Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 11: Is the SE 3 a Good Deal in 2025?

Apple’s latest smartwatch lineup makes the buying decision feel both simpler and more confusing at the same time: you can spend $249, $399, or $799—and the watches share more core capabilities than you might expect. For many people, the real question isn’t whether to buy an Apple Watch, but whether the Apple Watch SE 3 is the smart value pick or if paying more for the Apple Watch Series 11 is worth it.

In 2025, Apple introduced three new models: Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 3. The Apple Watch Ultra 3, with its $799 price tag, is positioned as a specialized device for a narrower audience—particularly athletes and users who want a premium, rugged option. For most shoppers, the choice is likely between the Apple Watch SE 3 (starting at $249) and the Apple Watch Series 11 (starting at $399).

What makes this comparison especially relevant is how close these two watches have become in everyday use. The SE 3 runs much of the same software as the Series 11 and hits the essentials—step counting, sleep tracking, and everyday smartwatch functions—at a notably lower price. At the same time, the Series 11 remains the better fit for people who want Apple’s more advanced health tools, a brighter and more premium display, and a handful of extra sensors.

Image Credits: Apple

A major reason the SE 3 is generating so much attention is that it’s not just a minor refresh. Compared with the SE 2, the SE 3 receives a significant upgrade: it moves from the S8 chip to the S10, adds an always-on display, supports fast charging, improves crack resistance, and introduces new health features—most notably a wrist-temperature sensor that enables advanced sleep tracking and retrospective ovulation insights.

Even without the “flashier” positioning of the Series 11 or Ultra 3, the SE 3 stands out as strong value, particularly for first-time Apple Watch buyers, younger users, or anyone who wants the core Apple Watch experience without paying for top-tier extras. The difference between Apple’s standard and budget smartwatch options has rarely felt this small.

Apple Watch lineup in 2025: where SE 3 and Series 11 fit

Apple’s current lineup is easier to understand if you think in terms of audience:

Apple Watch SE 3: the affordable, straightforward Apple Watch that still delivers modern performance and core health and safety features.
Apple Watch Series 11: the mainstream model with a brighter, more advanced display and additional health sensors and apps.
Apple Watch Ultra 3: the $799 premium option aimed at a niche, high-end market and athletes.

If you’re primarily concerned with daily activity tracking, notifications, safety alerts, and sleep insights, the SE 3 may already cover what you need. If your priorities include more advanced heart health monitoring or other high-end health features, the Series 11 is designed to justify the extra cost.

Similarities between Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch SE 3

Image Credits: Apple

When comparing the Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 11, it’s worth starting with what you don’t give up by choosing the cheaper model. According to the report, both watches share several meaningful hardware and software capabilities, including performance, gestures, and a wide set of health and safety tools.

Key features you get on both models

S10 chip: Both the Series 11 and SE 3 use the same chip, so you shouldn’t expect major performance differences between them.
Always-on Retina display: Both watches can keep the watch face and time visible even when your wrist is down.
Heart health notifications: Both include high and low heart rate notifications, irregular rhythm notifications, and low cardio fitness notifications.
Wrist flick and double tap gestures: Each model supports a “wrist flick” gesture for dismissing notifications and timers, plus a “double tap” gesture for actions such as answering calls or controlling music.
Emergency SOS: Press and hold the side button to call local emergency services, share your location, and alert emergency contacts.
Fall detection and crash detection: Both can automatically contact emergency services and notify emergency contacts after detecting a hard fall or severe car crash.
Water resistance to 50 meters: Both can be used for swimming.
Sleep tracking: Both models include sleep tracking, sleep-related notifications, and Apple’s Sleep score (rated 1 to 100). They also support temperature sensing that tracks nightly changes in wrist temperature for additional well-being insights.
Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates: Both watches can estimate when you most likely ovulated in your previous cycle.
Fast charging: Both models support fast charging, though at different speeds: up to 80% in about 30 minutes for the Series 11 and up to 80% in about 45 minutes for the SE 3. The report also notes 15 minutes of charging can deliver up to eight hours of normal use for both.
Find iPhone: Both let you trigger a sound on your iPhone to help locate it. The Series 11 adds “precision finding,” which can pinpoint the phone’s exact location.

In practical terms, these shared features mean that the SE 3 isn’t a “stripped-down” smartwatch in the ways budget devices often are. For everyday life—messages, calls, reminders, fitness rings, sleep basics, and safety tools—both watches aim to deliver a similar baseline experience.

Differences between Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch SE 3

The Series 11 still separates itself in a few areas that may matter a lot, depending on your routine: battery expectations, health features, display brightness and tech, physical materials, and some extra environmental durability characteristics.

Battery life

Apple Watch Series 11: up to 24 hours (28 hours in low-power mode)
Apple Watch SE 3: up to 18 hours (32 hours in low-power mode)

This split is a reminder to look at how you actually use a smartwatch. If you typically charge daily and want a bit more headroom, Series 11’s “up to 24 hours” may be appealing. If you rely on low-power mode more frequently, the SE 3’s “32 hours” figure could also factor into your decision.

Health features and sensor upgrades

Health tracking is where the Series 11 makes its clearest case. The report says Series 11 includes more advanced health tools, specifically:

Hypertension notifications (detects high blood pressure)
An electrical heat sensor
ECG app
Blood Oxygen app

If these capabilities are central to why you want an Apple Watch—especially ECG and Blood Oxygen—then the Series 11 is the model that provides them in this comparison. If you’re primarily looking for general wellness tracking and core heart notifications, the SE 3 still covers a lot of ground.

Display: brightness and panel technology

Series 11 brightness: up to 2000 nits
SE 3 brightness: up to 1000 nits

The Series 11 also uses a wide-angle OLED, while the SE 3 uses a simple OLED display. For people who spend a lot of time outdoors or want improved viewing angles, the Series 11’s brighter screen may be a meaningful upgrade. For many indoor and typical daily scenarios, 1000 nits may be sufficient.

Size, thickness, and materials

Series 11 sizes: 46 mm and 44 mm
SE 3 sizes: 44 mm and 40 mm

Materials also differ. The Series 11 is offered with aluminum or titanium cases, while the SE 3 comes with an aluminum case. The report adds that the Series 11 is almost 10% thinner than the SE 3, which may matter for comfort, especially during sleep tracking.

Color options

If aesthetics matter, Apple differentiates the models clearly:

Series 11 aluminum colors: Jet Black, Silver, Rose Gold, and Space Gray
Series 11 titanium colors: Natural, Gold, and Slate
SE 3 colors: Midnight Aluminum and Starlight Aluminum

Other smaller differences

The Series 11 includes several additional specs the SE 3 doesn’t match, including:

Depth gauge to six meters
Water temperature sensor
1 nit minimum brightness (vs 2 nit minimum brightness on the SE 3)
Certified IP6X dust resistance

Is the Apple Watch SE 3 a good deal?

Based on the features outlined above, the SE 3 makes a strong argument at $249 because it delivers modern performance (thanks to the S10 chip) and a broad set of Apple’s hallmark experiences—always-on display, safety features like Emergency SOS and fall/crash detection, and a robust collection of health and sleep tools—while undercutting the Series 11’s $399 starting price.

The decision becomes less about whether the SE 3 is “good enough” and more about whether you specifically want what the Series 11 uniquely offers: its brighter wide-angle OLED screen, additional advanced health features (including ECG and the Blood Oxygen app), more premium case materials like titanium, and extra sensors such as the depth gauge and water temperature sensor.

Who should buy the SE 3 vs. the Series 11?

Apple Watch SE 3 is likely the better fit if you:

Want the most affordable new Apple Watch starting at $249
Prefer a straightforward smartwatch for steps, sleep tracking, and core wellness
Value safety features like Emergency SOS, fall detection, and crash detection
Don’t need advanced health apps like ECG or Blood Oxygen

Apple Watch Series 11 is likely the better fit if you:

Want more advanced health tracking, including hypertension notifications, ECG, and Blood Oxygen
Care about a brighter display (up to 2000 nits) and wide-angle OLED
Prefer more size, material, and color options—including titanium cases
Want extras like a depth gauge to six meters, a water temperature sensor, and IP6X dust resistance

Conclusion

The Apple Watch SE 3 closes the gap with the Series 11 in ways that matter day to day, making it a compelling value at $249—especially for first-time buyers. The Series 11 is still the better pick for those who prioritize Apple’s most advanced health features and a brighter, more premium display.

This article is based on reporting originally published by TechCrunch.

Based on reporting originally published by TechCrunch. See the sources section below.

Sources

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