If you’ve been convinced that the Apple Watch is something you need, you’re probably dying for April 10th to come around.
Either way, the hard part is not deciding whether you’re going to buy an Apple Watch, it’s deciding which one to get. There are two different sizes, multiple materials, and lots of bands to choose from. Luckily Apple will be offering a chance to see the watch in person and try it on starting April 10th—with orders arriving April 24th.
Most likely, once you get in the store and see the different watches in person the choice will become more clear. But here are a few things to consider when trying to decide which Apple Watch is right for you.
What size?
This will be a personal decision that will differ for everyone. There’s no right answer, in fact, it’ll probably hard to tell the two sizes apart when not directly next to each other anyway.
So far, early hands-on reports have be pretty unanimous: the larger watch works well for men and the smaller is aimed at women. There’s nothing that directly indicates male or female, but even men that have claimed to have smaller wrists seem to agree that the larger 42mm screen size isn’t too big. Either way, it’s good to know that Apple realizes that smartwatches aren’t just devices—they’re fashion accessories now too. If you don’t give small-wristed people options too, you’re cutting out a significant chunk of your potential market.
Lastly, it’s important to note that regardless of what model you choose, the smaller 38mm version will always be $50 cheaper than the 42mm version.
Will you use the watch primarily for exercise?
The watch will be able to track your steps, count calories, and play music while you’re working out. It should be a great companion even throughout the day with regular reminders to stand up and move to keep blood flowing.
Because the watch should be a worthy fitness addition, it’s worth considering the factors that will make it better for those circumstances. For example, the Sport Edition is made out of aluminum and is the lightest model. Not that the few extra grams of weight with the steel model will slow you down, but will it be a distraction? Or will you be constantly freaking out about getting it scratched? These are just a couple of questions to consider when deciding between the two.
Both the Sport model and steel watches have versions which come standard with a rubber wrist band. Even though those might not be the classiest band options, if you’ll be sweating while wearing the watch the rubber band might make more sense than a leather or metal one.
The biggest argument for the Apple Watch Sport though is that it starts at only $349 for the 38mm model. There’s a significant price difference between it and the steel version and there’s no question that the Apple Watch Sport will probably be the company’s bigger seller.
Form or function?
A watch is a piece of jewelry—there’s no way around that. But whether you place more emphasis on the looks or the utility of the watch will also determine which watch is right for you.
If you want something that can be worn at all events and looks a little classier, the steel version probably makes the most sense. The steel is definitely more of a looker and it also has a few other benefits that make it compelling. First off, the steel model uses a harder and more scratch resistant sapphire screen, compared to the Sport’s standard glass. The steel also has a colored digital crown, which is a small touch that gives it a nice distinctive look.
The steel watches start at $549 for the 38mm screen and increases from there depending on the band choice. If you’re looking for more of the Apple Watch function than appearance you’ll probably be better with the less expensive Sport model to get your foot in the door. You can always add additional straps in the future to dress the Sport up as well.
Same goes for the early adopters. Are you going to want to upgrade to Watch 2.0? Maybe sticking with the lower cost one makes more sense in that case.
Conclusion
I’m well aware that the Apple Watch hasn’t sold everyone on its necessity quite yet—and in some ways, I wouldn’t have expected it to. It’s still going to be something of a niche product, at least in its first iteration. However, as someone who’s tried plenty of smartphones ranging from Android Wear to Pebble, I’m ready to put an Apple Watch on my wrist.
One of the most convincing arguments for the device is that third-party software developers are already providing lots of apps to give the watch some really cool functionality. Imagine the Apple Watch being like the iPhone where there’s an app for just about everything.
There was no mention of the Apple Watch Edition model here. You know, that gold option that starts at $10,000 and goes up to $17,000. Although it’s an option, there’s just no need to mention it. If you even remotely considered the possibility, then enjoy the fact that money is no object—it must be nice.
For everyone else, now that you have at least an idea of what your options are, you should be to make a decision pretty easily once you try the watch on in the store. That is, until you start considering one of the plethora of bands that are available. Good luck!