An Ultra-Like Experience for Less

It’s been 10 years since the original Apple Watch was unveiled in 2014, and the popular wearable device has grown by leaps and bounds from its humble beginnings. While the Apple Watch Ultra line took away some of the luster from the regular watch, the tides have turned with the Apple Watch Series 10. The newest Apple Watch sports a larger screen, thinner and lighter case, and much more.

Apple Watch Series 10

The Apple Watch Series 10 features an updated design. Along with a larger display, the smartwatch’s case is thinner and lighter, making it more comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The updated design also helps the watch fast charger faster. You can charge from 0 to 80 percent 30 minutes. The watch also features sleep apnea detection. 

Pros

• Display on 46mm version is larger than the Ultra 2 display
• Case is thinner and lighter, making it easier to wear for long periods of time
• Jet black aluminum case is a standout
• Sleep apnea detection
• Added water temperature and depth gauge

Cons

• Missing blood oxygen detection
• Titanium versions are in the same price range as the Ultra 2

Pricing and Availability

The Apple Watch Series 10 starts at $399 for the smaller, 42mm Wi-Fi-only model and aluminum case. The base 46mm version with aluminum case is $429. You’ll pay more for cellular-enabled models and versions with a titanium case and sapphire glass display.

The Apple Watch Series 10 is available at various retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Apple.

Ready for a Bigger Screen

One of the best features of the Series 10 is the larger display. The largest 46mm model has a screen area just slightly larger than the Ultra 2. The smaller model is now 44mm and has a larger screen area than the bigger Apple Watch Series 9. That’s a significant improvement.

I tested out the larger 46mm and was pleasantly surprised at the screen’s size. Everything is clearer to read, and it’s much easier to hit smaller parts of the UI like letters on the keyboard or numbers on the calculator.

The larger screen is also sporting another improvement. According to Apple, the wide-angle LED is up to 40% brighter when viewed at an angle. That’s perfect for times when you do not want to glance at the time with your wrist down.

I compared the Series 10 to Series 9, and the screen difference was noticeable when trying out different watch faces at an angle. It’s not a spectacular change, but it’s nice to have. When in Always-On mode, the Series 10 display will refresh every second, compared to every minute for Series 9 and the Ultra 2.

In real-world use, that faster refresh rate will allow you to see a second hand on two of the newest watch faces—Flux and Reflections—when in Always-On mode. I hope Apple will bring that feature to other watch faces as well.

Even with the new display technology, the maximum brightness level of 2,000 nits has not changed. The Ultra 2 still reigns supreme in that area with up to 3,000 nits of brightness.

A Thinner and Lighter Case

The Apple Watch Series 10 case has gotten smaller even with the larger screen. The new watch case is almost 10% thinner than the case on Series 7-9.

Another big factor, weight, has also dropped. The aluminum case of the Series 10 weighs up to 10% less than the Series 9. Swapping out titanium for stainless steel has given the upper-tier models up to 20% less weight. While that might not sound like a substantial improvement in those areas, it’s definitely noticeable when wearing the watch for an entire day.

Even with the changes, Apple still promises up to 18 hours of battery life and 36 hours of juice in Low Power Mode. I didn’t try out Low Power mode, but after a few days of use, the 18-hour promise seems a little conservative, which isn’t a bad thing.

Another big plus with the new case design is faster charging as the new metal back features a larger and more efficient coil. You can now charge a watch to 80% in about 30 minutes. Just 15 minutes of charging can provide up to eight hours of normal daily use. And in a pinch, you can charge for eight minutes to go for a full night of sleep tracking.

I tried charging the Series 10 from completely dead a few times, and it took less than 30 minutes on each try. Especially since the Apple Watch continues to get more sleep tracking features, being able to quickly charge is essential.

The speaker has also been redesigned with a big advantage with the thinner case. You can now actually play audio directly on the Apple Watch without connecting Bluetooth headphones like AirPods. You can listen to music, podcasts, and more. I was extremely skeptical of how audio would sound through the very small speakers, but came away pleasantly surprised. I wouldn’t depend on the speaker consistently, but the audio was surprisingly strong and easy to understand in a quiet room.

Apple also shook up the available case colors with Series 10 with nice results. Along with a rose gold and silver version of the aluminum case is a new jet black model—a first for the Apple Watch. It’s the first jet black color of any Apple product since the iPhone 7 and looks spectacular.

I used the jet black 46mm with the black Solo Loop, and it’s far and away the most striking aluminum Apple Watch I’ve seen. The only question mark about the color is how it will stand up over time. The jet black iPhone 7 became notorious for showing scratches after extended use. The aluminum Apple Watch case is also prone to scratches and dings with just a little bump, so I’m interested to see how the jet black version will look in a few months.

If that concerns you, I’d recommend choosing one of the other colors of aluminum case or a more expensive titanium model.

Dive Into More Water Activities

The Apple Watch has always been a great companion for the water and can track swimming workouts and other exercises. Series 10 takes that even further with the addition of a water temperature and depth gauge.

Using the Depth app, you can measure up to six meters under the water’s surface. The app, which you can choose to automatically appear when the Apple Watch detects it is underwater, shows the time, current depth, water temperature, duration underwater, and maximum depth.

During a swim workout, you’ll also be able to see the water temperature on the workout screen.

While the Ultra 2 will be the best choice for scuba diving, with its 40-meter depth gauge, the Series 10 can be used for more recreational swims and snorkeling.

I used Series 10 for a few swimming workouts at my local pool, and the depth and temperature information was as accurate as my Ultra 2.

A New Health Feature Along With a Substantial Subtraction

Just like with many previous generations, Series 10 is adding a new health-tracking feature, sleep apnea detection.

If you’ve never heard of the condition, it’s where breathing stops repeatedly during sleep. More than one billion people are estimated to be impacted by the issue, but it remains undiagnosed in the majority of cases. When the condition isn’t diagnosed, it can lead to an increased risk of high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiac issues.

Series 10 uses the accelerometer to monitor small wrist movements associated with interruptions in normal respiratory patterns.

You’ll need to wear your Apple Watch to sleep for a minimum of 10 nights over a 30-day period. Data will be analyzed every 30 days, and if the watch detects possible sleep apnea, you will see a notification with the information. Apple also recommends discussing the notification with your doctor at an appointment.

My doctor has told me on more than one occasion that I’m at a higher risk for sleep apnea, so I’m glad to have my Apple Watch help check for the condition. Especially with the updated design, the Series 10 is very easy to wear to bed and doesn’t bother me at all like the Ultra 2. Anyone with an Ultra 2 or Series 9 can also use the sleep apnea detection feature.

Even with that nice addition, anyone looking to purchase a Series 10 should know that the new model doesn’t offer blood oxygen detection. Because of a patent dispute, Apple removed the feature on Apple Watch models it sold starting in January.

Series 10 reportedly has the ability to detect blood oxygen, but Apple has turned it off in the U.S. because of the dispute. It’s unknown if Apple will settle and turn the feature back on.

Blood oxygen detection has been a major part of the Apple Watch since its introduction in Series 6. It’s unacceptable for Apple not to settle the conflict and return the feature to the Apple Watch. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I contracted the virus twice, and the blood oxygen sensor on my Apple Watch helped me monitor this very important health metric.

If blood oxygen monitoring is important to you, I strongly recommend not purchasing the Series 10 unless Apple resolves the dispute and adds the feature back in.

Double Tap Gets More Useful With watchOS 11

Series 10 features the same Double Tap gesture found in Series 9 and Ultra 2. While the gesture was nice to have in watchOS 10, it’s become much more useful in watchOS 11 for a few reasons.

Replacing the Siri watch face is a much improved Smart Stack with Live Activity support. Anytime a Live Activity starts on your iPhone and Apple Watch, the Smart Stack will automatically show on the Series 10 screen. Being able Double Tap through the different widgets is really a perfect way to quickly view information from different apps.

The Double Tap gesture can now also be supported by third-party apps as well. It’s gone from a nice addition to watchOS 10 to my favorite way to quickly interact with notifications and more on the watch.

Other great additions include a Vitals app that will let you know if multiple metrics are ever outside the typical range and a Training Load feature that shows the intensity of your workouts.

Should You Buy the Apple Watch Series 10?

The Apple Watch Series 10 takes an already winning formula and injects some new tricks from the Ultra line to create an even better smartwatch for most Apple fans. With the larger screen, lighter and thinner case, and new health features, it’s hard to go wrong with Series 10.

After using Series 10, I found that it offers almost everything the Ultra 2 does—except for battery life—in a package that should be comfortable for everyone. And all of that at a price that’s almost half of the Ultra 2 for a Wi-Fi-only model. That’s hard to pass up, especially if you’re looking for your first Apple Watch or upgrading from an older model.

Apple Watch Series 10

The Apple Watch Series 10 features an updated design. Along with a larger display, the smartwatch’s case is thinner and lighter, making it more comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The updated design also helps the watch fast charger faster. You can charge from 0 to 80 percent 30 minutes. The watch also features sleep apnea detection.