## Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Series 7: Is the Upgrade Worth It?
Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 7 in 2021, marking a significant design departure from previous models. This design language was carried over to the Series 8 and Series 9, but the real game-changer arrived with the Apple Watch Series 10. Sporting a larger display, refined case, and an array of new features, the Series 10 has captured attention. But the question remains: Is it worth the upgrade from the Series 7? Let’s dive deep and explore the key differences.
### Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch Series 7: Design
The Apple Watch Series 10 signals a substantial design evolution. Available in slightly larger 42mm and 46mm sizes, the Series 10 boasts a noticeably thinner and lighter profile. Apple achieved this by reengineering the internal components, resulting in a more comfortable and flush fit on the wrist. This streamlined design enhances the overall wearing experience.
Apple has also refined the case material options. The Series 10 comes in titanium and aluminum. Aluminum models are available in a polished jet black finish, along with the classic matte silver and rose gold options. Titanium cases are offered in slate, gold, and Natural finishes. Notable this year is the absence of stainless steel cases and the vibrant Product Red color option.
While the Series 10 retains the iconic Digital Crown and side button configuration, its overall aesthetic leans towards refined elegance and subtle sophistication. The lighter weight, larger displays, and updated finishes give it a more premium feel. Compared to the Series 7, offered in 41mm and 45mm sizes and including stainless steel as a case material, the Series 10 emerges as a sleeker and more streamlined successor. With so many design changes, upgrading solely based on aesthetics could be a compelling reason for many.
### Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch Series 7: Display
The Apple Watch Series 10 boasts a larger and more vibrant display than its predecessors, thanks to Apple’s third-generation LTPO OLED technology. This translates to a wider refresh rate range, delivering smoother visuals and improved power efficiency. The Series 10 surpasses the Series 7 and even the Ultra 2 in this regard.
With a stunning peak brightness of 2,000 nits (compared to the Series 7’s 1,000 nits), the Series 10 ensures exceptional clarity in direct sunlight. Conversely, its 1-nit minimum brightness provides comfortable viewing in lowlight settings.
But the display enhancements don’t stop there. Apple’s innovative wide-angle OLED technology dramatically improves off-axis viewing angles. This means the screen appears significantly brighter and more legible when viewed from the side, a noticeable improvement over previous models. The Series 10 also comes in 42mm and 46mm versions, versus the Series 7’s 41mm and 45mm options.
### Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch Series 7: Health and Fitness Tracking
The Series 10 and Series 7 watches share similar health and fitness features, including Apple’s activity rings and the ability to track various workouts. Both support Apple Fitness+ for guided workouts and introduce Training Load, which helps users understand how workout intensity impacts their bodies over time. They also include an ECG app for detecting high and low heart rates, sleep tracking, and cycle tracking.
Both watches support Apple’s new Vitals app, which accesses your daily heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, and sleep duration. There’s also the Mindfulness app for state-of-mind tracking.
However, the Series 10 introduces key health improvements, such as nightly wrist temperature tracking and advanced cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates. Wrist temperature tracking measures temperature during sleep to provide insights into overall wellness and menstrual cycle variations. The retrospective ovulation estimates combine wrist temperature data with other cycle-tracking information to estimate past ovulation times.
In many respects, the Series 10 and Series 7 offer comparable fitness features. However, on the health-tracking side, the Series 10 shines, particularly for women.
### Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch Series 7: Software and Performance
While both the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 10 benefit from the watchOS 11 update, there are a few key differences. The Series 7 misses out on the offline translation capabilities of the new Apple Translate app and the dynamic category-based photo curation for watch faces, both of which are available on the Series 10.
However, Series 7 users can still enjoy other exciting watchOS 11 features like the Tides app, Smart Stack, Live Activities, and Tap to Cash.
Although Apple doesn’t explicitly state the length of software support for its watches, the Series 7, now three years old, might have only a couple of years of updates left.
Regarding performance, the Series 10’s S10 SiP offers a noticeable boost over the Series 7’s S7 SiP, potentially resulting in faster app launches and smoother operation. The S10 chip also enables a more advanced display with a wider refresh rate range and improved power efficiency on the Series 10.
### Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch Series 7: Battery and Charging
Apple seems to be lagging in the smartwatch battery life race. While the Apple Watch Ultra models boast an impressive 36 hours, the recently released Series 10 disappoints with a mere 18 hours – the same as its predecessor, the Series 7. This pales in comparison to the Ultra line and competitors like the Google Pixel Watch 3, which offers up to 45 hours, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, which provides 24 hours.
In a world where consumers increasingly value longevity between charges, Apple’s 18-hour battery life for its flagship Series 10 feels decidedly outdated.
Although both Series 7 and Series 10 only promise up to 18 hours between charges, they differ in fast charging. While it takes 45 minutes to achieve an 80% charge on the Series 7, this time is reduced to 30 minutes on the Series 10.
### Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch Series 7: Should You Upgrade?
While Apple Watch upgrades often feel incremental, the leap from the Series 7 to the Series 10 is significant enough to warrant serious consideration. Beyond the refreshed design and subtly larger display, the Series 10 introduces compelling health features like sleep apnea tracking, a faster and more efficient processor for a smoother user experience, and many other refinements.
For Series 7 owners contemplating an upgrade, the time is now – the Series 10 offers a tangible step up in both functionality and performance.