Apple’s 2024 smartwatch lineup includes three models: the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 3. While the Ultra 3 targets athletes and enthusiasts willing to pay a premium, most buyers will likely be choosing between the Series 11 and the more affordable SE 3.
The Apple Watch SE 3 starts at $249, the Series 11 at $399, and the Ultra 3 at $799. Despite its lower price, the SE 3 now shares many core features with the Series 11, narrowing the gap between Apple’s entry-level and flagship watches.
The SE 3 is a strong option if you want an everyday smartwatch for activity tracking, notifications, and basic health features. The Series 11, meanwhile, adds more advanced health tools, a brighter and larger display, and better battery life.
Apple Watch SE 3: what’s new
Compared with the SE 2, the SE 3 is a significant upgrade. It moves from Apple’s S8 chip to the S10, adds an always-on display, supports fast charging, improves crack resistance, and introduces new health features. It also includes a wrist-temperature sensor that powers more detailed sleep tracking and retrospective ovulation insights.
For first-time smartwatch buyers or younger users, the SE 3 delivers much of the Apple Watch experience at a lower cost, and the feature gap with the Series 11 is smaller than in previous generations.
Key similarities: Apple Watch Series 11 vs. SE 3
- S10 chip: Both watches run on the same processor, so everyday performance should be similar.
- Always-on Retina display: Each model can show the time and watch face even when your wrist is down.
- Heart health alerts: Both offer high and low heart rate notifications, irregular rhythm notifications, and low cardio fitness notifications.
- Gestures: Wrist flick can dismiss notifications and timers, while double tap can trigger actions such as answering calls or playing music.
- Emergency SOS: Pressing and holding the side button can call local emergency services, share your location, and notify your emergency contacts.
- Fall and crash detection: Both models can detect hard falls or severe car crashes and automatically contact emergency services and designated contacts.
- Water resistance: Each watch is water resistant to 50 meters and suitable for swimming.
- Sleep and temperature tracking: Both track sleep, provide sleep notifications, and assign a Sleep score from 1 to 100. Temperature sensing tracks nightly wrist temperature changes to offer additional wellness insights.
- Cycle tracking: Both support cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates.
- Fast charging: Both support fast charging. The Series 11 charges to about 80% in roughly 30 minutes, while the SE 3 reaches about 80% in around 45 minutes. A 15-minute charge can provide up to eight hours of normal use on either watch.
- Find iPhone: Both can play a sound on your iPhone to help locate it. The Series 11 adds precision finding for more accurate location guidance.
Key differences: Apple Watch Series 11 vs. SE 3
- Battery life: The Series 11 is rated for up to 24 hours of use (28 hours in low-power mode). The SE 3 offers up to 18 hours (32 hours in low-power mode).
- Advanced health features: The Series 11 adds hypertension notifications for detecting high blood pressure, an electrical heart sensor, an ECG app, and a Blood Oxygen app. These are not available on the SE 3.
- Screen and brightness: The Series 11’s wide-angle OLED display can reach up to 2,000 nits of brightness, while the SE 3’s OLED display reaches up to 1,000 nits.
- Size and materials: The Series 11 comes in 46mm and 44mm sizes with aluminum or titanium cases. The SE 3 comes in 44mm and 40mm sizes and is available only in aluminum. The Series 11 is also almost 10% thinner than the SE 3.
- Colors: Series 11 aluminum finishes include Jet Black, Silver, Rose Gold, and Space Gray, with titanium options in Natural, Gold, and Slate. The SE 3 is offered in Midnight Aluminum and Starlight Aluminum.
- Durability and sensors: The Series 11 adds a depth gauge to six meters, a water temperature sensor, 1 nit minimum display brightness (versus 2 nits on the SE 3), and certified IP6X dust resistance.
Which Apple Watch should you buy?
If you mainly want fitness tracking, notifications, and core health features at the lowest price, the Apple Watch SE 3 is likely enough. It delivers modern performance, an always-on display, and key safety tools.
If you prioritize more advanced health monitoring, a brighter and larger screen, better durability and battery life, or premium materials, the Apple Watch Series 11 is the better fit. The Ultra 3, with its higher price and rugged design, remains best suited to outdoor athletes and users who need maximum battery life and specialized features.