Apple Watch 10 vs Ultra 2: which is the best smartwatch?
Apple Watch 10 vs Ultra 2: which is the best smartwatch?
Trouble deciding between the Apple Watch Series 10 and Ultra 2? Yeah, same here
⌚ The Apple Watch Series 10 is flashy, fast, and perfect for health tracking
🪨 The Ultra 2 is still the longest-lasting Apple Watch to date
💲 They vary greatly in pricing
🛍️ Which one should you buy?
Deciding between the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the Apple Watch Series 10 is hard – even for me, and I have both of them on my desk.
Apple announced the Watch Series 10 at its iPhone 16 Pro launch event, complete with a thinner design (which we praised in our hands-on review) and a display that’s 3% bigger than the Ultra 2’s. It picked up many of the Ultra’s features like the Dive app, a water temperature sensor, Sleep Apnea detection, and the same long list of fitness features. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 never appeared; instead, Apple painted the Watch Ultra 2 Satin Black and called it a day. Now, the Ultra 2 is still powerful enough for 2024 and beyond. But it was a peculiar decision nonetheless.
At $399 and $799, respectively, the Series 10 and Ultra 2 share more in common than you’d think, making deciding between them a tough choice. I’ve been thinking about it a lot and after using them side-by-side, I’ve found a few key reasons why you’d choose one over the other.
Buy the Apple Watch Series 10 if…
⌚ You want the thinnest, sleekest, and flashiest Apple Watch ever. There’s no denying that the Apple Watch Series 10 is the best-looking Apple Watch yet. It shares the same rectangular shape and aluminum build as Apple Watches before it, but it’s much thinner than before and noticeably lighter. The Jet Black finish that’s all the rage looks incredible, and you still have Rose Gold and Silver they’re more your vibe.
I had the Apple Watch Series 8 for a while before upgrading to the Ultra 2, and the Series 10 is the most comfortable to wear out of the three. I spoke with our editor-in-chief Matt Swider and he mentioned how he enjoys wearing it for sleep tracking.
This is the Apple Watch to get if you want something fashionable to wear every day. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Apple Watch Ultra 2 because of the way it looks, but it’s impractical to wear to anything fancier than a cocktail bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. With the Series 10, you can wear it anywhere, and it won’t look out of place. Plus, it looks absolutely gorgeous.
⚡ You want the fastest performance and charging speed. The Series 10 comes with a matching S10 chip that’s technically faster than the Ultra 2’s S9 chip from last year. A new chip means faster performance, and at least on paper, that’s what you get.
In real-world usage, the difference is negligible. I find that the Series 10 and Ultra 2 generally perform as quickly as the other , but it’s important to note that the newer chip will be supported for longer than the older one, so there’s a chance the Series 10 could get watchOS 17 or 18 while the Ultra 2 remains a generation behind.
The Series 10’s charging speed is also reliably faster than it is on the Ultra 2. Apple claims the Ultra can go from zero to 80% in about an hour, while the Series 10 can do the same in a half hour. Of course, the Ultra comes with a physically larger battery, but it’s still impressive how fast the Series 10 can fuel up. The best part? Apple’s numbers are spot on: it takes almost no time to recharge this watch, which is a huge upgrade for anyone who uses their watch all day and needs it for sleep tracking at night.
🤏 You have a smaller wrist. Folks with smaller wrists or who prefer a smaller watch will only want to consider the Apple Watch Series 10. Not only is the 46mm model much slimmer and easier to wear than the Ultra 2, but there’s also a second 42mm size that’s perfect for those whose carpus is particularly compact.
If you buy the Ultra 2, you have to deal with its huge 49mm titanium case. That’s obviously not a problem for some people, but if you’re on the fence about wearing such a huge watch every day, you’ll be better off with a Series 10 strapped to your wrist.
💰 You don’t want to spend $800+ on an Apple Watch. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 starts at $799, which is a high barrier to entry just for an Apple Watch. If you want to spend half of that, go for the Series 10. It starts at $399 for the 42mm and $499 if you want LTE, while the 46mm is $429 and $529 for LTE. Those prices are much easier to swallow than outright spending $800, and you’ll get 95%of the same features.
Buy the Apple Watch Ultra 2 if…
🔋 You want two-day battery life. This is the single biggest reason to buy the Apple Watch Ultra 2 instead of the Series 10. While the Series 10 can last you a full day on a charge, it’s the Ultra 2 that can last two full days before needing to juice up. That’s been the case since the Ultra originally debuted in 2022, and it’s the biggest perk of owning the Ultra 2 by a landslide.
I know plenty of people who hate the size of the Ultra 2, how it looks, and how much money it costs to get it. But they choose it over any other Apple Watch because of the battery life, and I think that says something to how life-changing having a multi-day smartwatch can be.
🪨 You want a tougher design that’s ready for adventure. While the Series 10 can take a beating on its own, it’s the Apple Watch Ultra 2 you should buy if you plan on doing anything extreme. The watch is built to last with a reinforced titanium structure that encloses the Digital Crown to make it easier to use with gloves. The sapphire crystal display is one of the strongest Apple has ever shipped, and the entire design has passed numerous drop and durability tests to ensure it remains strong out in the field.
For water sports fanatics, the Ultra 2 comes with WR100 water resistance and is certified to EN13319, a widely-known standard for diving accessories, making it ideal for strapping to your wrist before your descent. The Ultra 2’s display is also more powerful than the Series 10’s. It can reach a max brightness of 3,000 nits opposed to the Series 10’s 2,000 nits and has a special glowing-red night mode to make reading text easier in the dark.
The Series 10 is fine for casual adventures, but for those who think a Garmin or G-Shock would benefit them, the Ultra 2 is the clear choice.
🟠 The Action button is too enticing. I’ve met a lot of people who are hooked on the Ultra 2 because of the Action button, and I don’t blame them. The orange pill-shaped key on the left side of the watch can be programmed to do whatever you want, whether it be open a workout, begin tracking your trail, begin a dive, trigger a Shortcut, record a voice memo, and more. With watchOS 11, you can also press and hold the Action button to switch which action it’s assigned to.
It’s one of the most convenient features on the Ultra 2 by a long shot, and the Series 10 simply doesn’t have it. If you buy the Ultra 2, you’ll get to enjoy this perk that has convinced many people to never go back to a normal Apple Watch.
🛟 You value safety features. The Ultra 2’s safety features are basically identical to the Series 10’s between thighs like fall detection, Emergency SOS, and crash detection. But there’s one feature that’s excclusive to the Ultra 2: a siren. It plays on a loop and travels up to 600 feet away, so you can get the attention of someone when you’re out in the wilderness or other places you’ve never been to request help. You won’t be using it all the time, but the peace of mind of having access to the life-saving feature could be worth it for some.
Where to buy the Apple Watch Series 10
The Apple Watch Series 10 is available from Apple’s website and a variety of retailers. It starts at $399.
Where to buy the Apple Watch Ultra 2
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is available through Apple’s website and a variety of retailers. It costs $799.