The Apple Watch Series 9 and Series 10 are the latest iterations in Apple’s smartwatch lineup, showcasing significant advancements in technology and design. The Series 10 offers notable upgrades over its predecessor, the Series 9, including a more compact and powerful S10 processor, a larger display with increased active screen area, and improved brightness.
Additionally, the Series 10 is available in slightly larger sizes, providing users with a more immersive viewing experience. These advancements make the Series 10 a compelling choice for those looking to upgrade from the Series 9, though both models continue to offer a robust set of features for fitness tracking, health monitoring, and connectivity
We have got you covered! Let me break it down for you; no fancy talk, just the good stuff. Here’s 21 things you gotta know and are going to dive deep into each one
Size matters:
Okay, so first things first, the Series 10 is bigger! We’re talking 42mm and 46mm now. Thats up from 41mm and 45mm on the Series 9. But get this, its not just taller; its wider too by 1mm. Now that might not sound like much, but on your wrist, it makes a difference.
The 46mm version? Its massive. Like seriously, its even bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra, which was already pretty chunky. If your thinking of upgrading from the Series 9 to the 10, I’d say hit up the Apple Store first and try them both on. The 46mm might be too much for some peeps, especially if you have smaller wrists.
Funny story I already ordered the 46mm but now Im kinda worried it might be too big. Might have to switch to the 42mm if it looks like Im wearing a computer on my arm!
Slimming down:
Now here’s where it gets interesting. Even though the Series 10 is bigger in some ways, its actually slimmer too. Were talking 10% thinner than the Series 9. That might not sound like a lot, but it actually makes the Series 10 the thinnest Apple Watch ever at just 9.7mm.
Why does this matter? Well, if you like me and sometimes wear shirts with tighter sleeves, this could be a game-changer. The current Apple Watch can be a bit too thick to slide under some sleeves comfortably. With the Series 10, that might not be a problem anymore.
Lightweight champion:
Alright, so its bigger but slimmer. What about weight? Good news! The Series 10 is about 6-7% lighter than the Series 9. That’s not going to make a huge difference, but every little bit helps, right?
Here’s a weird thing, though: Apple says the GPS+Cellular version is lighter than the GPS-only version. That doesn’t make sense, right? The cellular version should be heavier because it has more stuff inside. Probably just a typo on Apple’s part, but who knows, maybe they figured out some crazy new tech!
Fancy new materials:
Say goodbye to stainless steel, because the Series 10 is all about that titanium life now! The titanium version is 20% lighter than the old stainless steel, and get this, it still looks polished and shiny. So you get that premium look without the extra weight. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me.
Now if your a fan of the dark side like me, there’s some good news and bad news. The black titanium version (they’re calling it “Slate”) is more of a gray now than a true black. But don’t worry, because there’s a new polished black aluminum version called “Jet Black.”. Its the same name they used for that super shiny iPhone 7 back in the day. Im thinking this might be the one I go for because I loved my Space Black Series 5.
Goodbye red ring:
Remember that little red ring on the crown of the cellular models? Well its gone! Poof! Disappeared! Now all the watches look super clean and sleek with a color-matched ring. Its a small change but I think it makes a big difference in how premium the watch looks.
Speaker glow-up:
Okay this ones a bit weird. The speaker grill has changed from one big grill to a bunch of tiny holes. It kinda reminds me of the original iPhone speaker. Looks cool right? But heres the thing the Apple Watch is supposed to be this rugged device you can take hiking to the beach maybe even snorkeling. Im worried that sand and dirt are gonna get stuck in those tiny holes and be a pain to clean out.
But theres some good news too! The speaker can now play music podcasts or whatever without needing AirPods. Now to be honest this is probably just a software thing that Apple could have done on the older models. After all you could already take FaceTime calls on the watch and the speaker was plenty loud. But you know how Apple is always gotta have a reason for people to upgrade right?
Better calls:
Speaking of calls the Series 10’s got this new voice isolation feature. Basically it should be able to cut out background noise more effectively when youre on a call. So if youre trying to chat in a noisy place the person on the other end should be able to hear you better. Pretty neat!
Bigger brighter screen:
Alright screen time! The 46mm Series 10 has got the biggest display of any Apple Watch yet. Its even slightly bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra which is saying something. Now heres a funny thing the bezels (thats the black border around the screen) are actually thicker than on the Series 9. But the case borders are smaller so when you look at it from the top it should still look just as sleek.
Thanks to this bigger display you can see one more line of text now. Not a huge deal but hey every little bit helps right? Oh and get this when you look at the screen from an angle itll be 40% brighter than the Series 9. Straight on its the same brightness but off-angle? Way better.
Always-on display upgrade:
This ones pretty cool. You know how the always-on display on the Series 9 only updates every minute? Well the Series 10 updates every second. That means you can see the seconds hand ticking all the time just like a real watch. Samsung did this way back with the Gear S3 but its pretty rare to see nowadays. I think itll make the watch feel a lot more alive.
New watch faces:
With that new always-on display we’re getting two new watch faces. First up is “Flux”. It fills the screen with color every second which sounds pretty trippy. Then theres “Reflections” which is my favorite. It’s got this beautiful shine that reflects light based on how you move your wrist. Both of these are exclusive to the Series 10 for now cause they need that new display.
Depth sensor:
Heres a surprise the Series 10 can measure water depth now! This used to be an Apple Watch Ultra feature but now its on the regular model too. Theres a catch though it only works down to 6 meters. The Ultra can go down to 40 meters. So the Series 10 is more for snorkeling than serious diving.
Water temp sensor:
Along with that depth sensor you get a water temperature sensor too. Again this used to be an Ultra-only feature. It works with the depth app so you can see how cold that water is when youre swimming or snorkeling. Pretty handy if youre into water sports!
Tide info:
Theres a new app for high and low tide times. This ones actually not just for the Series 10 itll work on any Apple Watch from the Series 6 onwards. So if youre a beach bum or a surfer this could be pretty useful.
Sleep apnea detection:
This is a big one. The Series 10 can now detect signs of sleep apnea. Thats a condition where your breathing stops and starts while youre sleeping. It can be pretty serious so having your watch warn you about it is a big deal. Heres the thing though this feature is coming to the Series 9 too. So if this is the main reason youd upgrade you might not need to.
Oxygen level drama:
Okay, so there’s some weird legal stuff going on with the blood oxygen sensor. Right now, if you buy a Series 10 in the US, it won’t measure blood oxygen levels. This is because of some patent dispute Apple is dealing with. If you live outside the US, you’re fine; its just a US thing. And if you already have a Series 9 or older watch with this feature, it’ll keep working. Just new watches sold after January 2024 in the US are affected.
Chip chat:
Apple’s calling the chip in the Series 10 the S10. Sounds new, right? Well, here’s the thing: its basically the same as the S9 chip in the Series 9. They just slapped a new name on it. So if youre hoping for a big performance boost, you might be disappointed.
Battery life:
Alright, let’s talk juice. The Series 10 is still rated for 18 hours of use, just like the Series 9. No big improvements here. I was kind of hoping for better battery life, but I guess I’ll have to wait for the Series 11 for that.
Super-fast charging:
Now this is where things get exciting! The Series 10 charges way faster than the Series 9. You can go from 0 to 80% in just 30 minutes! Even better if youre in a hurry, you can get 8 hours of use from just 15 minutes of charging. And if you just want to track your sleep? 8 minutes on the charger will give you 8 hours of sleep tracking.
This is huge because it changes how you can use the watch. With my Series 7, I can charge it while I shower and have enough battery for the whole day. With the Series 10, you could probably just charge it while you eat breakfast and be good to go.
Bigger,Colors:
We talked about the new materials earlier, but let’s dive into the colors a bit more. That new “Slate” titanium is more of a gray than a true black. If youre after a really dark watch, the “Jet Black” aluminum might be your best bet. Its supposed to be super shiny and dark, just like that iPhone 7 from way back.
Display durability:
Here’s something to think about: only the titanium models get the super tough sapphire crystal glass. The aluminum models, including that sweet Jet Black one, have the regular glass. It should still be pretty tough, but it might scratch easier than the sapphire. Something to keep in mind if youre rough on your watch.
Price:
Last but not least, the price! Good news here: the starting price for the Series 10 is the same as the Series 9. Of course, if you go for the fancy titanium model or add cellular, you’ll be paying more, but the base model won’t cost you extra compared to last year.
So what’s the verdict?
Is it worth upgrading from the Series 9 to the Series 10? Honestly, it depends on what you care about. If youre all about that bigger screen and faster charging, the Series 10 might be worth it. The new design is pretty slick too. But if youre happy with your Series 9, youre not missing out on any huge must-have features.
For me, that fast charging is really tempting. Being able to top up the battery so quickly could change how I use the watch day-to-day. And I gotta admit, I’m curious about that new Jet Black color. But I’m also a bit worried about how big the 46mm version might be on my wrist.
If youre on the fence, I’d say go to an Apple Store and try them both on. See how they feel on your wrist. The Series 10 might look great in pictures, but its all about how it feels when you’re actually wearing it.
Oh, and don’t forget, if you do decide to upgrade your old watch, it still has value! You can trade it in to Apple or sell it online to offset the cost of the new one. Just make sure you wipe all your data off it first!
So what do you think? Are you Team Series 10, or are you sticking with your trusty Series 9? Let me know in the comments! And hey, if you end up getting one, come back and tell me what you think. I’m always curious to hear real-world experiences.
Alright, that’s all I got for now. I hope this helped you make sense of all the changes between the Series 9 and Series 10. If you have any more questions, just hit me up! And don’t forget to like and subscribe if you want more Apple Watch content. Peace out!