Just like the Apple Watch 5, the Apple Watch 6 comes in two sizes, 44mm and 40mm, each of these sizes also comes in two models; GPS and Cellular. The Cellular unit is a standalone smartwatch with more features and by extension more expensive. The Cellular unit comes with an e-SIM that enables cellular connectivity, this allows it to make and receive calls, and receive and reply to messages without your iPhone. Meanwhile, the GPS unit needs your iPhone to make and receive calls. Featured in this comparison is the Apple Watch Series 6 (44mm) vs (40mm) – Compare the design, features, price, and battery life of these two to find out the differences. Basically, both smartwatches have the same features except for the slight differences in sizes and battery life.
Apple Watch Series 6 (44mm) vs (40mm) Specifications Compared
| Product Info |
 Apple Watch Series 6 (44mm) (GPS) Specifications/Features/Review and Price |
 Apple Watch Series 6 (40mm) (GPS) Specifications, Features and Price |
|---|---|---|
| Price | - | - |
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | (44mm), (Discontinued), (GPS), Apple Watch Series 6 | (40mm), (Discontinued), (GPS), Apple Watch Series 6 |
| Device type | Fitness/Sport smartwatch | Fitness/Sport smartwatch |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Release date | September, 2020 | September, 2020 |
| Predecessor | Apple Watch Series 5 | Apple Watch Series 5 |
| Successor | Apple Watch Series 7 | Apple Watch Series 7 |
| Versions | Apple Watch Hermès, Apple Watch Nike+ | Apple Watch Hermès, Apple Watch Nike+ |
| BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Dimension | 44 x 38 x 10.4mm | 40 x 34 x 10.4mm |
| Weight | 36.5g | 30.5g |
| Shape | Rectangular | Rectangular |
| Case material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Strap material | Polyester, Silicone | Polyester, Silicone |
| Bezel material | Bezeless, Sapphire glass | Bezeless, Sapphire glass |
| Strap size | 24mm | 24mm |
| Interchangeable strap | 24mm, Yes | 22 mm, Yes |
| Screen protection | Sapphire glass | Sapphire glass |
| Water resistance | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM |
| Durability test | — | — |
| Swim-proof | Yes | Yes |
| Color | Blue, Gold, Gray, Red, Silver | Blue, Gold, Gray, Red, Silver |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 1.78 inch | 1.57 inches |
| Display type | 1000nit, LTPO OLED | 1000nit, LTPO OLED |
| Display resolution | 448 x 368 pixels | 324 x 394 pixels |
| Pixel density | — | — |
| Always on | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | 1 Physical button, Digital crown, Touchscreen | 1 Physical button, Digital crown, Touchscreen |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v5.0 | Bluetooth v5.0 |
| Bluetooth calling | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | GLONASS, GPS | GLONASS, GPS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes, WLAN 2.4GHz | Yes, WLAN 2.4GHz |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | 1GB | 1GB |
| ROM | 32GB | 32GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No |
| CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Technology | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None |
| Band | No | No |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps alert | Yes | Yes |
| Reply to Notifications | - | - |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No | No |
| Radio | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient light | Yes | Yes |
| Barometer | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| ECG | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| HRM | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse oximeter (SpO2) | Yes | Yes |
| Temperature | App | App |
| Other sensors | — | — |
| ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
| Blood oxygen | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Pressure | No | No |
| Calories | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes |
| Fall detection | No | No |
| Menstrual cycle | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max | Yes | Yes |
| Swim-tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Underwater heart rate tracking | — | — |
| On-screen workout | No | No |
| Sport modes | Yes | Yes |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery |
| Battery capacity | — | — |
| Battery life | Regular: up to 18hrs | Regular: up to 18hrs |
| Charging type | Charging dock | Charging dock |
| Charging time | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar charging | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Chipset | Apple S6 (64bits) | Apple S6 (64bits) |
| CPU | Dual core | Dual core |
| GPU | — | — |
| Operating system | WatchOS 7 | WatchOS 7 |
| MISC | MISC | MISC |
| Companion app | Apple Watch App | Apple Watch App |
| Compatibility | iOS 14.0+, iPhone 6s+ | iOS 12.0+ |
| Payment system | Apple Pay | Apple Pay |
| Voice command | Yes, Siri | Yes, Siri |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Apple Watch Series 6, Charger, Manual, Straps | Apple Watch Series 6, Charger, Manual, Straps |
The Difference Between the 44mm vs 40mm
As you can see from the table above, the 40mm and 44mm have the same features and appearance. Each of these two comes with a 32GB storage capacity and will also track your heart rate, calories, sleep, stress, blood oxygen, and steps.
Each of these two also has an inbuilt GPS that allows you to track your outdoor routes and locations without carrying your iPhone along.
The design is also the same, both sizes come in three materials, aluminum, stainless steel and titanium case materials, while the aluminum unit has an Ion-X glass screen, the stainless steel and titanium units have a sapphire glass screen. You get a digital rotating crown and a flat physical button in addition to a touch-sensitive screen for effortless navigation.
However, the difference between the 40mm and 44mm is as follows;
- The 44mm has a bigger display size than the 40mm unit. While the 40mm unit has a 1.57 inches display size, the 44mm unit has a 1.78 inches display size that allows you to see more at a glance.
- The 40mm being smaller is a more compact smartwatch than the 44mm unit. Although, both sizes are still very compact. In fact two of the most compact smartwatches.
- The prices are also different. The 40mm unit being smaller is cheaper than the 44mm unit.
- Although Apple didn’t specify the battery capacity of the Watch 6, the 44mm unit most likely has a bigger battery capacity than the 40mm unit. However, since the 44mm unit has a larger display size, it has about the same 18hrs battery life as the 40mm unit.
Apple Watch Series 6 GPS vs Cellular Features Compared
| FEATURES | Watch Series 6 (GPS) | Watch Series 6 (Cellular) |
|---|---|---|
| DESIGN | ||
| Case Sizes | 44mm and 40mm | 44mm and 40mm |
| Thickness | 10.4mm thin | 10.4mm thin |
| Always-on-display | Yes | Yes |
| Digital crown with haptic feedback | Digital crown with haptic feedback | |
| Available Materials and Finishes | Aluminum Stainless steel Titanium | Aluminum Stainless steel Titanium |
| Back Material | Ceramic and sapphire crystal back | Ceramic and sapphire crystal back |
| HEALTH AND ACTIVITY TRACKING | ||
| Family Setup Allows you to use your iPhone to pair watches for your children or older adults who don’t have their own iPhone | No | Yes |
| Noise Protection Protects your ear against high decibels that can be harmful to hearing, also alerts you when you reach your hearing dose for the week according to recommendations from global health authorities. | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Oxygen Tracking Tracks your blood oxygen to determine the amount of oxygen your blood. | Yes | Yes |
| ECG Tracking Allows you to take ECG test directly from your wrist which can help you detect atrial fibrillations. | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate sensor Tracks your heart rate with high, low, and irregular heart rhythm notifications. | Yes Second-generation optical heart sensor | Yes Second-generation optical heart sensor |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| Incidental Fall Detection Can help you get help real quick when the watch detects a fall, it calls a preset emergency number. | Yes (phone must be nearby) | Yes |
| International Emergency Calling Allows you to call international emergency contacts almost anywhere in the world. | No | Yes |
| Altimeter | Always-on altimeter | Always-on altimeter |
| Accelerometer | Yes up to 32 g-forces | Yes up to 32 g-forces |
| MEDIA/STORAGE | ||
| Loudspeaker | 50% Louder speaker | 50% Louder speaker |
| Storage | 32GB | 32GB |
| Calls Call and Text From Wrist | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Pay Make a secured payment from your watch. | Yes | Yes |
| Siri Get help with just about anything, simply by asking with your voice. Including translations. | Yes | Yes |
| PLATFORM | ||
| CPU | S6 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor Up to 20 percent faster than S5 | S6 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor Up to 20 percent faster than S5 |
| Chip | W3 Apple wireless chip | W3 Apple wireless chip |
Which is Size is Right For You?
Both sizes of the Watch 6 offer the same features except for the differences in dimension, display size and prices. Although the 44mm is bigger than the 40mm, both smartwatches are still very compact. The right choice for you depends on your wrist size which is what is intended here in the first place. The difference in size is to give consumers the option to choose their preferred size based on the wrist size of the individual.
The smaller 40mm unit is recommended for women and individuals with a slim wrist while the 44mm unit will make a better fit for individuals with a fat wrist and men.
Using a meter rule to measure the width of your wrist will help you reach a better conclusion.
