Forget the Series 11, the Apple Watch SE 3 just gained a ton of high-end perks

At the “Awe Dropping” media event, Apple today introduced its 2025 smartwatch line, featuring the Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3. While the higher-end models continue to pack exclusive perks, as expected, the Apple Watch SE 3 stole the spotlight with the highest number of new additions. At this point, more casual users can safely opt for the budget-friendly model—without nearly as much fear of missing out.

Apart from the longer battery life (24 hours on the Series 11 vs 18 hours on the SE), the Apple Watch Series 11 doesn’t really introduce a ton of exciting features. Those with a Series 9 can skip this year’s releases, as their watches already support all of watchOS 26’s main additions. The Apple Watch SE 3, on the other hand, finally received a bunch of meaningful upgrades that bring it closer to the premium variants.

Perhaps the most noticeable enhancement is support for the always-on display feature. Watches are expected to show the time at all times, and the privilege has finally expanded to the company’s cheapest smartwatch. You still get the somewhat dated 40mm and 44mm size options, but it won’t feel ancient anymore. And with new wrist-flick and double-tap gestures, it’ll feel more futuristic than ever.

Like the Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3, the SE 3 has also adopted the S10 chip. As a result, the latest SE model now supports loads of new health metrics and features unavailable on its predecessors. These include sleep apnea notifications, wrist temperature monitoring, retrospective ovulation estimates, on-device Siri with health data access, wrist flick and double tap gestures, and more. Other Apple Watch SE 3 hardware upgrades include media playback using the built-in speaker, 5G support, and up to 2x faster charging compared to the SE 2.

As you’d expect from an entry-level smartwatch, certain Apple Watch Series exclusives remain unavailable on the SE 3. Some of the absentees include the ECG sensor, blood-oxygen monitoring, brighter display, hypertension notifications, water temperature measurements, Ultra Wideband chip for precision locating in Find My, and more. But none of these are deal-breakers, and most users can make the most of fitness tracking without them.

There’s one surprise too: the Apple Watch SE has a skin temperature sensor for cycle tracking with ovulation estimates. It’s a small feature compared to blood-oxygen and ECG, but it’s a notable upgrade over the SE 2.

A chip off the old block

Apple typically introduces a new S-branded processor with every annual watch upgrade. What many customers don’t know, however, is that the real performance boosts occur only once every three years. So, despite having different names, the S6, S7, and S8 chipsets actually share the same power.

Apple

The company is ending this tradition with the latest Apple Watches by reusing last year’s chip name. Your still getting the latest chip with the Apple Watch Series 11, but it’s the S10—and now it’s in the SE too. As such, the Series 11 seemingly doesn’t introduce any exclusive watchOS 26 features. For example, while Apple demonstrated new health tools for tracking hypertension as well as a new Sleep Score, the features will actually work on the Apple Watch Series 9 and newer models running the latest OS version. Nothing is exclusive to this year’s edition. In fact, the SE already gets the Sleep Score feature.

In terms of hardware, the Apple Watch Series 11 has a larger and better display than the SE—2x more scratch-resistant than the Series 10, a welcome change for those who frequently bump their wrist against sharp objects. But guess what? The SE’s Ion-X glass is also 4X times more crack-resistant than the previous generation. And many people are going to be happy there’s still a smaller 40mm option anyway.

The Ultra is in a different universe

This year’s Ultra 3 model doesn’t introduce a ton of enticing features, but it’s at a different end of the spectrum from the SE. Given that the rugged model wasn’t refreshed last year, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 gains some perks initially adopted by 2024’s Series 10, including the LTPO3 wide-angle OLED panel that supports viewing the ticking seconds hand in always-on-display mode. It also gets the same S10 chip as the Series 11 and SE 3.

Apple

Beyond the display upgrade, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 has similarly adopted 5G and the S10 chipset. Some of the new exclusives that power users will appreciate include satellite connectivity for Find My and Emergency SOS. The battery life has also been stretched from 36 hours to 42 hours without Low Power Mode, making the wearable more suitable for longer camping trips.

You can preorder the Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3 right now at the same starting prices as before: $399, $799, and $249, respectively. Shipping and general in-store availability will follow on Friday, September 19.