Apple Watch 7 versus Whoop Strap 4.0

In contrast to the Apple Watch, the most widely known smartwatch, the Whoop may be seen on the wrists of many well-known sports figures. These two wearables, however, operate in a very different manner.

Wearing an Apple Watch is a great way to monitor your health and exercise routines. Similarly, Whoop is used by more experienced athletes to monitor recovery, preparedness, and general health – not simply to track workouts or runs.

Both the Apple Watch Series 7 and the Whoop 4.0 received high marks throughout our testing.

The Whoop and the Apple Watch are two different wearables. But here’s my view on how they stack up against one other.

Here, I will weigh in on the Apple Watch Series 7 and the new Whoop 4.0. You may also want to consider the Apple Watch 8 or Ultra.

Apple Watch Series 8 [GPS 45mm] Smart Watch w/Midnight Aluminum Case with Midnight Sport Band -...

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But you should also check out our full Apple Watch model comparison.

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Apple Watch 7 vs. Whoop Strap: Pricing

Unavoidably, the Apple Watch Series 7 will eat into your wallet.

The pricing structures employed by Apple and Whoop are so dissimilar that a direct comparison between the two products is impossible. For each brand, there is a separate hardware upgrade cycle.

A new Apple Watch model is available every year for $399 or more. This depends on the product’s size, material, and configuration choices. On the other hand, WHOOP only upgrades its hardware every few years and requires a monthly membership that covers both the gadget itself and any future software updates.

When it comes to purchasing an Apple Watch, there are no ongoing fees because you just have to buy it once and wear it for several years (usually until the battery dies). Updates to watchOS are generally free and may be used on previous generations of the Apple Watch.

Apple variants

The bigger display, cellular connectivity, and a more expensive band are all available for upwards of $1,000. Apple launches a new smartwatch every year, so if you buy one now, you’ll have to accept the fact that it will be obsolete the following year.

Even the most expensive Apple Watch model has the same basic fitness and sleep monitoring functions as the cheapest one. Apple Watch customization isn’t something I advise unless you want to keep it for a long time.

Apple Watch Series 7 costs just under $400/£370 for the smaller 41mm version and $429/£399 for the bigger 45mm casing size.

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Whoop subscription

You’ll need to sign up for a Whoop membership to obtain the hardware and the Whoop app. If you pay around $325/£325 down payment, you’ll pay $18/£18 a month for a year.

To avoid the down payment, a 12-month subscription costs $24/£24 instead of the $30/£30 monthly fee.

Series 7 vs. Whoop 4.0: Design Differences

Apple

There’s no way these two gadgets could have been designed any differently. Apple’s square design may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it has become a cultural touchstone. There are many options for first and third-party watch bands and a wide range of materials and screen quality to choose from.

Apple now has two additional case sizes (41mm and 45mm) and more screen space to display your data.

For the first time, Apple’s Digital Crown can be used to interface with watch software, and the watch is water-resistant to a depth of 50 meters.

Whoop

The Whoop 4.0 doesn’t have a screen at all, making it a standout in the wearables market. Though it’s not the same as the bands on offer from the likes of Garmin.

Everything is tracked in the background, and there is no way to see the time or any data in real-time. As a result, while it may be unappealing to some, it is possible to wear it with a smartwatch or sports watch and not seem like a geek.

Its appealing knitted band characterizes it, and you may choose from a variety of colors to match your personal style. There are just a few LEDs on the gadget to show pairing and battery life. But other than that, there isn’t much to see.

You can keep it on when bathing and swimming because it’s water-resistant to a depth of 50 meters, much like the Apple Watch.

In contrast to Apple, Whoop may be worn in a variety of ways. It is most commonly found on the wrist. However, it can be moved up the arm. A variety of clothing is available from Whoop, so you may wear the sensor inside of shorts and sports gear once you have set a 30-day baseline to acquire reliable monitoring data.

If you’re searching for a stylish, comfortable gadget to wear, we think both of them are excellent options.

What’s new about the Apple Watch Series 7 vs. Whoop 4.0?

There’s just one option here whether you’re looking for a smartwatch or smartwatch features; the Apple Watch Series 7. It requires an iPhone, but you’ll get the most pleasing possible smartwatch experience if you have one.

There is a slew of useful features built into the watchOS platform, including push alerts, music controls, and a music player.

The Whoop is compatible with both iOS and Android smartphones with no smartwatch capabilities. Wearing an extra gadget is required if you want them. You might use the Whoop on one wrist and a smartwatch on the other to save money.

The sole additional function is the ability to set the alarm using the Sleep Coach tool, which is the only other feature.

Workout and fitness monitoring are possible with the Apple Watch Series 7 and Whoop 4.0 (more on this later).

The Apple Watch has some of the greatest fitness and sports monitoring functions currently available in a wearable. It accomplishes a lot, from counting steps to closing rings to monitoring runs and swims and even providing accurate heart rate readings with compatibility for additional sensors.

You’ll also be able to use this smartwatch as a sports and fitness tracker because of its strong interaction with Apple’s Fitness+ platform and the App Store’s variety of apps.

Instead of focusing on how well you perform during your exercises, the Whoop measures how your workouts affect your body as a whole rather than how well you do during the activity itself.

GPS

It doesn’t have a GPS, but you can use your phone’s GPS to monitor your runs and cycles, which we found to be inaccurate in our tests. Automatic physical activity recognition is possible, but you will not be provided with metrics relevant to that activity.

Strava and Apple Health integrations have been introduced to Whoop 4.0 in recent releases.

Sensors

When it comes to Whoop’s sensors, Whoop has been working hard to increase the accuracy of its heart rate and heart rate variability data. Strain meter is based on this data and uses it to better understand what’s in your toolbox for a tough day of training and to affect your sleep and recovery suggestions.

The day-to-to-day heart rate was dependable for exercising, but you’ll obtain more precise data if you move the sensor away from your wrist for some sessions.

Sports tracking

If you’re looking for a gadget that can accurately monitor your exercises, we’d recommend the Apple Watch. Whoop’s fitness functions might have some improvement before they are on par with those offered by Apple.

For anyone who wants a wearable that goes beyond counting steps and measuring the length of a swimming pool, both the Apple Watch and the Whoop provide health monitoring functions.

ECG

An FDA-cleared ECG sensor is included in the Series 7 to assist in detecting indications of atrial fibrillation. The optical heart rate monitor onboard can send notifications of high and low heart rates and abnormal heart rhythms. Even though these functions aren’t considered health tracking, Apple allows you to monitor your breathing rate while sleeping and check your blood oxygen levels.

A specialized consumer health device may be linked to the sensor via the App Store, and additional health information can be gleaned from those sensors.

Health monitoring

Even though you’ll have to delve into Apple Health and manually track many of the watch’s most in-depth details, the Apple Watch is a strong health tracking watch.

On the other hand, The Whoop app is more focused on your health, daily data, and analytics.

Whoop’s primary function is to monitor sleep, exhaustion, and recuperation. It calculates your recovery score based on how well you slept compared to how much sleep you require and how rested and ready you are for your next workout at the end of the day. Compared to other smartwatches and fitness trackers, it has a somewhat restricted feature set.

Whoop is equipped with a slew of large sensors to gather information on the user’s heart rate, blood oxygen level, and body temperature. Because no regulatory permission has been granted, Whoop undertakes its own research to demonstrate that the insights they give can be of use to its customers.

Whoop’s Health Monitor is comprised of these stats and sensors. Using a traffic light system to monitor breathing rate, blood oxygenation, resting blood pressure, heart rate variation, and skin temperature. This might hint that something isn’t quite right and that you should take a break from training and exercising until things return to normal (Whoop takes two weeks to establish your baselines).

These measures and that health monitor were valuable, despite the absence of governmental permission. We were more vulnerable to Covid-19 when Whoop was able to detect symptoms of illness and recovery.

Sleep

I should take a few minutes to chat about sleep while I’m here. Using Whoop’s platform, we’ve found the quality of data and accuracy to be on par with some of the top sleep monitors on the market, such as Fitbit, Oura & Polar.

In addition to determining your nightly sleep needs, Whoop keeps track of how much time you spend asleep and assigns a percentage value to that period. In addition, it contains a Sleep Coach, which seeks to help you get a better night’s sleep, although this is sometimes impossible amid the stresses of daily life.

Whoop will also break down your night’s sleep to indicate interruptions, the length of time spent in bed, efficiency, respiration rate, and latency (time to get to sleep).

Apple’s built-in sleep tracking is also trustworthy, although it’s a little less comprehensive. To acquire better statistics, you may use various third-party sleep tracking applications. Whoop, on the other hand, has a more robust sleep tracking feature that aims to match your training and recovery needs better.

Integrations

Apple Watch has several integrations that WHOOP lacked until recently.

Apple’s HealthKit (the company’s core database for recording health and fitness information) and third-party heart rate monitors, such as chest straps, are among the most important features.

To allow third-party apps to store health-related data, including heart rate, blood pressure, sleep data, menstrual cycle statistics, and more, Apple has made substantial improvements to HealthKit (and the associated Health app). As a result, Apple provides safe channels for exchanging this data with a growing number of healthcare providers.

In the future, my doctor will have access to all of the data I’ve collected and kept in my Health app, which will allow for better, more individualized treatment for me.

The Apple Watch’s ability to connect to third-party heart rate sensors (like chest straps) through Bluetooth is also a big plus for me.

Until recently, WHOOP lacked common interfaces for other applications or hardware to use.

The good news is that WHOOP has announced that it would give support for HealthKit integration. While WHOOP could read data saved in HealthKit, it could not upload any of its own. This was because the integration was initially put out with read-only access. WHOOP (eventually) made it possible in March of 2022 for devices to transmit data to the repository.

Beyond HealthKit, WHOOP has begun to interface with Strava and TrainingPeaks, among other applications and platforms. I’m unable to comment on either’s usefulness because I don’t utilize them.

Battery life: Apple Watch Series 7 vs. Whoop 4.0

The Whoop has a longer battery life if you’re concerned about that. It’s not a major surprise when you consider that it doesn’t have a display to power.

Though it’s a week-by-week tracker rather than a month-by-month one. It has a 5-day delivery window, but in our tests, it delivered in roughly 4-to-6 days. Despite having a built-in battery charging mechanism, it isn’t too cumbersome to wear while it’s charging.

The Apple Watch Series claims up to 18 hours of battery life, which is the same as the first Watch’s battery life of up to 12 hours. A couple of days’ worth of use should be enough to keep it up and running. Fast charging is also supported by Apple, which allows the Watch to be powered up more efficiently. The Whoop, on the other hand, requires less frequent recharging.

On most days, I don’t have to worry about running out of battery power on my Apple Watch. When it comes to my Apple Watch, I get around 16 hours of battery life out of it before I need to recharge it. On rare occasions, just before I go to bed (typically between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m.), the watch’s battery runs out and goes into Low Power Mode or shuts down altogether.

Real use

Because I use my Apple Watch mostly as a timepiece and primarily as an extension of my iPhone, I’ve never considered this a problem (receiving notifications and seeing upcoming calendar events, the current temperature, and other information is plenty for me).

However, if you want to use your Apple Watch to track your sleep, knowing it has to be recharged at night is an issue. Otherwise, expect to recharge your Apple Watch every 60 to 90 minutes or so during the course of your normal day (or right before bedtime).

Like I say, it’s possible to use WHOOP 4.0 for up to five days on one charge. In addition, the sliding charge pack that comes with the gadget allows you to recharge the battery without having to remove the strap from your wrist. WHOOP’s battery will be replenished in less than two hours using this.

Apple Watch Series 7 vs. Whoop 4.0 – The final decision

And so my comparison of the Apple Watch Series 7 vs. the Whoop 4.0 is complete. Which one would you choose if you had to? Here’s what I think about it all.

If you’re looking for a high-quality smartwatch, have an iPhone, and are looking for a superb sports and fitness, and health monitoring experience, you should get the new Apple Watch Series 8.

Those looking for an improved sleep and health tracking experience with their wristwatch might choose the Whoop 4.0 if they already own one. In addition, charging it isn’t necessary on a daily basis.

My choice – The Apple Watch

I’ve been wearing an Apple Watch for a couple of years now and have also tested the WHOOP strap; I personally prefer the additional features of an Apple Watch.

There are health aspects on the Apple Watch that aren’t directly tied to tracking physical activity or sleep. Among other things, my Apple Watch can tell if my heartbeat has become erratic or if I have fallen. Using an ECG or blood oxygenation test from my wrist, I can see how my heartbeat is synchronized (Apple Watch 6 and newer only). All of these features are good to have, even if I won’t be using them regularly. They show how far Apple’s technology has evolved in the past several decades.

It was only after I changed to an Apple Watch from a Fitbit Sense that I discovered just how much I relied on a smartwatch.

I also use my Apple Watch to keep track of most of my exercises. To be able to compare the heart rate of several exercises side by side while writing this post is something I’ve been doing even before I tested a Whoop. Because Whoop stores the data in its Health app, this has been quite useful.

Beyond that, I don’t use the Apple Watch for fitness or sleep monitoring. Still, I’m eagerly awaiting the release of the Apple Watch Series 8 and watchOS 9 to see whether Apple will add new sensors and capabilities. If that’s the case, I’ll make it a point to update you.

But it’s down to what you need, so let me know in the comments!

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Last Updated on October 23, 2022

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