For a week, I juxtaposed the Apple Watch SE 3 next to the Watch SE 2, going through the daily motions: workouts, bedtime sleep tracking and notifications. The bottom line is simple: For most people, the 3 SE is the smarter purchase. It gives you significant improvements — without jacking up the start cost or losing the approachable vibe that made SE line so beloved.
Design and display
Both models now come in standard 40mm and 44mm sizes with aluminum cases that are lightweight, swimproof and have the same waterproof rating. But it’s the one you actually see every day, and the SE 3’s display is terrific. Apple at last introduces an Always‑On OLED to the SE line, so your info stays visible without requiring a time-consuming wrist flick. Outdoors in the sun, I found glances faster and less fussier than the SE 2’s raise-to-wake approach.
The panel of the SE 3 feels sturdier, too. Apple says the front glass is more durable, and I can’t lab-test scratch resistance but a mountain bike ride followed by a few doorframe bumps didn’t leave any scars. Bands and chargers are compatible, so accessories you have on hand will still operate.
Performance and battery life
With the help of some grasshopperlike rubber feet, the jump inside is larger than it appears. The SE 3 is powered by Apple’s S10 chip, which is the same-generation silicon inside Apple’s more expensive lineup, while the SE 2 has older silicon. In use, the difference is straightforward: apps load faster, animations remain fluid and dictation proves more accurate. Initiating a workout on the SE 3 happens almost instantaneously; there’s a subtle pause before the session gets under way on the SE 2.
Battery life expectations are the same on paper at up to 18 hours, though the SE 3 supports LPM better and can stretch that to as much as 36 hours when turned on, and it also adds fast charging. In my testing, the SE 3 charged from 10% to around 80% in about 45 minutes — useful for a fast top-up between a commute and a run. The SE 2, meow fast charge, took a significantly longer span for that same leap.
Health and safety features
Both watches include the essentials: high/low heart rate alerts, fall detection, crash detection (new) and full-featured GPS workout tracking. The SE 3 takes things further, throwing in wrist temperature sensing to deepen menstrual cycle insights and overnight metrics along with built-in sleep apnea detection. Given that the American Academy of Sleep Medicine believes tens of millions of American adults have undiagnosed sleep apnea, passive screening on a mainstream, low-priced watch could be genuinely public-health valuable if it nudges people to seek clinical evaluation.
It’s worth noting what you still don’t get on either SE model: ECG and blood oxygen apps are still reserved for higher tiers of the lineup. If you require cardiology-level single-lead ECGs or detailed SpO2 readings, obviously, you’d want to step up to an Apple Watch that isn’t an SE. For everyday fitness, safety and long-term trends, though, the SE 3’s sensor suite is more capable than the SE 2’s and much closer to those on Apple’s premium models than its price would suggest.
Charging, controls, and connectivity
Fast charge support makes the SE 3’s battery life less of an issue than it might otherwise be. It alters the way you plan for sleep tracking and workouts, seeing how the watch recharges during a brief shower or breakfast. The SE 3 also brings enhanced gesture controls that are more predictable and reliable, so double-tap style interactions can respond quickly thanks to the newer chip when you hands are full.
Both generations are available in GPS-only and GPS + Cellular versions, for GPS-like service from your carrier when paired to your iPhone with Family Setup — which still makes the SE line a good bet for kids or older relatives who don’t need an iPhone.
In my cellular trials, the SE 3 held out just fine and maintained signal and call clarity as well as Apple’s pricier watches.
Price, longevity, and value
The headline here is pricing. The SE 3 launches at around the same $250 price the SE 2 debuted, and the SE 2 has dipped below $200 at many vendors. If you just want the cheapest way into Apple Watch land possible, the SE 2 is still appealing — especially as a first-time smartwatch. But value isn’t always measured in sticker price; it also has to do with lifespan.
With the new chip, the SE 3 is poised to receive more watchOS updates and feature support in years ahead. Industry trackers like Counterpoint Research continue to have Apple as the leader in smartwatch shipments worldwide, and this is important because it often corresponds with longer software support and accessory ecosystems that are compatible. If you’re planning on keeping the watch for a couple of years or more, the SE 3’s faster processor and expanded health features make your purchase as future‑proof as one could be, and far more so than an SE 2 would.
Verdict: SE 3 wins for most purchasers
If you’re seeking the best cheap Apple Watch at this moment, it’s the SE 3. It’s essentially the SE 2 price-wise with an Always‑On display and blazing speed, fast charging and some real health gains as well in the form of sleep apnea detection and temperature-based insights. The SE 2 still holds weight if you’re price‑sensitive or smartwatch‑curious and don’t want to pay a premium for anything beyond the basics. But for everyone else — and particularly people who plan to wear the device every day for years to come — the SE 3 is our clear pick.