Apple Watch SE 3

The Apple Watch SE 3 (released in September 2025) is the perfect and most affordable entry into Apple's smartwatch ecosystem as of April 2026. With the long-awaited leap to an Always-On display, the introduction of fast charging, and the powerful S10 chip, it nearly closes the gap to the more expensive Series models. While it still lacks premium health sensors like ECG or blood oxygen measurement, it is completely sufficient for the vast majority of users in everyday life. Anyone looking for a seamless and reliable iPhone extension under €300 will find the most reasonable Apple wearable available right now.

Classification and target audience

The SE 3 is aimed at smartwatch beginners, budget-conscious buyers, and – thanks to Family Setup – at children and seniors without their own iPhone. In the current lineup (April 2026), it stands as the entry-level model below the Apple Watch Series 11, but offers exactly the same everyday speed due to the identical processor. It is the direct answer to competitors like the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE or cheaper Fitbit models, but benefits massively from perfect integration into iOS.

Display and case

The Retina LTPO OLED display continues to come in sizes of 40 mm and 44 mm and finally offers the Always-On feature, addressing the biggest criticism of its predecessors. With a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, it is very readable in everyday use, but does not reach the extreme values of the Series 11 (2,000 nits). The case made of recycled aluminum is water-resistant up to 50 meters and is protected by a new Ion-X front glass, which Apple claims is four times more shatter-resistant than that of the SE 2.

Performance and hardware

Inside, the S10 chip (dual-core) works with a 4-core Neural Engine, allowing Siri requests to be processed directly on the watch and enabling the new "double-tap" gestures to function smoothly. A massive upgrade is the storage, which has grown to a generous 64 GB for music, podcasts, and apps.

The battery life remains at the typical 18 hours for Apple (up to 32 hours in power-saving mode). However, the real highlight is the new Fast Charging: the watch now charges to 80% in about 45 minutes, making sleep tracking in everyday life significantly more comfortable.

Tracking and smart features

The SE 3 focuses on the most important health and safety features, enhancing them specifically:

• Gesundheit: Ein optischer Herzsensor der 2. Generation überwacht den Puls zuverlässig. Neu hinzugekommen sind ein Temperatursensor für das erweiterte Zyklus-Tracking und die Fähigkeit zur Erkennung von Schlafapnoe. (EKG und Blutsauerstoff fehlen weiterhin).
• Sicherheit: Essenzielle Features wie Sturz- und Unfallerkennung sowie Notruf SOS sind standardmäßig an Bord.
• Alltag: Apple Pay, Navigation und nahtloses Diktieren von Nachrichten funktionieren gewohnt exzellent. LTE ist optional gegen Aufpreis verfügbar.

Software status

The Apple Watch SE 3 currently runs on watchOS 12 (or 12.4 in spring 2026). The system is characterized by new Smart Stack widgets and deeper fitness metrics. Since Apple traditionally supports its watches for a very long time and the S10 chip is extremely future-proof, one can expect software updates until at least 2030.

Conclusion and value for money

With a suggested retail price starting at €299 (as of April 2026 often available for around €260 in retail), the Apple Watch SE 3 is an absolute value-for-money hit in the Apple universe. Now that it features an Always-On display and fast charging, there are hardly any rational reasons for the average user to pay the premium for the more expensive Series models, unless one absolutely needs an ECG or a slightly larger display.