Apple Watch Series 10 review roundup: Iterative update, but slim design with big display is like an Ultra Lite

The first Apple Watch Series 10 reviews are out, and those who got early access to the device seem generally impressed, despite seeing it as an iterative update.

Highlighted features include the slimmer design making a bigger difference than you might expect, new gloss black finish, large display, faster charging, new speaker capabilities, and a microphone with voice isolation …

9to5Mac

Our own Zac Hall said that in some ways the new model is like an Ultra Lite, and while it doesn’t offer the doubled battery life, fast charging means it can be worn day and night.

The Series line has picked up a few things from the Ultra line. Apple Watch displays have grown over the years. We’re at the point now where the smaller Series 10 is the same size as the larger Series 3. It must be an appetite for a larger display that made the larger Series 10 compete with Apple Watch Ultra.

Apple surely has data that shows some Ultra customers placing more importance on screen size than extreme sports capabilities. The larger Apple Watch Series 10 is the result.

In some ways, Apple Watch Series 10 is the Ultra for the rest of us, and that’s rad. I am fond of the Ultra as an endurance watch. However, the Series line is unmatched when it comes to being an attractive object you wear. That’s even more true now with the Series 10 design.  

Series 10 can also charge enough to track sleep after just eight minutes of charging.

Wired

Wired’s Adrienne So loves the new display, faster charging, though is frustrated by the lack of blood oxygen sensor.

The most unbelievable thing about the Series 10 is that the display on the 46-millimeter model is actually bigger than the display on the 49-mm Watch Ultra 2. This trickery is accomplished through the miracle of geometry. The watch case has curved edges and the display extends down the sides, while the Watch Ultra 2 has a flat display and a titanium case that protects the corners from bumps and bangs […]

Two other significant improvements are faster charging and a better speaker in the watch. I am now going to drop my major tip, which is that if you have a fast-charging Apple Watch and a fast charger plugged into the socket in your bathroom, you can fully charge your watch every morning in the time it takes you to shower, brush your teeth, and dress, which is about 20 minutes for me […]

It’s really bad news that there is no blood oxygen sensing on the Series 10, and no word on when or if it will come back. This is ridiculous, as every single other fitness tracker on God’s green earth now has this feature.

Engadget

Engadget’s Cherlynn Low echoed the bloody oxygen complaint, and says the improvements are iterative, but also appreciates the slimmer and lighter form factor.

Those using an older model should be aware that upgrading to a newer Apple Watch would cost them access to the blood oxygen detection features. The company has yet to bring back the Blood Oxygen app that it removed from the Series 9 and Ultra 2 that it sells in the US […]

It may sound underwhelming compared to the seemingly futuristic features we were seeing in the Apple Watch’s early days, but the Series 10 is just following in the footsteps of the iPhone. It’s a mature product that’s traded massive annual overhauls for iterative updates that add up over time. For a smartwatch that has consistently been called the best in its class, the Series 10 largely continues that tradition […]

Compared to the Series 9, the latest Apple Watch is ever so slightly bigger and noticeably thinner and lighter. It’s not such a great difference that you’ll notice without having the two side by side, but every time I pick up the Series 10 I definitely feel a tiny spark of joy.

The Verge

The Verge’s Victoria Song also felt it was an iterative update, but says Apple made solid choices, and has created “a more wearable Ultra.”

The Apple Watch Series 10 is another steady, incremental refinement in a long line of steady, incremental refinements. But not all iterative updates are created equal. With the Series 10, it feels like Apple set out to answer one question: how do we get the biggest display possible without sacrificing comfort and battery life? 

The bottom line is the Series 10 is a sleeker, more wearable Ultra. It lacks sportier features like dual-frequency GPS, the Action Button, and an 80db siren. The Ultra also has better battery life. But I can’t emphasize enough how many people prize screen size and wearability over bells and whistles — particularly folks who are more casual athletes or fashion-conscious. When you factor in that the new titanium version with sapphire glass is $699 – a whole $100 less than the Ultra? I can easily see plenty of folks trading in their Ultras for a titanium Series 10.

GQ

GQ’s Robert Leedham says that it may not be a big anniversary product, but the big screen, polished titanium finish, and sleep apnea detection add up to a worthwhile upgrade.

There’s no super-luxe special edition to mark the occasion. Thanks to a cavalcade of small but significant upgrades, it still represents a genuine step change for the wearable. This year the Watch feels better than ever to actually wear […]

Although Apple hasn’t mentioned this much, it’s worth noting that the Series 10 is also its lightest model in seven years. You have to go all the way back to the considerably smaller Series 3 to find a Watch that’ll sit with such ease on your wrist, and that’s more or less true whether you opt for an aluminium or polished titanium model.

Image: 9to5Mac composite of images from Apple and Dave Hoefler on Unsplash