It’s been quite some time since the Apple Watch got a design revision, which is one of the reasons why the Apple Watch Series 10 is quite an exciting update for me personally. Granted, it still looks largely similar to the Apple Watch Series 9, but there are some notable changes here, including a thinner design and larger display without impacting battery life.
These improvements, along with the fact that the Apple Watch Series 10 is even more affordable in Malaysia now, really make it the best iteration of the smartwatch yet. Of course, there are still some aspects of the Series 10 that could be better, but overall, I’m more than happy to recommend it to anyone who are either upgrading from an older Apple Watch, or planning to get a smartwatch for the first time.
What It Is
Let’s start with pricing, which I think is the most exciting selling point of the Apple Watch Series 10 in Malaysia. Previously starting at RM1,899 for the 41mm version, the Series 10 retails from only RM1,799 for the (now upsized) 42mm base variant; that is a RM100 price drop for a brand new model of the smartwatch.
As for the larger 46mm Series 10 I am reviewing here, it starts at RM1,949 versus the 45mm Series 9’s RM2,049 starting price. If you want the brand new titanium Series 10 with a sapphire crystal display, well, that will set you back a cool RM3,299 or RM3,549 for the 42mm and 46mm models respectively.
Pricing aside, the Series 10 now measures 9.7mm thin, which is said to be almost 10% thinner than Series 9; the new titanium option is also about 20% lighter. On top of that, thanks to the larger, brighter wide-angle OLED display, the smartwatch can now show an extra line of text onscreen. Under the hood is a new S10 chip with a four-core neural engine as well.
Other features of the Series 10 include a polished aluminium finish for the new Jet Black colourway, a metal back, the ability to detect sleep apnea – more on this later – and a new charging coil design to enable faster charging. According to Apple, 30 minutes of charging is enough to juice up the battery to 80%.
The Good Stuff
The thinner case of the Apple Watch Series 10 is one of the main highlights of the smartwatch. Thanks to the slimmer side profile, it doesn’t feel quite as bulky on my wrist, which also improves the overall comfort of the wearable. You can see just just how much thinner it is compared to the Series 9 below:
And then there’s the larger display of the Series 10, which looks great. Even though it still has the same 2,000 nits peak brightness as the Series 9, it is technically brighter when it’s viewed at an angle; up to 40% brighter, according to Apple. This is thanks to the wide-angle OLED screen of the Series 10, which…well, improves viewing angles.
Another noteworthy upgrade to the display of the Series 10 is its ability to dial down the refresh rate to 1Hz. This allows the always-on display of the smartwatch to actually show the second hand update in real-time, and I find this incredibly useful. From what I can tell, no other smartwatch can replicate this feature right now.
Next, there’s the improved charging speed of the Series 10. As I’ve mentioned above, Apple says that 30 minutes of charging is enough to juice up the battery to 80%, and based on my testing, it can do just that. This makes it incredibly convenient to quickly charge up the smartwatch before I wear it for sleep tracking at night.
Speaking of which, how about the battery life of the Apple Watch Series 10? Well, it’s pretty much the same as its predecessor. With the always-on display and sleep tracking enabled, I can easily breeze through a whole day of use. If I disable the always-on display, I can (almost) stretch it to two days of use.
Personally, I would have loved to see improved battery life on the Series 10. But the fact that the battery life is maintained despite the smartwatch now sporting a larger display with a slimmer case is impressive in its own right.
The Bad Stuff
One thing that stuck out to me after using the Apple Watch Series 10 as my daily driver over the past couple of weeks is how the new Jet Black finish holds up to daily use. There was one instance where I accidentally grazed it against a glass table, which was enough to leave a light scratch mark on the side of the case. While it’s not particularly obvious, I was surprised it got scuffed from that, though admittedly it was my own fault.
And then there’s the fact that the Series 10’s sleep apnea detection feature is not ready for the Malaysian market yet. Sleep apnea is a condition where one’s breathing intermittently stops and starts during sleep, which can be a potentially serious disorder. Needless to say, this can prove to be an incredibly beneficial feature for folks who could have undiagnosed sleep apnea.
That being said, I’m personally optimistic that sleep apnea detection on the Series 10 will be available here sooner rather than later. It just needs clearance from the relevant authority – in this case, it’s likely the Ministry of Health – before the feature can be activated in Malaysia.
Is It Worth It?
If you’re an iPhone user looking to pair it with a smartwatch, there’s no easier recommendation than the Apple Watch Series 10 right now. It is thinner than ever, it has a larger display, and most of all, it is actually more affordable now (starting at RM1,799) than last year’s Series 9 at launch. Basically, it’s a marked improvement over its predecessor for less money.
Once the Series 10 gets sleep apnea detection, the smartwatch will be that much better. Hopefully, it won’t take too long for the feature to be enabled in Malaysia. And if you’re planning to get the new Jet Black colour, you may want to be a bit more careful with the glossy finish.