Updated 19 Oct 2026
Is the Apple Watch SE 3 worth it?
Yes — the best value smartwatch for iPhone.
It runs as fast as Apple's dearer watches and now has an always-on screen, so it does notifications, payments, workouts, sleep tracking and fall detection for far less. It leaves out the ECG, blood oxygen and hypertension alerts, keeps an older design with wider borders, and its battery lasts about 18 hours. It only works with an iPhone.
95%of 334 owners give it 4 or 5 stars
- Same chip as Apple's pricier watches
- Always-on screen
- Sleep and fitness tracking
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What owners say
Owners love that it does everything they need, the value and the looks. The main complaint is short battery life, followed by units that stopped working within weeks or months.
Good to know
- No ECG, blood oxygen or hypertension notifications.
- Older design with wider borders round the screen.
- Battery lasts about 18 hours.
From 334 buyer ratings at Target (US) and Otto (Germany), every complaint read by us, October 2026. How we do this
What they love
- Does everything they needMentioned a lot
- Good valueAlso mentioned
- Looks goodAlso mentioned
- Battery lasts longer than expectedAlso mentioned
- Notifications without the phoneAlso mentioned
What they complain about
- Short battery lifeRare
- Stopped working within weeks or monthsVery rare
Get it if…
- You have an iPhone and want a smartwatch for as little as possible.
- It's a first smartwatch, or one for a teenager.
Skip it if…
- You want the fullest health tracking: the Series 12 adds ECG and more.
- You want more than a day of battery.
More on the Apple Watch SE 3
How we reached this verdict
TechRadar (4.5/5) calls it the best Apple Watch for most people, now with an always-on screen and the same chip as the Series 11. Tom's Guide (4/5) calls it the best smartwatch value around. Both note the older design and the missing ECG.
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Apple, Tom's Guide, TechRadar, TechRadar, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 19 Oct 2026How we decide