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Apple Watch Series 10 could get as loud as a lawnmower, so playing music on it is not out of the question

Published: Sep 17, 2024, 9:47 AM

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Several Apple Watch Series 10 time pieces next to each other on a white background.

The Walkman revolution is upon us once again – this time, it comes on our wrists in the form of the Apple Watch Series 10.

It turns out that 2024's Cupertino time pieces can get quite loud, so if you want to, say, listen to a banger on your Apple Watch Series 10 on your morning jog – but you've left your headphones at home again – you can! The Series 10 has got you covered.

These are Lexy Savvides' impressions with the Apple Watch Series 10. She measured the noise levels coming from the watch speakers with another Cupertino time piece: the Apple Watch Ultra 2 (it's got this handy Noise app).

She put them next to each other and played a "heavy rock track" (nope, we're not talking about Pantera or Slayer here) at full volume. The Apple Watch Series 10's maximum volume measures (with the Noise app) at around 92 dB. "But most other songs I played were in the region of 80 to 87 dB", Lexy said.

Let's rock'n'roll!

The Apple Watch Series 10 shown up close with its features in a collage.

The Apple Watch Series 10 specs at a glance. | Image credit – Apple

Amazing. 92 dB is not a small number by any means. To put it in perspective, 92 dB is in the lawnmower (or motorcycle engine) field. Of course, the measured 92 dB are probably because the two Apple watches were put right next to each other – you won't be listening to your Apple Watch Series 10 by slapping it into your canal, right?

If nothing else, keeping your wrist on the side of your head is going to affect your morning run. Also, listening to music at 92 dB could damage your hearing, leading to hearing loss. If I was cynical about it, I could draw some comparisons between the mighty loud Series 10 and the fact that you can now use AirPods Pro 2 as a hearing aid device. But I won't.

However, when you listen to the Apple Watch Series 10 from a normal distance, it turns out that it's not very loud. Lexy says that blasting a rock track at full volume on the watch speaker in "a quiet indoor environment" made a colleague of hers hear the music from about 20 feet (ca. 6 m) away.

Apple Watch Series 10, 42mm: Pre-order at Amazon

Pre-orders for the Apple Watch Series 10 are open. The latest Apple wearable features an ECG app and a brilliant always-on display. You can pre-order one at Amazon, and shipping is set to begin on September 20.

Pre-order at Amazon

Apple Watch Ultra 2, Black Titanium: Pre-order at Amazon

The latest Apple Watch 2 model arrives with stunning new finishes. The rugged timepiece is already available for pre-order at Amazon, with no gift cards or discounts available at the time of writing. The premium smartwatch is set to arrive on September 20.

Pre-order at Amazon

She replicated the experiment outside – when street noise is present, her colleague had to be standing "right next" to Lexy in order to hear anything from the watch. Lexy came to the conclusion that the Apple Watch Series 10 is "nowhere near" as loud as the maximum volume from a phone speaker.

Will that lead to a massive spike in people, listening to music in public – and while commuting, in particular? I'm pretty sure it's going to happen.

I'm often wondering what's the maximum punishment that we as a society can inflict upon those who blast music on the bus…

The Apple Watch Series 10 also isolates calls pretty darn good

Okay, time for an amazing feature: Lexy claims that the Apple Watch Series 10 is great at reducing background noise on phone and FaceTime calls thanks to the new voice isolation feature (replicating the one found on the AirPods Pro 2).

Naturally, I wanted to test this in the noisiest environment I could think of, so I headed to Lion Dance Me in San Francisco and called my colleague Lisa Eadicicco. If you've ever heard a dragon dance during events like Lunar New Year celebrations, you'll know the drums can be incredibly loud. It felt like my ears were being blown out in real time, but the voice isolation was so good on the Series 10, it made the drums sound like they were a block away. Lisa could hear me clearly, even though I felt like I was shouting into the watch.

– Lexy Savvides, September 2024

That's a game changer: I can't wait to test this one out.

Of course, we'll make sure to check to see if we can verify these claims in our own review, scheduled to come soon. So stay tuned!

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Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.