Last Updated on
The Apple Watch makes awesome Apple technology completely wearable. And purchasing an older model, such as the Apple Watch Series 1, can be a great way to save money. But is it still worth owning an Apple Watch of this generation in 2022? Read on below to find everything you need to know.
Is The Apple Watch Series 1 Worth Buying?
In order to answer this question, we need to take a look at some of the reasons that you may want to buy an Apple Watch.
Lower Price Tag
Of course, one reason that you may want to buy a Series 1 is that you want to purchase an Apple Watch at a lower price.
Whenever a new model of any Apple product is released, all older models are reduced in price. This does mean that an Apple Watch of the first generation is far cheaper than other models. But there’s another logical consideration here.
That is whether you’d get value for money, as the Apple Watch Series 2 can now be bought at a price that is only a fraction higher than the Series 1. Yes, it’ll be pricier, but it will likely offer you better value for money.
Features
This brings us to features. If you are planning to purchase an Apple Watch Series 1 for the cheaper price tag, then you’ll want to consider the features of that series of watch.
The Series 1, though it boasts impressive power, and can perform a number of excellent features, generally lacks some very important and useful tricks that were implemented in later models.
For example, the Apple Watch Series 2 is waterproof to 50m depth, so you can continue to use it even when swimming provided you don’t go too deep. This is incredibly useful, especially if you frequently swim, as you won’t have to remove it every time you head for a quick dip.
This also allows you to use the watch for exercise when swimming, as it can continue to monitor your heart rate while you swim. Needless to say, the Apple Watch Series 1 isn’t as helpful in this regard. It is splash and water-resistant, but not designed for submersion.
The Apple Watch Series 2 also introduced GPS that allows you to use your watch for navigation – which is clearly a pretty useful feature to have on your wrist (even if you need your phone nearby to use it).
As mentioned earlier, it is possible to find the Apple Watch Series 2 for a price not dissimilar to that of the Series 1. So for a small added cost, you can access a number of quality-of-life improvements as well as a newer bit of kit.
What Other Features Does The Series 1 Lack?
Features of other Apple Watch models that the Series 1 lacks include: larger and clearer displays with more crack-resistant screens, as well as far-improved battery lives.
Jumping forward two iterations, the Apple Watch Series 3 introduced emergency SOS features; so, if you are unable to reach your phone and need quick emergency help, you can use your watch to make an SOS call.
For general usability, newer models of the Apple Watch also retain their charge and charge up much quicker once low. This means that there is far less downtime than you might experience when using a Series 1, which has a smaller battery that will die much quicker.
Conclusion – Is The Apple Watch Series 1 Worth It In 2022?
Unfortunately, it would be difficult to claim that the Series 1 is worth a purchase in 2022. This is because of the number of very useful features that it lacks, as well as the fact that its lower price tag does not make up for that lack of features.
The difference in price between the Series 1 and the Series 2, or even Series 3, means you’re generally better off paying the extra dollars to access better features, such as improved battery life and water resistance.
The only exception is if you just want to try out an Apple Watch and can get a really good deal on an older model – but only if that feels like a sensible purchase to you.