Apple Watch Series 10 With A Bigger Screen

On its tenth anniversary, Apple has made minimal changes to the Apple Watch Series 10, alongside a software update. Are these changes enough to make the upgrade worthwhile?

At Computer Hoy’s lab, we review many smartwatches, but there’s no doubt that among the best are always the Apple Watches. Unfortunately, they only work on one platform, but they are so comprehensive, with highly refined sensors and algorithms, that they consistently rank as some of the best you can buy each year.

This time, I’m putting the new Apple Watch Series 10 to the test—a smartwatch that, at first glance, doesn’t seem to offer much new compared to the Apple Watch Series 9. However, this year, to mark its tenth anniversary, Apple has given it a larger screen in 42 mm and 46 mm sizes and made it slimmer.

It’s been a long-standing issue with all Apple Watches—they’re so similar that upgrading each year is generally unnecessary. But this year, even though the screen size might seem like the standout feature, there are more updates that we’ll explore in depth in this review.

A Larger, Slimmer Screen in a Familiar Design

As mentioned, even on its tenth anniversary, the Apple Watch’s design hasn’t changed much. Clearly, there have been some modifications, but these are almost negligible details.

Its screen is slightly larger, brighter, and offers better viewing angles, though what stands out more is its slimmer profile. How much slimmer? Just by millimeters—barely noticeable on the wrist unless you compare it closely with a Series 9 or earlier model.

Apple retains its digital crown and a button, as well as a sensor panel on the underside and a proprietary strap attachment system that has fostered a vast ecosystem of accessories.

It’s available in aluminum in jet black (the model shown in the photos), rose gold, and silver. The titanium version comes in gold, natural, and slate, with a sapphire crystal display that is much more scratch-resistant.

There’s also a speaker that allows for music playback, whereas previous generations could only use it for system sounds or calls. While you can listen to your favorite tracks at decent quality, I don’t see it as something practical for everyday use or even occasionally. But the option is there.

The design’s evolution might be bothersome or not at this stage. The Apple Watch’s look is so iconic that many brands replicate its format or, seeing that most people favor this design, opt for something entirely different.

But one thing is clear with Apple: if it works, don’t change it—or at least, only change it slightly.

A Screen With… Better Viewing Angles?

One of the screen’s new features, besides its increased size, is that the LTPO3 OLED panel now has improved viewing angles. This way, it’s easier to see from different angles when walking, exercising, or simply because we don’t always have the watch perfectly aligned in front of our face.

Personally, I notice a slight improvement in the viewing angle, but it’s so minimal that I wouldn’t call it a differentiating feature. It’s like a screen going from 1,000 nits to 1,200 nits—yes, it’s brighter, but not remarkably so.

The screen is indeed larger than in the Series 9 and earlier generations, something you notice immediately, especially if you have a Series 9 next to it. However, the size increase is so slight, and the screen borders haven’t changed much, that after a few minutes, the difference fades.

It’s not like going from a 42 mm to a 46 mm model, where the screen size change is dramatic. It’s a subtle difference, and your eyes quickly adapt.

More concerning is the durability of the Apple Watch screen. The titanium model comes with a sapphire crystal, like the Apple Watch Ultra 2, but the standard aluminum model features “Ion-X” protection.

My Apple Watch Series 10 with this protection already has a visible scratch in direct light within its first week of use. How did it get scratched so quickly? I have no idea; I don’t remember bumping it, but the fact that it scratches so easily remains a drawback.

watchOS 11: A Step in the Right Direction

I must acknowledge the few innovations that came to watchOS 11, especially considering all the promised features coming to iOS 18 or iPadOS 18.

However, one significant update, which as a long-time Apple Watch user, I can hardly believe is finally here: you can now set rest days in the Apple Watch rings.

It’s taken Apple a decade to understand that living an active life doesn’t mean closing all three rings every day of your life, especially if you exercise regularly. Rest days are crucial, and now you have the choice.

Simply open the Fitness app, access your daily rings, and tap on one of the three options to adjust the weekly program or even change the settings for that specific day. Not every day can we burn 500, 800, or 1,000 active calories through movement and exercise.

Apple also allows you to pause the rings entirely for a day, a week, a month, or a custom period. This silences workout tips and activity-related notifications to give you some peace of mind.

Another new feature is the ability to view your weekly training load. It’s a chart available on the Apple Watch and in the Fitness app that shows how your body is responding to daily activity, whether it’s just regular walking or intense workouts.

Generally, Apple automatically tracks effort levels, though if it doesn’t register less intense activities (like golf), you can always add or modify it. This chart provides a clear view of your workload, allowing you to decide when it might be time for a few rest days.

One downside of watchOS 11, in my opinion, is the smart stacks feature.

Previously, you had to swipe up to see them, but now they activate automatically. For instance, when you’re playing a video or music, smart stacks display as the main screen by default.

Thankfully, you can turn this off in the Watch app on iOS. Go to Live Activities and disable the second option, “Automatically start live activities.”

While there are now more small widgets in this section, it seems to me that most Apple Watch users rarely interact with this area.

Apple Still Has the Best Health and Fitness Sensors

Apple hasn’t changed the heart rate and blood oxygen sensors in the Series 10 but has improved the algorithms that calculate various metrics for monitoring your body.

From my experience testing many smartwatches and fitness bands, I honestly believe Apple’s measurement quality remains unbeatable. Even those who specialize in comparing watches to medical equipment, like The Quantified Scientist, often mention this.

Compared to a chest heart rate monitor, the Apple Watch Series 10 matches the data closely, both in sports that are easy to measure, like spinning (where the watch doesn’t move much on your wrist), and in outdoor activities like walking and running.

Among the health updates, there’s also the Vital Signs app, which tracks heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen levels, and sleep duration—all in one place.

The new sleep apnea detection feature is also noteworthy. This common disorder, in which breathing briefly stops or becomes very shallow, can lead to health problems. However, this feature requires 30 days of use to provide insights.

For water sports enthusiasts, there are now custom workouts for swimming, and the Series 10 includes some new features from the Apple Watch Ultra, such as the Depth app, which activates when you submerge, and a tide information app for surfers and open-water swimmers.

Other activity updates include customizable routes for hiking, walking, or running and offline maps.

Regarding GPS signal quality for outdoor activities, there aren’t major changes compared to the Apple Watch Series 9, except for a slight improvement in reception in areas with interference, like near tall buildings.

The “One-Day Battery” Watch That at Least Charges Faster

It’s mid-2024, and the Apple Watch still struggles to last more than a day on a single charge. In my opinion, this is one of Apple Watch’s biggest drawbacks. This might have been understandable five years ago, but today, with competitors achieving a minimum of 4-5 days, what’s going on with the Apple Watch?

As with the Series 9, under normal conditions, the Apple Watch comfortably lasts until the end of the day, and if necessary, you could even sleep with it and use it for a few hours in the morning. But you can’t expect much more.

On a more demanding day with outdoor workouts using GPS (since the Apple Watch has used its own GPS instead of the iPhone’s since Series 6) and receiving lots of notifications or keeping the screen always on, the 46 mm model typically ends the day with around 30% battery left.

The good news is it supports fast charging, and with a charger of at least 20 W, you can get to 80% battery in about half an hour.

Conclusion: Is the Apple Watch Series 10 Worth It?

Each year, Apple produces the best Apple Watch you can buy, and 2024 is no exception. The Apple Watch Series 10 is a highly comprehensive smartwatch, offering top-notch health and fitness tracking.

However, it’s not a watch you need to upgrade every year—perhaps not even every two generations. If you already own a Series 8 or Series 9, I don’t see a compelling reason to switch unless you really need the slightly larger screen.

For those with a Series 6 or Series 7, this is likely the generation you’ve been waiting for to upgrade your smartwatch.

Overall, compared to a Series 9, the advancements are minimal, but they are there. Time will tell how the component redesign and slimmer profile impact battery durability.