Series 1 vs 2--is the extra $120 worth it?

[KenV54]

Me.

I have a Gen 1 Pebble, and used it until I got an Apple Watch Sport on Day One. The Pebble went into a drawer and only sees the light of day when I open the drawer for something else.

When the rumors started showing up about the Watch, I couldn't bare the wait and got the Pebble, on sale. There were no other versions at the time, but some others may have been announced.

Gen 1 Pebble didn't do much, and all it needed to do for me was provide notifications. It was a chore to use. I had to drill down and up to navigate, pressing one button to get a category and another to drill down in that category. It was cool for a few days, but I new Apple's implementation would be better for me. And so it was.

I assume the latest/last Pebbles are more sophisticated and provide a better user experience. But if I were to buy a smartwatch now, for the first time, it would be an Apple Watch Series 1. Even an Apple Watch (original) at a good price, could be a really good, satisfactory deal.

Thanks, Mac Guy. Very helpful.

I have the Pebble Time and was waiting for the Pebble Time 2, which as we know turned out to be vaporware with the shutdown of Pebble. No one knows what Fit-Bit is going to do with the Pebble hardware or software. The Pebble Time still does everything it did before, for now, as long as they keep the Pebble server going, I suppose.

The Pebble Time was an improvement over the original Pebble (which I had but later sold, or maybe gave away would be a better term). The Time has a color screen, is faster, has its own set of apps, etc., and coordinated well with the iPhone, but as you say, the navigation is cumbersome, and you can't do all that much with it. It's more passive than active.

I'm not much of a fitness tracker, so that part doesn't interest me too much. Getting messages and being able to do some of the iPhone functions through the watch is appealing. One thing I don't like about the Apple watch, from what I've read, is that the time itself isn't always on the screen (to prolong battery life). Do you find that annoying?

So--I need to first convince myself to buy the Apple Watch, then convince my wife that I need it, just to keep things sane at home. My dog (pictured) said to just go ahead and buy it, but only after I gave him a treat.

 

[KenV54]

I bit the bullet and ordered a S1 gold sports aluminum 42" w cocoa band, refurbished, from Apple, to arrive on the 6th.

The posts here convinced me. Thank you.

 

[James Falconer]

My two cents - if you can afford the extra for the Series 2, go for it. Some really great new features, and the beefier specs will help futureproof it a bit. That said, absolutely nothing wrong with the Series 1. If you don't need GPS or could care less about the waterproofing, it's going to do you just fine!

 

[KenV54]

Preliminary report:

The Apple Watch, S1, 42mm, blows my Pebble Time out of the water. The Apple Watch is a Porsche, and the Pebble is a VW. Wow! Why did I wait so long?

Details: Apple refurbished Gold Aluminum with Cocoa sport band ($249). I found a tan leather band at Best Buy (Nomad), which goes well with it, and costs about $40. No, it's not the same quality as the Apple genuine leather band, but it doesn't cost $150, either.

I am a convert.

 

[Mac Guy]

Details: Apple refurbished Gold Aluminum with Cocoa sport band ($249).

Good on ya! Nice score. I really like the Apple bands but if I find a third party band I really like, it doesn't bother that it's not Genuine apple kit. Not a bit.

 

[philip fisher2]

I would like to buy the Watch but I don't like it being tethered to my phone. I am holding out until Apple releases a new Watch with WIFI. I would like the Watch to operate on its own like the iPad or iPod Touch as long as the Watch is connected to Wifi. I guess it is wishful thinking.

 

[Snoweagle]

I would like to buy the Watch but I don't like it being tethered to my phone. I am holding out until Apple releases a new Watch with WIFI. I would like the Watch to operate on its own like the iPad or iPod Touch as long as the Watch is connected to Wifi. I guess it is wishful thinking.

I don't know if what I said is correct but at home, even when I disconnected my watch from the phone, it still shows connected but to wifi.

 

[Tartarus]

There is WiFi in the Apple Watch.

It connects automatically to wifi when your iPhone is out of bluetooth reach with your iPhone.

 

[imwjl]

No regrets here with hers 'n his Series 2. Series 2 was definitely right for my wife who doesn't want the phone to have sports and activity quantification. She'll have it in water.

I debated thinking 1 would be find but like the 2.

The Series 2 might indeed be some future proofing as has been the case when I chose up the food chain for some laptops and phones.

All that said, a Series 1 is really nice if you'll have your phone around and want a product with far nicer design and software capabilities than lots of activity trackers.

Really, this is a no right or wrong decision unless you know you'll want features the Series 2 has.

 

[phlamethrowre]

I picked up a S1 from Target for 229. Too good to pass up. I have a Garmin Vivoactive HR that I use for workouts so the S1 does everything I need it to do.

 

[mogelijk]

I picked up a S1 from Target for 229. Too good to pass up. I have a Garmin Vivoactive HR that I use for workouts so the S1 does everything I need it to do.

I got mine this week, as well, from Target. At nearly double the price, I just couldn't justify a Series 2, especially since I'm not a swimmer, and I'm really liking the Series 1. Of course, with watches, it seems hard for me to justify some of the prices on the more expensive watches. This is an item with a relatively short lifespan that I'll likely want to replace in another year or two.

 

[phlamethrowre]

I got mine this week, as well, from Target. At nearly double the price, I just couldn't justify a Series 2, especially since I'm not a swimmer, and I'm really liking the Series 1. Of course, with watches, it seems hard for me to justify some of the prices on the more expensive watches. This is an item with a relatively short lifespan that I'll likely want to replace in another year or two.

Exactly! I can't justify the price of a Series 2 Nike when I know I'll want a new one in 12 months.

 

[Mac Guy]

I picked up a S1 from Target for 229. Too good to pass up

I debate but had some other things going on so I passed. But I do want an S1.

This is an item with a relatively short lifespan that I'll likely want to replace in another year or two.

For me, that depends on what Apple has to offer. I see this more as an iPad life cycle device than an iPhone cycle. I've got AWs and after getting an S2, don't feel the need to replace them with S1 Watches. I don't have a silver aluminum Watch so I'll fix that with the next Target sale. Or I'll get a Nike in silver just because I like the Nike-centric displays.

So barring some SUPER KILLER app/feature(s), I can see the Watch being a three-four year item, even if it tops out at wOS4. Granted thats not like my 50yo Swiss Chronometer Officially Certified or a few of my other mechs. There's just not that much more I need a Watch to do.

 

[imwjl]

Exactly! I can't justify the price of a Series 2 Nike when I know I'll want a new one in 12 months.

Knowing there will always be a new one with electronics is always there. At times you get utility for the now purchase and at times not. Close to home I think of how S2 really was right for my wife, not so much here but in spite of so many comments on iPhone 8 the dual camera system totally made a 7 Plus purchase worth it for me.

In the time we've had the hers 'n his watches I see I'd be mostly just fine with S1 - my original intention if not getting a used original watch. I could take my classic dive watch snorkeling but my wife's been doing no phone hikes and MTB rides with her S2 2-6 times a week so the $100 was worth it. More and more I'm glad I spent that $100.

 

[phlamethrowre]

When I bought my S1 from Target for 229 the price difference was 170 plus tax. That S2 wasn't worth that to me.

 

[imwjl]

When I bought my S1 from Target for 229 the price difference was 170 plus tax. That S2 wasn't worth that to me.

Nice. My S2 came from Target. It was the only one they had in a 100 mi circle, no discount on the few S1, and to my surprise no discount on the original watches in the store.

I'm sure more availability will help for more bargains.

 

[James Falconer]

No doubt. As time goes on more deals will be had!!

 

[tcuprof]

When I bought my S1 from Target for 229 the price difference was 170 plus tax. That S2 wasn't worth that to me.

That's a BIG difference. Were they the same size and same band?

 

[phlamethrowre]

That's a BIG difference. Were they the same size and same band?

Yes. 42mm Space Gray with black sports band. The 38mm S1 was on sale for 199!!

 

[tcuprof]

Yes. 42mm Space Gray with black sports band. The 38mm S1 was on sale for 199!!

So there must be much higher demand for the S2 if there's that much price difference.