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Watch comparison

Apple Series 8 vs Apple Series 12 42mm

Compare battery life, health tracking, display and fit.

Compared products
01Selected
Apple Watch Series 8

Apple Watch Series 8

  • Screen: 41mm: 352 × 430 pixels; 45mm: 396 × 484 pixels.
  • Apple S8 SiP processor.
  • 1 GB RAM in this version.
  • 32 GB storage in this version.
  • Runs watchOS 9.0, upgradable to watchOS 26.6.
KSh 50,000In Stock
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02
Apple Watch Series 12 42mm

Apple Watch Series 12 42mm

  • Apple S11 chip; 4-core Neural Engine processor.
  • 64 GB storage in this version.
  • Runs watchOS 27.
  • Wi-Fi 4 support.
  • Touchscreen for direct touch input.
KSh 64,000In Stock
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Add to comparison

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Apple Watch Series 11KSh 51,000
WHOOP Life MGKSh 50,000
Apple Watch Ultra 4 49mmKSh 118,000
WHOOP LifeKSh 55,500
Amazfit Balance 3KSh 48,000
Apple Watch UltraKSh 90,000
Apple Watch Series 9KSh 45,000
2 of 4 products

Our quick verdict

The Apple Watch Series 12 42mm is the better buy: it lasts longer per charge (24 hours), gives daily readiness scores and has a brighter screen for outdoor use.

Performance

Apple Watch Series 8
Apple S8 SiP processor
Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Apple S11 chip; 4-core Neural Engine processor

Storage

Apple Watch Series 8
32 GB storage in this version
Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
64 GB storage in this version

Software

Apple Watch Series 8
Runs watchOS 9.0, upgradable to watchOS 26.6
Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Runs watchOS 27

Battery life

Apple Watch Series 8
Up to 18 hours per charge
Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Up to 24 hours per charge

Portability

Apple Watch Series 8
31.9 g
Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
32.2 g

Key differences

The main differences to help you choose.

Apple Watch Series 8

  • Charging: Magnetic fast charging to USB-C cable.

Apple Watch Series 12 42mm

  • Rated for up to 24 hours per charge (vs 18).
  • Brighter display: up to 2,000 nits (vs 1,000).
  • Daily readiness scores.
  • More storage: 64 GB (vs 32 GB).
  • Blood-pressure (hypertension) notifications.
  • Slimmer: 9.7 mm thick (vs 10.7 mm).

What matters most to you?

Choose any priorities

How each product answers the questions buyers ask most. Tick a topic to add it, untick one to hide it.

6 priorities selected.
How each product answers the selected priorities
PriorityApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Battery lifeUp to 18 hours per chargeUp to 24 hours per charge
Storage32 GB storage64 GB storage
DisplayOLED displayOLED display, 326 ppi
PerformanceApple S8 SiP processorApple S11 chip processor
SoftwarewatchOS 9.0watchOS 27
Water resistance50 m50 m swimproof under ISO 22810:2010

Detailed comparison

Explore the full specifications, section by section.

Display

Display specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
DisplayAlways-On Retina LTPO OLEDAlways-On Retina LTPO3 wide-angle OLED
Screen resolution41mm: 352 × 430 pixels; 45mm: 396 × 484 pixels42mm: 374 × 446 pixels, 970 mm² display area. 46mm: 416 × 496 pixels, 1196 mm² display area. Both: 326 ppi.
Display protectionIon-X glass (aluminum); sapphire crystal (stainless steel)Ceramic Shield 2 on aluminum cases; sapphire front crystal on titanium and ceramic cases
Display features1000 nits (peak)1 Hz refresh; up to 2,000 nits peak brightness; 1 nit minimum brightness

Connectivity

Connectivity specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Network / cellularGSM / HSPA / LTE5G RedCap and LTE on GPS + Cellular models; international roaming supported
SIM / eSIMeSIMeSIM on GPS + Cellular models
Wi-FiWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, dual-bandWi‑Fi 4 (802.11n), 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
Bluetooth5.3, A2DP, LEBluetooth 5.3
NFCSupported; Apple PaySupported; Apple Pay
Positioning / GNSSGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDSPrecision L1 GPS; GLONASS; Galileo; QZSS; BeiDou
Ultra Wideband (UWB)Ultra Wideband (UWB) supportSecond-generation Ultra Wideband chip

Identity & design

Identity & design specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
BrandAppleApple
ModelApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 12 (42mm and 46mm configurations)
Announced2022, September 079 September 2026
Dimensions41mm: 41 × 35 × 10.7 mm; 45mm: 45 × 38 × 10.7 mm42mm: aluminum/titanium 42 × 37 × 9.7 mm; ceramic 43 × 37 × 9.85 mm. 46mm: aluminum/titanium 46 × 40 × 9.7 mm; ceramic 47 × 41 × 9.85 mm.
Weight41mm: aluminum GPS 31.9 g, GPS + Cellular 32.2 g, stainless steel 42.3 g; 45mm: aluminum GPS 38.8 g, GPS + Cellular 39.1 g, stainless steel 51.5 g42mm: aluminum GPS 32.2 g, GPS + Cellular 31.5 g, titanium 36.5 g, ceramic Pearl White 41.7 g / Night Blue 42.8 g. 46mm: aluminum GPS 39.5 g, GPS + Cellular 38.6 g, titanium 44.9 g, ceramic Pearl White 51.3 g / Night Blue 52.9 g.
Build materialsAluminum or stainless-steel case; ceramic and sapphire crystal backAluminum, titanium or ceramic case, depending on configuration
Wrist size41mm: 130–200 mm; 45mm: 140–245 mm42mm: 130–200 mm; 46mm: 140–245 mm
Controls / buttonsDigital Crown with haptic feedback; side buttonDigital Crown with haptic feedback; side button; band-release button; single tap, double tap and wrist flick gestures
Strap / band—Band supplied; material and size depend on the selected configuration

Performance & software

Performance & software specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
ProcessorApple S8 SiPApple S11 chip; 4-core Neural Engine
CPU64-bit dual-core64-bit dual-core
GPUPowerVR—
RAM1GB—
Storage32 GB64 GB
Operating systemwatchOS 9.0, upgradable to watchOS 26.6watchOS 27

Audio & communication

Audio & communication specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
SpeakerSupportedSpeaker with media playback
MicrophoneSupportedMicrophone with Voice Isolation
CallingBluetooth calling; cellular calling on GPS + Cellular modelsBluetooth calling; cellular calling on GPS + Cellular models; international emergency calling

Sensors, health & fitness

Sensors, health & fitness specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
SensorsBlood oxygen sensor; electrical heart sensor; third-generation optical heart sensor; temperature sensor; compass; always-on altimeter; high-g accelerometer; high-dynamic-range gyroscope; ambient light sensorHigh-g accelerometer; high dynamic-range gyroscope; compass; always-on altimeter; ambient-light sensor; second-generation electrical heart sensor; always-on optical heart sensor; blood-oxygen sensor; temperature sensor; depth gauge; water-temperature sensor
Health & wellness featuresECG app; Blood Oxygen app where available; high and low heart-rate notifications; irregular rhythm notifications; temperature sensing; cycle trackingHeart rate and HRV; Blood Oxygen; ECG; respiratory rate; wrist temperature; Readiness and Vitals; high/low heart-rate and irregular-rhythm notifications; cycle tracking; hypertension notifications
Sleep trackingSleep duration and sleep stagesSleep duration and stages; sleep score; sleep-apnea notifications
Sports / workout modesWorkout app with multiple workout types and automatic workout detectionRunning; hiking; cycling; pool and open-water swimming; skiing; snowboarding; rowing; paddling; golf; walking; HIIT; yoga; strength; dance; Pilates; Tai Chi; kickboxing; multisport and more
Training & outdoor featuresPace and heart-rate zones; compass waypoints and backtrackCustom workouts and views; Training Load; heart-rate zones; VO₂ max; Race Route; Pacer; running dynamics; automatic track detection; offline maps, routes, waypoints and Backtrack
Safety & emergency featuresEmergency SOS; international emergency calling; Fall Detection; Crash DetectionEmergency SOS; international emergency calling; Fall Detection; Crash Detection; flashlight; Check In; noise monitoring; emergency waypoints
Diving / depth features—Depth gauge to 6 m; water-temperature sensor

Battery & durability

Battery & durability specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Battery lifeUp to 18 hours normal useUp to 24 hours normal use; up to 38 hours Low Power Mode; up to 10 hours outdoor workout
ChargingMagnetic fast charging to USB-C cableFast-charge capable; up to 80% in about 30 minutes; 15 minutes for up to 12 hours normal use; 5 minutes for up to 10 hours sleep tracking
Water resistance50 m; swimproof50 m swimproof under ISO 22810:2010
Durability / certificationsIP6X dust resistanceIP6X dust resistance

Compatibility

Compatibility specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Phone compatibilityiPhone 8 or later; iOS 16 or lateriPhone 11 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 27 or later
Companion appApple Watch app on iPhoneApple Watch app on iPhone; Health and Fitness apps for associated data
ColorsGraphite, Silver, GoldAluminum: Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black, Space Gray; titanium: Radiant Gold, Natural; ceramic: Pearl White, Night Blue

Additional specifications

Additional specifications specifications comparison
SpecificationApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 12 42mm
Pixels per inch326 ppi326 ppi
Peak brightnessUp to 1,000 nitsUp to 2,000 nits peak; 1 nit minimum
Cover / touchscreenSupportedSupported
Release statusAvailable. Released 2022, September 16Available. Released 2026, September 18
Model numbersA2773, A2775, A2772, A2774, A2857, A2858, watch6,16, watch6,17A3582, A3587
Card slotNoNo
CameraNoNo
3.5 mm headphone jackNoNo
USBNoNo
RadioNoNo
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - International, China, HK; HSDPA 850 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - USA, LATAM, CanadaHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International, China, HK; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 25, 26, 39, 40, 41, 66 - USA, LATAM, Canada1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66, 71
Network speedHSPA, LTEHSPA, LTE, 5G
SAR (US)0.31 W/kg (head) 0.55 W/kg (body)—
SAR (EU)0.31 W/kg (head) 0.55 W/kg (body)—
Additional hardware featuresTemperature sensing (0.01˚ accuracy)Health Sensing System: third‑generation electrical heart sensor, always‑on optical heart sensor, blood oxygen sensor, temperature sensor; Temperature sensing (0.01˚ accuracy); Media playback
Battery typeRechargeable lithium-ion—
Flashlight—Supported
Display material—LTPO3 wide-angle OLED
Charging time—About 30 minutes to 80%; 15 minutes for up to 12 hours normal use; 5 minutes for up to 10 hours sleep tracking
Packing list—Apple Watch Series 12; band; 1 m magnetic fast-charger to USB-C cable
5G bands—1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA

Similarities

  • Both belong to the Apple Watch platform.
  • Both support Wi-Fi 4.
  • Both use Bluetooth 5.3.
  • Both work with a companion app.
  • Both have NFC.
  • Both take ECG readings.

In summary

The Apple Watch Series 12 42mm is the better buy for almost everyone, with longer rated battery life and daily readiness scores.

Back to compared products ↑

In-stock alternatives

WHOOP Life MGFor Apple Watch Series 8WHOOP Life MGView product ↗Apple Watch Series 11For Apple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 11View product ↗Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 47mmFor Apple Watch Series 12 42mmSamsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 47mmView product ↗

Related comparisons

Apple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 11Apple Watch Series 8WHOOP Life MGApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Ultra 4 49mmApple Watch Series 8WHOOP LifeApple Watch Series 8Amazfit Balance 3Apple Watch Series 8Apple Watch UltraApple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 9Apple Watch Series 8Apple Watch Series 10Apple Watch Series 8Huawei Watch 6 Pro 46 mm
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