The Apple Watch SE 3 (left), Apple Watch Ultra 3 (middle), Apple Watch Series 11 (right). Nina Raemont/ZDNET
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Apple released three new smartwatches this month, and while they may look similar, their differences are stark. I've tested all three to get a sense of which watches work best for different people.
I've even included one Apple Watch model from 2024 that, thanks to some retroactive updates through WatchOS 26, is a worthy contender for purchase this year. Here's the breakdown.
1. Who should buy the Apple Watch SE 3?
Nina Raemont/ZDNET
The Apple Watch SE 3 is an entry-level smartwatch built for beginners. They may be unsure whether they'll really use a smartwatch day in and day out and don't want to splurge on a pricier model just yet.
The device still packs many upgrades and, despite its affordable price, comes with many of the upgrades that the other watches in the lineup include. In many ways, the SE 3 takes the specs of last year's Series 10 and implements them in this affordable smartwatch -- an 18-hour battery life, Sleep Apnea Detection, and its latest chip, the S10.
Also: I compared every Apple Watch in 2025 - here's why I recommend this model the most
The screen is the smallest out of the lineup, and communicating through text can be annoying with only a letter-drawing feature or speak-to-text available.
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