Apple Watch SE 3 vs SE 2: This is the cheap Apple Watch you should buy this week

The Apple Watch SE series is Apple‘s cheapest form of smartwatch. It’s an entry-level watch, designed to be affordable as a result of a few cost-cutting measures, such as reusing parts of older watches and opting for different cases or backings, without skimping on functionality or power. As a result, they’re the best value Apple Watches you can get, and the best for most people.

• Black Friday Apple Watch deals

The Apple Watch SE 3 came out this year, and we gave it 4.5 stars in our official Apple Watch SE 3 review. Priced from $249 / £219 / AU$399, with larger sizes and LTE models going up in price, it’s already an outstanding value smartwatch.

However, the new model coming out means the older Apple Watch SE 2 (which also got 4.5 stars in our Apple Watch SE 2 review) has gone down in price. Getting an Apple Watch for $150 / £150 is a very attractive prospect – but is it worth spending the extra cash to get the new SE 3?

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Apple Watch SE 2(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)Swipe to scroll horizontallyApple Watch SE 3: Specifications

Component

Apple Watch SE 3

Apple Watch SE 2

Price

From $249 / £219 / AU$399 (full price)

Dimensions

40 x 34 x 10.7mm (40mm), 44 x 38 x 10.7mm (44mm)

Weight

26g (40mm) or 32.9g (44mm)

28g (40mm) or 33g (44mm)

Case/Bezel

Aluminum

Display

Always-On Retina LTPO display with OLED, Ion-X scratch-resistant.

Retina LTPO OLED display with Ion-X scratch-resistant.

GPS

L1 GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and BeiDou

GPS / GNSS

Battery Life

18 hours, fast-charging

18 hours

Connection

Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE 5G (Optional)

Water Resistance

WR50 and IP7X

Chipset

S10

As you can see, both watches are very similar, sharing the same design, sizes, and weights. They were even priced the same at launch.

However, there are a few key differences between these two watches. For one thing, the Apple Watch SE 3 has fast-charging and an always-on display, two fantastic quality of life updates much needed – especially the fast charging, as the battery life of the Apple Watch SE series is only 18 hours.

It’s also got the same S10 chip as the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Series 11, meaning it’s got all the latest smarts, such as hands-free gesture controls and ultra-wideband technology. This will make it more compatible with future iPhones and software updates, so if it’s longevity you’re after, the SE 3 is the better pick, and perhaps better value as it’ll last longer.

However, the SE 2 is no longer sold by Apple, and is subject to far bigger discounts than the recent SE.

(Image credit: Future)

Out of the two watches, I would pick the Apple Watch SE 3, because it’ll be well-supported with new features for many years to come, while the Apple Watch SE 2 nears the end of its life cycle.

However, this comes with a caveat: there are some really exciting deals on the Apple Watch SE 2 right now, as retailers try and clear old stock. If you can get the SE 2 for $150 / £170 or lower, as I’ve seen it at some retailers, I would say it’s still worth buying.

Below are the best deals live right now, at the time of writing, for both watches in the US and UK.

45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuumsApple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $119Best Buy: $1,000 off TVs, laptops & headphonesDell: laptop deals from $249.99Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & toolsLenovo: 45% off laptops & tabletsLowe’s: up to 30% off appliances, holiday decor & toolsSamsung: up to $2,000 off appliances, TVs & phonesTarget: 40% off Christmas decor, clothing & furnitureWalmart: furniture, cheap TVs & vacs from $69Wayfair: 54% off Christmas, furniture & decor