Why I’m upgrading to the cheaper Apple Watch SE 3 instead of the pricey Series 11

• The Apple Watch SE 3 moves the budget watch out of the bargain bin
• The only thing missing is the premium health features
• You shouldn’t buy more smartwatch than you need

People don’t buy new smartwatches at the same rate that they buy new smartphones. And when you really think about it, why would they? Carriers create deals as an incentive to prompt upgrades every two years (the installment plans are often set up to be two years long), but no such schedule exists for accessories. On top of that, the pace of change is often much slower because of the difficulties of miniaturizing chips and sensors to wrist-size. That’s part of the reason that the Apple Watch SE 3 is so surprising.

After the Apple Watch SE was introduced in 2020, and the Apple Watch Ultra debuted in 2022, Apple had multiple different smartwatch models at different price points to satisfy interested users. The SE has always lagged seriously behind the company’s other watches, making a used Series model or a new one the more obvious choice.

That finally changes with the Apple Watch SE 3, which not only remains relatively affordable at a $249 starting price, but picks up nearly all the features of the Apple Watch Series 11, save for some more premium health features. For someone like me, upgrading from an Apple Watch Series 7, jumping to a Series 11 is much less of an obvious move. For the first time, I’m going with an SE rather than a more expensive model because it has everything I need.

The Apple Watch SE 3 moves the budget watch out of the bargain bin

It’s not just a reskinned version of an older model

In the past, Apple’s SE models more or less carried over the hardware of much older smartwatches, with modest upgrades to support whatever the latest version of watchOS was available at the time. For the longest time, that meant the Apple Watch SE fell somewhere between the Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 6, in terms of hardware. Which is to say not very exciting or capable beyond the most basic activity tracking and heart rate monitoring. And notably, it lacked modern touches like an always-on display, the thing that makes a smartwatch actually behave like a watch and tell the time when you’re not looking at it.

Apple currently sells refurbished versions of the Apple Watch Series 10 for $299, which is an equally good option.

That changes with the Apple Watch SE 3. Sure, its shape isn’t all that different from those older watches in terms of screen size and thickness, but its components and features are thoroughly modern. Thanks to its LTPO OLED screen with a 324 x 448-pixel resolution, the SE 3 features an always-on display for the first time. The battery life is also longer at 18 hours, with fast-charging capabilities, than previous models.

Then you add in things like the S10 chip — the same one used in the Apple Watch Series 11 — enabling features like faster performance, AI-powered features like Workout Buddy, and the ability to use gestures to navigate watchOS without touching the screen, and the whole thing feels premium. Compared to the Apple Watch Series 7 I’m hoping to upgrade from, almost all the features I use most are available on the cheaper model, and it’s even added features like sleep apnea detection that I haven’t had a chance to try yet. For all intents and purposes, the Apple Watch SE 3 is a great deal by Apple standards.

The only thing missing is the premium health features

Sensors and battery life are what Apple wants people to upgrade for

With all the benefits of the cheaper Apple Watch SE 3 on the table, why would you buy a Series 11? Well, it seems Apple mainly expects access to advanced health metrics and extra sensors to be what sways you. The electrical heart sensor (for the ECG feature) and the ability to measure blood oxygen levels are both missing from the SE 3 and present on the Series 11. Both features were at one point selling points for upgrading to a new Apple Watch and now come standard.

Getting all those extra bells and whistles and specialized features is great if you can afford a Series model, but I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve taken a blood oxygen measurement.

Combined with the depth gauge and water temperature sensor, there are just some things the Apple Watch Series 11 can measure that the Apple Watch SE 3 can’t. Moving forward, that seems like the main way Apple might differentiate its different models of smartwatch. Getting all those extra bells and whistles and specialized features is great if you can afford a Series model, but I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve taken a blood oxygen measurement. That’s not to say it isn’t useful, but for me and I imagine plenty of other people, the SE 3 has everything I need.

You shouldn’t buy more smartwatch than you need

Premium features are premium for a reason

I see no reason to pay for smartwatch features I’m not really using. I like the idea of having a watch that’s “future-proof” in a sense, but not enough to spend an extra $100. For those reasons and more, I’ve decided to upgrade to the Apple Watch SE 3 from the Apple Watch Series 7, and I’d encourage anyone with an older watch who’s considering buying a new model to do the same.

The Apple Watch SE 3 is a deal in a way Apple’s previous models haven’t been, but if you’re curious about a more expensive model, Pocket-lint has used and reviewed the new Apple Watch Ultra 3. And if you’re curious about what Android offers, the Google Pixel Watch 4 is worth a look.