Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Watch Ultra 2: spec comparison

Earlier this week, during Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event, the tech giant introduced the new Apple Watch Series 10 and a new look for the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The smartwatches start at $399 and $799, according to respectively, and both are available for preorder ahead of time. of their upcoming release on Friday, September 20th.

The new Series 10 is both larger and slimmer than its predecessor, and the Ultra 2 and Series 10 now have a glossy black color. This is the first time Apple has offered the Ultra in a second shade, but it’s not the only change Apple has announced for the watch. Both watches will offer new capabilities, including notifications for sleep apnea (pending FDA approval), a disorder that causes people to stop breathing during sleep. You can also use their built-in speakers to play music and podcasts, as opposed to just using them as a speakerphone for calls.

We haven’t published our review of the Series 10 yet, but we can confirm that the larger display makes a difference. But is it enough to warrant an upgrade or the extra cash on the Series 9? To help you decide, we’ve highlighted the key differences between the Series 10, Ultra 2, and other Apple Watch models — including the second-gen Apple Watch SE and last-gen Series 9. Rounded up We also have all the raw specs in a chart at the end, so you can dive deeper if you want.

Understandably, each wearable varies greatly in price. The budget-friendly Apple Watch Series SE starts at $249 for the 40mm model with GPS or $299 with cellular connectivity. In comparison, the Apple Watch Series 10 starts at $399 with GPS, and you’ll have to pay $100 more for cellular connectivity. At $799, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the most expensive in the lineup and does not include an entry-level GPS configuration.

With the exception of the Ultra 2, which is the largest wearable in the lineup at 49mm, all wearables also come in two sizes. The Series 10 is available in 42mm and 46mm configurations, which are slightly larger than the Series 9’s (41mm, 45mm) and SE’s (40mm, 44m). Larger sizes also cost slightly more than their smaller counterparts; the 46mm Series 10 costs $50 more, while the 44m SE runs $30 more.

That said, you can almost always find the Apple Watch SE, Ultra 2, and Series 9 for less than their original MSRP. Right now, for example, the Series 9 is on sale for $299 ($100 off) on Amazon, while the original Ultra 2 is down to $689 ($110 off). We probably won’t see any significant deals on the Series 10 anytime soon, though, since it’s a new model.

All wearables are water resistant up to 50 meters and are IP6X rated for dust resistance. However, the Ultra 2 offers improved durability, with water resistance up to 100 meters. It’s also certified to MIL-STD-810H US military standards for durability, which means it’s built to withstand extreme heat, cold, moisture, and drops from as high as four feet.

Because it’s designed for athletes, the Ultra 2 also has a few extra hardware features — including an Action Button that you can customize for different activities. The wearable sports three microphones and a pair of speakers, as well, plus an 86dB siren with a range of up to 600 feet in case you get into trouble. And, like the Apple Watch Series 10, the watch’s built-in speakers will soon be able to play music and podcasts.

All smartwatches offer OLED screens, with the display on the Apple Watch Series 10 being the widest, followed by the screen on the Ultra 2. Each wearable also features an always-on display, except for the Apple Watch SE. In terms of brightness, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 can reach a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits, making it brighter than the Series 10 (2,000 nits), Series 9 (2,000 nits), and SE (1,000 nits.) Only the Apple Watch Series 10 offers a wide-angle display, however. Apple says this allows the pixels to emit more light at a wider angle, thus improving brightness when viewed from the side.

Whichever wearable you choose, you’ll get features like heart rate monitoring, ECG, and fall detection. You also get other non-health-related features, including crash detection, emergency calling, Fitness Plus, Apple Pay, and Family Setup. Plus, all wearables will support watchOS 11 when it’s released, so you can take advantage of features like Training Load measurement and the ability to pause your Activity Rings.

However, the most significant difference between the models is that the SE lacks a temperature and EGG sensor. The SE also won’t support the sleep apnea feature if it ever gets FDA approval. Available only on the Series 10, Series 9, and Ultra 2, the wearables use an accelerometer to track your sleep and send alerts if it detects the condition. They can also make detailed reports for your doctor to give you an official diagnosis.

Finally, compared to the Series 9 and SE, the Apple Watch Series 10 and Ultra 2 offer more features for swimmers. Both sport built-in water temperature and depth sensors that let snorkelers and divers know how deep they are, for example. That said, the Ultra 2 can measure to a depth of 40 meters compared to the Series 10, which is limited to six meters.

The upcoming Series 10 runs on Apple’s new S10 SiP (System in Package), while the Ultra 2 runs on the last-gen S9 chip, both of which enable features not possible on the Apple Watch SE. This includes support for Apple’s newer double tap gesture, as well as on-device Siri processing. The SE is also the only wearable that lacks Apple’s second-gen ultrawide band chip, meaning you can’t use Apple’s Precision Finding feature to find newer iPhone models.

That’s just an overview of how each model compares to the other, but there are other differences. If you want to explore how the wearables differ in more detail, check out the raw specs in the table below.