Apple Watch Review: Is It Worth The High Price Tag?

We’ve got the skinny on the newest addition to the Apple (AAPL) family, and we’re going to tell you just how near (or far) the Apple Watch falls from the rest of the tree.

Well, the wait is almost over. After years of speculation, rumor, and mimicry, the company which managed to bring smart technology into the forefront of the public mind has finally decided to commit itself to the idea of offering a smart watch. On September 9th, 2014, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed to the world that Apple would begin producing and selling the ‘Apple Watch’ (because apparently calling it the iWatch would have been too predictable) for commercial use in April 2015.

And, with April nearly upon us, many of us are wondering if it would be worth the trouble to throw our entire tax refund into purchasing a miniature smartphone that can only be operated with one hand. Well, relax. We’ve got the skinny on the newest addition to the Apple family, and we’re going to tell you just how near (or far) the Apple Watch falls from the rest of the tree.

The Apple Watch will be offered in several different versions: The Apple Watch (your basic model), the Apple Watch Sport, and the Apple Watch Edition.

Screen Shot 2015-03-15 at 2.49.18 PM

Photo Credit: Apple

The Apple Watch is made of stainless steel, and features a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. It will be offered in chrome or space black finish. The watch comes with several options of band design.

The Apple Sport features an anodized aluminum case (slightly less sturdy than stainless steel, but a bit lighter as well). Its touchscreen is made from Ion-X glass, which, last time I checked, wasn’t listed on the periodic table of elements, but which Apple assures us is strong and scratch-resistant enough to stand up to some serious punishment.

The Apple Watch Edition is, well, what can we say? It has a case of 18-karat gold (available in yellow or rose, just in case both people who decide to buy one want to have different colors), and comes with a fancy leather-case and charging station, because if you weren’t sure about dropping several thousand dollars on a gold-plated, wrist-mounted smart watch, a nice leather case will probably help you make up your mind.

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Samsung Gear 2

If he were a real person, you could actually call Dick Tracy from your wrist using the Samsung Gear 2. Featuring a built-in microphone and speaker, the Gear 2 not only allows you to make and receive calls while keeping your phone in your pocket, but also lets you use Samsung's S Voice to look up such things as weather and contacts. Other features include a built-in heart rate monitor and integrated camera.

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Apple Most Anticipated Smartwatch

The Apple Watch is coming, and soon. Pre-orders will start on April 10, and you’ll be able to buy it on April 24. Prices start at $349 and go up to $10,000 for the solid gold version. As with many smartwatches, the Apple Watch delivers call, text and app notifications to your wrist. You'll be able to reply to most of those notifications in either canned texts or even with voice messages as you speak into the watch. It also acts as a fitness tracker, monitoring your daily activity and workouts, and suggesting fitness goals in a weekly activity summary. Third-party apps will let you make payments and check into hotels using NFC, keep track of your home with live feeds of security cameras and send miniature drawings and snapshots of your heartbeat to friends with Apple Watches.

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Apple’s Lovely, Potentially Overwhelming Wristwear

Apple’s Lovely, Potentially Overwhelming Wristwear

My admittedly short time trying the Apple Watch makes me wonder if it might be able to do too much.

One version of the Apple Watch features a stainless steel case and a black leather strap.

The Apple Watch looks and feels fantastic on my wrist—unlike most smart watches I’ve tried, it’s not too big or heavy, it has a bright, crisp display, there are just two buttons for navigation, and its touch screen is incredibly responsive. But you know what? It’s also a little overwhelming. 

I’ve been itching to try out a fully functional version of the device since Apple first showed it off at a media event last September. At the time, the company only allowed us reporters to check out a clearly unfinished device running demo software meant to show off a few marquee features (see “The Apple Watch May Solve the Usual Smart Watch Annoyances”).

But on Monday, at an event in San Francisco where Apple showed off the watch again, along with updated laptops and other products, I got my chance to play with the real thing for a few minutes. A demo attendant strapped an Apple Watch on my wrist: a luxurious gold version of the device, completely out of most people’s price ranges with a starting price of $10,000, and available at select Apple stores when the device goes on sale April 24 (presales will begin April 10). There are much cheaper versions—Apple Watch Sport, which will start at $349, and Apple Watch Collection, which will start at $549—but when you’re in a room filled with reporters angling for hands-on time with a hot new gadget, you take what you can get.

And so I got the fancy watch. And at first, it was really cool. Its leather band felt buttery on my arm, and the crown—traditionally used to wind a watch but in this case used for navigation on the tiny screen—turned smoothly. The display, which is force-sensitive, had just enough resistance to my fingers that there was no mistaking swipes for firm presses. The battery life is supposed to last for 18 hours, which is a smidgen of the week-long battery life you’d get with the much simpler Pebble smart watch, but then the design and capabilities of the Apple Watch are far greater.

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Pebble

Pebble

$89.99On Amazon

Best Budget Smartwatch

For those on a budget, Pebble's first smartwatch does everything the Steel does for $100 less. You won't get a metal design, but you'll be able to choose from five colors (Black, Grey, Orange, White and Red) and enjoy a water-resistant design. Yes, you can shower with the Pebble. Plus, you'll still have access to the Pebble Store's 1,000+ apps, which are easy to download to your iPhone or Android device.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Compatibility :

Android, iOS

Heart Rate :

No

Screen :

1.26-inch, black and white

Battery Life :

7 days

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Samsung Gear Fit

Samsung Gear Fit

$99On Amazon

Best Fitness Tracker-Smartwatch

The next generation of fitness trackers is adding smartwatch functionality so they can deliver notifications from your phone, such as incoming calls, texts and emails. The Samsung Gear Fit sports a gorgeous, curved OLED display with an intuitive touch interface, while a built-in heart rate monitor faces the top of your wrist. Plus, the Fit offers real-time coaching to help you meet your fitness goals.Read the Full Review

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Compatibility :

Android

Heart Rate :

Yes

Screen :

1.84-inch, color

Battery Life :

3 days

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Samsung Gear 2

Samsung Gear 2

$299.99On Amazon

Best Smartwatch with Voice

If he were a real person, you could actually call Dick Tracy from your wrist using the Samsung Gear 2. Featuring a built-in microphone and speaker, the Gear 2 not only allows you to make and receive calls while keeping your phone in your pocket, but also lets you use Samsung's S Voice to look up such things as weather and contacts. Other features include a built-in heart rate monitor and integrated camera.Read the Full Review

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Compatibility :

Android

Heart Rate :

Yes

Screen :

1.63-inch, color

Battery Life :

2 days

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Moto 360

Moto 360

$249.99On Best Buy

Best Smartwatch Design

One of the main problems with smartwatches is that they look too, well, smartwatch-y. The Moto 360 solves that aesthetic issue with a slick circular stainless steel design that houses a 320 x 290-pixel display. Powered by Google's Android Wear operating system, the Moto 360 supports Google voice commands, shows Google Now alerts and provides notifications from your phone. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, and the watch itself is water resistant. Plus, there’s a heart rate sensor on the underside, and the watch recharges wirelessly. The device comes with either a leather or stainless steel band.Read the Full Review

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Compatibility :

Android

Heart Rate :

Yes

Screen :

1.56-inch, color

Battery Life :

2 days

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Apple Watch

Apple Watch

Most Anticipated Smartwatch

While late to the game, Apple looks to redefine the smartwatch category with its own wearable. The Apple Watch (starting at $349) is one of the more attractive timepieces, comes in two sizes, and can be configured with four different cases and six different bands, making it the most customizable smartwatch yet. Although it has a touchscreen, a digital crown makes it easy to navigate the watch’s bubble-like interface. The watch also tracks your movement and heart rate, and an NFC chip will let you make payments right from your wrist. The device supports Siri, and a clever feature lets you share your heartbeat or small doodles with others. While one of the most expensive smartwatches, the Apple Watch looks like it will be worth the premium.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Compatibility :

iOS

Heart Rate :

Yes

Screen :

color

Battery Life :

Unknown

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LG G Watch R

LG G Watch R

Best Android Wear Watch

The best device for Google's smartwatch platform, the LG G Watch R combines a sharp screen, long battery life and wrist-friendly design. At 1.3 inches, the round watch fits comfortably on the skinniest arms while providing a higher resolution and pixel density (320 x 320, 348 PPI) than the Moto 360 (320 x 290, 239 PPI), along with two full days of battery life. The Android Wear platform is still evolving, but with hundreds of optimized apps and many more on the way, the G Watch R can already show all your notifications, keep up with your busy schedule, give directions, send messages, play music or keep track of your heart rate, all without making you reach for your phone.

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Pebble Steel

Pebble Steel

Best Smartwatch Overall

With an all-metal construction and gorilla glass display, the high-end Pebble Steel is far more sophisticated than the original. Available in brushed stainless or matte black, consumers also have the option of a classy leather or metal band. Underneath, though, is the same intuitive UI and easy to read E Ink display that enables long battery life. Pebble has also introduced an app store, which boasts more than 1,000 apps (including Yelp, ESPN and others), and works with both Android and iOS phones.

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