Is Apple Watch Series 10 still worth your money in 2026?

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Apple tends to stick to incremental upgrades for most of its products rather than revising their design or features with each new generation. iPhones, iPads, and Macs also benefit from several years of software and security updates. This makes it much easier to recommend older Apple devices to those looking for a better deal, which isn’t always the case for competing devices. However, unlike the iPhone, the Apple Watch has historically had a shorter software support cycle, with older models typically receiving four to six years of major updates.

Released in 2024, the Apple Watch Series 10 has already seen three major watchOS releases and should hopefully be around for another three years or so – although we can’t say for sure. The first-generation Apple Watch Ultra, for example, only received four watchOS updates. So if you’re not looking to upgrade your laptop for at least a few more years, it might be worth paying a little more for the new Series 11 model.

The performance improvements Apple devices make each year are also pretty impressive, with the S11 chip in the latest Apple Watch Series 12 offering more accurate step tracking and better heart rate monitoring. According to Woozad, the S11 chip is based on the A20 Pro and doubles the amount of RAM to 4GB, which should give the Series 12 more headroom for future watchOS updates. As someone who daily drives a Series 10 watch, I feel like it still has a few years of life left, but whether it’s worth buying in 2026 depends entirely on how much of a discount you can get over newer models.

The Apple Watch Series 10 still has a lot going for it in 2026. It comes in the same two sizes, has an identical wide-angle OLED display that can reach brightness levels of up to 2,000 nits, and offers some of the best health and fitness tracking capabilities you can find on a smartwatch, including ECG readings, sleep apnea notifications, and cycle tracking. It even supports Apple Intelligence and Siri AI – so you’re not using a smartwatch with an outdated assistant.

Aesthetically, it might even look better than some of the newer versions. Many people on social media have pointed out how the Series 10 has thinner bezels than the recently launched Apple Watch Series 12. While I’m not the biggest critic when it comes to slightly thicker bezels on smartphones, they make more of a difference on a smartwatch, where the screen is already quite small to begin with.

Other subtleties announced by the Apple Watch Series 12 are also present here. You get emergency features like accident and fall detection, durability benefits like water resistance, and a battery that can be recharged relatively quickly. It also runs the latest version of watchOS, as we’ve already mentioned, so if Apple’s Liquid Glass design system speaks to you, you can take advantage of the refreshed interface without spending more for the newest model.

The Apple Watch Series 10 also comes in the “Jet Black Aluminum” colorway, which has a glossy finish, unlike the “Black Aluminum” variant found on the Series 12 model. This might make it the more attractive option if you prefer a shinier watch. Both models are also available in titanium finish, but the 10 Series skips the ceramic options.

Apple’s shaky record on long-term software support for its smartwatches is the biggest reason to think twice before getting a two-year-old Apple Watch. Additionally, I noticed that my device struggles to maintain a smooth frame rate when opening apps or scrolling through content. It’s not unbearably slow, but it’s noticeably slower than watchOS 11. The Apple Watch Series 12, powered by a much better SiP and two extra gigabytes of RAM, should run faster and longer.

Compared to the Apple Watch Series 11, you don’t miss out on any major health tracking features here. The Series 12 model, however, brings some notable improvements. Its redesigned health detection system means the watch now measures heart rate every five seconds, compared to every five minutes on the Series 10. You also get readiness scores, more accurate step tracking, and the new Audio Intelligence feature set. The Apple Watch Series 10 comes in a cellular variant, but it doesn’t support 5G. Apple is also touting better battery life on its new smartwatch – up to 24 hours compared to 18 hours on the Series 10.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle is finding the Apple Watch Series 10 at a price that’s worth it. Apple no longer sells it directly, so you’ll have to purchase it from third-party retailers. Amazon has a few renewed condition options for the Series 10 that start at around $250, which is significantly cheaper than the Series 12, which retails for $400. Of course, this assumes you’re willing to lose a few upgrades and receive a refurbished smartwatch, which might show some cosmetic wear and tear.