Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Watch Ultra 2: Specs Comparison

Earlier this week, during Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event, the tech giant unveiled new looks for the new Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. USD, both are available for pre-order for their upcoming release on Friday, September 20th.

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

We haven’t published a review of the Series 10 yet, but we can confirm that the larger display does make a difference. But is it enough to warrant an upgrade or extra cash for 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-generation Apple Watch SE and the previous-generation Series 9. The specifications are listed in so you can dig deeper if you wish.

Understandably, the price of each wearable device varies widely. The affordable Apple Watch Series SE starts at $249 for the 40mm model with GPS and $299 with cellular connectivity. By comparison, the Apple Watch Series 10 with GPS starts at $399, and you’ll pay $100 more for cellular connectivity. At $799, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the most expensive model in the series and doesn’t include entry-level GPS configuration.

All wearables also come in two sizes, except for the Ultra 2, which is the largest wearable in the series (49mm). The Series 10 is available in 42mm and 46mm configurations, which is slightly larger than the Series 9 (41mm, 45mm) and SE (40mm, 44m). The larger sizes are also slightly more expensive than the smaller sizes. The 46mm Series 10 costs $50 more, while the 44m SE costs $30 more.

That being said, you can almost always find the Apple Watch SE, Ultra 2, and Series 9 for well below the original MSRP. For example, the Series 9 is currently selling for $299 on Amazon (a $100 discount), while the original Ultra 2 is only $689 (a $110 discount). However, given that the Series 10 is a new model, we probably won’t see any major deals on it anytime soon.

All wearables are waterproof up to 50 meters and have an IP6X dust-proof rating. However, Ultra 2 offers enhanced durability and is water-resistant to 100 meters. It’s also certified for durability to MIL-STD-810H U.S. military standards, which means it can withstand extreme heat, cold, moisture, and drops from up to four feet.

Since the Ultra 2 is designed for athletes, it also comes with some additional hardware features, including action buttons that you can customize for various activities. The wearable also comes with three microphones and a pair of speakers, as well as an 86dB siren with a range of up to 600 feet if you get into trouble. And, just like the Apple Watch Series 10, the watch’s built-in speakers will soon be able to play music and podcasts.

All smartwatches are equipped with OLED screens, with the display on the Apple Watch Series 10 being the most spacious, followed by the screen on the Ultra 2. In terms of brightness, the peak brightness of Apple Watch Ultra 2 can reach 3,000 nits, which is brighter than Series 10 (2,000 nits), Series 9 (2,000 nits) and SE (1,000 nits). Apple says this allows the pixels to emit more light at a wider angle, improving brightness when viewed from the side.

No matter which wearable you choose, you’ll get features like heart rate monitoring, EKG, and fall detection. You also get other non-health-related features, including collision detection, emergency calling, Fitness Plus, Apple Pay, and Family Settings. Additionally, all wearables will support watchOS 11 at launch, so you’ll be able to take advantage of features like training load measurement and pause activity loops.

However, the most notable difference between these models is the SE’s lack of temperature and EGG sensors. If approved by the FDA, the SE will not support sleep apnea functionality. Available only on the Series 10, Series 9, and Ultra 2, these wearables use an accelerometer to monitor your sleep and send alerts when sleep conditions are detected. They can also provide your doctor with a detailed report to provide you with a formal diagnosis.

Finally, the Apple Watch Series 10 and Ultra 2 offer swimmers more features than the Series 9 and SE. For example, both have built-in water temperature and depth sensors that let snorkelers and divers know their depth. Having said that, the Ultra 2 can measure up to 40 meters deep, while the Series 10 is limited to 6 meters.

The upcoming Series 10 runs on Apple’s new S10 SiP (system-in-package), while the Ultra 2 runs on the latest generation S9 chip, both of which support features not available on the Apple Watch SE. These include support for Apple’s newer double-tap gesture, as well as on-device Siri handling. The SE is also the only wearable to lack Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, which means you can’t use Apple’s Pinpoint feature to locate newer iPhone models.

This is just an overview of how each model compares to the others, but there are other differences. If you want a more detailed look at how the wearables differ, check out the raw specs in the table below.