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Is it smart to buy a 1st generation apple watch now?
- Thread starter fapel100
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If you haven’t got one or any other smart watch, you could get one to see if you like using it. I wouldn’t spend more that $150. I bought a series 0 or whatever the very first one was a year ago since I hate wearing jewelry and watches. I was thinking that I might want to get a AW4 but wanted to try one out for a bit without spending a lot of money.
1st Gen? Need more info. Stainless steel? Aluminum? Last battery change (if at all)? $75 max. Anything higher than that would need to be pretty good condition.
3rd Gen GPS are going for $189 right now brand new
4th gen GPS refurbs going for $300.
Amounts increase respectively for Hermes and (obviously) Edition.
3rd Gen GPS are going for $189 right now brand new
4th gen GPS refurbs going for $300.
Amounts increase respectively for Hermes and (obviously) Edition.
I wouldn't spend more than $50 on an S0 42mm Aluminum. It is very, very slow and outdated. I wouldn't get anything older than an S2 at this point.
I wouldn't pay anything for a Series 0 Watch. My daughter is wearing mine, and it's great to get her accustomed to tracking her steps and activity. But she got it for free. 
Do you mean the gen 0 that came out in 2015 or the gen 1 that came out in 2016.
I would say no to the gen 0. It doesn’t run the latest version of watch OS and it’s very slow now. If you are buying it second hand the battery is likely to be significantly degraded.
Gen 1 would be a better buy as it runs watch OS 5. If you can get it for a good price. However it’s likely that it would be dropped for support this year.
I would try and get a series 3. They were selling them for $199 in the US a few weeks ago. Not sure if the promotion is still running. It will receive support for a few more years to come and still runs pretty snappy.
I would say no to the gen 0. It doesn’t run the latest version of watch OS and it’s very slow now. If you are buying it second hand the battery is likely to be significantly degraded.
Gen 1 would be a better buy as it runs watch OS 5. If you can get it for a good price. However it’s likely that it would be dropped for support this year.
I would try and get a series 3. They were selling them for $199 in the US a few weeks ago. Not sure if the promotion is still running. It will receive support for a few more years to come and still runs pretty snappy.
Is it smart? I don’t think it is, why? There is no more watchOS support for that model, the first Gen watch also experienced battery swelling specifically in that model and the S1 processor is very dated/inefficient.
That said, if you can accept what I mentioned above, it does still provide useful for those who want to have basic notifications and simple fitness capabilities.
I had a Series 2 as my first AW. I wouldn‘t even recommend that one. Just buy a used Series 3. It is way faster and less frustrating to use.
The OP needs to understand that if anything happens and the watch no longer works, it is not cost worthy to repair.
My wife uses her old Series 0 for sleep tracking during the night and her Series 3 during the day.
Sometimes she forgets to swap watches in the morning and it still works fine for notifications and seeing tidbits of data like temperature and unread e-mails etc. I wouldn’t pay more than $100 for an aluminum and $150 for a stainless steel.
Sometimes she forgets to swap watches in the morning and it still works fine for notifications and seeing tidbits of data like temperature and unread e-mails etc. I wouldn’t pay more than $100 for an aluminum and $150 for a stainless steel.
A Series 0 will do well with time, phone notifications, and alarms. Siri will work, but you'll have to drop your wrist and wait for it to think. It has many other functions but they will be so slow as molasses and you will find yourself avoiding many of them due to lag. But go ahead and get one if you can find one dirt cheap ($50 or less)
Even the Series 2 is somewhat pokey at more advanced functions. But it works.
I upgraded from the 2 to the 4, and it's night-and-day. I can operate any function on the Series 4 (first or third party) and it is fast and responsive, almost like my phone. Such a change in usability. It's really a whole new world for usability once you go Series 3 or higher.
Even the Series 2 is somewhat pokey at more advanced functions. But it works.
I upgraded from the 2 to the 4, and it's night-and-day. I can operate any function on the Series 4 (first or third party) and it is fast and responsive, almost like my phone. Such a change in usability. It's really a whole new world for usability once you go Series 3 or higher.
I will pay no more than $70 if it's in a good condition B+. I have a second generation. This model you can find in eBay for $100 or less. My watch does what I need it to do, and it does it very well. I charge it every 30 hours. I'm not planning to upgrade this watch until it stops working.
I have had the 0 Gen watch since early this year I paid £80 and it arrived with a lot of straps, I don’t find it bothersome like people here are saying it’s slow it works just great still I use it for everything except calls as you look a right idiot!
I get at least 2 full days out of mine easily before it needs a charge!
I get at least 2 full days out of mine easily before it needs a charge!
If you can get a brand new sealed series 1 for around $100 then it's a good deal. Used in good condition would be $50 but remember battery life would be more to replace then it cost.
It I was you I would just splurge on a brand new series 3 which is now $199 for the 38mm or $229 for 42mm.
It I was you I would just splurge on a brand new series 3 which is now $199 for the 38mm or $229 for 42mm.
Some people are actually selling the series 0/1 for around $50-75. Do you...look around much?
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My wife's series 2 watch still holding up just fine. I was surprised that it almost kept up with my s3, although I think she is still on watchOS 4.
Does anyone noticed that for series 3 watchOS 4 boot up was around minute half and now watchOS 5 is at about two minutes?
I got a quote from the store for $40. I haven't sold mine yet. It still works with the current OS. I have the Series 0 and 4. The big difference is the screen size because everything else works. Sure you don't get the ECG or Walkie Talkie, but you get the basics and they still work. I did notice that one of my games is extremely slow.
Overall if you are considering adding a Watch to your ecosystem and don't want to spend a lot, then go with the Series 0 or 1. I wouldn't spend over $80-100 for one.
Overall if you are considering adding a Watch to your ecosystem and don't want to spend a lot, then go with the Series 0 or 1. I wouldn't spend over $80-100 for one.
I disagree with this entirely. Series 2 was the actual bigger ‘breakthrough’ with the dual core processor, added GPS, it was twice the display brightness over the first GEN/Series one Apple Watch and 50 m water resistance over the splash resistance rating with the previous models. Those four features alone are worth the price of Series 2 during its time.
The biggest advantage to the Series 3 was LTE, that’s really what you were purchasing for that specific model.
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Yes this is true for the s2. My wife still loves her series 2 and she said she will wait til the series 5 to upgrade.
I bought the s3 SBSS just last week for the added protection, but will never use the LTE. My wife told me to get the 44mm s4 but I did not want to settle for the aluminum and the SS models were way out of my price range
