I've been wearing the Apple Watch SE 3 for the past few weeks, and honestly, Apple's budget watch has me reconsidering everything I thought I knew about the SE line.
The Big News: Same Brains as the Expensive Watches
Here's the wild part: the Apple Watch SE 3 has the exact same S10 chip, 4-core neural engine, and 64GB of storage as the Apple Watch Series 11 ($349) and Ultra 3 ($799). That's the same internals in a $249 package.
Apple also gave the SE 3 the new 5G modem that was announced with the Series 11 and Ultra 3. That's a first for the SE line.
Always-On Display: Finally!
The biggest addition to the SE 3 is the always-on display. Previous SE models skipped this, but now you can check the time without raising your wrist. It's a small change that makes a huge difference in everyday use.
Battery Life
The SE 3 gets 18 hours of battery life, which is standard for Apple Watch. However, it now supports fast charging — you can get 8 hours of use from just a 15-minute charge. That's a nice upgrade from the SE 2.
Health Features
The SE 3 includes:
- Wrist temperature sensor
- Sleep apnea notifications
- Fall Detection
- Crash Detection
- On-device Siri
Notably missing: ECG app and Blood Oxygen app (those are Series 11/Ultra exclusive).
The Verdict
The Apple Watch SE 3 is an incredible value. With the same processor as watches costing 2-3x more, plus the always-on display, this is the Apple Watch I'd recommend to most people.
Best for: Anyone wanting an Apple Watch without spending $349+
Consider Series 11 if: You want ECG, Blood Oxygen, or the brighter display
What do you think — is the SE 3 the best Apple Watch value, or is it worth upgrading to the Series 11? Drop your thoughts below.