The Apple Watch Series 10 has ruined smartwatches for me

That’s it, the Apple Watch Series 10 has ruined other smartwatches for me. This week I will swap to another smartwatch I have to review, but I don’t want to take the Apple Watch off. It’s wonderful.

I don’t want to use the word perfect because, of course, it’s not, but it’s very, very close to it. Prepare for some gushing over the next few hundred words, as I’m going to explain why if you’re looking for a smartwatch, the search can stop with the Apple Watch Series 10.

Why don’t I want to take it off?

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

We all know that to get any benefit from an activity tracker, it has to be worn, and for that to happen, it needs to be comfortable all the time and look good too. Next to the Oura Ring 4, the Apple Watch Series 10 is the most comfortable piece of wearable tech I’ve tried in years. Despite the hardware not being all that different from the Apple Watch Series 9, it’s absolutely more comfortable and less noticeable to wear. It’s amazing what a difference a few millimeters and grams have made.

The weight is exactly right. I don’t notice it on my wrist at all, but it’s substantial enough that it doesn’t slip about or feel low-quality. The new thinner case means it fits under all my cuffs, whether a shirt or a hoodie, and never gets caught up in the material. I’ve genuinely forgotten I’m wearing it on several occasions. I generally stop wearing smartwatches because they aren’t as comfortable or well-designed as non-smart watches. For the first time ever, the Apple Watch has even surpassed all my “regular” watches for long-term comfort.

I am wearing the titanium Apple Watch Series 10 with the Milanese Loop metal band, and it’s superb. No, actually, I think it may be a perfect 10 out of 10, no notes at all. With previous Apple Watch models, I’ve chopped and changed bands depending on my mood and activity, but the Milanese Loop does everything I want, copes with all situations, and is so comfortable it’s practically unnoticeable. This isn’t hyperbole. It doesn’t get sweaty when I work out, it doesn’t get annoying when I wear the watch to track my sleep, and it doesn’t pull at my wrist hairs. It’s one of the more expensive options, but it’s by far the best I’ve ever worn.

Is there anything I’d change?

Aluminum Apple Watch Series 10, Milanese Loop band, Reflections watch face Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Apple Watch Series 10’s curves mean it nestles perfectly (yes, there’s that word again) on my wrist, the titanium is warm yet never hot, and because the Milanese Loop band is quickly adjustable, I feel the fit is exactly right all the time. It also feels really solid despite the light weight, and while others haven’t been so lucky, the sapphire crystal is still in pristine condition.  Simply, no single element of the hardware has given me a reason to take the Apple Watch Series 10 off from the moment it arrived until right now, and I wouldn’t expect that to change over time, either.

Is there anything I’ve changed or consider “bad” about the Series 10’s hardware? I changed the haptics from the default setting to Prominent. I found they were just too light on the standard setting and differed from the feeling I got from the same setting on the aluminum Series 10. Upping the vibration intensity solved the issue. I also turned off the Live Activity for media, as it didn’t add any value for me and simply spoiled the look of the watch face.

Finally, the watch face. I’ve been a fan of the Snoopy watch face on the Apple Watch since it was introduced, and I love the way it always seems to feature a different animation each time I glance down. Plus, I appreciated Snoopy’s strong horological history, even if it’s a tenuous link on a smartwatch.

However, the Reflections watch face has sent Snoopy into the doghouse and stayed on the Series 10 since I first put it on. It’s simple, classy, and fits the style of my Series 10 perfectly.

This is the best Apple Watch yet

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Apple Watch Series 10’s supreme comfort has been crucial in helping me explore and enjoy another aspect of the smartwatch. In addition to watchOS 11’s overall reliability and ease of use, I’ve tried out Apple Fitness+ and have been really impressed with how the Apple Watch integrates with it, as well as the additional benefit it brings. Like I said earlier, you have to wear an activity tracker if you want it to track and motivate, and that’s what the Series 10 has done for me.

If you aren’t aware, Fitness+ uses your Apple Watch to actively measure your heart rate and count calories during a workout. I connect my smartwatch to my Apple TV — a feature that works instantly, in moments, every time — and can control the workout program from my wrist and see my stats from its sensors on the TV screen in real time. It adds an extra dimension to the already engaging Fitness+ workouts, keeps me accountable, and even lets me see how close I am to closing my activity rings during exercise on the TV screen.

Apple Watch Series 10 in titanium Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I know how all this sounds. I know. The thing is, I’ve used every Apple Watch model since the first, and pretty much every other major smartwatch (and several not-so-major) up to the current day, plus I’ve spent years building a varied collection of non-smart watches, too. No other smartwatch has had this effect, and only a handful of traditional watches have done so, but for different, more personal reasons.

Later today I’m going to put on a different smartwatch ready to review it, and I’ll be as objective as I always am. But for those of you who don’t regularly need to change the watch on your wrist, if you own an iPhone and want a smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 10 is absolutely the one you should buy. Take it from me, someone who owns one and doesn’t want to take it off.