When people ask me which Apple Watch to buy, I usually steer them toward the SE. It’s the model I think makes the most sense for first-time smartwatch owners. To sum up the Apple Watch SE, it's an affordable way to get the essentials of fitness tracking and iPhone connectivity without overspending.
But with the Apple Watch SE 3, most of the trade-offs or caveats I needed to disclaim with the Apple Watch SE 2 are gone. It feels less like a compromise than ever with an always-on display, 5G connectivity, on-device Siri powered by the same S10 chip found in the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, plus a skin temperature sensor and all the software upgrades in watchOS 26.
In other words, Apple’s entry-level watch is starting to look a lot less entry-level. In fact, for me, a certified Apple Watch enthusiast, it's the most exciting pick among the best Apple Watch options, looking at the upgrades available to this year's family alone.
But whether it's the best smartwatch for you depends on whether the compromises that are still present contradict what you're looking for out of a connected wearable. Read my full Apple Watch SE 3 review below to get the breakdown of how it compares to the Series 11 and Ultra 3.
Apple Watch SE 3: Quick facts
- All-aluminum case: The Apple Watch SE 3 is more durable than its predecessor thanks to an all-aluminum case design and a 4x more crack-resistant screen. It comes in two colors, Starlight and Midnight.
- S10 chip: The Apple Watch SE 3 runs on the same S10 chip as the Series 11 and Ultra 3, a major upgrade over the S7 chip in the SE (2022). This powers performance upgrades like on-device Siri.
- Always-On display: The Apple Watch SE 3 finally gets an Always-On display option, due in part to the S10 chip's efficiency.
- Gestures: The new processor also unlocks gesture controls on the SE 3, including Double Tap and the handy new wrist flick gesture, which can be used to dismiss incoming notifications and calls.
- Battery life: The Apple Watch SE 3 lasts up to 18 hours with the Always-On display enabled. For comparison, the Apple Watch Series 11 lasts up to 24 hours and the Apple Watch Ultra lasts up to 42 hours.
- Fast charging: The Apple Watch SE 3 has two times faster charging than the previous generation, and just 15 minutes on the charger results in 8 hours of battery life.
- Sleep Score and Sleep Apnea alerts: The Apple Watch SE 3 is the first model in Apple's entry-level range with sleep apnea alerts. It also provides a daily Sleep Score from one to one hundred, similar to what the competition has long offered.
- Skin temperature sensor: The Apple Watch SE gets the skin temperature sensor that debuted in the Apple Watch Series 8. The sensor provides deeper insights into your cycle, such as retroactive ovulation estimates.
Apple Watch SE 3: Specs
Apple Watch SE 3 |
Apple Watch SE 2 |
Apple Watch Series 11 |
Apple Watch Ultra 3 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Starting price |
$249 |
$249 |
$399 |
$799 |
Dimensions |
44mm: 44 x 38 x 10.7 mm / 40mm: 40 x 34 x 10.7 mm |
44mm: 44 x 38 x 10.7mm / 40mm: 40 x 34 x 10.7mm |
46mm: 46 x 39 x 9.7mm / 42mm: 42 x 36 x 9.7mm |
49 x 44 x 12 mm |
Case colors |
Aluminum: Starlight, Midnight |
Aluminum: Starlight, Silver, Midnight |
Aluminum: Rose Gold, Silver, Space Gray, Jet Black / Titanium: Gold, Natural, Slate |
Titanium: Natural, Black |
Display |
44mm: 368 x 448 pixels / 40mm: 324 by 394 pixels (Always-On Retina OLED) |
44mm: 368 x 448 pixels / 40mm: 324 by 394 pixels (Always-On Retina OLED) |
46mm: 416 x 496 pixels / 44mm: 374 x 446 pixels (Always-On LTPO3 Wide-Angle OLED) |
422 x 514 pixels (Always-On LTPO3 Wide-Angle OLED) |
Display brightness |
1,000 nits |
1,000 nits |
2,000 nits |
3,000 nits |
Weight |
44mm: 32.9 g / 40mm: 26.3 g |
44mm: 32.9 g / 40mm: 26.3 g |
46mm: 37.8 g / 44mm: 30.3 g |
~61 g |
Processor |
S10 |
S8 |
S10 |
S10 |
Cellular |
5G (optional) |
LTE (optional) |
5G (optional) |
5G, Satellite |
Water resistance |
50 meters |
50 meters |
50 meters |
100 meters |
Battery life with always-on display (rated) |
18 hours |
18 hours |
24 hours |
42 hours |
Compatibility |
iOS 26 or later |
iOS 18 or later |
iOS 26 or later |
iOS 26 or later |
Health sensors |
HRM, Skin Temperature |
HRM |
HRM, ECG, SpO2, Skin Temperature |
HRM, ECG, SpO2, Skin Temperature |
Apple Watch SE 3: Price and availability
The Apple Watch SE 3 debuted alongside the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, with all three watches available as of September 19.
Like the SE models before it, the SE 3 starts at a reasonable $249 for the smaller 40mm model without cellular or $299 for the model that supports the new 5G connectivity through your mobile carrier. The larger 44mm model is $279 without cellular or $329 with it.
That means even the highest configuration of the Apple Watch SE 3 is more affordable than the $399 starting price of the Apple Watch Series 11. Your other option is the Apple Watch Ultra 3 for $799, making it far from one of the best cheap smartwatches.
Make sure to check out the best Apple Watch deals for further savings on all of these smartwatches.
Apple Watch SE 3 review: The ups
Great value for $249
I'll get more in the weeds on the Apple Watch SE 3's best (and worst) features in later sections, but I want to establish just how great a value this watch is compared to the other options out there.
With watchOS 26, the Apple Watch SE 3 offers much of the same experience you'll find on the Series 11, plus it'll be eligible for annual software updates with new features. Currently, it gets the Flow watch face for showing off Liquid Glass, the on-wrist Notes app, live message translations and even Workout Buddy, the Apple Intelligence-powered fitness coach.
The S10 chip also means the Apple Watch SE 3 has motion gestures and on-device Siri. Now nothing between you and Siri is being sent up to the cloud, meaning Apple's voice assistant can execute certain commands even when the Apple Watch is disconnected from Wi-Fi or a smartphone.
And in a fun upgrade, you can now play music straight out of the SE’s speaker, something previously limited to the Series line.
Always-On display
My favorite Apple Watch SE 3 upgrade is easily the Always-On display. When I tested the SE 2, the lack of Always-On really distracted from the experience, especially coming from a Series model, which has had always-on since Series 5. For me, being able to glance at the time without having to lift my wrist every single time is essential.
The only distinction is that the Series 11 and Ultra 3 use Apple’s latest LTPO3 displays, which can refresh once per second in Always-On mode to track things like passing seconds on a watch face. But honestly, that level of precision doesn’t feel like a meaningful advantage over what you get with the SE 3.
5G connectivity
One of the Apple Watch SE 3’s most surprising upgrades is 5G connectivity. Honestly, I thought Apple might reserve this for the Series 11 and Ultra 3, but here it is on the entry-level model. The Ultra 3 still stands alone with satellite SOS support, but on the SE 3, you’re getting faster, more reliable connections for calls and texts directly from your wrist.
The new 5G antenna supports more bands, can sense when you’re in a weak coverage area, and intelligently merges connections to keep you online without draining your watch's battery. Even better, going cellular on the SE 3 is just a $50 premium, compared to the $100 upgrade on the Series watch. To me, that makes having the option to enable it through your carrier well worth the cost.
Robust health tracking
Health and fitness tracking has always been central to the Apple Watch, and the SE 3 delivers a mostly complete experience. You get the essentials like step counting, automatic workout detection, and custom workout creation, plus seamless syncing with Apple Fitness+ and other fitness apps. With the new Workout Buddy feature powered by Apple Intelligence, the watch feels like a personalized coach on your wrist.
That said, the SE 3’s heart rate sensor isn’t as advanced as the one on the Series 11 or Ultra 3, so it won’t support the hyped up Hypertension alerts. What you do get, though, is a skin temperature sensor that takes readings every five seconds overnight. This helps the Cycle Tracking app provide more accurate ovulation predictions, which can be valuable whether you’re trying to conceive or avoid pregnancy.
The SE 3 also brings over Apple’s growing suite of sleep features, including FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection introduced last year. By analyzing overnight movement patterns with its accelerometer, the watch can flag signs of sleep apnea. On top of that, a new Sleep Score translates all your data into an easy-to-understand snapshot of your nightly performance, complete with actionable insights.
Apple Watch SE 3 review: The downs
Outdated design
If there’s one area where the Apple Watch SE 3 shows its trade-offs, it’s the design. It still very much looks like an Apple Watch, but the overall aesthetic is closer to the Series 4 era. At this point, it’s starting to feel dated.
The display is noticeably smaller than what you get on the Series 11, and the 1,000-nit brightness just doesn’t hold up as well in direct sunlight.
More frustrating for me personally, the older chassis design means the sensors on the back aren’t recessed as neatly, so the watch doesn’t sit as flush on my wrist compared to the Series 11. That said, I suspect first-time buyers likely won’t think twice about it.
The limited color choices don’t help either: the SE 3 is only available in Starlight and Midnight, one fewer option than the SE 2 offered.
No ECG
The other missing piece on the Apple Watch SE 3, for me, is ECG. If there’s one feature that could make this the ultimate all-around Apple Watch, it’s the ability to take an electrocardiogram and detect signs of atrial fibrillation. Maybe it’s because of my line of work, but I know more people than I can count who first learned they had AFib thanks to their Apple Watch. It’s hard not to see ECG as one of those undeniably life-saving tools.
That’s why, if I were gifting this watch to a parent or someone at higher risk, the lack of ECG would give me pause. The SE 3 still offers robust health tracking in many ways as I've outlined, but ECG is the kind of feature that could genuinely change lives. It's too bad it remains reserved for Apple’s higher-end smartwatch models.
Apple Watch SE 3 review: Verdict
The Apple Watch SE 3 doesn’t just refresh Apple’s entry-level smartwatch; it redefines it. With the addition of an Always-On display, 5G connectivity, on-device Siri, and a deeper roster of health and fitness features, the SE 3 dismisses many of the caveats that held it back.
For $249, it delivers an experience that’s remarkably close to the Series 11 at a far lower price. Of course, the design is starting to feel dated, and the lack of ECG keeps it from being the perfect solution, especially if you’re buying for someone at higher health risk. But for most first-time buyers, this shouldn't outweigh just how much watch you’re getting with the SE for the money.
