Product of the Week: Apple Watch Series 10 Rivals the Apple Watch Ultra
With a slimmer, brighter, and bigger display, the Apple Watch Series 10 is closing the performance gap with the Apple Watch Ultra
Last Friday, Apple released its newest lineup in Apple Stores worldwide. Among the new releases was the Apple Watch Series 10, which is thinner and brighter than ever, with revamped health and wellness features. Athletech News tested the Apple Watch Series 10 to see how it compares to other Apple Watch models and competitors.
Pros
The Series 10 is more compact than ever, around 10% thinner and lighter than the Series 9. While this might not seem like a big change, it’s a noticeable one for a device designed for everyday wear. The Series 10 comes in a beautiful new titanium finish, and its screen is 9% larger than that of the Series 7, 8, and 9.
The screen size is comparable to the Ultra, but the watch feels far less bulky. The new wide-angle OLED display is up to 40% brighter than the Series 9 when viewed from an angle. This bright display makes it easier to read fitness stats during outdoor workouts.
One of the biggest complaints I consistently hear about the Apple Watch is that competitors, like Garmin, have a longer battery life. The Series 10 is now the fastest-charging Apple Watch ever: 15 minutes of charging provides eight hours of normal use, and eight minutes of charging gives eight hours of sleep tracking. Users can charge to 80 percent battery in around 30 minutes, making the inconvenience of daily charging more palatable.
The Vitals app, new with watchOS 11, gives users a snapshot of their overnight health metrics. The watch measures heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen, and sleep duration to collect a typical range and alert users if something seems off. The Vitals app seemed similar to the stats I receive on my Oura ring or Whoop.
As a former swimmer, I was excited by the newest water activities features on watchOS 11. The latest update introduced Custom Workouts for pool swims, and Series 10 has a new depth gauge and water temperature sensor. The depth gauge can measure down to 6 meters, and the water temperature sensor activates once the watch is submerged.
For those concerned about sleep apnea, the latest version of watchOS also measures repeated disturbances in one’s sleep using the accelerometer. If one consistently experiences breathing disturbances, the feature suggests it might be a sign of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea affects nearly 1 billion people worldwide and is often undiagnosed, so this feature is raising awareness of the condition.
Cons
The Apple Watch Series 10 comes in either aluminum or titanium. While the titanium finish is more durable and looks more upscale, those Series 10 watches are $300 more than the aluminum ones, priced at $699 and $399, respectively. The Ultra 2, for comparison, retails at $799. If you’re an athlete, the Ultra 2 has the “action” button for customizable, quick actions (like starting a hike or logging a track lap) and “precision start” instead of the 3-second countdown in Series 10.
There is a significant battery improvement with the Ultra 2 (it can last almost twice as long as the Series 10, up to around 35 hours with lower power GPS and fewer readings). If you’re considering the Series 10 titanium, keep in mind the small price difference compared to the Ultra 2; it might make more sense to spend the extra $100 for the latter. However, if the new design appeals to you (it fits my smaller wrist much better than the Ultra) or you want the aluminum version, the Series 10 might make more sense.
Overall, while the major changes of the Series 10 are design-related, Apple continues to focus on health and wellness with its hardware and software updates. The lighter watch is less cumbersome during workouts, and watchOS 11’s newest health updates like the Vitals app and the water activities features continue to level up Apple’s commitment to wellness.