Apple Watch Series 10 vs Series 8: Should you upgrade?

In light of the recently launched Apple Watch Series 10, the Apple Watch Series 8 is now two generations old, but does that mean you should put it out to pasture? Apple’s latest flagship smartwatch upgrades the line’s go-to design with slightly larger case and screen sizes and an upgraded display type. Meanwhile, watchOS 11 packs key improvements that both Series 8 and Series 10 owners call all access. However, the older model’s aging chipset holds it back from certain perks. To find out if it’s worth upgrading, dig into this Apple Watch Series 10 vs Series 8 comparison.

Apple Watch Series 10 vs Apple Watch Series 8: Design, size comparison, and colors

In terms of basic shape and styling, Apple doesn’t venture too far from its established formula. Both the Series 10 and Series 8 feature rounded square watch cases, interchangeable bands, a back button, a Digital Crown, and a colorful display. However, this launch season, the company beefed up its design with a 1mm size bump on both models. While the Series 8 is available in 41mm and 46mm cases, the Series 10 landed with 42mm and 46mm options. The builds are also lighter, slimmer, and available in aluminum or titanium, (rather than aluminum or stainless steel).

As far as colorways, the Series 10 does feel scaled back to the basics. In aluminum, the device is available in Rose Gold, Silver, or a new Jet Black. Titanium Series 10 models are available in polished Gold, Slate, or Natural finishes. Aluminum models of the Series 8 are available in Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and Product Red. Stainless steel Series 8 models can be found in Graphite, Silver, or Gold. In other words, neither line offers a broad range of fun colors but all the options are attractive.

The Apple Watch Series 10 features larger case and screen sizes as well as upgraded wide-angle displays.

Aside from their larger case sizes, Series 10 models also feature new wide-angled OLED displays that are up to 40% brighter when viewed from an angle. The displays are also slightly larger than those of the Series 8, with a wider aspect ratio and more rounded corners.

Finally, Series 10 watches also offer a redesigned charging coil to provide users with faster charging speeds. Once on the charger, the devices will reach 80% battery in just 30 minutes, roughly 15 minutes faster than the Series 8’s charging specs.

Apple Watch Series 10 vs Apple Watch Series 8: Features

Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority

Regarding features, the most important difference between the Series 8 and Series 10 is the latter’s upgraded S10 chipset. Like the S9 found on the Series 9, the S10 equips a powerful neural engine that supports features like onboard Siri processing and Double Tap gesture control, which allows users to complete simple tasks on-device single-handedly. The Series 10 also brings back the same ultra-wideband chip introduced on the Series 9, which provides more precision within Apple’s Find My Phone features.

New to the scene is sleep apnea detection which debuts on the Series 10 and will roll back to the Series 9 as well, but will not hit Series 8 devices. The Series 10 also boasts a water temperature sensor and depth gauge to support Apple’s Depth app as well as a new Tides app. This is a bit of a niche upgrade, but it does further differentiate the latest generation from previous ones.

The Series 10's powerful chipset supports significant features that won't make their way to the Series 8 via future software updates.

Meanwhile, both Series 8 and Series 10 users can access all the new upgrades headed to wrists via watchOS 11, including tweaks to Smart Stacks and updates to photo watch faces. The new software also introduces an extensive Translate app, a helpful new Vitals app, and greater customization related to Apple’s famous activity rings. For those looking for a gym companion, Apple also introduced Training Load, a new metric intended to help users better balance their training efforts.

Beyond these examples, the two generations share similar core experiences. Each boasts highly accurate health and fitness tracking sensors, a robust smartwatch toolkit, and unmatched third-party app support. They also both offer 18-hour battery life claims, though we find Apple Watches often exceed those claims. Both also pack safety features, music storage, and on-wrist phone call support. Notably though, unlike the Series 8, the Series 10 allows users to play music and media via its built-in speaker.

Apple Watch Series 10 vs Apple Watch Series 8: Price and availability

True to form, the Apple Watch Series 10 launched at a starting price of $399. Opting for a 46mm model over the 42mm runs shoppers an extra $30. It then costs another $100 for a cellular model rather than a GPS one. These starting prices apply to the aluminum builds. The Series 10’s new titanium options start at $699. The Series 10 is now available for preorder, and will officially hit shelves starting September 20.

Current pricing for the Apple Watch Series 8 is a little harder to nail down. Though the devices originally launched at traditional prices, they can now be found a various price reductions thanks to the existence of the Series 9 and Series 10. We expect these prices to drop even further as the Series 10 officially hits general availability. Shoppers can grab a great deal on Series 8 from third-party retailers like Amazon.

Apple Watch Series 10 vs Apple Watch Series 8: Should you upgrade?

The Apple Watch Series 10 isn’t a huge upgrade compared to its predecessor, but it does stand out a bit more when compared to two generations ago. The difference in processing power between the Series 8 and Series 10 means that some features simply can’t be supported on the older devices. It’s never fun to upgrade a device after just two years, but fortunately, Apple also offers users some useful design tweaks for their trouble, including a larger more impressive display. It’s also likely we will see more use cases for the S10 chip.

With that said, the Series 8 is still a very capable smartwatch and none of the 10’s new tools are necessarily deal breakers. If you don’t have sleep apnea concerns, and you aren’t hankering for Double Tap or a depth gauge, you can probably stick with your current device. The Series 8 packs a display that is plenty big and updating to watchOS 11 will already feel like an upgrade.

Apple Watch Series 10 vs Apple Watch Series 8: FAQ