These 5 changes stood out the most

The Apple Watch’s incremental year-over-year changes never convinced me to upgrade. But my Series 7’s dead battery and the new features Apple has added over time have changed my mind. Here are the changes I noticed the most after upgrading to Series 10.

1 Thinner and lighter design

Many expected the 10th generation Apple Watch to be a major overhaul like the iPhone and lightest chassis. In our Apple Watch Series 10 review, we really appreciated the new design.

The changes were immediately noticeable for someone like me who upgraded from the 7 Series. I switched from the 41mm aluminum 7 series to the 42mm aluminum 10 series. The Series 7 weighs 32 grams and is 10.7mm thick, while the Series 10 weighs just 30 grams and is 9.7mm thick. Despite a slightly larger case, the Series 10 is thinner and lighter.

This makes a noticeable difference in how the Apple Watch feels on your wrist. The Series 10 sits more flush, adding to its elegant aesthetic.

2 Improved display with better viewing angles

By changing the case design, Apple was also able to increase the display size. Apple says it has increased the screen area by nine percent compared to the Series 7, 8 and 9 models. If you’re using a Series 6 (and older) or Apple Watch SE model, you’ll experience a significant 30 percent increase in active screen area.

However, the real upgrade here isn’t the increased size. With a black dial it’s not entirely noticeable. The more useful change is the wide-angle OLED screen, which can reach up to 2,000 nits, providing much better visibility outdoors and brighter output at extreme viewing angles. This makes a big difference to the user experience, especially if you actively use the always-on display, which is one of many non-negotiable smartwatch features for me.

3 Charge in 30 minutes

With the Apple Watch Series 7, Apple improved the charging speed of its wearable for the first time, promising a charge from 0 to 80 percent in 45 minutes. With the Series 10, Apple is increasing the charging speed again and claims it can charge from 0 to 80 percent in just 30 minutes.

If you’re really short on time, a 15-minute charge will get you eight hours of normal daily use, and an eight-minute charge will get you eight hours of sleep tracking.

I measured the charge time on my Series 10 and found that it goes from 20% to 80% in 25 minutes and then trickles down to 100% in the next 25 minutes. Apple’s estimate seems realistic because batteries actually charge faster when they are fully discharged.

4 64GB onboard storage

The next change I really appreciate is the Series 10’s larger internal storage space. The new model ships with 64GB – twice as much storage as my Series 7 – for storing apps, photos, music and data.

Now I’ve switched from a mobile Apple Watch to a GPS-only model. This means I no longer have access to the internet when I’m not on my phone to stream music. So storing files on my watch is more important than ever. I also download songs in the highest quality available, so I really appreciate this change. And if you hike a lot, you can also save additional map data for immediate use.

5 More sensors and double tap gesture

The Apple Watch relies on a range of sensors to collect and share data. Since the Series 7, Apple has added even more sensors. Most notable are the high-G accelerometer, temperature sensors (skin and water), and depth gauge.

The high-G accelerometer unlocks crash detection, while the temperature sensor unlocks wrist temperature monitoring in the Vitals app – one of many new features in watchOS 11 that provides an overview of your overall health.

There’s also the Double Tap gesture – a way to interact with Apple Watch without touching the display – which makes navigating the interface and performing quick actions like answering calls easy. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what else I can do with it.

Despite all of this, the incremental upgrades Apple has added to the Apple Watch lineup over the course of three years are what make the Series 10 worth my money. If you’re not sure whether you want to upgrade from a Series 7 or even an older Apple Watch, this iteration brings significant changes that justify your purchase.