Apple Watches are as useful as they are elegantly-designed, with a now-iconic rounded square shape and a slick, easy-to-use interface that blows most of the competition out of the water. When the Apple Watch Series 4 first came out in 2018, prices started at £399 - but this Black Friday, you could snag one for as little as £89.
Over at Wowcher, you can currently pick up a WiFi-only Apple Watch 4 for just £89, or a cellular-enabled one from £119. That’s an incredible discount, with the only caveat being that these are refurbished smartwatches instead of brand new ones.
Compatible with iOS devices, the Apple Watch is a productivity and fitness companion that brings much of your phone’s functionality to your wrist. Along with the commonplace pedometer, it also features a range of tracking functions to give you useful information about your health, exercise, sleep, and heartrate. Many common apps have Apple Watch equivalents too, meaning you can easily follow a route on Google Maps without pulling out your phone, switch tracks on Spotify, reply to emails and texts, and more.
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Refurbished tech, as a rule of thumb, has been restored to near-new condition and rigorously tested for battery life and functionality. The result is a product that is all but new, and actively helps to reduce tech-based waste. With new models of just about every device coming out every year, tech waste is a massive problem — by purchasing a refurbished device, you’re helping to limit the damage.
That said, refurbished devices don’t come with manufacturer warranty. You may be entitled to a warranty from the retailer in question, but this isn’t guaranteed and the duration can vary significantly.
Apple Watch 4s are well-regarded in the tech industry, with TechRadar awarding this model a 4.5/5 rating. “Apple clearly believes smartwatches are here to stay - the Watch 4 utterly proves that,” they said. “The design alone is a big upgrade, with the screen offering far more visibility, and while the health benefits are only going to help a subset of users, they're welcome and show the direction Apple is heading."
Tom’s Guide gave a 4.5/5 score, too, saying: “Since the day I bought the first Apple Watch, I’ve believed the reason for its existence is health. Notifications are useful, and the watch can be a stylish accessory, but those are secondary to the information it can give us about our bodies, right now and in the future.
"Apple is only now unlocking that potential with actionable alerts about heart rate and rhythm.” The Verge was suitably impressed with the upgraded display when the watch came out, writing in a review: "The screen steals the show."
However, there were some more critical notes among the reviews for the Apple Watch 4. A review on Zeipad noted that "battery values are still not record-breaking". Similarly, CNET said: "Battery life still won't last past two days. Watch face options are still very limited in choice and function."
If you’re on Android and can’t use an Apple Watch, you might consider the similarly-powerful Samsung Galaxy Watch7, with prices from £289. For those who only need fitness tracking, this Fitbit for £84.99 at Currys is a great option.
While refurbished models may have the occasional hiccough, at £89 the Apple Watch 4 offers tremendous value.
