Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular Aluminium 42mm vs Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm
Size, specs & wrist fit compared
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Which one fits you
Both need much the same wrist — roughly 43–60mm across the flat of the wrist. Neither will fit where the other won't, so decide on thickness, weight and features instead.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm wears larger than the Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular Aluminium 42mm (38.8mm vs 36mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm is the slimmer of the two (9mm vs 9.7mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
The Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular Aluminium 42mm is middle-of-the-pack for thickness among the 139 36mm watches in the database.
Among the 340 39mm watches we hold thickness for, the Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm is thinner than 93%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm is 2.8mm wider, 1.6mm shorter, 0.7mm thinner and 0.6g lighter than the Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular Aluminium 42mm.
Apple
Watch Series 10 - GPS + Cellular · Aluminium · 42mm
Samsung
Galaxy Watch6 - LTE · 40mm
Switch or add watches
Apple
Watch Series 10 - GPS + Cellular · Aluminium · 42mm
Samsung
Galaxy Watch6 - LTE · 40mm
Watch Fit Tool
For sports watches, lug-to-lug (L2L) is what matters most — it decides whether a watch overhangs your wrist. Bulky is fine; overhang is not.
Measure at the point where you wear your watch — typically just below the wrist bone.
Flat width — lay your arm on a table, palm facing up, and measure straight across the top of your wrist with a ruler. Bone to bone; do not follow the curve down the sides.
Around — wrap a tape measure snugly round the wrist. No tape? Wrap a strip of paper, mark the overlap and hold the strip against a ruler.
Width ≠ circumference. They are different numbers — around 170mm is about 64mm across — so set the toggle to whichever one you actually measured before you type it in.
Apple Watch Series 10 - GPS + Cellular · Aluminium · 42mm
Case 42.0mm · Lug-to-lug 42.0mm · Thickness 9.7mm · 29g
Balanced Fit
42mm on a 55mm wrist
Comfortably inside the edges of your wrist, and it seats and sits low enough to wear without thinking about it.
On a 55mm wrist the sweet spot is 47–53mm lug to lug. This one is 42mm, so you could go bigger.
Measure where you wear it, just below the wrist bone. Either of these works — the tool converts between them.
- 1. Flat width — arm flat on a table, palm up. Measure straight across the top of the wrist, bone to bone, ignoring the curve down the sides.
- 2. Around — a tape, or a strip of paper marked and held against a ruler, snug the whole way round.
Leather: Attaches at the lugs, so the case back rests on your skin. Thins and softens with wear. Typical figures, not this model’s own.
Show the measurementsHide the measurements
- Across the wrist6.5mm spare each side
Comfortable, with visible skin either side.
- Off the wrist9.7mm off the skin
Normal sports-watch height for a wrist this size. (9.7mm case, back against the skin)
- How it seats~4.0mm under the rim
Seats well, with the case back following most of the wrist.
- Weight on the wrist29g
Light enough to forget you have it on. (0.5g per mm of wrist)
Samsung Galaxy Watch6 - LTE · 40mm
Case 38.8mm · Lug-to-lug 40.4mm · Thickness 9.0mm · 29g
Balanced Fit
40.4mm on a 55mm wrist
Comfortably inside the edges of your wrist, and it seats and sits low enough to wear without thinking about it.
On a 55mm wrist the sweet spot is 47–53mm lug to lug. This one is 40.4mm, so you could go bigger.
Measure where you wear it, just below the wrist bone. Either of these works — the tool converts between them.
- 1. Flat width — arm flat on a table, palm up. Measure straight across the top of the wrist, bone to bone, ignoring the curve down the sides.
- 2. Around — a tape, or a strip of paper marked and held against a ruler, snug the whole way round.
Leather: Attaches at the lugs, so the case back rests on your skin. Thins and softens with wear. Typical figures, not this model’s own.
Show the measurementsHide the measurements
- Across the wrist7.3mm spare each side
Comfortable, with visible skin either side.
- Off the wrist9.0mm off the skin
Sits low enough to disappear under a cuff. (9.0mm case, back against the skin)
- How it seats~3.1mm under the rim
Seats well, with the case back following most of the wrist.
- Weight on the wrist29g
Light enough to forget you have it on. (0.5g per mm of wrist)
2D Dimension Schematics
Every case drawn to scale on a shared centre — from above, and in profile against the wrist.
- Apple Watch Series 10 - GPS + Cellular · Aluminium · 42mm36mm × 42mm · 9.7mm thick
- Samsung Galaxy Watch6 - LTE · 40mm38.8mm × 40.4mm · 9mm thick
3D preview
Apple Watch Series 10 - GPS + Cellular · Aluminium · 42mm vs Samsung Galaxy Watch6 - LTE · 40mm on a wrist
Sized to your own wrist, turned any way you like.
Shapes are built from published measurements, not manufacturer 3D models — accurate proportions, generic dial.
Battery life compared
Furthest apart in Battery Saver mode, where the Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm lasts 2.8× as long as the Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular Aluminium 42mm (4.2 days against 36 hours).
Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular Aluminium 42mmSamsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm
Battery Saver
36 hours100 hoursSmartwatch
0.75 days1.25 days
Specifications
The short version
11 key specs| Spec | AppleWatch Series 10 - GPS + Cellular · Aluminium · 42mm | SamsungGalaxy Watch6 - LTE · 40mm |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 36mm | 38.8mm |
| Lug-to-Lug | 42mm | 40.4mm |
| Thickness | 9.7mm | 9mm |
| Weight | 29.3g | 28.7g |
| Shape | Rectangle | Circular |
| Water Resistance | Water resistant | 5 ATM |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Display type | OLED/AMOLED | OLED/AMOLED |
| Screen size | 1.6 inches | 1.3 inches |
| Battery life | 0.75 days | 1.25 days |
| Released | 2024 | 2023 |
Every specification
122 specs| Spec | Apple Watch Series 10 - GPS + Cellular · Aluminium · 42mm | Samsung Galaxy Watch6 - LTE · 40mm |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| width | 36 | 38.8 |
| height | 42 | 40.4 |
| volume | 14.67 cm³ | 14.11 cm³ |
| weight | 29.3 g | 28.7 g |
| thickness | 9.7 | 9 |
| resolution | 374 x 446 px | 432 x 432 px |
| screen size | 1.6 inches | 1.3 inches |
| Display type | OLED/AMOLED | OLED/AMOLED |
| Has a display | Yes | Yes |
| pixel density | 352 ppi | 453 ppi |
| maximum altitude | 9842 feet | — |
| water resistance | Water resistant | Waterproof |
| Always-On Display | Yes | Yes |
| has a touch screen | Yes | Yes |
| is designed for kids | No | — |
| waterproof depth rating | 50 m | 50 m |
| Watch band is replaceable | Yes | Yes |
| Has sapphire glass display | No | Yes |
| maximum operating temperature | 35 °C | — |
| Ingress Protection (IP) rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| has branded damage-resistant glass | No | No |
| lowest potential operating temperature | -20 °C | — |
| ATM rating | — | 5 ATM |
| width of band | — | 20 mm |
| Battery | ||
| charge time | 1.2 hours | 1.8 hours |
| battery life | 0.75 days | 1.25 days |
| battery power | 327 mAh | 300 mAh |
| has wireless charging | Yes | Yes |
| has a removable battery | No | No |
| Has a solar power battery | No | No |
| has a rechargeable battery | Yes | Yes |
| battery life in power save mode | 36 hours | 100 hours |
| Sensors | ||
| has GPS | Yes | Yes |
| has a compass | Yes | Yes |
| Has a barometer | Yes | Yes |
| has a gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Has a cadence sensor | No | No |
| has an accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Monitors perspiration | No | No |
| Has a heart rate monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Has a temperature sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Monitors blood oxygenation levels | Yes | Yes |
| Features | ||
| release date | 2024-09-09 | 2023-07-26 |
| Has a stopwatch | Yes | Yes |
| Has smart alarm | No | No |
| warranty period | 1 years | — |
| Has call control | Yes | Yes |
| Has silent alarm | Yes | Yes |
| has HRV tracking | Yes | No |
| internal storage | 64GB | 16GB |
| measures VO2 max | Yes | Yes |
| Has notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Has ECG technology | Yes | Yes |
| Locates your phone | Yes | Yes |
| has a front camera | No | — |
| has fall detection | Yes | Yes |
| has voice commands | Yes | Yes |
| Acquires GPS faster | No | No |
| Has vibrating alerts | Yes | Yes |
| number of microphones | 1 | 1 |
| shows readiness level | No | No |
| Can be used to answer calls | Yes | Yes |
| measures resting heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| has irregular heart rate warnings | Yes | Yes |
| has fast/slow heart rate notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Has a built-in camera remote control function | Yes | Yes |
| RAM | — | 2GB |
| CPU speed | — | 2 x 1.4 GHz |
| Connectivity | ||
| has NFC | Yes | Yes |
| SIM cards | 1 eSIM | 1 eSIM |
| Wi-Fi version | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) |
| supports ANT+ | No | No |
| supports Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| supports Galileo | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| has a cellular module | Yes | Yes |
| Is compatible with iOS | Yes | No |
| Is compatible with Android | No | Yes |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| has aptX | No | — |
| Has passcode | Yes | Yes |
| Has auto pause | Yes | Yes |
| has crash detection | Yes | — |
| Is compatible with Windows | No | No |
| Is compatible with Mac OS X | Yes | No |
| has an external memory slot | No | No |
| Compatible with smart scales | Yes | Yes |
| has a battery level indicator | Yes | Yes |
| has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack | No | No |
| Compatible with external heart rate monitors | Yes | Yes |
| App & Software | ||
| Ad-free | Yes | Yes |
| Free app | Yes | Yes |
| Has coaching | No | Yes |
| Has achievements | Yes | Yes |
| Has goal setting | Yes | Yes |
| Has exercise diary | Yes | Yes |
| Predicts ovulation | Yes | — |
| Can be personalised | Yes | — |
| Has weight tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Predicts start date | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks water intake | Yes | Yes |
| Has inactivity alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Has period notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Has temperature tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Provides activity reports | Yes | Yes |
| Counts how many calories you've burned | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks BMI | — | Yes |
| Includes maps | — | Yes |
| Supports routes | — | Yes |
| Activity tracking | ||
| Measures pace | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks distance | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks elevation | Yes | Yes |
| Designed for golf | No | No |
| Tracks your sleep | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks steps taken | Yes | Yes |
| Designed for diving | No | No |
| Has a route tracker | Yes | Yes |
| Has exercise tagging | Yes | Yes |
| Has multi-sport mode | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks calorie intake | Yes | Yes |
| Provides sleep reports | Yes | Yes |
| Detects activities automatically | Yes | Yes |
| Has a stroke counter for swimming | Yes | Yes |
Wrist Fit
Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular Aluminium 42mm
Sits best on wrists ~44–60mm wide (≈ 11.7–16.0cm circumference).
Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm
Sits best on wrists ~43–58mm wide (≈ 11.5–15.5cm circumference).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular Aluminium 42mm bigger than the Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm is bigger — 38.8mm vs 36mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular Aluminium 42mm or the Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm?
The Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular Aluminium 42mm suits wrists around 44–60mm wide, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm around 43–58mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.
Can I see the Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular Aluminium 42mm and Samsung Galaxy Watch6 LTE 40mm side by side at true scale?
Yes — the schematics and photos above show both watches at matched scale, and our fit tool overlays each on your wrist width.