Apple Watch SE 3 review: The easy choice

Price When Reviewed

From $249

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Last year was a big one for wearables, including no less than three new models from Apple. The flagship models might have won the limelight, but the SE 3 is probably the best choice for most iPhone users. I’ve been testing it for three months to see how it performs in day-to-day life.

In case you didn’t know, the SE model is the budget option in Apple’s range, although it’s a tad confusing because the cheaper iPhone has switched from iPhone SE to simply ‘e’.

Special Edition doesn’t really feel like the right description for a device like this, but nevertheless, it’s now the best value Apple Watch you can get. Why buy a Series 11? Well, indeed.

Design & Build

• Still looks the same
• Available in two sizes
• Only two colours

At this point, with Apple seemingly unwilling to revamp the Apple Watch’s long-standing design, there’s not much to say about the SE 3 in this area.

It’s, well, another Apple Watch – square, with a digital crown on the side towards the top and a button below that.

This design has been the same forever and while I still prefer a circular smartwatch, plenty of people out there seem happy enough with the Apple Watch style.

It’s once again available in 40- and 44mm sizes (I’m testing the smaller option), but Apple has cut down the colourway options to just two – Midnight and Starlight, which means Silver is no longer on the roster.

The biggest upgrade to the design is the Ion-X glass

The build remains aluminium rather than the stainless steel or titanium of more premium Apple smartwatches, but this won’t matter to people who seek value.

The device is lightweight, comfortable and still feels very well made. It’s also waterproof to 50m, which Apple calls “swimproof”.

Although the change is invisible, the biggest upgrade to the design is the Ion-X glass, which Apple claims is four times more durable (specifically crack-resistant) than the Watch SE 2. I’ve been wearing the SE 3 for three months now and there’s not even the tiniest mark on the glass, though I haven’t dropped it.

Screen & Speaker

• Now always-on
• Still a chunky bezel
• No brighter than before

As mentioned above, the SE 3 comes in 40- and 44mm sizes, so the screen is smaller than the Series 11 models. That might be good news if you have a small wrist. There’s another positive, as it finally has an always-on screen.

This was one of the big things missing from the SE series and it may, like me, have put you off considering one. It means you don’t need to raise your wrist or tap the screen to wake it up and get the time or see other information.

Thank you, Apple.

Elsewhere, the display is essentially the same, with an OLED panel that ensures popping colours and deep blacks. And it’s still that iconic 326 pixels per inch resolution, aka Retina, which is perfectly crisp for an affordable device.

The bezel is still very thick and makes the watch look rather dated, but that’s just one of the sacrifices you have to accept with an SE.

The Series 11 has to look more premium with its tiny bezel to differentiate, and it also has a screen that’s twice as bright. However, I’ve not had any problems with the SE 3’s display at 1,000 nits – though I have been testing it in the winter, not in bright sunlight.

There’s also a speaker on the side of the device, meaning you can take phone calls or listen to music and podcasts. I can’t imagine wanting to make use of it, but it sounds decent enough if it does appeal to you.

Performance & Software

• S10 chip
• watchOS 26
• New gestures

Despite being the cheapest in the Apple Watch range, the SE 3 still uses the same S10 chip found in the Series 11 and Ultra 3.

It’s no surprise that performance is extremely smooth and I’ve not seen even a hint of a blip.

Onto software then and it’s essentially more of the same as in years gone by, and that’s fine, especially if you’re used to Apple Watch. If you’re coming from another platform, however, it may feel quite different.

The SE 3 comes with watchOS 26, which launched last September. The main change visually is the introduction of Liquid Glass to match iOS 26. This translucent, glass-like effect divides opinion, but it’s less visible on a smartwatch.

Smart Stack is one place that you can use Apple’s brilliant pinch gesture

You’ll see it primarily in notifications as well as Control Centre and Smart Stack. I sometimes forget Smart Stack is there but it’s a usual area of the software, showing you cards for weather, photos and activity progress.

Smart Stack is one place that you can use Apple’s brilliant pinch gesture (not available on the SE 2). Tap your finger and thumb together twice and the watch will magically scroll through the Smart Stack.

Wrist Flick is a new feature which I find very useful. Simply flick your wrist away from you and back to perform tasks such as dismissing a notification, silencing an alarm, or ‘going back’ from a menu or app you’re viewing.

I’d still prefer a circular Apple Watch, but the software experience is certainly cohesive and well thought out.

Health & Fitness Tracking

• Solid core tracking
• Some new features
• Misses out on others like ECG

So far, you might be wondering why you’d bother spending more on a Series 11 or Ultra 3 – and you’d have a point.

We’ve arrived at the one area in which the SE 3 has significant differences from its stablemates, though. Sure, it can do all the core, basic things you’d expect a smartwatch to do, such as heart rate tracking, sleep tracking (now with a score) and Apple’s infamous activity rings.

If features such as hypertension (high blood pressure) notifications, ECG, and blood oxygen are must-haves, you’ll need to look elsewhere. It also lacks a water temperature sensor and depth gauge.

I’ve tested plenty of smartwatches with advanced sensors like those and they don’t feel that important to me, but they might be for you. The SE 3 does a perfectly good job of reporting my activity, sleep and automatically tracking workouts with GPS, like taking the dog for a walk.

It also gains wrist temperature tracking, sleep apnea notifications and cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates.

Battery Life & Charging

• Still rated 18 hours
• Now has fast charging
• Nearly 80% in 30 minutes in my testing

Despite various upgrades over the SE 2, battery life is static, with Apple still rating it at 18 hours, or 32 hours in Low Power Mode. It’s a shame and one of the biggest downsides to this smartwatch.

It can certainly last longer than that, and I’ve seen it go 24+ on days of lighter usage, but I’ve also lost count of the number of times the wearable has died on me.

Many non-Apple smartwatches can go several days longer. For example, the Huawei Watch Fit 4 and CMF Watch 3 Pro can both last more than a week.

Fortunately, it’s now ‘Fast-charge capable’, with Apple claiming you can get up to an 80% charge in around 45 minutes.

I’ve also lost count of the number of times the wearable has died on me

I got better results in my testing, with the Apple Watch SE 3 reaching 40% in 15 minutes and 78% in 30 minutes.

Keeping it topped up is easy… if you remember to do it before leaving the house.

Price & Availability

It’s not very common these days, but the Apple Watch SE 3 comes in at the same price as its predecessor.

That means it starts at £219/$249 for the smaller 40mm size and £249/$279 for the larger 44mm. You need to add extra if you want 5G cellular data rather than just GPS.

You can buy it from Apple as well as plenty of retailers, including Amazon, Argos, Very, Currys and John Lewis.

In the US, head to BestBuy, Walmart and Target.

At the time of writing, the smartwatch is easily found for under £200 in the UK, making it even better value.

It puts it firmly in the budget smartwatch category, offering excellent value for money, even though you can buy much cheaper rivals if they suit your needs.

Should you buy the Apple Watch SE 3?

For many people, the Apple Watch SE 3 is the no-brainer of the current range of Apple smartwatches.

It’s the cheapest and ticks all the boxes you likely want from a smartwatch. Plus, it’s the only way to get a smaller 40mm size. Conversely, you might want something bigger, as well as more choice than just two colours.

It’s a case of doing the basics well, gaining a lot on its predecessor, including an always-on screen, fast charging, gestures, better health insights and a more powerful processor.

Specs

• watchOS 26
• 40/44mm aluminium case
• Always-on OLED screen, 1000 nits brightness
• S10 chip
• Heart rate monitoring
• Sleep tracking with score
• Skin temperature
• Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates
• Sleep apnoea notifications
• Car crash detection
• GPS + optional 5G
• Barometer
• Always-on altimeter
• Optional cellular connectivity with international roaming
• 18-hour battery life
• 32-hours with Low Power mode
• 5ATM water resistance
• Launch colours: Starlight, Midnight