Apple’s big fall event is now in the rearview mirror, and with it came the iPhone 16 and the new Apple Watch Series 10. This is also a big year for the Apple Watch in general because the gadget is now officially a decade old.
Though I was expecting a bigger design change than what we actually got, the Apple Watch Series 10 is still very appealing. I’ve been using the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra for the past year and a half, but I’m seriously considering “downgrading” to the Apple Watch Series 10 instead.
The biggest Apple Watch display ever
For the Apple Watch Ultra this year, Apple just added a new color — satin black — to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Besides that, there was nothing new for the Apple Watch Ultra — Apple didn’t launch an iPhone Watch Ultra 3.
The Apple Watch Series 10, however, has some significant changes. It comes in two sizes, 42mm and 46mm, and it now has a wide-angle OLED display. This new display provides a 30% increase in screen size over previous generations, and because of that, the Apple Watch Series 10 has an even bigger display than the Apple Watch Ultra, at least with the 46mm size.
With this larger display, you can see more text on the screen, which means less scrolling. And since the screen now expands further past the sides of the case, it is 40% brighter when viewed at an angle. This means you can see the information on your watch face more easily at a glance without having to move your wrist.
I always thought that since I have smaller wrists, smaller watches would be better for me. I was apprehensive when I first got the Apple Watch Ultra because I thought it would be too large for me. But as I used it more, I eventually got used to the large size and grew to love the practicality of it. I love utilizing more screen space for complications and having the data I care about available on my wrist.
One of the main selling points of the Apple Watch Ultra is that it had the largest display. But that’s no longer the case now that the Apple Watch Series 10 is out. If you want to get the biggest display on an Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 10 is the way to go now, and it’s cheaper than the Ultra, too.
An impressive new health feature
It’s not just the new display that caught my eye. Another significant new feature for the Apple Watch Series 10 is sleep apnea detection.
Amazingly, this is all possible using the Apple Watch’s accelerometer. After detecting movement during the night for 30 days, it analyzes the data collected and presents a report if there are possible signs of sleep apnea. The feature is currently pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but Apple is expecting it to be completed soon.
Why is this such a big deal? Sleep apnea affects millions of people and, supposedly, around 80% don’t even know they have it. I don’t typically wear my Apple Watch Ultra to sleep because it’s a bit bulky, but that may be different with the Apple Watch Series 10.
The Series 10 has a thinner and lighter body, much more so than my Apple Watch Ultra. I’d imagine that it would be more comfortable to wear to bed than the Ultra, so I’m more intrigued to check it out. I’m not sure if I have sleep apnea, so if I had a Series 10, I’d certainly wear it to bed to find out.
The sleep apnea feature isn’t just for the Apple Watch Series 10. Apple said that it is also coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. However, I’m still using the first Apple Watch Ultra, so it looks like no sleep apnea detection for me unless I upgrade. And between the larger screen and lighter design, the Series 10 is looking more appealing than the Ultra 2.
Superfast charging speeds
One of my favorite things about my first-generation Apple Watch Ultra is its battery life. Even though it’s from 2022, the battery, at 36 hours, is still about double what the standard Apple Watches offer. I’ve been wearing mine daily with Charge Limit Optimization on, and my battery health is still 100%. I can get almost two full days on a single charge with my Apple Watch Ultra.
The Apple Watch Series 10 may not have the 36-hour battery life that I’ve become accustomed to, but it has double the charging speed of my Apple Watch Ultra. I typically need about an hour to get an 80% charge on my Ultra, but the Apple Watch Series 10 can get an 80% charge in just 30 minutes — half the time it takes for my Ultra.
Sure, the Apple Watch Series 10 won’t last more than a full day on a single charge, but when you can charge it that fast, who cares? I’m not going hiking in remote areas where I won’t have access to my Apple Watch charger, so I don’t need that 36-hour battery life since I already charge it every day.
A ‘downgrade’ that’s mostly an upgrade
So, that’s the position I’m in. Even though my Apple Watch Ultra is still a beast of a smartwatch, and the Ultra 2 is technically the more logical upgrade, I can’t take my eyes off the Series 10. Unless you need the extra sports-centric features of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, then the Apple Watch Series 10 is the best Apple Watch for most people, including me.
Considering that I’m coming from the original Apple Watch Ultra, I’d also get the features I missed from the Apple Watch Ultra 2 (Double Tap and on-device Siri).
I love my Apple Watch Ultra — it was one of the best products Apple released in 2022. But the more I think about it, the more I think it’s time to upgrade. Not to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, but to the Apple Watch Series 10. It’s a worse Apple Watch in some ways, but for the features and things I care about, it looks like the one for me.
