Finally, an Apple Watch to replace my aging SE.

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While some see smartwatches primarily as fitness trackers, to me, they’re the successor to the iPod nano: small, easy to navigate devices that can control my music, podcasts, or access tap-to-pay features without making me dig for my phone. In that way, comfort is the most important part of a smartwatch to me.

That’s made the SE, Apple’s cheapest and, until-now, smallest smartwatch, my default recommendation for the past couple of years. Now, the Series 10 is finally unseating it, as it's a full millimeter thinner.

That may not sound like a lot, but stack these watches next to each other, and you’ll notice how much sleeker the Series 10 looks. And that extends to how it feels, too. While the SE’s sensor can often feel like a coin being squished in between my wrist and the watch itself, the Series 10’s sensor is barely noticeable.

Apple Watch SE (top) next to Apple Watch Series 10 (bottom). Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

That’s enough to make it the more comfortable option to me, even if it’s slightly heavier than the SE. I didn’t notice that weight, since it’s only a few grams depending on which size watch you get. (The Series 10 comes with either a 46 mm face and a 42 mm face.) I wouldn’t have said the same thing about the Series 9, which can be over 14 grams heavier than the SE in some cases, so I’m happy to see that issue fixed.