Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 11: Which Smartwatch is Right for You?

Apple has recently expanded its smartwatch lineup with the introduction of the Apple Watch Series 11, the Apple Watch SE 3, and the high-end Apple Watch Ultra 3. While the Ultra 3 is tailored for a specific market, most consumers will find themselves choosing between the Apple Watch SE 3 and the Apple Watch Series 11. The SE 3 starts at an attractive $249, while the Series 11 begins at $399. Which one offers the best value for your needs?

The Apple Watch SE 3 provides many of the same software capabilities as the Series 11, making it a strong contender for budget-conscious buyers. If you're looking for a reliable smartwatch to track your daily activity and sleep patterns, the SE 3 provides an excellent and affordable entry point into the Apple Watch ecosystem.

It's worth noting that the SE 3 has received notable upgrades compared to its predecessor. It boasts a significant jump from the S8 chip to the S10, introducing an always-on display, faster charging, improved durability, new health tracking features, and a wrist-temperature sensor for more in-depth sleep analysis and retrospective ovulation insights. For those new to smartwatches, the SE 3 provides excellent value, narrowing the gap between entry-level and standard models.

However, if you desire more advanced health features, longer battery life, and a larger, brighter display, the Series 11 remains the superior choice. Ultimately, comparing both models side-by-side is essential to determine which one best suits your individual needs and budget.

Let's delve into the specific similarities and differences between the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Apple Watch SE 3:

Similarities

• S10 Chip: Both watches are powered by the same S10 chip, ensuring comparable performance and responsiveness.
• Always-On Retina Display: Both models feature an always-on display, allowing you to view the time and watch face at a glance without raising your wrist.
• Heart Health Features: Both include high and low heart rate notifications, irregular rhythm notifications, and low cardio fitness notifications.
• Wrist Gestures: Both support intuitive wrist gestures like "wrist flick" to dismiss notifications and timers and "double tap" for actions such as answering calls or playing music.
• Emergency SOS: In emergencies, both watches can quickly contact local emergency services, share your location, and notify your emergency contacts by pressing and holding the side button.
• Fall and Crash Detection: Both watches can automatically detect hard falls or severe car crashes and alert emergency services and your designated contacts.
• Water Resistance: Both are water-resistant to 50 meters, making them suitable for swimming and other water activities.
• Sleep Tracking: Both offer comprehensive sleep tracking, notifications, and Apple's new Sleep score, providing a rating of your sleep quality. They also feature temperature sensing to track nightly changes in wrist temperature for insights into your overall well-being.
• Cycle Tracking: Both can estimate ovulation timing based on previous cycle data.
• Fast Charging: Both support fast charging. The Series 11 can reach up to 80% charge in approximately 30 minutes, while the SE 3 achieves the same in about 45 minutes. Both can gain up to eight hours of normal use with just 15 minutes of charging.
• Find iPhone: Both let you ping your iPhone to help you locate it by playing a sound. The Series 11 takes it a step further with "precision finding," enabling you to pinpoint your phone's exact location.

Differences

• Battery Life: The Series 11 offers up to 24 hours of battery life (28 hours in low-power mode), while the SE 3 provides up to 18 hours (32 hours in low-power mode).
• Health Features: The Series 11 boasts more advanced health tracking capabilities, including hypertension notifications, an electrical heart sensor, an ECG app, and a Blood Oxygen app.
• Screen and Display: The Series 11's display reaches a peak brightness of 2000 nits, while the SE 3 goes up to 1000 nits. Furthermore, the Series 11 features a wide-angle OLED display, whereas the SE 3 has a standard OLED display.
• Size: The Series 11 is available in 46mm and 44mm sizes with aluminum or titanium cases. The SE 3 comes in 44mm and 40mm sizes with an aluminum case. The Series 11 is also slightly thinner.
• Color Options: The Series 11 offers a wider range of colors, including Jet Black, Silver, Rose Gold, and Space Gray for aluminum models, and Natural, Gold, and Slate for titanium models. The SE 3 is available in Midnight Aluminum and Starlight Aluminum.
• Additional Features: The Series 11 includes a depth gauge, a water temperature sensor, a 1-nit minimum brightness setting, and IP6X dust resistance. The SE 3 has a 2-nit minimum brightness.