10 Cons of Apple Watch Series 10 (Review 2025)

The Apple Watch Series 10, officially marketed as a major leap forward in wearable tech, arrives with the fanfare you’d expect from Apple. Promoted with buzzwords like “all-new design,” “next-gen display,” and “health features that can change lives,” it seems like another slam dunk in Cupertino’s ever-expanding lineup. And yes, on paper, the Series 10 still boasts key Apple Watch staples, tight integration with iOS, a beautifully crisp Retina display, advanced sensors, and an impressive library of watch faces and apps.

But once you get past the polished marketing and hands-on with the device, the cracks begin to show.

In this in-depth post, we’re not here to ride the hype train. Instead, we’ll examine the real-world experience of the Apple Watch Series 10, and why, for many users, it simply doesn’t justify the price tag. From underwhelming upgrades to frustrating limitations, these are the cons that Apple glosses over, but buyers shouldn’t.

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The “All-New Design” Claim Feels Misleading

Apple calls the Series 10 an “all-new design,” but the reality is far more incremental than innovative. Visually, the changes are so subtle that casual observers would struggle to distinguish it from the Series 9, or even the Series 8. Sure, it’s about 10% thinner and marginally lighter, but the result is more of a gentle refinement than a bold reinvention.

Most of the difference comes down to proportions. It looks like Apple simply “squashed down” last year’s model, leading to a device that still looks fundamentally the same. There’s no radical redesign, no pivot in aesthetic direction, and certainly no visual element that screams “next-gen.” For a 10th-anniversary product, it lands with a quiet shuffle, not a bang.

This undercuts expectations. When consumers hear “all-new design,” they anticipate a fresh silhouette, perhaps a new shape or materials. Instead, Apple has played it safe, too safe. If you’re hoping for something that feels like a leap, not a sidestep, prepare to be disappointed.

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Minor Display Improvements That Barely Matter

Yes, the screen is technically bigger, and yes, it can show an extra line of text in some apps. But unless you’re comparing side-by-side with a microscope, the difference is negligible. Even when viewing it next to the Series 9 or 8, the screen boost is more theoretical than practical.

Ironically, due to a change in how the bezel interacts with the glass and the frame, some users have said it looks thicker than before, despite technically being thinner. Apple shaved off some metal from the frame and extended the glass, but the result can create a visual illusion of bulkiness, especially on the edges.

Then there’s the so-called 40% brighter off-axis viewing. It’s a stat that looks great in marketing materials, but in real-world conditions, especially outdoors in bright light, the improvement is subtle at best. For most users, it’s just not something they’ll notice or care about.

Lastly, the new 1Hz Always-On Display was hyped for allowing second hands to stay visible continuously. But here’s the kicker: this only works on a small subset of “simple” watch faces. If your favorite face is more complex or legacy-based, you’re out of luck, unless developers go back and redesign them.

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Health Features Fall Short of Expectations

Apple touted new health-tracking features as a game-changer, especially sleep apnea detection. But here’s the reality: it doesn’t diagnose anything. It collects sleep data for nearly a month, 28 consecutive nights, then prompts you to “talk to a doctor.” That’s not a medical breakthrough; it’s an algorithm-based nudge.

Wearing a watch to bed for nearly a month straight is also more taxing than it sounds. Some users have found this uncomfortable, especially with the battery needing daily top-ups. You’re sacrificing comfort and convenience for a feature that doesn’t even give you a clear answer.

Then there’s the blood oxygen sensor, which isn’t available in all regions. In the U.S., Apple had to disable it due to a patent dispute. That’s a serious limitation for a feature that was once a headline capability. Imagine buying a car advertised with heated seats, only to find they don’t work in your state.

And while the new depth sensor can now read up to 6 meters (20 feet), it failed to go beyond 22 feet in testing and pales compared to the Ultra 2’s 40-meter rating. For recreational snorkeling, it works. But if you’re hoping for real diving functionality, it’s simply not the right tool.

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Battery Life: Still Stuck in the Past

Easily one of the most frustrating shortcomings of the Series 10 is its battery life, or lack thereof. It still clocks in at 18 hours of usage, the same as the SE, Series 8, and Series 9. For something labeled “next-gen,” this is downright disappointing.

Apple had the tech to improve battery capacity. But instead of using that progress to extend runtime, they opted to slim down the watch. So users are once again forced to charge daily, a real inconvenience for people who want to wear the watch overnight for sleep tracking or use it during long workouts.

For active users, the problem compounds. Several testers noted that using GPS and fitness apps like swing analyzers during a round of golf drained the battery fast, sometimes failing to last the full 18 holes. A high-performance watch that can’t handle a full day of activity is a major miss in 2025.

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Jet Black Finish Scratches Easily

The new Jet Black colorway looks sleek on day one, but beauty fades fast. Made from anodized aluminum, this finish is prone to scratching and chipping. Apple enthusiasts will remember the iPhone 7 Jet Black variant, which had the same problem. The material hasn’t changed; the durability issues haven’t either.

Anodized metals are inherently vulnerable to wear and tear. Even careful users may find micro-abrasions and chips after a few weeks. For a premium product that starts at several hundred dollars, that’s unacceptable.

Add to that the curved glass display, which, while elegant, is more exposed than the flat sapphire display on the Ultra. Drop it at the wrong angle or brush it against a wall and you’re likely to pick up scuffs or even cracks. This isn’t the Apple Watch to buy if you live an active or clumsy lifestyle.

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Performance Gains You Can’t Feel

The new S10 SiP chip is another classic example of Apple’s incremental approach. While technically newer, it doesn’t deliver any noticeable speed boost in everyday tasks. Apps open about as fast as before. Navigation through menus feels the same. Animations don’t look smoother.

Critically, the S10 hasn’t enabled any standout new features. There’s no killer capability that sets the Series 10 apart from the Series 9 or even the Ultra 2. For a flagship product, that’s troubling. You’d expect the latest chip to unlock something new, machine learning on the wrist, maybe, or significantly more efficient power usage. But no dice.

Unless you’re benchmarking milliseconds, you won’t feel any difference. And if your current watch runs smoothly, there’s no performance reason to upgrade.

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No Precision Fitness Tracking for Athletes

For a watch that claims to be a health and fitness companion, the Series 10 still lacks basic features that athletes care about. A glaring omission? Precision Start. This feature, found in Garmin and even Apple’s own Ultra, locks in GPS signal before your workout begins.

Without it, runners and cyclists risk inaccurate distance tracking in those first critical minutes. It’s a small thing, but one that matters deeply to serious fitness users. And while Apple includes plenty of casual fitness tools, it’s not pushing into high-performance territory in any meaningful way.

If you’re the kind of user who tracks VO2 max, lactate thresholds, or GPS splits with minute-level accuracy, the Series 10 just doesn’t deliver.

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Expensive Cellular Upgrade

In the UK and many other regions, upgrading the Series 10 to cellular costs £100 extra, double what it costs to add cellular to the Apple Watch SE (£50). That’s a hard pill to swallow, especially since many users don’t even need standalone cellular functionality on their watch.

Apple seems to be charging more simply because it can, not because the added cost reflects meaningful hardware differences. It’s the kind of nickel-and-diming that feels out of step with Apple’s reputation for streamlined elegance.

If you’re on a budget or just trying to get a basic connected experience, this pricing structure makes the Series 10 less appealing.

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No Exciting Roadmap Ahead

Apple has hinted that this redesign is the template for the next 5 to 10 years. If that’s true, it means we shouldn’t expect much visual evolution or hardware innovation any time soon. For early adopters or tech enthusiasts, that’s disheartening.

There’s no sign of long-rumored features like a circular screen, rotating bezel, or dramatically improved battery life. The design language seems set in stone. That may work for the iPhone’s annual cycle, but for a niche product like the Apple Watch, it risks stagnation.

This “final form” approach also sends a signal: don’t expect big upgrades next year either. That makes the Series 10 feel less like a must-have and more like a placeholder.

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Caught Between Two Better Options

Here’s perhaps the most damning critique: the Series 10 is an awkward middle child in Apple’s lineup. It’s not cheap enough to beat the SE on value. It’s not rugged, powerful, or long-lasting enough to compete with the Ultra 2.

The SE offers most of the same software experience at a lower price. The Ultra offers superior battery, durability, fitness features, and water resistance. So who exactly is the Series 10 for?

For many, the answer is: no one. It’s a product without a clear audience. Casual users will do just fine with the SE. Enthusiasts will prefer the Ultra. The Series 10, despite its anniversary badge, struggles to justify its place in the middle.

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Final Thoughts: Think Twice Before You Buy

The Apple Watch Series 10 isn’t a bad product, but it’s a disappointing one. It suffers from Apple’s increasing trend toward incrementalism, dressing up small updates with big promises. It lacks a standout feature, meaningful design shift, or performance leap.

At a starting price of $399 USD / £399 GBP (with cellular options reaching £499+), this isn’t a casual investment. And unless you absolutely need the newest model, you’re better off choosing the more affordable SE or splurging on the fully-loaded Ultra 2.

In a product category where innovation should be constant, the Series 10 is Apple coasting on its past. If you’re expecting something fresh, bold, or genuinely next-gen, you’ll need to keep waiting.

Nevertheless, if you’ve weighed all these drawbacks. Still wish to go with the purchase, congratulations! You’re making a considered decision that you won’t regret.

Reference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir1xi2zeuug&t=3s&pp=ygUVQXBwbGUgV2F0Y2ggU2VyaWVzIDEw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OHZTFseggA&pp=ygUVQXBwbGUgV2F0Y2ggU2VyaWVzIDEw0gcJCbIJAYcqIYzv
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHSRzPbnfMw&pp=ygUVQXBwbGUgV2F0Y2ggU2VyaWVzIDEw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcCHccKnd20&pp=ygUVQXBwbGUgV2F0Y2ggU2VyaWVzIDEw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9IiEgfy9Ig&pp=ygUVQXBwbGUgV2F0Y2ggU2VyaWVzIDEw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAE9cmHHOwc&pp=ygUVQXBwbGUgV2F0Y2ggU2VyaWVzIDEw