Watch · Retina & Beyond · 2016
Apple Watch Series 1
Essentially the original watch with the faster dual-core S1P, sold cheaply alongside the Series 2 — the moment the Watch stopped feeling sluggish.
Apple Watch Series 1: key facts
When was the Apple Watch Series 1 released?
The Apple Watch Series 1 was released in September 16, 2016. Apple discontinued it in September 2018.
How much did the Apple Watch Series 1 cost?
The Apple Watch Series 1 launched at $269 in 2016 — about $352 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What are the Apple Watch Series 1’s specs?
The Apple Watch Series 1 used a Apple S1P (dual-core) running at 520 MHz, with 512 MB of memory and 8 GB of storage. It ran watchOS 3.
Why does the Apple Watch Series 1 matter?
A dual-core chip that finally made the watch feel responsive.
Full specifications
| CPU | Apple S1P (dual-core) · 520 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 2 |
| Memory (RAM) | 512 MB |
| Storage | 8 GB |
| Display | 1.5" OLED Retina, 312×390 |
| GPU | Integrated |
| Ports | Magnetic inductive charging |
| Weight | ~30 g |
| Dimensions | 38 mm or 42 mm case |
| Operating system | watchOS 3 |
| Released | September 16, 2016 |
| Discontinued | September 2018 |
| Launch price | $269 |
How the Apple Watch Series 1 compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 32× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 520 MHz, the clock is roughly 6.2× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro — and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 2,050 modern phone photos — a respectable library even today.
Launched at $269 in 2016 — about $352 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Cross-architecture speed figures are clock-only and approximate; inflation figures use US CPI.
Did you know?
It launched the same day as watchOS 3, which dramatically sped up the whole platform.
Related Watch models
Open the Apple Watch Series 1 in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-06-25