Bit of background: I’ve owned every series of AW (in aluminum) since they were first introduced, so I’m well aware of their capabilities, and lack thereof, etc. Few things make me happier than Apple products (Red Wings winning the Stanley Cup, Kate Beckinsale speaking the Queen’s) so I’m sort of a pushover when it comes to Apple Stuff. BUT, this is my first stainless steel AW and wanted to unnecessarily share my initial impressions:
The look and fit of the Series 4 is absolutely gorgeous. The rounded corners and full screen are the real star of the show, and the 44mm screen is big and bold, yet not garish.
People weren’t kidding when they said stainless steel feels a bit heftier than the aluminum models. It feels more substantial, yet not grossly so. Notification wrist-taps are more pronounced but not shaking my coffee hand.
The finish of the SS paired with the sapphire crystal make it feel very luxurious. I’ve owned a few nice watches (nothing like the Hodinkee crew, bless ‘em) and the quality feels on par with some of the more James Bond-esque timepieces I’ve had in the past.
Not quite blown away with the new faces. The “Infograph” face feels like a bit like assault on the eyes. In just the few hours of owning it, I can see what frustrates CGP Grey had about the looks of the complications on some of the modular faces. Water and Fire are neat to show and impress others, but nothing I’d use on a regular basis because the gif takes too long to load.
I’m struck with how universal all the watch bands now seem to feel. I’ve had the space gray and gold aluminum watches in the past, and felt limited in what looks best with either of them. Stainless seems to match the entire gamut of choices, even to my red/green colorblind eyes.
If anyone is on the fence about getting a stainless, I can only offer my enthusiasm. This is the first time in a couple years that I’ve been really excited about buying the Apple Watch again, and has nothing to do with the software, but purely about construction and feel.
I agree. This time I purchased the 44mm black stainless steel – I had the regular stainless steering in my Watch 1 and Watch 3. The black is very nice. It is a subdued look and complements the black face of the watch when it’s not active. I have the black sports band, which I was also uncertain about, but is a very good band and the most comfortable band I’ve had so far.
The only thing I’m not sure about is the fall-detection routine. It’s had a lot of false positives – including several times when I set the watch down on its side on a table. I turned off the fall detection feature for now.
I haven’t tried out fall detection, but with winter fast approaching, I may be in a position of having it on in the case of a slip and fall on ice.
My SS came with a white band, and while it looks nice, I prefer my darker gray and black sports bands so far. VERY VERY tempted to get a Milanese loop at the present moment.
My original and Seires 3 were both stainless. I loved the look, even as scratches wear it over time. For the 4, I opted for the dark aluminum. The weight is noticeably less, but I miss the dressy look of SS.
Since I own both an aluminum and a SS model, I can say with complete confidence that the SS is definitely a much dressier and classier look than the aluminum model. It looks like a luxury watch, particularly when paired with a nice metal or leather band, while the aluminum does not.
I initially considered selling my aluminum S3, I think I’m going to keep it for sleep tracking and workouts, working outside, etc. Maybe it’s a bit like “new car so baby it” syndrome, but I want to keep the stainles looking classy for as long as I can.
The Milanese Loop is by far the best watch band that I have ever used: I hate things that are to tight on my wrist, and the Apple Watch does not deal well with being too lose. My wrists change with activity throughout the day, so having the infinite adjustibily is wonderful.
I have Apple’s loop in black. I also have their nylon sport look for running, and it’s really comfy too, but I don’t like the look of it nearly as much as the steel one.
The Cellular version finally launched in my country this week, so I’ve got a 44 mm stainless steel on its way. This post made the waiting time feel that much longer… Friday can’t come soon enough!
I have one the original leather loops that came out the year the S0 dropped, it’s by far still my favorite band. I hear the OEM Milanese calling me though!
Ha ha! Yes indeed