This is highly doubtful. I mean come one, your 1 year olds fingernail?
[doublepost=1538067254][/doublepost]
All of this is fine but....if the AW 5 is terrific you will get it so...just saying....
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Am I making a mistake? Choosing SS over alum?
- Thread starter Tuckeral77
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
This is highly doubtful. I mean come one, your 1 year olds fingernail?
[doublepost=1538067254][/doublepost]
All of this is fine but....if the AW 5 is terrific you will get it so...just saying....
Trying on my wife's 40mm AL, it just feels cheaper. It's kinda nice that it's lighter, but I'm used to a heavier watch anyway and have worn SS for years before AW. I prefer the aesthetic. The only thing you need to worry about is Sapphire is less impact resistant than the ION-X glass (are they still calling it that?) on the AL Apple Watch. I've never once scratched my AW in nearly three and a half years of use, but I did manage to put a hairline crack down the far right side when I clinked it pretty good it on my stainless steel refrigerator door handle while walking by. Just barely grazed it at the right impact angle. Not noticeable unless you look closely. I have an armband for mine that has a case around it that you tie to your arm to track fitness while working in the yard, at the gym or whatever. Keeps it better protected and out of the way. But you have to be careful if you have lanky arms that are prone to banging into things. The SS does scratch easier, but you can buff them out with polishing cloths if you want. I used to do that at first, but eventually stopped caring because in normal use I don't even notice them and neither does anybody else unless they're like a foot away from my Watch looking at it up close.
That's what I said, yes.. It would be far easier for me if I was lying as my watch wouldn't have any scratches on it then. Obviously the glass is still in tact but a fingernail can easily scratch the oleophobic coating.
I’m very active. Firefighter and workout regularly. I went with the SBSS for Series 4 and can’t be happier. IMO it looks so much better than the Aluminum. It also is much more resistant to scratches than the aluminum due to the DLC coating on it. I also can’t tell a weight difference between my Series 3 Aluminum and SBSS Series 4 at all. Go for the SBSS.
1 year olds fingernails are so thin they are like razor blades.
I went from SS to Aluminum. I run and go to the gym a lot and the weight reduction is very noticeable. Also the glare is more apparent on the sapphire screen. It is pretty classy looking though and a looks great with a lot of bands.
Thing is, you’ll upgrade again in two years maybe two and a half when your battery is no longer getting through a day on a single charge. As nice as the stainless models are and I do love them over the aluminum. They just don’t have the value over time that makes them worth it in my opinion.
I had the SBSS for a couple of days and just couldn't convince myself that the small differences were worth the extra $300+. I ended up returning that to Best Buy and finding a 44mm SG GPS. When I turn it to look at the time it looks like the exact same watch. I even considered (for a couple of seconds) taking a sharpie and some clear fingernail polish to it to get that glossy look back. 
I had the SBSS for a couple of days and just couldn't convince myself that the small differences were worth the extra $300+. I ended up returning that to Best Buy and finding a 44mm SG GPS. When I turn it to look at the time it looks like the exact same watch. I even considered (for a couple of seconds) taking a sharpie and some clear fingernail polish to it to get that glossy look back.
I Respect your decision for the return, I simply could not make the exchange for the aluminum, because the space gray aluminum does not even reflect the durability of the black stainless with the diamond like carbon coating surrounding the casing and sapphire display. The Only other concern with the space gray Apple Watch, is if it chips, it looks terrible, because the under-finish is white, but you could use a marker to touch it up to hide if that happens. [And I was a space gray owner in the past with the Apple Watch.]
And Obviously the difference being the space gray looks more of like a darker Matte black compared to a glossy black finish for the black stainless Apple Watch.
I'm in the same dilemma, work out a lot, cycle & swim. Love the look of the black SS and it looks almost seamless with the glass.
But hey, I can have 2 AWs hooked up to one iPhone and use Auto Switch! Keep the Nike band on my Series 2 and the Milanese Lop on my Series 4 and good to go. Just use the S2 for working out / rough work and then switch over to the S4 for everything else.
Was looking at selling and buy back opportunities but given the above, I'll keep both. Black SS Series 4 on order!
But hey, I can have 2 AWs hooked up to one iPhone and use Auto Switch! Keep the Nike band on my Series 2 and the Milanese Lop on my Series 4 and good to go. Just use the S2 for working out / rough work and then switch over to the S4 for everything else.
Was looking at selling and buy back opportunities but given the above, I'll keep both. Black SS Series 4 on order!
just got it today.. i also upgraded from the aluminium s3 SB to the s4 SS SB and i have to say it looks so much better to me, it's crazy!
the alu model now looks like a toy to me and the SS like jewellery.
the only bad thing i could immediately notice:
the sapphire screen definitely reflects a lot more light. while this looks great when the screen is off, it also makes it a little bit harder to see stuff on the screen. not by a lot, but it is noticeable.
the alu model now looks like a toy to me and the SS like jewellery.
the only bad thing i could immediately notice:
the sapphire screen definitely reflects a lot more light. while this looks great when the screen is off, it also makes it a little bit harder to see stuff on the screen. not by a lot, but it is noticeable.
Having had the sport models the last couple versions and went with the GSS this time, I am smacking myself for not making the jump earlier.
It went from a toy feel to an actual watch the moment I put the GSS on. It is the best looking watch to date that Apple has created imo.
Let alone the sapphire screen, the great feel of it with some weight behind it, and how well it looks with so many bands.
I will never go back to the Sport models personally.
It went from a toy feel to an actual watch the moment I put the GSS on. It is the best looking watch to date that Apple has created imo.
Let alone the sapphire screen, the great feel of it with some weight behind it, and how well it looks with so many bands.
I will never go back to the Sport models personally.
What is this? What kind of "toy" costs $400+ and does EXACTLY what your $600+ "piece of jewelry" does? Is this people's way of justifying paying more than they have to for the exact same functionality?
We've seen the same thing on the iPhone forums in the past when Apple upgraded screen sizes and the iPhone 4 "felt like a toy" compared to the 5 and the 5 "felt like a kid's toy" next to the 6.
Irritating. And just for context, I started with the SBSS which felt EXACTLY like the SG on my wrist right now.
Stainless Steel Space Black 44mm. Black Sports loop and black Sports Band. Mistake? Hell no!!!!!
I've owned the S0, S2 and now S4 in Stainless Steel Silver, and it's worth pointing out that the watch doesn't suddenly turn into some atrociously disgusting item when it gets a few scratches on it. You won't be constantly polishing it because you are embarrassed to be seen wearing it. I polished mine every 2-3 months and that was good enough.
With non smart watches, I know sapphire crystals to be more scratch resistant but less impact resistant. The opposite is true for non sapphire watch crystals. I've had an aluminum that is on my wrist for at least 20 hours per day don't have a scratch on the case and have used the wet application screen protectors. They've saved me many a scratch, I'm sure. The watch looks the way it did when I bought it. I know screen protection is a personal choice and may not work for all but it is an option.
Whether SS or Aluminum, the good news is there's a choice for everyone, just think through what your needs are and consider what you find value in. It's going to be different for many of us.
Whether SS or Aluminum, the good news is there's a choice for everyone, just think through what your needs are and consider what you find value in. It's going to be different for many of us.
Buying the SS is the best decision you can make if you want a watch that feels premium and not like a cheaply made toy (The Sports Model), I could never own the sports model for that reason alone and have owned the Stainless steel model of every generation Apple Watch till this day. ( currently own a 44mm SS Series 4 with Milanese loop)
"This is" people having different opinions.
It just looks and feels cheaper to me. Doesn't have anything to do with the price or functionality.
I don't mean to make anyone feel bad about their choice. This is just how it seems to me. No need to get irritated.
It IS cheaper! That's why it costs less!
And as far as looking cheaper, explain that to me when you see it from this view:
Last edited:
It IS cheaper! That's why it costs less!
And as far as looking cheaper, explain that to me when you see it from this view:
View attachment 790146 View attachment 790147
I see your point, the space gray and space black look very similar, and even under certain lighting conditions is really when you can only tell the difference. So in terms of from a physical appearance, you won’t really notice a major difference between the two, besides the space black having a gloss finish. Of course aesthetics are A totally different comparison.
Not sure I catch your meaning. What's the difference between physical appearance and aesthetics?
Aesthetics are different in comparison based off how somebody views it. I really don’t see much of a difference by looking at the space gray versus the space black immediately, but someone else might see the space gray as a matte finish and the gloss like finish for the space black. I think what @Nozuka is saying that the sport watch in general just looks ‘cheap, and feels cheap’ on the wrist. My thoughts are that appearance wise, they are very similar, but I also have to agree with the notion that the aluminum model feels more like a toy compared to the stainless model, feels like a substantial piece of hardware on the wrist.
What really matters that you can justify the price point for what you spent on the aluminum model, I just don’t care for ‘lightness’ of the aluminum, and I don’t feel the Ion – X Glass was durable when I did own the sport model.