Apple Watch Series 4 Hands-On: Larger Displays, New Finishes, Slightly Thinner, ECG, and More

Following the introduction of Apple Watch Series 4 models at Steve Jobs Theater today, MacRumors and other media outlets were provided with some up-and-close hands-on time with the new lineup.

series 4 8
At first glance, the most obvious difference with Series 4 models is their larger displays, as Apple has significantly reduced the size of the bezels around the screen. The bezels now look similar to those on the iPhone X and newer, although the display is not completely edge to edge.

Apple says the larger displays provide 32 percent and 35 percent more viewing area on the new 40mm and 44mm models respectively, compared to the previous 38mm and 42mm models in previous generations.

series 4 2
Taking advantage of the larger displays, Apple has redesigned the entire watchOS interface to provide more information with richer detail. A new Infograph watch face can accommodate up to eight complications.

Series 4 models are also ever slightly thinner than Series 3 models, measuring in at 10.7mm, compared to 11.4mm. Apple didn't allow me to test my Series 3 band with a Series 4 model, but it did confirm that both new and existing bands are compatible with all Apple Watch generations.

series 4 4
Apple Watch Series 4 has a new electrical heart sensor on the back side for electrocardiography, often shortened to ECG or EKG. This potentially life-saving functionality can indicate whether your heart rhythm shows signs of atrial fibrillation, a serious form of irregular heart rhythm.

Series 4 introduces some finishes, including gold stainless steel casing and a gold Milanese Loop. The back side on all the new models is now crafted from sapphire crystal and ceramic, whereas some Series 3 models had composite backs.

series 4 3
On the side of Series 4 models, the Digital Crown features a thin circle, which is black on GPS configurations and red on LTE configurations. By comparison, nearly the entire Digital Crown is red on Series 3 models with LTE. In my opinion, the new, subdued look of the crown is more aesthetically pleasing.

series 4 5
series 4 7series 4 1
series 4 6
Overall, the Series 4 models do not represent a full-out redesign of the Apple Watch, but the larger displays and improved health monitoring tools are much welcomed features that are worth considering upgrading for.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

iPhone 17 Pro Max Teardown Reveals Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 Modem for 5G

Friday September 19, 2025 7:39 am PDT by
While the iPhone Air is equipped with Apple's custom C1X modem for cellular connectivity, all of the iPhone 17 models are outfitted with Qualcomm modems still. A teardown video shared on Chinese platform Bilibili today (via Reddit) appears to confirm the iPhone 17 Pro Max is equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem in particular. The same modem is likely used in the iPhone 17 and iPhone ...
iphone 17 pro max techwoven

Here Are The Best Cases You Can Buy for Your New iPhone 17 and iPhone Air

Friday September 19, 2025 6:46 am PDT by
Apple's new iPhones launch today, and there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to protecting your new device from drops and scratches. In this article, we're taking a look at some of the best options for iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Air cases, as well as a few charging accessories. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 26's Liquid Glass Design Draws Criticism From Users

Wednesday September 17, 2025 2:56 pm PDT by
It's been two days since iOS 26 was released, and Apple's new Liquid Glass design is even more divisive than expected. Any major design change can create controversy as people get used to the new look, but the MacRumors forums, Reddit, Apple Support Communities, and social media sites seem to feature more criticism than praise as people discuss the update. Complaints There are a long...
iphone 17 pro inside

iPhone 17 Teardowns Confirm SIM and eSIM-Only Battery Capacities

Friday September 19, 2025 8:39 am PDT by
YouTube channel REWA Technology today shared an iPhone 17 Pro teardown video, offering a closer look inside the model with a SIM card tray. We are still waiting for repair website iFixit to share a more comprehensive teardown of the latest iPhone models, but this video provides a good look in the meantime. The device features various internal design changes, including larger rear camera...

Top Rated Comments

dtich Avatar
92 months ago
Huge Apple product user here... Apple Watch was my main hope for this keynote, and while it looks good, they still lack in a few areas FitBit has them smoked in:

1. Sleep tracking
2. Battery Life

I am really on the fence here. I love the products, hate the price, and feel like some basic features are missing when FitBit can deliver this stuff on a $150 device.
go make a phone call on your fitbit. then scroll thru some pix. watch a vid maybe. answer a text. get directions to a concert. oh wait.....

they are NOT the same device. you want a fitbit buy a ***** fitbit. stop making annoying comparisons...
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SteveJobs2.0 Avatar
92 months ago
Apple Watch 4 saved this event.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
e-coli Avatar
92 months ago
I wish the stock Apple Watch faces didn't look like ridiculous toys. I had to buy an Hermès edition to get an attractive face. What's more, if I wanted the Nike watch faces, I'd have to buy a whole separate Apple Watch. It'd be great if Apple just opened a Watch Face section of the App Store. They'd sell like crazy.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lucamegh Avatar
92 months ago
2 hours event and that's the only product I'm (mildly) interested in. Thanks Tim!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiRez Avatar
92 months ago
Bigger screen is nice but that still looks like a real fat bezel to me. They may be "similar to the new iPhones" in terms of the actual width of the bezel, but as a percentage of screen size, they're much larger. It's a shame they couldn't bring it out closer to the edge and either make the screen even bigger, or make the case smaller.

I could also do with a slightly less bulbous curvature on the edges of the screen, make it a little flatter with a slightly sharper rounding, it kind of feels like I'm looking into one of those snow globes or something.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ankaa Avatar
92 months ago
Bummer, it's really not THAT much thinner. It appeared really thin on the pictures that leaked/during the presentation, but I'm not quite sure what difference 0.7mm make in reality, particularly on the smaller model. Add the additional 2mm in size and it might look even bulkier on small wrists (such as women's) than the previous series. Absolutely not thrilled about the larger size, my series 2 looks bulky on my wrist as is. Again, bummer, because I LOVE the new display and functionality.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)