I already damaged my Apple Watch Series 10

2 days ago

I don’t deliberation I’m clumsy, but I plaything my arms a batch and still grimace each clip a smartwatch connected my wrist hits an immovable object. Yet, for each this movement, I’ve ne'er managed to profoundly scratch aliases lightly ace an Apple Watch show … until now.

The Apple Watch Series 10 doesn’t person galore compromises complete nan Apple Watch Ultra 2, and I moreover made nan move permanently earlier this happened. It’s big, thin, and beautiful, but nan Apple Watch Series 10 besides uses a little durable protective shield for its display.

Is aluminum little durable than titanium, astatine slightest successful a measurement you tin feel? What astir nan differences successful nan type of solid used? Could these beryllium factors successful nan harm to my watch, aliases was this conscionable a one-off? Let’s excavation a spot deeper into what happened.

How durable is nan Apple Watch Series 10?

Someone wearing nan Apple Watch Series 10 and resting their arm

The Apple Watch Series 10 is an anomaly. It’s not Apple’s astir premium smartwatch — that’s nan Apple Watch Ultra 2 — but Apple besides had to spell large for nan watch’s 10th anniversary. The consequence is simply a watch that’s thinner, lighter, and much premium-feeling than nan Apple Watch Ultra 2.

The Apple Watch Series 10 is half nan value of nan Apple Watch Ultra 2, which intends Apple had to make immoderate trade-offs. These weren’t successful nan display, arsenic nan 1.96-inch show is nan biggest ever connected an Apple Watch. The biggest discuss is successful nan durability of nan materials utilized successful nan build.

The backmost of nan titanium and aluminum Apple Watch Series 10 cases.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is MIL-STD 810H certified for protection against drops and features sapphire crystal solid connected nan front, a titanium frame, and a ceramic/sapphire crystal back. The Apple Watch Series 10, meanwhile, uses an aluminum framework pinch Ion-X solid connected nan front. Then there’s nan titanium Series 10, which costs almost nan aforesaid arsenic nan Apple Watch Ultra 2 and has a nicer sapphire display. I’ve sewage nan aluminum Series 10, which theoretically is nan slightest durable of nan three.

How I deliberation I collapsed my Apple Watch Series 10

Apple Watch Series 10 show connected nan homescreen pinch a ace connected nan screen

It’s strange. I tin usually retrieve erstwhile a gadget whitethorn person been damaged, but I’m drafting a blank connected nan Apple Watch Series 10. There are nary memorable drops aliases bangs that I tin recall. I thought I had protected it, astatine slightest until I noticed nan ample ace you tin spot successful nan pictures supra and below.

The ace is correct on nan top-left separator of nan screen, and it’s a heavy scratch aliases a ray ace that I mistook for a ray scratch. It feels for illustration a shallow ace and measures complete half an inch, but location doesn’t look to beryllium underlying damage.

Damaged Apple Watch Series 10 connected an limb that's wresting connected a table

It’s a shame: I can’t extremity noticing it, and it bugs maine each clip I spot it. The 1.96-inch show is nan biggest ever connected an Apple Watch, and measuring 9.4mm, nan Apple Watch Series 10 is impossibly bladed and light. It’s nan perfect Apple Watch for everyone, moreover if nan artillery life isn’t that impressive. I emotion utilizing it, but this mysterious ace is putting a damper connected things.

A problem aliases conscionable a one-off?

A personification wearing nan titanium Apple Watch Series 10.

Thin doesn’t ever mean durable; too artillery life, durability was my 2nd main concern. A bigger display, a thinner build, and nan usage of Ion-X alternatively of nan much premium Ceramic Shield solid successful nan Ultra 2 each lend themselves to little durability for nan Series 10.

To reply whether this was a wider problem, I turned to my Digital Trends colleagues Joe Maring and Andy Boxall to understand their experiences utilizing nan Apple Watch Series 10. Joe published our Apple Watch Series 10 reappraisal and has utilized it since, while Andy has utilized some nan aluminum and titanium versions.

I haven’t felt nan request to babe nan Series 10, I person assurance successful its durability. — Andy Boxall

Joe has treated his aluminum Series 10 likewise to excavation pinch amended results. Despite slamming it against astatine slightest 1 wall, it still looks marque new. He besides has nan Jet Black version, and thankfully, Apple has learned from nan lessons of nan Jet Black iPhone 7, arsenic there’s nary deterioration and tear, and it still looks arsenic new.

The solid connected nan titanium and aluminum Apple Watch Series 10 cases.

Andy has been wearing nan titanium Apple Watch Series 10 — nan successor to nan stainless alloy type of erstwhile years — since motorboat day. He’s put it done nan wringer, wearing it during everything from housework and handwashing cars to furnishings removals and a family rubbish clearance. His titanium Series 10 and nan accompanying Milanese Loop still look marque caller arsenic well, and he’s assured successful its expertise to enactment that way, stating, “I haven’t felt nan request to babe nan Series 10, I person assurance successful its durability.”

The lawsuit for nan Titanium case

The screens connected nan titanium and aluminum Apple Watch Series 10 cases.

Andy has assurance successful nan durability of nan Apple Watch Series 10, and I deliberation my acquisition makes a beardown lawsuit to bargain nan much premium titanium exemplary of nan Series 10. There are a fewer reasons why this makes sense, arsenic agelong arsenic paying nan $300-plus premium doesn’t scare you.

First, there’s nan build and style. The aluminum entry-level Series 10 will astir apt withstand thing you tin propulsion astatine it, but there’s a sizeable jump successful protection offered by nan titanium model. You clasp nan aforesaid big, thin, and beautiful design, but you get amended protection all-around.

Second, location are nan bands. I haven’t tried nan caller titanium Milanese Loop, but I’ve utilized nan erstwhile procreation made from stainless alloy for years, and this caller set matches nan titanium Series 10 beautifully (as shown successful nan photograph above).

Lastly, there’s included connectivity. If you’re reasoning of buying nan aluminum exemplary pinch GPS and cellular, it will costs you $499. For $200 more, you tin get nan titanium exemplary that comes pinch GPS and cellular radios included arsenic standard.

One last point to note

Damaged Apple Watch Series 10 connected an limb that's wresting connected a array pinch nan show on

There’s 1 last constituent to this story: AppleCare+. I emotion it, and I usually protect each of my products connected a rolling yearly basis. The 1 quality is usually nan Apple Watch; I often bargain AppleCare+ connected a monthly scheme and cancel it aft a fewer months. Thankfully, I had already purchased it for this Apple Watch.

For $4 per period (or $79 for 2 years), it is perfect for scenarios for illustration this (or worse). However, it’s only covered against harm — there’s nary theft aliases nonaccomplishment protection for illustration nan iPhone — and each declare has a interest of $79.

I’ll astir apt usage AppleCare+ to hole aliases switch my damaged Apple Watch, but dissimilar nan iPhone aliases iPad, there’s nary contiguous hole disposable in-store. Instead, it will beryllium sent disconnected to a repair depot, and it will apt return a week to beryllium returned.

Regardless, if you’re concerned astir nan durability of your caller Apple Watch, don’t be. My acquisition is an anomaly moreover among 3 of america who person put nan Apple Watch Series 10 done its paces. If you’re still concerned and your fund stretches to it, look astatine nan titanium model, but if nan premium is excessively high, AppleCare+ is simply a bully alternative.