This year, Apple has introduced three new Apple Watch models: the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 3. Whether you’re shopping for yourself, looking for a last-minute holiday gift, or just exploring your options, we’ve got you covered.
With a price of $799, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 targets a specific, high-end market—especially for athletes. Most buyers will likely find themselves choosing between the Apple Watch SE 3 and the Apple Watch Series 11, which start at $249 and $399, respectively.
Even though it’s the more budget-friendly option, the Apple Watch SE 3 still features much of the same software as the Series 11. If you need a straightforward smartwatch with key features like step counting and sleep tracking, the SE 3 is a fantastic value.
While the Series 11 and Ultra 3 have made only slight improvements compared to their predecessors, the SE 3 has seen significant upgrades from the SE 2. It has moved from the S8 chip to the S10 chip, offers an always-on display, supports fast charging, boasts better crack resistance, introduces new health features, and includes a wrist-temperature sensor for enhanced sleep tracking and retrospective ovulation insights.
Although it may not have the same flair as the Series 11 and Ultra 3, the SE 3 still stands out and delivers great value, especially for first-time users and younger audiences. The distinction between standard and budget smartwatches has become even less pronounced.
If you’re looking for more advanced health features, longer battery life, and a larger display, the Series 11 may better suit your needs. That said, it’s worth comparing both models, as the SE 3 could be all you really need.
Let’s explore the similarities and differences between these two smartwatches to help you make an informed decision.
Similarities between the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch SE 3
- S10 chip: Both models feature the same chip, ensuring similar performance.
- Always-on Retina display: They both can show the watch face and time, even when your wrist is down.
- Heart health features: Each watch has notifications for high/low heart rates, irregular rhythms, and low cardio fitness.
- Gesture controls: Both allow wrist flicks to dismiss notifications and double taps to perform actions like answering calls.
- Emergency SOS: Quickly calls local emergency services and notifies emergency contacts when you press and hold the side button.
- Fall detection and crash detection: Both can automatically alert emergency services and contacts in case of a hard fall or severe crash.
- Water resistance: They both can be used for swimming, rated to 50 meters.
- Sleep tracking: Features sleep tracking notifications and Apple’s Sleep score for assessing your rest quality. They also have temperature sensing to track wrist temperature changes overnight.
- Cycle tracking: Both can estimate ovulation timing based on the previous cycle.
- Fast charging: The Series 11 charges up to 80% in about 30 minutes, while the SE 3 takes about 45 minutes; both can get up to 8 hours of normal use from just 15 minutes of charging.
- Find iPhone: Each watch allows you to play a sound on your iPhone for locating it, though the Series 11 offers precision finding to pinpoint your phone’s exact location.
Differences between the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch SE 3
- Battery life: The Series 11 lasts up to 24 hours (28 hours in low-power mode), while the SE provides up to 18 hours (32 hours in low-power mode).
- Health features: The Series 11 includes advanced features like hypertension notifications, an electrical heart sensor, an ECG app, and a Blood Oxygen app.
- Screen and display: The Series 11 can reach up to 2000 nits brightness, while the SE 3 maxes out at 1000 nits. Additionally, the Series 11 has a wide-angle OLED display, compared to the basic OLED display on the SE 3.
- Size: The Series 11 is available in 46mm and 44mm sizes with aluminum or titanium cases, while the SE 3 comes in 44mm and 40mm sizes with an aluminum case. The Series 11 is also nearly 10% thinner than the SE 3.
- Color options: The Series 11 is offered in aluminum colors such as Jet Black, Silver, Rose Gold, and Space Gray, as well as titanium options. The SE 3 comes in Midnight Aluminum and Starlight Aluminum.
- Other features: The Series 11 includes a depth gauge to six meters, a water temperature sensor, a minimum brightness of 1 nit compared to 2 nits on the SE 3, and certified IP6X dust resistance.
