Is The Apple Watch Se 3 Worth It? Here's How It Compares To The 2022 Watch Se 2

Rene Ramos/ZDNET/Apple

Apple precocious unveiled nan new iPhone 17 lineup at its yearly September hardware event, and its halfway smartwatch yet sewage a much-needed facelift. That's right, nan Apple Watch SE 2 is officially retired, arsenic nan Watch SE 3 takes its spot pinch caller upgrades. 

The Watch SE 3 joins 2 different caller wearables from Apple -- nan Watch Series 11 and nan much precocious Watch Ultra 3. While some of nan second watches saw immoderate sizzling upgrades, nan Watch SE 3 sewage immoderate long-awaited refreshes that make it an enticing bargain for first-time watch users, children, aged individuals, and more. 

Also: Every iPhone 17 exemplary compared: Should you bargain nan guidelines model, Air, Pro, aliases Max?

Whether you're considering switching from your Watch SE 2 to a marque caller Watch SE 3 (that you tin preorder today) aliases deliberating betwixt nan 2 options, we've weighed nan pros and cons of each watch to thief you make nan champion decision.

Specifications 

You should bargain nan Apple Watch SE 3 if you...

1. Want nan champion affordable Apple Watch 

Bottom line: if you want nan cheapest yet astir up-to-date guidelines Apple Watch to past a fewer years, buying nan Watch SE 3 makes sense. At $250, nan Watch SE 3 is conscionable arsenic affordable arsenic nan Watch SE 2 was upon its motorboat successful 2022, keeping nan halfway wearable nether $300 and much accessible to a wider scope of users. 

A refreshed group of features, including wrist temperature, much insightful menstrual rhythm tracking, slumber apnea detection, and more, upgrade nan exemplary to stay competitory pinch similar-priced wearables from Apple's rivals. There's besides Apple Watch accelerated charging for nan first clip successful nan SE, arsenic good arsenic a 36-hour artillery life upon activation successful Low Power Mode and a caller S10 spot (the aforesaid spot arsenic successful nan caller Watch Series 11). Apple has evened retired nan playing section among its ain watch lineup, edging nan SE and nan Series 11 person successful usability -- but not successful price. 

2. You're coming from a Watch SE, but don't want to level up

There's nary logic to upgrade to a Watch Series 10, Series 11, aliases Ultra exemplary if you are comfortable rocking Apple's guidelines exemplary wearable and emotion nan group of no-fuss features that thief you merge your watch into your regular without hassle. And if you're nan proud proprietor of an Apple Watch SE (2020), it's astir apt clip for an upgrade. In this case, nan caller Watch SE 3 is simply a glorious revamp I'm judge you'll appreciate, and it's worthy your money. 

Also: Here's why nan AirPods Pro 3 mightiness make maine ditch my Apple Watch for good

The truth is, it's normal to consciousness for illustration you request to "elevate" your tech acquisition to nan sleekest and astir top-of-the-line models, because Apple judge makes it easy to consciousness that way. But if you've been happy pinch nan halfway group of hardware and characteristic offerings from nan SE models, there's nary logic to bargain a much costly exemplary for a fistful of fancier features you astir apt won't moreover use. Just upgrade your watch, don't jump up to different exemplary without a justification beyond "it's cool."

3. You want premium features without nan price

Apple did a awesome occupation resurfacing nan SE model, and aft 3 years since nan past SE release, that move was expected. The Watch SE 3 has a batch of caller features that can't beryllium ignored, including nan S10 chip, accelerated charging, a much durable display, an Always-On OLED screen, and much precocious wellness metrics, specified arsenic slumber apnea discovery and amended rhythm tracking. 

Of course, nan instrumentality still has each nan basal features, including SOS, autumn and clang detection, bosom complaint monitoring, and slumber tracking. However, for nan first clip successful respective years, nan SE feels robust and fresh to compete -- some connected nan broader marketplace and against different Apple Watch models. And contempt each these elevated upgrades (and highly delicate economical times), nan Watch SE remains astatine $250. 

You should bargain nan Apple Watch SE 2 if you...

Kayla Solino/ZDNET

1. You want nan cheapest Apple Watch possible 

If your extremity is to subordinate nan Apple wearable nine astatine nan lowest imaginable value point, nan outgoing Watch SE 2 is apt nan cheapest exemplary watch you tin find successful caller condition. Swiping up refurbished models is besides an option, but if you're searching for a caller in-box Apple wearable astatine a debased price, this is nan 1 for you. 

Also: This Apple Watch is my favourite and I usage it daily 

Right now, respective retailers are trading nan Watch SE 2 for $189, aliases $60 off. As ZDNET's shopping editor, I've seen this exemplary arsenic debased arsenic $149 during past year's vacation season, truthful nan watch whitethorn waste for beneath $189 complete nan adjacent fewer weeks. The caveat, though, is that nan banal is dwindling. If you're genuinely eyeing this 2022 halfway model, I wouldn't hold excessively overmuch longer to make a determination -- erstwhile it's gone successful NIB condition, it's gone. 

2. You want to "try" earlier you commit 

If you've ne'er owned a smartwatch aliases an Apple Watch before, nan Watch SE 2 is simply a awesome measurement to study really to usage it and merge a watch into your lifestyle. Think of it arsenic a starter location aliases a first cellphone that only calls and texts. 

Since you tin drawback a Watch SE 2 for nether $200, it's nan cheapest measurement to get nan halfway Apple Watch acquisition without spending tons of cash. If nan instrumentality isn't for you, you tin walk it connected to a younger kid aliases resell it, and you won't suffer excessively overmuch cash. If you do extremity up liking nan watch experience, you'll beryllium capable to get an thought of which exemplary you whitethorn want to acquisition adjacent -- either nan Series 11, Ultra 3, aliases different watch exemplary (perhaps from nan past aliases moreover nan future). 

There's nary logic to walk $250 aliases $399 connected a caller watch exemplary only to find retired you really don't for illustration nan acquisition that much, and aft a fewer months of testing, these caller watch models won't beryllium worthy their afloat sticker value anymore anyway. 

3. You don't want upgraded features for illustration wrist temperature, media playback, slumber apnea detection, aliases gestures 

As an proprietor of an Apple Watch SE 2, I'll support this clear: nan upgrades are warmly received for nan guidelines model. The upgraded S10 chip, much durable and Always-On OLED display, accelerated charging, and added wellness features are bully -- and afloat make consciousness for Apple arsenic nan marque delivers a much-needed upgrade to its guidelines exemplary wearable aft 3 years. After all, it is simply a highly competitory smartwatch market. But astatine nan crux of this is need. 

If you're for illustration me, and I was chiefly willing successful an Apple Watch to easiness my measurement into nan brand's smart watch ecosystem, way workouts, enactment connected, and use from information features for illustration SOS, clang and autumn detection, and bosom complaint monitoring, past buying nan caller Watch SE 3 doesn't make a ton of sense. Wrist temperature, slumber apnea detection, and gestures for illustration wrist flick and double pat are a plus, but surely not basal successful nan expansive strategy of what astir want from a halfway exemplary smartwatch. Other features, specified arsenic a longer-lasting artillery pinch Low Power Mode and accelerated charging, are, erstwhile again, conscionable bully touches. The SE 2 still has a awesome 18-hour artillery life connected its own. 

Also: You tin preorder Apple's caller devices this week: iPhone 17, Watch 11, AirPods Pro 3 and more

So, if you're willing successful benefitting from a much robust wearable that tin supply a wider scope of features and yet a fuller standard of health, you're amended disconnected considering a watch for illustration nan Series 11 for astir $150 more. I personally won't beryllium upgrading to nan SE 3, because my SE 2 does everything I request (and want it to) astatine nan moment. Instead, I'll look toward upgrading to a midrange exemplary successful nan early arsenic I go much skilled successful incorporating my Apple Watch into my lifestyle. 

Alternatives to consider 

Open to different fund smartwatch prospects? Consider these devices: