Apple Watch Series 12 / Apple Watch Series 8 (45 mm, GPS)

Apple Watch Series 12: 42 / 46 mm · Case material options

Apple Watch Series 8 (45 mm, GPS): Apple Watch Series 8, 45 mm aluminium case, GPS model. The 41 mm case, GPS + Cellular and stainless steel versions are separate models; weight and screen size differ.

SpecificationApple Watch Series 12Apple Watch Series 8 (45 mm, GPS)
Release year20262022
ProcessorS11; 64-bit dual-core; 4-core Neural Engine Apple—
Storage64 GB Apple32 GB Apple
DisplayAlways-On Retina LTPO3 OLED; 326 ppi; 2000 nits peak, 1 nit minimum; 46 mm: 416 × 496; 42 mm: 374 × 446

LTPO3 drops to 1 Hz in Always-On mode to save power.

Apple		Always-On Retina LTPO OLED; 396 × 484 pixels; 1143 sq mm display area; up to 1000 nits

The LTPO panel can lower its refresh rate a lot, so the screen stays on dimmed when the wrist is down.

Apple
Cover glassAluminium: Ceramic Shield 2; titanium/ceramic: sapphire Apple—
Case and material42 / 46 mm; aluminium, titanium or ceramic

Ceramic cases are slightly larger and thicker (9.85 mm); aluminium and titanium are 9.7 mm.

Apple		—
Rated battery lifeUp to 24 hours normal use; up to 38 hours Low Power Mode; up to 10 hours workout tracking

Apple's test profile; actual use varies.

Apple		—
Rated charging timeAbout 80% in 30 minutes; 15 minutes gives up to 12 hours of normal use

Apple measured these with a 20 W adapter that is not included; a USB-C fast-charging cable is in the box.

Apple		—
SensorsSecond-generation electrical and always-on optical heart sensors; blood oxygen; temperature; compass; always-on altimeter; high-g accelerometer; depth gauge to 6 m; water temperature Apple—
Health featuresECG; irregular rhythm and high/low heart rate notifications; hypertension and sleep apnoea notifications; sleep score; Vitals; Readiness

Some health features are limited by country and age; blood oxygen and temperature are not for medical use.

Apple		—
Weight46 mm aluminium GPS 39.5 g; titanium 44.9 g; 42 mm aluminium GPS 32.2 g; titanium 36.5 g Apple—
Durability50 m water resistance (ISO 22810:2010); IP6X dust

For swimming and snorkelling to 6 m, not scuba diving. Resistance can diminish over time.

Apple		Water resistant to 50 metres under ISO 22810:2010; IP6X dust; ceramic and sapphire crystal back

Suitable for shallow-water activities in a pool or the sea; not for scuba diving, waterskiing or high-velocity water.

Apple
ConnectivityWi-Fi 4 (2.4 and 5 GHz); Bluetooth 5.3; second-generation UWB; multi-constellation GPS; RedCap 5G on cellular models AppleWi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 2.4 and 5 GHz; Bluetooth 5.3 Apple
CompatibilitywatchOS 27; iPhone 11 or later (including iPhone SE 2nd generation or later) running iOS 27 AppleRequires iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16 or later

It cannot be used with Android phones.

Apple
Chip—S8 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor; W3 wireless chip; U1 (Ultra Wideband)

Ultra Wideband is used for close-range location with an iPhone; availability varies by region.

Apple
Health sensors—Blood oxygen sensor; electrical heart sensor (ECG app); third-generation optical heart sensor

The Blood Oxygen app is not for medical use. The ECG app is not intended for people under 22 and may not be available in every country.

Apple
Motion and safety—High-g accelerometer up to 256 g (Fall Detection and Crash Detection); high dynamic range gyroscope; Emergency SOS; international emergency calling

On the GPS model, Emergency SOS needs a nearby iPhone or Wi-Fi Calling; international emergency calling works only on cellular models.

Apple
Location—L1 GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou; compass; always-on altimeter

This is single-frequency (L1) GPS; drift between tall buildings can be higher than on dual-frequency models.

Apple
Battery and charging—Up to 18 hours; built-in lithium-ion battery; USB-C magnetic fast charging cable

Apple’s 18-hour figure is based on 90 time checks, 90 notifications, 45 minutes of app use and a 60-minute workout with music; sleep tracking is not part of that scenario.

Apple
Size and weight—45 × 38 × 10.7 mm; aluminium GPS: 38.8 g Apple
Colours—Aluminium: Midnight, Starlight, Silver, (PRODUCT)RED Apple