Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
AW Series 10 vs Ultra 2 (Upgrading from Series 7)
- Thread starter tombstone1881
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
For me personally I sold my series 7 and am upgrading to the s10 mostly for the looks. I also had an ultra that I liked but I prefer the overall appearance of the standard series
When I owned both I wore the ultra 90% of the time though, much better battery life and I will miss that for sure. But I think that’ll be the only thing. And with the new fast charging on the s10 I’m hoping that concern is mitigated
Feature wise they’re very similar now, so I think it comes down to which look you prefer mostly, and whether you are ok with charging your watch once a day.
When I owned both I wore the ultra 90% of the time though, much better battery life and I will miss that for sure. But I think that’ll be the only thing. And with the new fast charging on the s10 I’m hoping that concern is mitigated
Feature wise they’re very similar now, so I think it comes down to which look you prefer mostly, and whether you are ok with charging your watch once a day.
I’m not really a fan of the Ultra look over the series but for me it would be hard to go back to the shorter battery life.
I was happy with my pre-order for the Series 10, then I went in to the Apple Store at the weekend, to safely dispose of my smashed Series 3, which I had not been able to wipe. Whilst I was there I tried on an Ultra 2, and on the wrist it didn't feel anywhere near as big as I was expecting it to.
Now I have a bit of a quandary - the Ultra 2 would most likely suit my lifestyle more, as I am out on the MTB multiple times a week, and I am always nervous of the standard Apple Watch screen getting smashed (as happed to my Series 3). Now I just have to decide if it is worth the extra £270 to upgrade to the Ultra 2. To put it into context, that is more that the price of an Apple Watch SE...
Now I have a bit of a quandary - the Ultra 2 would most likely suit my lifestyle more, as I am out on the MTB multiple times a week, and I am always nervous of the standard Apple Watch screen getting smashed (as happed to my Series 3). Now I just have to decide if it is worth the extra £270 to upgrade to the Ultra 2. To put it into context, that is more that the price of an Apple Watch SE...
Last edited:
Seems like for your use case the ultra is the better fit. Of the titanium series 10. That sapphire crystal is really the difference maker, and if you’re out on trails the better battery life of the ultra is a bonus
I had a SS series 7 that I wore for all sorts of activities and the screen was scratch free when I sold it last week. The stainless steel body showed some minor signs of wear and light marks
DC Rainmaker has done a post/video focussing on the differences: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2024/09...ple-watch-series-10-detailed-differences.html
Personally, I'm happy with my decision to got Series 10.
Personally, I'm happy with my decision to got Series 10.
Still such a tough decision. Battery life to me is such a huge thing, but there’s really barely any other differences. I’ve literally had both of them in my cart for the last two days and it’s just so tough to decide if battery life and a few watch faces are really worth $300 more. Lol.
Battery life on my Ultra 2 is very good but I still only get about 30 hours and I always put it on the charger when I take it off. So while battery is noticeably better than the series watch, it doesn’t really make a difference in my day to day usage. It just ends the day with more battery but both go on the charger when I go to bed.
Probably not worth $300 difference but again will depend on your use case.
Looks like the Ultra 2 it is. My wife told me it would look better on me haha.
Last edited:
If I was going to go with the AW10 I'd want the Titanium w/Cellular, which would cost $749. I won't go with the Aluminum watches anymore, their screens scratch too easily - I had a scratch in my S8 screen almost immediately and have used a case on it ever since.
I like the look of the Ultra 2 in black and it has the sapphire screen, cellular, longer battery life and a couple of watch faces I want, so given the above, it's only costing me $50 more than an AW10 would. That made it a pretty easy decision for me.
It will probably make a difference if you want to use all the "bells and whistles" of the watches more often.
And it will definitely make a difference in 2 years, when battery health goes down. The Ultra will still last a full day even if you use it intensive, while the 10 will be empty earlier.
I have a series 7, and it barely lasts a full day if I use it a bit more intense, not even with workouts (battery health is 80%).
The second "downside" for me with the AW10 is the exposed screen glass. While it looks great with its curved edges, it is really exposed to smacks and scratches. Now even more than with my AW7. And my AW7 has quite some scratches on the glass, and the aluminum also has some wear and tear after 3 years.
The Ultra with its Titanium frame around the display and the saphire glass will be much more robust.
Great points. I’m in the same boat. With my Series 7, I’m afraid to even use it because the battery is that bad now. In 3 years, I’d be dealing with the same issues with the Series 10.
And yeah I have a lot of scratches on the screen due to my wrist just running into walls, haha.
You make valid points, but my watch is on the charger when it’s not on my wrist so I make it through a full day with plenty to spare (more on the Ultra, but not enough to leave the charger behind for days.)
I do extreme workouts with both watches. My SS is flawless and much lighter, but the titanium frame around my ultra has some light scratches (both screens are perfect). For my use case, durability is a non issue with the sapphire series watch.
I upgrade my watch every year so battery degradation is a non issue. I think if you keep 2+ years then that’s another valid reason for the Ultra.
Good luck and enjoy your watches.
I went from the AW8 (45 mm) to the Ultra 2 (OG) for the following reasons.
- Better battery life. I can get 1.5 days out of the 8, and ~ 3 days for the U2.
- "slightly" larger screen on the U2.
- Flat screen on the U2 instead of the curved screen on the 8 (Tired of having to replace screen protectors every 2 - 3 weeks or so because of protectors peeling).
- some features available on the U2 that I have not tried.
- it was $100 off at costco in store which means I have 90 days to try out the watch and can return it if I don't like it.
I thought of getting the AW10, but went to the U2 instead.
In terms of fit and feel, the U2 does feel bulkier than the AW8 and I am still getting used to the new strap design. Overall I am quite happy with it. I thought of spending the extra $100 for the black titanium color, but the original titanium matches my wedding ring color and I like the natural titanium color.
Good luck and enjoy your watch(es).
- Better battery life. I can get 1.5 days out of the 8, and ~ 3 days for the U2.
- "slightly" larger screen on the U2.
- Flat screen on the U2 instead of the curved screen on the 8 (Tired of having to replace screen protectors every 2 - 3 weeks or so because of protectors peeling).
- some features available on the U2 that I have not tried.
- it was $100 off at costco in store which means I have 90 days to try out the watch and can return it if I don't like it.
I thought of getting the AW10, but went to the U2 instead.
In terms of fit and feel, the U2 does feel bulkier than the AW8 and I am still getting used to the new strap design. Overall I am quite happy with it. I thought of spending the extra $100 for the black titanium color, but the original titanium matches my wedding ring color and I like the natural titanium color.
Good luck and enjoy your watch(es).
Really really happy with my decision to go with the Ultra 2 Black instead of the Series 10. I got the watch mid afternoon yesterday and I’m floored by the battery life. I wore the watch overnight and had it on since 3pm and my battery is at 79%! I’ll probably be able to make it all day and night without charging until tomorrow morning. That’s just insane.
Sorta sim. results here as I traded my AWU1 on a black AWU2 + the increased batt. life is always a plus.
I just upgraded my Apple Watch. I thought about the ultra, but I have small wrists and it’s too bulky and not as aesthetically pleasing to me as the series 10. So I went for the series 10 but I did step outside of my comfort zone this time and got the 46mm. I’ve has the Apple Watch since the series 0/Original and I always went with the smaller size.
Also brighter screen, dual band GPS, action button which I use as a flashlight, Double water resistance. I wear mine at night and like it dark when I sleep so it's useful when going to the bathroom at night. The black and regular Ultra should be the same price. I like the color of natural TI better.
You are right. It should be the same price but I think Costco was trying to sell off the natural Ti version in anticipation of the black Ti so they lowered the price by $100 compared to what Apple.ca was selling at that time so I picked one up.
I went from AW6 to AW9 and then AW 10. While I do wish the newer models still have the Oxygen sensor I've found both the 9 and 10 to feel just a bit zippier in the interface responsiveness. My battery life was no longer making it through the day in the 6, and that's what I've found most impressive in the 9 and 10. Granted, new battery vs. old isn't a great comparison, but so much better than the 6 as even when new.
All that said, though, there's no meaningful functional difference in my usage (step counting, running, tennis, walking, weather, reading texts, calendar alerts, nothing fancy). Had I not happened to find really good deals through Best Buy Open Box that allowed me to upgrade at minimal cost I wouldn't have had a compelling reason to pay full price to upgrade.
All that said, though, there's no meaningful functional difference in my usage (step counting, running, tennis, walking, weather, reading texts, calendar alerts, nothing fancy). Had I not happened to find really good deals through Best Buy Open Box that allowed me to upgrade at minimal cost I wouldn't have had a compelling reason to pay full price to upgrade.
I had this debate as well. Went from S7 to S9 and then deciding S10 vs U2. I ended up with S10 since the 46mm screen is similar size to UW2. The big kicker was my friend with U1 kept saying his sleeve on his shirt or jacket would constantly get caught with the thickness of UW.
That and the price difference (Costco and Amazon had $359) made the decision pretty easy. Been mostly happy- just wish Apple would settle the O2 sensor issue.
That and the price difference (Costco and Amazon had $359) made the decision pretty easy. Been mostly happy- just wish Apple would settle the O2 sensor issue.