The Apple Watch is an excellent investment, offering you plenty of key features, connectivity, and monitoring abilities. But should you splurge for the latest and greatest or simply settle for an older version of the watch? While we can’t answer that question for you, we can offer plenty of information to guide you. Here are some key differences between the Apple Watch Series 4 vs. 6 for you to consider.
Display
When the Series 4 Apple Watch was introduced in 2018, it offered plenty of new features, but it still lacked something many consumers wished for. A display that made the watch feel like… a watch!
The Series 4 screen turns off when you’re not using it to save battery. This may seem like a small thing to some people, but plenty of customers were happy when the Series 6 offered an “always-on” feature that would always keep the time displayed, whether you were using the watch or not. Additionally, the Series 6 boosted its brightness, allowing you to see things better, even in sunlight.
The choice is yours here, but having a visible timepiece always available at the flick of a wrist is a definite bonus.
Color
The Series 4 offers several different color finishes on different metal types. For example, stainless steel watches come in silver, space black, and gold. And the Series 4 aluminum watches are available in include silver, space gray, and gold.
The Series 6 introduces plenty of new case colors, bands, and other design choices. The sheer volume of style choices blows the Series 4 out of the water, offering you a wide range of customization.
You can splurge for a more expensive titanium case with the Series 6 or stick with stainless steel or aluminum. Even once you choose your watch color, you have plenty of strap and buckle options, ranging from standard costs to more than $1500.
If you must get a style that fits you, you might seriously consider upgrading to the Apple Watch Series 6.
Storage and Speed
Series 4 only holds 16 GB of storage, while the Series 6 offers double that at 32 GB. If you want to store more podcasts or music on your watch, it might be a good idea to look into the larger storage space!
Additionally, the software and speed of the Series 6 are a definite step above the Series 4. Need to download something over wireless data? Series 4 will do the job, but Series 6 will do the job faster.
And the best news for battery vampires: the Series 6 offers faster battery charging capabilities and slightly longer battery life. If you charge your watch overnight, this probably won’t make a difference for you, but if you’re constantly taking time during the day to replenish your watch’s charge, you may want to think about upgrading.
Sensors and Features
Both watches contain various features, but the Series 6 brings several new abilities to the table.
The Series 4 has an electrical heart sensor with low and high heart rate alerts, fall detection, and emergency SOS features. It also has workout detection and various workout aids, giving you metrics to track your exercise as you go.
The Series 6 adds to these features by giving you an altimeter (to track elevation), a compass, and blood oxygen tracking. These extras can help you with outdoor activities, especially hiking, climbing, or exploring for work or pleasure.
Both of these watches also offer many of the same apps and features. You can send messages, play music, check the weather, and perform many other tasks with the watch’s touchscreen.
Overall, the extra features of Series 6 are nice, especially when you’re an outdoorsy person or exercise a lot. But they don’t overwhelmingly make or break the decision between the two models.
Cost
This is where buying an older version of electronics pretty much always lands you a better deal. Of course, the Series 4 Apple Watch is cheaper than the Series 6, making it an attractive buy for bargain hunters.
A brand new Series 6 Apple Watch currently starts at $399 on Apple’s website. This price raises as you add more features or change the band and case designs. Thankfully, you can save more than $100 and buy a used Series 6 watch and get all the same great features for only $279.
On the other hand, you can buy a used Series 4 Apple Watch starting at $219. That’s a savings of more than $150 from a new Series 6!
You’ll have to decide for yourself if the extra features of the Series 6 are worth the additional cost or if you’d like to settle for the Series 4. And if you already own the Series 4, you’ll have to decide if you want to pay the difference to get the upgrade. Thankfully, if you already own a Series 4 and want to trade it in, you can get $130 in cash to boost you on your way towards that upgrade!
Apple Watch Series 4 vs. 6: The Verdict
Both watches are high-tech and contain many valuable features, connectivity, and apps that users love. While the difference between the Apple Watch Series 4 vs. Series 6 isn’t necessarily game-changing, the Series 6 does offer more storage, improved software, better battery charging, and a more “watch-like” feeling.
With these extra features, the Series 6 is also more expensive, which is its main drawback. Some people are willing to pay extra for those added features, but others want the simpler model of the Series 4.
Ready to Dive In?
With these facts about the Apple Watch Series 4 vs. 6 in mind, you now have a better idea of which watch is right for you! If you want a simpler, cheaper model, the Series 4 is your best choice. But if you want every available feature, maybe splurge for the best Apple Watch and get the Series 6.
Either way, we’re here to help. You can contact us and talk with our experts about Apple Watches or tech products in general. And if you decide you’re ready to buy one, there’s no better place than our store!
