The Apple Watch Series 10 is an improvement in every way — except the one we all wanted

It’s an old adage that Apple only introduces incremental change from one generation to the next, but this year, the new Series 10’s upgrades truly are impactful. I’m not claiming the Cupertino giant reinvented the Apple Watch (or even produced anything particularly showstopping), but there are definitely more improvements than shoppers might see at a glance. More importantly, all of these cumulative changes add up to a fantastic smartwatch… unless you have an Android phone, of course, but that’s not changing any time soon.

On the other hand, iPhone users probably think they know what to expect here, but before you dismiss the Series 10 as another version of the same old same, allow me to dig into some of the Apple Watch Series 10’s highlights that won me over.

Display space and design tweaks

Though admittedly still quite familiar looking, the Series 10 delivers the most substantial design overhaul we’ve seen in a few years. For one, the watch is available in two increased case sizes, introducing 42mm and 46mm measurements instead of Apple’s established 41mm and 45mm specs. The cases are also significantly thinner for a sleeker look that lies flatter against users’ wrists. With new metal backplates, the watches are now available in aluminum and lightweight titanium instead of stainless steel.

I tested the 46mm case size because, though I may have small appendages, I have a big heart for display space. The 46mm model delivers the largest screen on a Series device yet and technically the largest “active” display space (or area that can light up) of any Apple Watch yet, and that includes the super-sized Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2. Compared to the Series 9 and certainly compared to older devices like the Series 6, the increase is noticeable. The display even now curves slightly down the sides of the watch to maximize usable space. Meanwhile, as Apple’s first wide-angle OLED display, the screen is also brighter when viewed from an angle, making it easier to view on-screen data, especially during workouts.

Notably, I wear an Ultra 2 as my daily driver and the added display space of the Series 10 isn’t quite as impactful when comparing it to Apple’s rugged lineup. Instead, it simply makes the two lineups more interchangeable. I don’t feel like I’m downgrading when I swap on the Series 10. Meanwhile, I love the overall impression of the thinner, rounded device, which feels less chunky on my wrist and less like I need to head out on a backpacking adventure. The Watch 10’s all Jet Black finish is also a little more my speed than the Ultra line’s construction zone orange Action button.

As always, Apple also introduced new watch faces to customize the new device, and I’m a fan of those as well. The first added design is Flux, which features large numeric typography and floods with color to mark the passing of seconds. This second marker is notable as it is thanks to the updated refresh rate of the Series 10 that the animation is possible. The second new watch face is called Reflections and features a very classy fan-like design with a subtle glimmer that reacts to the movement of your wrist. It’s simple but effectively elegant, adding to my impression of the Series 10 as the Ultra’s upscale, yet more affordable, sibling.

Even faster charging specs

Unfortunately, Apple remains completely unphased by my continued pleas for better battery life. Like the generations before it, the Series 10 features the same 18-hour claim I’ve been typing into specs tables for years. With that said, the device easily outlasts these claims (as the watches often do) and, for me, has been landing beyond even the 24-hour mark before needing to charge up. Oddly, Reddit posters and other reviewers have reported much worse battery life experiences, so I either got a uniquely good unit (unlikely), updated appropriately, or am just very lucky (this would be a first).

I’ll continue to keep an eye on my battery life and the posts of others to see how the Series 10 fares going forward, but it’s a shame that the one sore spot of the Apple Watch experience hasn’t been addressed for another generation.

Meanwhile, the improved charging capabilities of the new series are not at all debatable. With a fast charging cable, the newest Apple Watch can now power up from zero to 100% in less than 50 minutes. During my testing, the device hit 27% in just ten minutes and 55% in twenty. By half an hour, the watch was at 82% charge. This is so conveniently quick, especially for anyone who forgets to plug in until just before bedtime.

Advanced health metrics

Like its predecessor, the Series 10 still tracks a broad range of health metrics and boasts reliable sensors for keeping tabs on your vitals. However, this year Apple also introduced FDA-approved sleep apnea detection with nightly monitoring and monthly reporting. I was able to enable the feature in the Apple Health app in less than a minute, allowing the watch to track my Breathing Disturbances each night while I sleep. While experiencing a few disturbances a night is common, so far, I have not had any elevated or concerning ones. For anyone wondering, waking up to a spooky part of your audiobook and then needing to watch Moo Deng videos to not have nightmares does not count as a sleep apnea-related disturbance.

After gathering data for 30 days, the watch will alert you if sleep apnea is detected and provide an exportable PDF report to bring to your medical team. Considering the growing prevalence of sleep apnea and the negative effects of the condition, this is certainly an exciting addition to Apple’s sleep-tracking suite. We saw Samsung launch the same feature earlier this year, indicating its value in the market.

Meanwhile, the new Vitals app is another added sleep-focused feature. The app summarizes your overnight metrics, including heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, and sleep duration, and analyzes how these data points trend over time. If you are outside the US, the app will also cover blood oxygen levels, but unfortunately, SpO2 monitoring is still disabled for US users due to a patent infringement case.

For the most part, the app simply monitors your core metrics and lets you know if your measurements are within your typical range. If the watch records any outliers, the Vitals app will let you know and encourage you to take a closer look at the relevant metric. From each data screen you can tap to access related apps, for example, navigating to more details in the sleep app or opening an on-demand heart rate reading. This is convenient and yet also cumbersome. I would have liked to see the app be more comprehensive in itself and offer more analysis.

A more refined workout companion

The Apple Watch Series 10’s fitness tracking refinements are a mix of “much needed” and “relatively niche.” Importantly, many of the updates introduced this year come to the lineup via watchOS 11 and will therefore be available on older models as well. Starting with perhaps the most famous rings besides the Olympic rings and the five golden Christmas ones, Apple’s activity rings are now finally customizable. Users can now pause activity rings to account for a rest or sick day or change goals ring by ring, day by day. For example, if you have an established habit of getting pancakes on Wednesdays and that requires a post-pancake nap, you can adjust your move goal for all Wednesdays to accommodate the needed downtime. You know, balanced, healthy choices.

For those taking fitness more seriously, Apple also delivered updates to the workout app. Starting with safety first, the company incorporated a useful check-in feature at the start and end of workouts. Additionally, the device tracks over 80 activity types and offers the ability to build custom workouts, with more options (ranging from skiing to soccer) now able to track distance. You can also customize your workout data pages, and now via watchOS 11, download offline maps and create routes to follow from the wrist without lugging your phone on runs and rides.

The process is very quick and easy. Once you download a map to your phone, you just tap Sync with Apple Watch. You can then either choose an existing walking route or create a new one, and you’ll be able to see the route on your watch as well as receive upcoming turn notifications. Though simple, this update makes the Series 10 a much better companion for outdoor workouts, especially trail running.

For such runners and other dedicated athletes, Apple also introduced Effort Rating and Training Load. The first is an effort ranking score based on your tracked heart rate, which you can confirm or adjust following each recorded workout, either immediately on the wrist or later in the Apple Fitness app. In practice, it feels a bit like you wrap a workout, and Apple immediately calls you out. Depending on whether you pushed it or not, you’ll receive a score ranging from “you did the bare minimum” to “looks like you visited the gates of hell for a brief spell,” but represented numerically 1-10, of course.

From there, Apple also calculates your Training Load by multiplying the workout’s duration by your Effort Rating. You can then view your Training Load trends over time and evaluate how your days, weeks, and months compare to your baseline. Unfortunately, you can’t access Training Load data until Apple learns your baseline by accumulating at least ten days of data. Overall, I wouldn’t call this feature underbaked, but it seems like it could easily be expanded to offer more detail in the future.

As always, accuracy is the biggest deal breaker when it comes to rating a device as a fitness companion, and here, the Series 10 delivers. The watch uses the same sensors as the Apple Watch Series 9, which I’ve found very reliable; however, it’s always possible that packaging, aka a redesigned watch case, can impact accuracy. Fortunately, that is not the case.

The heart rate graph above shows great alignment between the Series 10 and my Polar H10 chest strap during a particularly tough interval workout. The watch was able to nail peaks as well as major drops. This level of accuracy was consistent across multiple workout types, including runs, rides, rowing, yoga, and walks.

Likewise, GPS tracking is also highly reliable on the Series 10. The device easily kept up with Garmin’s top smartwatch, recording nearly identical routes and total distances. Even during the run above, which took place on an overcast evening, the device had no problem locking onto a GPS signal. It’s clear Apple has found its groove in terms of accuracy.

A better watch for beach bums

I mentioned Apple introduced some relatively niche updates related to activity, and those largely fit under the umbrella of pelagic usage. If you’re reading this review from a coffee shop in Des Moines, Iowa, your proximity to the ocean might make the addition of a depth gauge and Tides app feel rather like fluff. However, as someone who lives in the middle of the Pacific, I am all about the added features.

Starting with the new Tides app, I couldn’t be happier with this addition, and as it’s a software feature, it’s available to older watches via watchOS 11. When you open the app, it will show the tide levels of the nearest location. From my home, this is the bay where I frequently paddleboard. When tides are low on the bay, that means meticulous steering to avoid sensitive coral. When tides are high, that means a smoother ride with potential for a swim or snorkel session.

The Tides app displays levels cleanly and simply on a linear graph. Using the digital crown, I can scroll along the tidal graph to see what the levels will be at specific times over the next seven days, including high and low tides, rising and falling tides, tide height and direction, and sunrise and sunset, making activity planning significantly easier. I can also add other coastlines, beaches, and surf spots as favorites.

As mentioned, the Series 10 also adds a new depth gauge, which is certified for use in waters as deep as 6m. This means the tool is meant for snorkeling your way to visit some local clownfish, not for diving to find a dinglehopper in a shipwreck. The Depth app displays your current depth, dive time, and the water temperature. The last data point is unfortunate because I like to complain that I am freezing, and now my partner has proof that I’m just a baby. If you want to review your snorkel session in more of a workout format, you can use the partner Ocecanic app. Oddly, there is no snorkel activity type on the watch natively.

Apple Watch Series 10 review verdict: Better in every way, except one

I’m not a complete sucker for Apple products. I recognize that annual updates are rarely necessary and that often, a new series device isn’t going to Watch Series 9 owners away. Considering I was hoping for an anniversary-celebrating blowout overhaul this year, the Series 10 is a pretty modest upgrade. However, I’m really happy with this device and would absolutely recommend it to anyone who owns a Series 8 or earlier. Between the slimmer case and larger display, I love the on-wrist wear, and the faster charging keeps the device on my wrist even longer. GPS and heart rate tracking are fantastic, the new depth gauge has potential, and watchOS 11 delivers a ton of refinement, not all of which I even covered in this review.

The S10 chipset doesn’t deliver much that we didn’t get from the S9 besides background removal during voice calling, but I don’t personally rely on on-wrist phone calls; they’re uncomfortable for me and everyone involved, including the strangers nearby. Apple also didn’t solve its SpO2 litigation issues for US shoppers (that’s expected to change in 2028, but that’s a long way away). And perhaps most crucially for many, it also hasn’t addressed the one area that really holds the regular Apple Watch back: limited battery life. Faster charging is very welcome for much-needed top-ups, but we’re starting to see a lot of smartwatches hit the two-day mark as standard, but you’re still looking at 24 hours at most with Apple’s timepiece before it hits zero.

There is also the argument that a lot of the biggest updates have rolled back to older watches thanks to watchOS 11. These are all valid reasons to stick with or shop for a Series 9 ($392.67 at Amazon) if you can find it on sale. But if you’re currently making do with a Series 8 or even an older model like the Series 7 or Series 6, this might be the year to upgrade.

Of course, if there’s an Android phone in your pocket, I’m guessing you were reading my thoughts on the Watch Series 10 out of pure curiosity — the Apple Watch still won’t play nicely with your phone, no changes there. If you’re looking for an Apple Watch alternative for Android, I recommend the Pixel Watch 3 ($349.99 at Amazon), which, in my opinion, is currently the best Wear OS smartwatch available, especially in the larger size.

Samsung phone users should make their way to the Galaxy Watch line and pick up either the latest Galaxy Watch 7 ($299.99 at Amazon) or the new Galaxy Watch Ultra ($649.99 at Amazon). For the best fitness-tracking smartwatch, though, the honor still lies with Garmin’s Venu 3 ($449.99 at Amazon). Users will need to forgo prominent smart features like a robust third-party app library, but the workout analysis of Garmin’s ecosystem can’t be beat.