I read approximately 6000 reviews before pulling the trigger and getting my Apple Watch SE, so I figured it was time to participate and share my long-term review of the Apple Watch.
The Highlights
| Pros | Cons |
| Seamless integration with iPhone Good for the gym Accurate HR Sleek non bulky design | Battery life Poor sleep tracking compared to alternatives |
There are a lot of people much more qualified to go into the specs and details on the tech side of the watch. This review is purely for the day-to-day user that doesn’t care about how many grams the watch is, or discovering how the speed of the processor compares to other models.
In this long-term apple watch review I will go over the things I like about it, how I use it, and if you should get it.
Where to Buy the Apple Watch
Durability of design
- No scratches on the body of it
- Some scuffs on the screen but nothing significant
Apple Watch Review: Apps I actually use
1. Reminders
Reminders basically run my life at this point. Id I know anything about myself, it's that if I think I'll remember something - I won't. I need a reminder for everything from take the laundry out, to add milk to the grocery list.
2. Timer
Me and siri are close pals at this point. I regularly ask her to set alarms for me and she can set multiple at once!
3. Activity app
I like to log my workouts for more than just seeing the data from the workout - but it also helps me remember when I was last working out and when to throw in some variety like a run instead of the gym.
4. Third party sleep app AutoSleep
Native sleep tracking in the Apple Watch leaves something to be desired. I have a third party app called AutoSleep that I bought to give me a little insight, so I check that in the mornings once I wake up to see how I did.
5. Spotify
This is one of the most underrated features of smartwatch in my opinion! Being able to change songs/volume without grabbing my phone is so handy not only at the gym, but when you're just not within arms reach of your phone and want to change it.
6. Alarm
Gone are the days of waking up to a loud alarm clock. The apple watch vibrates in a way that feels like taps on your wrist to slowly lull you awake. I find this feature works really well, but I’ll still set a second alarm in case it doesn’t wake me up.
7. Text and call notification
I rarely reply on the watch with anything other than a double tap to thumbs up or heart a message. If anything requires a real response I will get my phone to reply. It’s also just handy to be notified of any notifications from your phone. My iPhone has been on silent for over 10 years now (doesn’t even vibrate), and the Apple Watch comes in handy! Sometimes I’ll pick up a call on my watch if my phone isn’t nearby or i can’t access it at the moment. Clarity of the call through the speaker is really good, and I’m told I sound normal to the person I’m talking to so they can’t tell I am shouting at my wrist like a lunatic.
8. Cycle tracking
Track symptoms related to your period or general physical health. I find this super helpful for general mood and feelings if I get a headache etc so I don't have to log it separately in some sort of notes app.
Apple Watch Review: What I don’t use
Now that we've covered the Apple Watch features that I actually use, it's time to go over what I don't. For one, all the customizable features for background like pictures, Disney characters etc. I’ve never used. I understand for some people this is a huge factor, but personally I like to see the date, time, and calendar on my wrist and that’s it.
1. The app store
Despite this supposedly being a selling feature of the watch, I can’t seem to find any third party apps that actually offer anything I would use. This is one of those situations where the watch supposedly has endless features since you can download things from the app store, but in reality it has limited functionality in my opinion.
2. Battery life
This is probably the biggest gripe people have with the Apple Watch, and I'd have to agree. Compared to any other wearables, the battery life on the apple watch has a long way to go. I've now had my watch for just over 3 years, so the battery life has diminished since I got it. That said, it was never a 2 day battery to start - nothing compared to competitors like Garmin or Fitbit’s battery life which can last 7+ days.
After three years of being worn every day (no joke, she’s glued to my wrist), the battery has definitely declined. It’s become noticeable in ways that logging a workout will drain the battery more than it used to. Like I said, I don’t use it for long workouts so it hasn’t become enough of an issue to replace it, but battery longevity is something to note if that’s something you’re interested in.
Apple Watch Review: What is does well
1. Siri
Like I mentioned before, me and Siri are close pals now. She does me lots of favours throughout the day that just make little things more convenient. Yes - I could go into my phone and create an event in the calendar app, but it's so much easier to ask Siri to do it from my wrist.
2. Track workouts not specific to running or cycling
While most fitness watches are targeted toward running, the Apple Watch has a near endless selection of activities to choose from. I'm talking everything from tai chi to surfing. My most used are outdoor running, functional strength training, and outdoor walking. You can even select 'cooldown' or 'flexibility' from the list if you're wanting to label the workout something more specific.
3. Customizability
I haven't personally partaken in all the watch accessories, but it's worth mentioning that the Apple Watch has lots of options when it comes to watch bands.
4. General Information
The number of steps you've walked (so much fun to track when travelling!), and general health information it collected that is imported into the Health App. This includes stuff like resting heart rate, heart rate variability etc.
Apple Watch Review: What is does poorly
1. Sleep tracking
They've got a long way to go here. They finally introduced sleep tracking so it's native to the watch, but I don’t find it the most reliable. I have a third-party app for sleep tracking and even that can give some wonky results. Fitbit is by far the champion in this area in my opinion.
2. Battery
Be prepared to charge it daily if you use the watch heavily. I tend to put it on the charger when I shower or am sitting at my desk not using it to top up the charge. It still needs to be charged every day if you don't want to get caught out of battery. If I know I will be using it to workout later, I will often stick it on the charger for a bit to make sure it has enough juice to get me through.
Long Term Apple Watch Review: Should You Get One?
This depends on what you’re looking to get out of your wearable. It is definitely more of a smart watch than a fitness wearable in my opinion.
Is it worth it?
For me: yes. if it broke today I would probably buy another one. Despite it’s shortcomings, the aspects of my life I use it for it does a good job. I heavily use Siri for reminders, setting calendar events, and timers. The only real workouts I track with it are short runs, walks, and the gym. For anything like long bike rides I have an external HR monitor that connects to my bike computer so I don’t need to rely on the short battery life of the watch.
If you're only interested in the fitness elements, you can probably find something that's a better fit. The native fitness data isn't as good as competitors like Polar or Garmin, so it just depends on what you're using it for.
What did you pick? Comment below!
