With the Apple Watch Series 1 Aluminum 42mm, Apple is clearly aiming at buyers who want a well-rounded phone without too many compromises. Here is our take on what it brings to the table. Announced in 2016, September. Released 2016, December, it arrives at a time when the competition is as tight as ever.
Design & Display
Up front there is a 1.65 inches screen, pushing a resolution of 390 x 312 pixels (~303 ppi density). Colours look punchy and text stays clean, so you will not have much to complain about here. It is not trying to reinvent the wheel with its design, but it does look the part. You can pick it up in a few finishes, including Case colors: silver.
Performance & Software
At the heart of it sits the Apple S1P (28 nm). For the kind of tasks most of us throw at a phone, there is plenty of muscle here. It runs watchOS 3.0, upgradable to watchOS 6.2.8 out of the box, so the software experience feels current.
Camera
Photography is handled by a main shooter that should cover most situations, from daylight shots to the occasional low-light frame. It is not a pro camera rig, but for everyday memories it gets the job done nicely.
Battery
Keeping the lights on is a Li-Ion 250 mAh (0.94 Wh), non-removable cell, and that is a healthy number that keeps range anxiety at bay.
Our Opinion
After spending time with the spec sheet and what Apple is promising, here is where we land. Apple has clearly gone for substance over gimmicks here, and we respect that approach. It gets the basics right, offering a crisp display, which is exactly what most buyers are really after. In day-to-day use it feels like the kind of device you can rely on, whether you are replying to messages, scrolling through social media, watching videos or taking the odd photo. Is it perfect? No phone is, and you will always find a sharper camera or a faster chip somewhere else for a little more money. Overall though, the Apple Watch Series 1 Aluminum 42mm is easy to recommend to the right buyer. If you have used this device or are planning to pick one up, do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
