Apple Watch SE 3 ZDNET's key takeaways Apple's affordable SE 3 is an approachable entry point into the brand's health-tracking suite.
Some users might not like the smaller display
The watch packs great value for a lower price, making it the one out of the lineup I'd recommend to smartwatch-curious shoppers. View now at Apple
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Earlier this month, Apple unveiled three new smartwatches during its annual September event. While flashier features on the more expensive watches, like Hypertension on the baseline Series 11 or Emergency SOS on the Ultra 3, caught the most wind, the Apple Watch SE 3 commanded attention by simply existing.
The smartwatch is the most affordable out of the lineup. At $250, it's $150 less than the starting price of the Series 11 and $550 less than the rugged Ultra 3. Despite its cheaper price, it packs much of the same software and hardware that its siblings boast and forgoes the flourishes.
Also: Should you upgrade to Apple Watch Series 11? Here's how it compares to older models
I tested the smartwatch out to see how its daily user experience compared to other members of 2025's Apple Watch lineup. Here's who I'd recommend the watch to (and who I wouldn't).
Let's begin with hardware.
The case is two millimeters smaller than the Apple Watch Series 11's, and the display area is the smallest out of the watch lineup. Because of this, the default for communication isn't a keyboard -- it's a letter drawing pad. This was a fun, creative alternative to the SE 3's small screen problem, but I can imagine drawing out words on a tiny screen would get exhausting if a user did not have their phone nearby.
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