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Apple Watch SE 3: Everything That's New Over Watch SE 2

Apple's newest budget watch is here but is it time to upgrade?

Abubakar Mohammed profile picture
by Abubakar Mohammed
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Apple Watch SE 3 colourways in blue gradient

Image Credit: Beebom Gadgets

Summary

  • Apple's new Watch SE 3 features a slimmer design with Series 9's chassis and larger displays.
  • It's powered by the latest S11 chip, an upgrade over the three-year-old S8 SoC found on the Watch SE 2.
  • The Watch SE 3 also boasts a 3rd Gen Heart rate sensor with Sleep Apnea detection, which is lacking on the older model.

After skimping on the Apple Watch SE last year, the Cupertino giant has finally unveiled the Apple Watch SE 3. It's the third generation of budget Apple Watches, and it brings quite a few improvements over its predecessor. If you're using the Apple Watch SE 2 or any other older Apple Watch and are thinking of upgrading, here's everything new in the Apple Watch SE 3 over the SE 2.

Apple Watch SE 3 gets an Always-on display, finally!

One of the major features in the Watch SE 3 is the always-on capabilities. The LTPO OLED in the SE 3, combined with the faster S10 chip, finally brings an always-on display to the affordable Watch SE. The Watch SE 2 features a slower S8 chip and doesn't have an always-on display.

Apple Watch SE 3 display with two different colour straps
Image Credit: Apple
Apple Watch SE 3 display with two different colour straps
Image Credit: Apple

Contrary to the previous rumours, though, the Watch SE 3 doesn't get a new casing and design, which is a bit disappointing. It has the same 40mm and 44mm casing options, with one less colour to choose from. The Silver Aluminium is gone, and left are only Midnight and Starlight colourways.

Apple Watch SE 3 has a faster chip

The Watch SE 2 ran on the S8 chip, which was already a year old when the watch launched. However, the Watch SE 3 features the latest S10 chip, which also powers the Series 11 and Watch Ultra 3. Thanks to the same, the storage capacity has also been bumped to 64 GB with a four-core neural engine.

Apple Watch SE 3 caller screen with music and iMEssages
Image Credit: Apple
Apple Watch SE 3 caller screen with music and iMEssages
Image Credit: Apple

S8 to S10 is a considerable upgrade, not only in terms of performance but also efficiency. While the S9 boasted relatively fewer performance improvements, the jump to the S10 should be noticeable from the SE 2. Not to mention, the latest chipset should help the Watch SE 3 support a few new features, which brings us to.

Apple Watch SE 3 offers new sensors and features

When it comes to cutting-edge health tracking, Watch SEs have always been behind standard Apple Watches. The Apple Watch SE 3 boasts a better third-generation optical heart rate sensor and a Temperature sensor.

Watch SE 3 temp sensor in action
Image Credit: Apple
Watch SE 3 temp sensor in action
Image Credit: Apple

This is a pretty significant upgrade from the Watch SE 2's. Besides, the S11 chip enables on-device Siri processing, support for double-tap gestures and more onboard storage for apps and media. Also, like the Series 11 and Ultra 3, the SE 3 supports 5G on its cellular variants.

Should you upgrade from Apple Watch SE 2 to the Watch SE 3?

Before we get to the conclusion, here are all the specifications of the Apple Watch SE 3 and SE 2.

Specification
Apple Watch SE 3
Apple Watch SE 2
Display
40mm: 1.58-inch, 44mm: 1.78-inch LTPO OLED with Always-on display
40mm: 1.58-inch, 44mm: 1.78-inch LTPO OLED
Chipset
Apple S10
Apple S8
Health Features
3rd Gen Optical Heart rate, Temperature sensor
2nd Gen Optical Heart rate sensor
Battery
18 hours on a single charge
18 hours on a single charge
Storage
1 GB RAM, 64 GB storage
1 GB RAM, 32 GB storage
Price
40mm, 44mm GPS-only: Rs 24,999, Rs 27,999 | GPS+Cellular for Rs 29,999, Rs 32,999
40mm, 44mm GPS-only: Rs 24,999, Rs 27,999 | GPS+Cellular for Rs 29,999, Rs 32,999

All things considered, the Apple Watch SE 3 is a considerable upgrade from the Apple Watch SE 2. Despite packing the latest S11 chip and a slightly more premium design, Apple has kept the pricing the same. Therefore, it's worth upgrading to the Watch SE 3 from SE 2, or if you're buying a new one, getting the SE 3 is a no-brainer.

Abubakar Mohammed profile picture
Abubakar Mohammed

Guides Writer

Expertise :

Abubakar is a seasoned Tech Journalist who covers everything Android and consumer electronics. He's a die-hard self-repair enthusiast who loves to dive into the specifics of consumer tech. In his free time, you will find him hunting heads in Valorant. He has previously worked with Android Police and How-to Geek.

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