Skip the New Apple Watch: Save $120 on Series 10 Models for Prime Day

This year’s Apple Watch Series 11 may be impressive, but it’s still as pricey as ever — and it doesn’t add much over its predecessor. That makes the Apple Watch Series 10 a smarter buy, especially during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days.

Amazon Prime Days are always great for finding huge discounts on the latest tech gadgets, and that’s even more true when they’re older models the retailer is trying to clear out.

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While the Apple Watch Series 10 is no longer being sold by Apple, Amazon is offering the GPS models for $120 off the regular price. That’s $279 for the 42 mm version or $309 for the larger 46 mm model. Of course, you’ll want to hurry as they’re naturally selling fast.

Why Opt for an Apple Watch Series 10?

Although the Apple Watch Series 11 is the shiny new model this year, it’s actually one of the most underwhelming upgrades we’ve seen in a long time.

Consider that the tentpole features that Apple showed off during its Awe Dropping event last month — Hypertension Notifications and Sleep Score — aren’t exclusive to the latest models. Hypertension Notifications are available on two older models — not only on last year’s Apple Watch Series 10, but even on the 2023 Series 9, while Sleep Score is nothing more than a mathematical algorithm that doesn’t even require an Apple Watch, much less a recent model.

While last year’s Series 10 featured a refined and thinner design with a larger screen, making it at least a little bit different from the Series 9, this year’s Series 11 is visually identical, with the only aesthetic difference being an option for space gray aluminum for those who felt the jet black finish was too dark for their taste.

Further, Apple isn’t even pretending it’s updated the chip in the Series 11 this year, and even last year’s S10 chip was just a repackaging of the S9 from the 2023 model.

In other words, the Apple Watch Series 10 has the same chip, the same sensors, and the same design as the Apple Watch Series 11. You’d really be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the two models.

So, What Has Changed in the Apple Watch Series 11?

The Apple Watch Series 11 has a few small but distinct improvements over the Series 10 that could make it worthwhile for some folks:

1. Battery Life: For the first time in years, Apple has extended battery life. The Series 11 offers 24 hours instead of the long-standing 18 hours. However, be sure to read the fine print: Apple’s calculation includes six hours of sleep time, so the real-world improvement is closer to 10 percent. That gain comes solely from a slightly larger battery cell, since all other components remain unchanged.
2. (Slightly) Faster Quick Charging: You can now get eight hours of sleep tracking after only five minutes on the charger — down from eight minutes on the Series 10 — though full charge times remain the same. An 80% charge still takes 30 minutes, and 15 minutes on the charger will give you 8 hours of normal use with either model.
3. A More Durable Screen: The aluminum Series 11 features Ion-X glass that’s twice as scratch-resistant as the previous generation — handy if you regularly use your Apple Watch in rough environments.
4. 5G Support: The Series 11 is Apple’s first watch to adopt 5G RedCap technology, which improves connection reliability and power efficiency when you’re away from your iPhone — potentially translating into better battery life — provided your carrier supports it. Of course, this only matters if you opt for the cellular model.
   

Note that we’d recommend against relying on Apple’s comparison page. Whether intentionally or not, several specs that would show how the older models in a better light are missing. For example, there’s no mention of the faster charging times for the Apple Watch Series 10, even though its official specs page still lists them.

Unless you truly need the slightly longer battery life or tougher glass, the Series 11 doesn’t justify the premium. The Series 10 remains the sweet spot for nearly everyone — and Prime Day pricing just seals the deal.

Unsurprisingly, you won’t find too many deals on the Apple Watch Series 11. It’s too new for even Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days to put a dent in it. However, if you don’t need any of the latest bells and whistles, the 2022 Apple Watch SE 2 is available for as little as $170 for the 40 mm version, or $199 for the 44 mm Apple Watch SE 2.