in terms of durability (both are scratched during daily life), but the author recognizes that there are differences, such as the fact that stainless steel with a strong gloss makes scratches more noticeable. .
When purchasing, we would like you to choose your favorite case based on these characteristics. The stainless steel case model starts at 88,800 JPY (incl. tax). The price of the titanium case model starts from 100,800 yen (tax included), and the difference between the two models is 12,000 yen. Please refer to it when purchasing.
▶︎ Check "Apple Watch" on Apple's official website ・Apple Watch Series 7 ・Apple Watch Series 6 ・Apple Watch SE ・Apple Watch Series 3 ・Apple Watch Nike ・Apple Watch Hermès▶︎ Check Apple Watch accessories on Apple's official website ・Strap (Band)・Headphones/SpeakersDesign
Let's check the design of the Apple Watch Series 7. The basic design hasn't changed much from Series 4 to 6, and the rounded corners of the case and display are still intact.
The case size is 1mm larger than the Apple Watch Series 6, and the conventional 40mm model has become a 41mm model, and the 44mm model has become a 45mm model. The specific size differences are shown in the table below.
| Apple Watch Series 7 | Apple Watch Series 6 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | 41mm | 45mm | 40mm | 44mm | Vertical | 41mm | 45mm | 40mm | 44mm |
| 35mm | 38mm | 34mm | 38mm | |
| Thickness | 10.7mm | 10.7mm | 10.7mm | 10.7mm |
| Elapsed time | Battery level | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Series 5 | Series 6< /th> | Series 7 | |
| 0 hours | 100% | 100% | 100 % |
| 1 hour | 95% | 98% | 96% |
| 2 hours | 90% | 95% | 93% |
| 3 hours | 86% | 91% | 89% |
| 4 hours | 82% | 88% | 84% |
| 5 hours | 78% | 85% | 79% |
| 6 hours | 75% | 81% | 75% |
| 7 hours | 71% | 77% | 71% |
| 8 hours | 68% | 72% | 66% | < /tr>
| 9 hours | 64% | 69% | 62% |
| 60% | 65% | 59% | |
| 11 hours | >56% | 60% | 56% |
| 12 hours | 51%< /td> | 57% | 52% |
| 13 hours | 48% | 53 % | 48% |
In this verification, the battery of Apple Watch Series 7 is about 3-5% per hour It was found that the battery life was almost the same as the conventional model. It takes about 24 hours from 100% to 0%, so it can be said that it can be used for a whole day.
However, this verification was not performed with the conditions such as the watchOS version, amount of notifications, and screen lighting time perfectly aligned for each model, so the results may not always be the same. . Please take this result only as a reference.
By the way, when I talk about the experience of using the Apple Watch Series 5 and Apple Watch Series 6, I feel that the battery life of the Apple Watch Series 7 is not that much different from the previous model. there is
If you go out around 9:00 in the morning, receive notifications during the day, and come back home around 7:00 at night, you can continue using it without charging the battery on the way. If you're worried about running out of battery, charge your Apple Watch once during your lunch break, and you should be able to continue using it until you get home.
Compatible with high-speed charging
Apple Watch Series 7 uses the "Magnetic Fast Charging – USB-C Cable" that comes with a 5W or higher charging adapter to charge faster than conventional cables. It can charge up to 33% faster.
To confirm if this is the case, I deliberately drained the Apple Watch Series 7 battery to 0% and checked the charging speed of fast charging. The results are as follows.
| Elapsed time | Battery |
|---|---|
| 0: 00 | 0% |
| 0:08 | 16% |
| 0:30 | 54% |
| 1:00 | 98% |
| 100% |
16% in 8 minutes, 54% in 30 minutes, and I was able to charge it up to 98% in an hour. It takes about 1 hour and 4 minutes to fully charge.
By the way, Apple claims that this fast charging will charge enough battery to record 8 hours of sleep in just 8 minutes.
Actually, I was able to charge the battery to 16% in 8 minutes of charging, so I can record 8 hours of sleep with this 16% battery remaining. This time, due to my schedule, I could only record up to 5 hours of continuous sleep, but I was able to record my sleep without running out of battery in the middle.
In addition, in order to compare the charging speed of the conventional charging cable, the measurement results when charging the Apple Watch Series 7 using the "magnetic charging cable" of the USB-A terminal are compared side by side with the results measured earlier. I tried to.
| Elapsed time | Quick charge compatible cable (USB-C) | Cable that does not support fast charging (USB-A) |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | 0% | 0% |
| 0:30 | 54% | 20% |
| 1:00 | 98% | 36% |
| 1:30 | 100% | 53 % |
| 2:00 | 100% | 65% |
| 2:30 | 100% | 78% |
| 3:00 | 100% | 87% |
| 3:00 | 100% | 100% |
The result is as above. When charging using the conventional "Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable", it took more than 2 hours to fully charge, but when using the "Magnetic Fast Charging - USB-C Cable", it took about 1 hour to fully charge. I finished in 4 minutes. According to the calculation, it was possible to charge 33% or more at a high speed, and it was confirmed that there was a benefit of high-speed charging more than I expected.
If such a fast charge can be used, it may be useful not only for daily charging but also for charging in special situations.
For example, when you want to track your sleep but want to use your Apple Watch right up until bedtime. If you put up with sleeping for about 10 minutes and charge it quickly, you can record your sleep until morning.
When you wake up in the morning, the battery will be quite low, but if you charge it with a quick charge even when you eat breakfast, you should be able to secure enough battery power for the whole day.
The Apple Watch's sleep recording is convenient, but some people give up sleep recording in the first place because they can't charge the battery in time for the next day, and some people go out of their way to prepare a separate Apple Watch for sleep recording. If you can have about an hour from when you wake up in the morning to when you leave the house, the Apple Watch Series 7 will allow you to record your sleep at night and use it during the day.
In addition, with such a charging speed, it should be very useful when the timing for charging the battery is limited, such as business trips and travel.
In order to use fast charging, it is necessary to use a USB-C PD charging adapter of 5W or more, but since there are almost no USB-C charging adapters of 5W or less, almost all Fast charging can be used with a USB-C PD compatible charging adapter. It can be said that there is virtually no need to worry about the output of the charging adapter.
By the way, some people may be worried about the heat generated by the Apple Watch itself when they hear about high-speed charging, but when I touched the Apple Watch Series 7 while it was charging, it was just as hot as before. I didn't feel like I was generating more heat than before. I hope this reassures you.
▶︎ Check "Apple Watch" on Apple's official website ・Apple Watch Series 7 ・Apple Watch Series 6 ・Apple Watch SE ・Apple Watch Series 3 ・Apple Watch Nike ・Apple Watch Hermès▶︎ Check Apple Watch accessories on Apple's official website ・Strap (Band)/Headphones/SpeakersNot only waterproof but also dustproof
Like the previous model, the Apple Watch Series 7 is waterproof to a depth of up to 50 meters. It can be used for activities in shallow water such as pools and oceans.
Workouts such as ``Pool Swimming'' and ``Open Water Swimming'' are also available, and it is possible to measure the energy consumed during swimming and the distance swum.
Apple Watch has a "waterproof lock" that you can turn on to prevent accidental operation of your Apple Watch underwater.
The feature can be turned on by tapping the drop mark in the control center, and can be unlocked by turning the Digital Crown until "Unlock" is displayed.
When the lock is released, a popping sound is heard and the main body vibrates, and the water remaining in the speaker is discharged. Occasionally, a lot of water will come out, so it's a good idea to turn it off in a place where you don't mind getting wet, such as the washroom, or prepare a towel.
The Apple Watch Series 7 also supports IP6X dust resistance, so you can use it safely even in places where fine sand such as beaches and deserts dances. It can be said that the Apple Watch can be used even in harsh environments because it has not only resistance to water but also resistance to fine dust.
What you can do with Apple Watch Series 7
A full-size keyboard can be used with a larger screen (Japanese is not supported)
A surprising number of questions we receive on this site are, "What can the Apple Watch do?" That's probably proof that people who have never touched an Apple Watch are interested.
So, from here, for those who purchase "Apple Watch Series 7" as the first Apple Watch, or those who buy it for the first time in several years, "What can you do with Apple Watch Series 7?" I would like to introduce
Apple Watch has multiple dials, and you can choose the one that looks the way you like. There are also dials that can be customized to display information such as the weather and remaining battery power in specific areas, allowing you to create an original dial packed with the necessary information.
Photos can also be registered
You can save multiple dials and switch between them instantly by swiping the screen. The author also creates multiple dials for everyday use, exercise, and work, and switches between them depending on the situation.
The Apple Watch Series 7 also has a dedicated dial that cannot be used with other models. They are the "contour" and the "modular duo".
"Outline" is a dial with numbers representing the time placed at the very edge of the screen, perfect for creating a fashionable look for the Apple Watch Series 7, which has a narrower bezel width.
The "Modular Duo" is a watch face that allows you to place a larger, more informative element in the center, making the most of the Apple Watch Series 7's increased screen real estate.
These dials take advantage of the design of the Apple Watch Series 7, which has a larger screen display area, so if you buy an Apple Watch Series 7, I highly recommend using them.
Apple Watch has a function to receive iPhone notifications instead. You can check notifications such as emails, messages, LINE, Twitter, etc. at hand without taking the iPhone out of your pocket or bag.
Notifications are delivered to the user by sound or vibration. The volume and strength of the vibration at this time can be changed from the settings, and if you set it to the maximum, you can notice it even when you are exercising.
Apple Watch has a "Wallet" app, just like the iPhone, and you can pay with credit cards and transportation ICs via Apple Pay.
To make a payment, double-press the side button on your Apple Watch to open the Wallet app and hold your Apple Watch close to a reader, such as a ticket gate at a store or train station. It's convenient to use when your wallet or iPhone is in a place where it's hard to take it out, and I personally find it very useful.
In addition, if you register a transportation IC such as Suica as an express card, you can pay by simply holding up your Apple Watch without opening the "Wallet" app.
However, there is a reader on the right side of the ticket gate at the station, and if you wear an Apple Watch on your left arm, you will not be able to pass through the ticket gate smoothly, and the movement will be a little awkward. If you find it difficult to use, it may be better to use Suica registered on your iPhone.
▶︎ Check "Apple Watch" on Apple's official website ・Apple Watch Series 7 ・Apple Watch Series 6 ・Apple Watch SE ・Apple Watch Series 3 ・Apple Watch Nike ・Apple Watch Hermès▶︎ Check Apple Watch accessories on Apple's official website ・Strap (Band) Headphones/speakers Apple Watch Series 7 (GPS + Cellular model) - 45mm silver stainless steel case and starlight sports bandposted with Kaereva Buy on AmazonApple Watch uses GPS and heart rate sensors. It is possible to measure and record the user's exercise amount. Exercise recording is possible from the "Workout" app, tap the workout that is most suitable for the exercise you are about to start, and start recording.
Alternatively, some workouts such as walking and cycling also support automatic detection, so even if you start exercising without selecting a workout, you can retroactively measure it.
You can check the types of workouts on this page. With the update of watchOS, the types of workouts are gradually increasing. With the latest watchOS 8, you can now record "Pilates" and "Tai Chi".
You can check the amount of exercise you have recorded from the "Activity" app. The app can be used not only for daily records, but also for long-term trends, so it can be used for training such as muscle training and dieting.
Apple Watch also supports sleep measurement. By setting a sleep goal (how many hours you want to sleep) and bedtime/wake-up time from the iPhone's "Healthcare" app, you can record the quality of your sleep every day by wearing the Apple Watch on your arm and going to sleep.
You can check the recorded sleep data from the Health app, and you can see long-term trends as well as daily records like the amount of exercise.
By the way, watchOS 8 now measures your breathing rate during sleep, and records it in the "Healthcare" app along with data such as your heart rate, which was previously measured.
You can check your breathing rate during sleep by tapping Breathing > Breathing Rate > See More Breathing Rate Data in the Health app on your iPhone.
Apple Watch can measure your heart rate using the built-in optical heart rate sensor.
Your heart rate is measured periodically while you're wearing your Apple Watch and written to the Health app. If you want to know your current heart rate immediately, open the Apple Watch's "Heart Rate" app and in a few seconds the measurement will be completed and your real-time heart rate will be displayed on the screen.
Apple Watch notifies you with a notification when a high heart rate or low heart rate continues for 10 minutes while wearing Apple Watch, or when an irregular heart rhythm is detected. Some people have actually saved their lives with this notification, so be sure to turn on the notification function when you buy an Apple Watch.
▶︎ Check "Apple Watch" on Apple's official website ・Apple Watch Series 7 ・Apple Watch Series 6 ・Apple Watch SE ・Apple Watch Series 3 ・Apple Watch Nike ・Apple Watch Hermès▶︎ Check Apple Watch accessories on Apple's official website ・Strap (Band)・Headphones・SpeakersApple Watch can take an electrocardiogram (ECG) using the electrical heart rate sensor installed in the Digital Crown.
To take an ECG, open the "ECG" app on your Apple Watch, place your finger on the Digital Crown according to the on-screen instructions, and hold still for 30 seconds to complete the recording. If you move at this time, the electrocardiogram may not be measured correctly, so place your arms on your desk or knees as much as possible and do not move your body or fingers. If you have symptoms such as feeling unwell while recording the ECG, tap the "Add symptom" part displayed on the recording completion screen and record the specific symptoms together.
Early recorded ECG waveforms and data such as symptoms added when the recording is complete are both saved in the iPhone's Health app. This information can be exported to PDF, and recently there are hospitals that use the exported data to make diagnoses, so if the possibility of a disease such as atrial fibrillation is suspected, an electrocardiogram will be recorded regularly. Then why don't you take the PDF to the hospital that supports it?
Apple Watch Series 7/Series 6 can measure blood oxygen concentration (the level of oxygen taken into the blood) with a redesigned optical heart rate sensor.
Blood oxygen levels can be measured from the Apple Watch Blood Oxygen Wellness app. With the Apple Watch on your wrist, turn the screen side up, keep your wrist still, and measure for 15 seconds to display the oxygen level in your blood.
A normal person's blood oxygen level is between 95% and 99%, but if you see a lower value than this, you may have some disease in your body.
For example, if you are infected with the new coronavirus and the symptoms of pneumonia are progressing, your blood oxygen concentration tends to be low. Since the Apple Watch is not a medical device, the measurement results are only for reference, but if the blood oxygen level is low during home treatment due to infection, the symptoms may be aggravated. You can judge at home that there is. If you consult your doctor, you may be able to get tested and be hospitalized.
Because the pandemic of the new coronavirus is not completely over yet, let's remember that you can use it like this in case of emergency.
▶︎ Check "Apple Watch" on Apple's official website ・Apple Watch Series 7 ・Apple Watch Series 6 ・Apple Watch SE ・Apple Watch Series 3 ・Apple Watch Nike ・Apple Watch Hermès▶︎ Check Apple Watch accessories on Apple's official website ・Strap (Band)・Headphones/speakersThe Apple Watch is equipped with a microphone, so you can receive and talk to your iPhone with the Apple Watch. Furthermore, with the GPS + Cellular model, by signing a contract with a communication carrier for a plan that allows you to share one phone number with your iPhone and Apple Watch, you can make calls with your Apple Watch alone even when you are exercising or otherwise without an iPhone. .
Also, on Apple Watch with watchOS 5.3 or later installed, you can use the Walkie-Talkie app to keep in touch with family and friends with a single tap. Just like a real walkie-talkie, you press and hold the button to speak, and when you're done speaking, release your finger to let the other person hear what you said.
Can be used with an iPhone or in a Wi-Fi/mobile data communication environment. There are many opportunities to use it for outdoor activities such as mountain climbing, the sea and rivers, and last year the author found it useful when taking review photos at the sea.
If you use the "Family Sharing" function newly added in "watchOS 7", you can register your family's Apple Watch to one iPhone, so even children and elderly family members who do not have an iPhone can share You can now use your Apple Watch on its own.
By subscribing to a dedicated communication plan, each Apple Watch can have its own phone number, allowing each to use phone calls and communications, as well as use the Find My app to track the location of all family members. It is also possible to share. It is no exaggeration to say that users who do not have their own iPhone can now use the convenient functions of Apple Watch, and the usefulness of Apple Watch has improved.
At present, there are two types of communication plans for Apple Watch, one is a plan that shares a phone number with an iPhone, and the other is a plan that issues and uses a phone number dedicated to Apple Watch.
Of these, in order to pair multiple family members' Apple Watches to a specific iPhone with the Family Sharing function and each use an Apple Watch, it is necessary to subscribe to a plan that issues a dedicated Apple Watch phone number. . At the moment, the only domestic carrier that offers this plan is au, and the name of the plan is "Watch Number Plan".
▶︎ Check "Apple Watch" on Apple's official website ・Apple Watch Series 7 ・Apple Watch Series 6 ・Apple Watch SE ・Apple Watch Series 3 ・Apple Watch Nike ・Apple Watch Hermès▶︎ Check Apple Watch accessories on Apple's official website ・Strap (Band)/Headphones/SpeakersWhen playing music from your iPhone, you can use the paired Apple Watch to control the volume, forward/backward tracks, etc.
You can also connect wireless earphones and headphones directly to your Apple Watch and listen to music from your Apple Watch. With the GPS + Cellular model, you can use mobile data communication to play Apple Music songs anytime, anywhere without an iPhone.
If you don't want to use mobile data, you can play music offline by storing songs directly in the Apple Watch's internal storage.
The Apple Watch has the ability to unlock your Mac. To use it, the Mac and Apple Watch must be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID, and can be set from the "Security & Privacy" item in the "System Preferences" on the Mac.
In addition, recently, due to the influence of the new coronavirus, it is necessary to wear a mask when going out, and Face ID cannot be used, so it is now possible to unlock the iPhone using the Apple Watch.
To use it, just turn on the toggle for the Apple Watch you want to use from the "Unlock with Apple Watch" item in "Face ID & Passcode" in the iPhone's "Settings" app. Just by setting this, you should be able to use your iPhone comfortably even if you are wearing a mask.
You can also make the LED of the iPhone light up by pressing and holding the Find iPhone button.
Other convenient functions include a compass function that displays a compass on the screen and allows you to know the direction, an altitude measurement function that allows you to measure the altitude of your current location, and a function that remotely releases the iPhone camera shutter.
Also, there is a function to tell the location by remotely ringing the paired iPhone, and a function to make the screen emit light instead of a flashlight. The former is very convenient when you are in a hurry, so I use it quite often.
Recently, there is also a convenient function called AssistiveTouch as an accessibility function, and the possibility that it can be used by people with disabilities is expanding. There are many other hidden functions in watchOS that cannot be introduced here, so if you buy an Apple Watch, please try it out.
Summary: Who is the Apple Watch Series 7 recommended for?
So far, we have evaluated and verified the Apple Watch Series 7 from various perspectives.
It was pointed out by some users that the range of change in the Apple Watch Series 7 was small, but as a result of examining each one in this verification, it is difficult to say that it is "the same as usual", but it has evolved more than expected. Then? I feel that.
What I especially want to evaluate is the faster charging. I have a lot of business trips and have a habit of bringing a lot of gadgets to my work, but the number of devices that can be charged at the same time is rather limited at the hotel, so I tried to charge my Apple Watch in an hour or so. I am very happy to have become
If it can charge at such a speed, it can be said that the sleep tracking function has become sufficiently practical.
Also, the narrow bezel width of the screen eliminates the feeling of gadget, which is a good update. Until now, I was fully satisfied with the bezel width of Apple Watch Series 6, but as soon as I got used to the bezel width of Apple Watch Series 7, the bezel of Series 6 felt thicker. . I guess that's how big the change was.
However, there are some concerns.
First of all, about the weight of the main unit, the Apple Watch has become a little heavy again. Despite the gradual weight reduction from Series 4, Series 7 turned around and became the heaviest ever. I feel that the change from titanium to stainless steel is also the reason why it feels heavy, but I would like to expect future improvements because it is better for wearable devices to be light.
Also, even though the change was not as small as expected, it's a little worrisome that it wasn't enough to recommend replacement from Series 5/6. The new Apple Watch models so far have been attractive enough to be replaced in a year or two.
Based on these, this year's Apple Watch recommends “Stay” for users of Apple Watch Series 5/6, which have a constant light function. Do you feel like you should buy it if you have a Series 4, SE, or earlier model without the constant light function?
Of course, this new model is recommended for users who have never had an Apple Watch. There is no doubt that linking with the iPhone will make life more convenient. Although there is an option to choose a cheap model such as SE as the first Apple Watch, why not pick up the Apple Watch Series 7 if you want to buy it at this timing when the latest Apple Watch with a larger screen just came out.
On this site, we have posted a comparison article of the current lineup of Apple Watch 3 models. If you want to compare the performance of each model, please see the following article. You may find the perfect model for you.
Related article ・Apple Watch Compare the performance and differences of all current models. Series 7 / SE / 3, which model do you recommend?
▶︎ Check "Apple Watch" on Apple's official website ・Apple Watch Series 7 ・Apple Watch Series 6 ・Apple Watch SE ・Apple Watch Series 3 ・Apple Watch Nike ・Apple Watch Hermès▶︎ Check Apple Watch accessories on Apple's official website ・Strap (Band) Headphones/speakers Apple Watch Series 7 (GPS + Cellular model)-45mm silver stainless steel case and starlight sports bandposted with Kaereva Buy on AmazonApple, Apple logo, Apple Pay, Apple Watch, FaceTime, GarageBand, HomePod, iMovie, iPad, iPhone, iPhoto, iSight, iTunes and Retina are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. *The iPhone trademark is used under license from Aiphone Co., Ltd. *App Store, AppleCare, and iCloud are service marks of Apple Inc.