Apple Watch Series 6. Is it worth it?

[Wayne Potgieter]

My wife has a Garmin Fenix 5s. It’s time for a Christmas upgrade.

 

She is not a hardcore athlete but does use it for hikes/cycling/running.

 

We have always used the Fenix series but she has shown interest in the Apple Watch.

 

I have been watching lots of reviews but they all focus on the blood oxygen and not really on the normal Apple Watch features.

 

I am keen for some first hand information from those that know.

[Reme Le Hane]

I plan on replying my 5X with Apple, more likely the series 7 or 8, once this one dies. No point replacing a working watch, in my case.

[BigDL]

The series six is an awesome watch. Not worth necessarily upgrading from a series 5, but an excellent watch.

[Rocket-Boy]

Im not getting an Apple watch until they reach at least 3 days of battery life.

The idea of charging it every night doesnt sit well with me.

 

Other than the horrible battery life, the watches are great.

[Craai]

Im not getting an Apple watch until they reach at least 3 days of battery life.

The idea of charging it every night doesnt sit well with me.

 

Other than the horrible battery life, the watches are great.

 

Agreed, my wife has an Apple and it's a fine piece of tech, however if you want to use it for any event (e.g. Ironman) that will take longer than a few hours to complete it falls a bit short. Also, I don't think it's as robust as the Fenix. In short, aimed more towards a person who works out than someone who takes fitness a bit more seriously

[Wimmas]

Excellent watch, only cons vs a decent garmin watch is battery life and how robust it is. My Vivoactive 4 lasts about 5 to 6 days with Pulse OX off, and it has fallen flat on its face twice on hard tiles, nothing wrong with it.

[WrightJnr]

Owning both a Fenix 6 and Apple Watch 6 I would not try compare the two. As it’s like comparing a Road Bike to a Mountain Bike. While they both in practice do “the same thing” they take on the task from opposite angles. The Fenix is a sports watch that has smart functionality. The Apple Watch is a smart watch that has sports functionality.

 

Monday to Friday I’m Apple Watch for work and social. But for sports, it’s Fenix all the way for anything more serious than a walk.

[The Ghost]

I watched a few videos on the 6, and after a while I realised that there probably aren’t many apps for it that I’d actually use.

I wouldn’t use it for mail, calls or calendar, and I use Apple Notes a lot and there is no watch version for that.

 

What do you use your Apple Watch for?

[WrightJnr]

I watched a few videos on the 6, and after a while I realised that there probably aren’t many apps for it that I’d actually use.

I wouldn’t use it for mail, calls or calendar, and I use Apple Notes a lot and there is no watch version for that.

 

What do you use your Apple Watch for?

Looks nicer on my wrist in a suit or on ZOOM. (When compared to a Fenix with a bright blue strap)

 

Ease of notifications AND quick response to them.

 

Ease of timer for quick breaks and reminders

 

All my shopping awards programs barcodes. Shopping lists. All my bank cards via Apple Pay. I can do full shops without wallet or even pulling phone out. Big advantage now with masks where phone doesn’t unlock easily.

 

One quick swipe to a watch screen that has all the time zones for my colleagues across the globe.

 

Weights next to nothing compared to Fenix so far more comfortable in the office on a PC.

 

Music control automatically when playing from phone, CarPlay etc. Seamless playing of podcasts and audiobooks when having a walk etc. No phone required.

 

Total integration with iPhone. It just works..

[Cois]

I watched a few videos on the 6, and after a while I realised that there probably aren’t many apps for it that I’d actually use.

I wouldn’t use it for mail, calls or calendar, and I use Apple Notes a lot and there is no watch version for that.

 

What do you use your Apple Watch for?

Two things... ECG AND THE O2 Stats.

The rest of the things are minor for me. But knowing the stats during treatment is rather important to me. O2 stats especially, hitting a low O2 during treatment can spell disaster for me.

[Rocket-Boy]

Agreed, my wife has an Apple and it's a fine piece of tech, however if you want to use it for any event (e.g. Ironman) that will take longer than a few hours to complete it falls a bit short. Also, I don't think it's as robust as the Fenix. In short, aimed more towards a person who works out than someone who takes fitness a bit more seriously

They really need to introduce a "normal watch" type mode, Suunto did it with the Android wear based 7.

A mate of mine recently sold his series 6 after going away with his family for the weekend. He realized on the second day that it was flat and he didnt have a charger, and as a result it was completely useless.

 

I can relate to that, the battery life is simply unacceptable to me.

[Rocket-Boy]

Two things... ECG AND THE O2 Stats.

The rest of the things are minor for me. But knowing the stats during treatment is rather important to me. O2 stats especially, hitting a low O2 during treatment can spell disaster for me.

That was one really big advantage to the Apple watch for me, measuring oxygen saturation levels.

For people with Covid it could be the difference between knowing when to go to hospital and not going in time.

[The Ghost]

Looks nicer on my wrist in a suit or on ZOOM. (When compared to a Fenix with a bright blue strap)

 

Ease of notifications AND quick response to them.

 

Ease of timer for quick breaks and reminders

 

All my shopping awards programs barcodes. Shopping lists. All my bank cards via Apple Pay. I can do full shops without wallet or even pulling phone out. Big advantage now with masks where phone doesn’t unlock easily.

 

One quick swipe to a watch screen that has all the time zones for my colleagues across the globe.

 

Weights next to nothing compared to Fenix so far more comfortable in the office on a PC.

 

Music control automatically when playing from phone, CarPlay etc. Seamless playing of podcasts and audiobooks when having a walk etc. No phone required.

 

Total integration with iPhone. It just works..

Thanks, I like the aesthetics of my Fenix with red strap, but yeah I think the Apple might take it there.

 

What do you use for shopping lists? At the moment we use a shared apple note but there’s apparently no apple notes app for watch.

 

It seems Tesco have removed Apple Pay as an option here so that’s not going to work [emoji1]

Painful as having a phone was a handy backup for when I forgot my wallet at home.

[The Ghost]

That was one really big advantage to the Apple watch for me, measuring oxygen saturation levels.

For people with Covid it could be the difference between knowing when to go to hospital and not going in time.

My Fenix 5X Plus gives me O2 and about 2 weeks of battery life (I use an edge for cycling so the watch isn’t used for exercise much)

[Rocket-Boy]

My Fenix 5X Plus gives me O2 and about 2 weeks of battery life (I use an edge for cycling so the watch isn’t used for exercise much)

I didnt know the Fenix does that, but its handy info.

I still think watches like the Fenix series and some Suuntos are better positioned than Apple watch.

They do smart notifications, but more importantly have long battery life and proper workout modes.

 

All Garmin needs to do is up their game a little in the smart functions.

[Reme Le Hane]

I didnt know the Fenix does that, but its handy info.

I still think watches like the Fenix series and some Suuntos are better positioned than Apple watch.

They do smart notifications, but more importantly have long battery life and proper workout modes.

 

All Garmin needs to do is up their game a little in the smart functions.

It gives VO2, not O2, very different functions. 02 came with the 6 series. That’s a hardware feature that cannot simply be patched into the 5 series.

 

Personally if I did go Apple I would get an Edge, been waiting a larger display for the bike for some time, the watch is less convenient for seeing things on rides, but having a 5x makes justifying one tough.

 

I have just had this replaced for a dead battery with an OOW cost of like 4K. So in like 18 months time or so when it dies again then I’ll get the like 8 Series Apple and a mid range Edge along with the Polar Oh1.

 

For running and every day use the Apple, especially by then would be far more useful, and will be perfect for the daily gym session and once a week 5k run.