Apple Watch 6 vs. 7 Comparison: Which One Should You Buy?
The Apple Watch Series 7 is now on sale, however, unlike previous models, there isn't a significant improvement over the Series 6 other than the fact that the screen is larger.
The Apple Watch Series 7 is a minor but pleasant improvement over the Series 6 thanks to its bigger screen, more durable build, and new color options. Other upgrades, like a speedier charging experience, bear little highlight.
Let us take a look at the Apple Watch Series 6 vs 7 comparisons to decide which one you want for yourself.
Apple Watch 6 vs. 7 Comparison
We have categorized the comparison of Apple Watch 6 vs 7 in these categories and in the end, we’ll also take a look at a detailed comparison chart:
- Chip
- Design & Display
- Battery Life & Charging
- Durability
- Colors
- Fitness, Features & Sensors
- Performance
- Price
Chip & Performance
Let us start with the Apple Watch 6 vs 7 chips and see how their performance differs.
The S7 chip, which powers the Apple Watch Series 7, is built on the same CPU as the S6 chip featured in the Apple Watch Series 6. These CPUs have the same identification due to the chips' similarities.
According to Apple, the S6 and S7 chips in the Apple Watch Series 5 and Apple Watch SE both offer a 20 percent performance boost over the S5 processor, demonstrating that they have comparable performance.
The S7 chip, which offers only a little gradual improvement rather than any appreciable performance or efficiency boost, is not compelling enough to jump to the Apple Watch Series 7.
Features
Next up, in the Apple Watch 6 vs. 7 comparisons are their features.
Similar to Series 6, Series 7 contains an electrical heart sensor, an ECG app, and the capacity to monitor oxygen saturation. You'll also receive access to the rest of Apple's health and security features, including a compass, noise monitoring, compatibility with Apple Fitness Plus, an always-on altimeter, sleep tracking, international emergency calling, and emergency SOS.
Apple will also release its new WatchOS 9 software for Series 7 and Series 6. The upgrade will introduce additional running data like step length, more thorough sleep tracking, and a new medicine tracking app.
Design & Display
When comparing the Apple Watch Series 6 vs 7, the bigger display of the Series 7 is the most obvious difference. The Series 7 has substantially thinner bezels surrounding the screen. The Series 7's casing is only slightly larger than the Series 6 and features bezels that are 40% thinner as well as a wraparound appearance on the display to give it a genuine edge-to-edge experience.
The Series 7 is 70 times brighter indoors than the Series 6, despite both having always-on displays.
The QWERTY keyboard on the Apple Watch Series 7 is another first, allowing you to text on the watch identically to how you do on your phone.
Battery Life & Charging
The Apple Watch Series 7 doesn't receive a bigger battery, but it does get the fastest charging speed available. Like the Series 6, Apple claims the Series 7 will remain to last up to 18 hours on a single charge. But if you use a magnetic fast-charging USB-C cable, it will also charge up to 33% quicker than its predecessor.
This should make using the Series 7 as a sleep timer more simple since it will be simpler to recharge the watch when you have a few spare moments during the day. However, competing smartwatches from Fitbit and other manufacturers may operate for several days on a single battery.
Durability
Another feature that we must take into consideration between Apple Watch 6 vs 7 is their durability.
Durability is the other significant way Apple changed the Series 7's design. Apple claims that its newest wearable is its first smartwatch to include IP6X dust protection and that the front screen's screen is 50% larger than that of the Series 6. Much like Series 6, you'll also keep receiving water resistance up to 50 meters.
Colors
There are numerous different coatings and color choices available for the two Apple Watch models. The titanium and stainless steel finishes are the same for both versions, however, the color choices for the aluminum shells are almost entirely different.
The Apple Watch Series 7 is available in:
- Blue
- Green
- Midnight
- Starlight
- Red
The Apple Watch Series 6 provides:
- Blue
- Gold
- Red
- Silver
- Space Gray
Fitness, Features & Sensors
Apple Watches are mostly known for their fitness features. So the Apple Watch 6 vs. 7 comparisons will be incomplete without fitness features.
This is perhaps the first time among generations that there is no distinction between the two watches in terms of tracking fitness and health. You receive the following:
- Accelerometer
- Blood oxygen sensor
- Barometric altimeter
- Electrical heart sensor
- Fall detection
- GPS/GNSS
- Optical heart sensor
- Gyroscope
- Ambient light
- Microphone
Price
According to Apple, the Series 7's starting price is $399, the same as the Series 6's. With a few minor variations depending on the band, the other choices are essentially the same as well:
Apple Watch |
Price |
41mm (GPS+Cellular) |
$499 |
41mm Stainless Steel |
Ranging from $699 |
41mm Titanium |
Ranging from $799 |
45mm (GPS) |
$429 |
45mm (GPS+Cellular) |
$529 |
45mm Titanium |
Ranging from $849 |
45mm Stainless Steel |
Ranging from $749 |
Adding the Ultimate Feature: A Camera
None of the Apple Watches, as of now, support a camera. But don’t let that disappoint you.
You can opt for the Wristcam Apple Watch band, featuring two cameras that let you add the missing piece of the puzzle. The band features one front-facing camera and one rear-facing camera that lets you capture high-quality photos and videos on the go.
The band is also water resistant and is rumored to be supporting video calls pretty soon.
Apple Watch 6 vs. 7: Which One Should You Buy?
For people who replace their Apple Watch often, getting the most recent model may be a more relevant factor, as the Series 7 certainly delivers bigger improvements to those switching from older devices. The Apple Watch Series 7 is a good option with lots of new functions to justify upgrading for people who have an Apple Watch Series 5 or older or for those who are completely new to Apple Watch.
If you are on a tight budget and are not particularly drawn to the extra features of the Series 7, you can find an Apple Watch Series 6 for a reasonable price, it is still a choice worth taking into account.