AppleWatch Series 8

How we test ease of use

Includes ease of setup, charging, navigating the onscreen menus and personalising the device

How we test screen quality

Because you'll be using your smartwatch in a range of conditions - including outdoors in bright sunlight, at home during the day and at night-time - we rate the quality, brightness, contrast and visibility of the display. We also rate how scratch resistant it is.

How we test smart notifications

Rates the smartwatch’s ability to handle calls, messages (including SMS and Whatsapp messages) and notifications. The phone calls rating is based on the calls features of the watch and the sound quality of the speaker/microphone where applicable. Notifications ratings include message and social media notifications. The App rating is based on the availability of apps for receiving notifications and how useful and actionable these notifications are.

How we test battery life

Score impacted by how long the watch lasts per charge of the battery, how quickly it charges and how much use you can get from a 15-minute charge

How we test health tracking

How well the watch measures steps, distance and heart rate (for models with a built-in heart-rate monitor). Individual ratings include the accuracy of tracking for each metric (steps, distance, calories), plus the consistency of tracking between sessions. Only smartwatches with built-in GPS or a heart-rate monitor are tested for these