The Apple Watch SE series is Apple’s cheapest form of smartwatch. It’s an entry-level watch, designed to be affordable as a result of a few cost-cutting measures, such as reusing parts of older watches and opting for different cases or backings, without skimping on functionality or power. As a result, they’re the best value Apple Watches you can get, and the best for most people.
• Black Friday Apple Watch deals
The Apple Watch SE 3 came out this year, and we gave it 4.5 stars in our official Apple Watch SE 3 review. Priced from $249 / £219 / AU$399, with larger sizes and LTE models going up in price, it’s already an outstanding value smartwatch.
However, the new model coming out means the older Apple Watch SE 2 (which also got 4.5 stars in our Apple Watch SE 2 review) has gone down in price. Getting an Apple Watch for $150 / £150 is a very attractive prospect – but is it worth spending the extra cash to get the new SE 3?
Below, I’ll take you through the pros and cons of buying an SE 2 over an SE 3 and vice versa, and which of the best Apple Watches I think you should get in the Black Friday deals. But first, let’s check out the best prices for each watch in the US and the UK using our deals-checker widget.
Next, let’s compare the specifications of the two watches.
Apple Watch SE 3 vs Apple Watch SE 2: Specifications compared
|
Component |
Apple Watch SE 3 |
Apple Watch SE 2 |
|
Price |
From $249 / £219 / AU$399 (full price) |
From $249 / £219 / AU$399 (full price) |
|
Dimensions |
40 x 34 x 10.7mm (40mm), 44 x 38 x 10.7mm (44mm) |
40 x 34 x 10.7mm (40mm), 44 x 38 x 10.7mm (44mm) |
|
Weight |
26g (40mm) or 32.9g (44mm) |
28g (40mm) or 33g (44mm) |
|
Case/Bezel |
Aluminum |
Aluminum |
|
Display |
Always-On Retina LTPO display with OLED, Ion-X scratch-resistant. |
Retina LTPO OLED display with Ion-X scratch-resistant. |
|
GPS |
L1 GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and BeiDou |
GPS / GNSS |
|
Battery Life |
18 hours, fast-charging |
18 hours |
|
Connection |
Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE 5G (Optional) |
Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE 5G (Optional) |
|
Water Resistance |
WR50 and IP7X |
WR50 and IP7X |
|
Chipset |
S10 |
S8 |
As you can see, both watches are very similar, sharing the same design, sizes, and weights. They were even priced the same at launch.
However, there are a few key differences between these two watches. For one thing, the Apple Watch SE 3 has fast-charging and an always-on display, two fantastic quality of life updates much needed – especially the fast charging, as the battery life of the Apple Watch SE series is only 18 hours.
It’s also got the same S10 chip as the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Series 11, meaning it’s got all the latest smarts, such as hands-free gesture controls and ultra-wideband technology. This will make it more compatible with future iPhones and software updates, so if it’s longevity you’re after, the SE 3 is the better pick, and perhaps better value as it’ll last longer.
However, the SE 2 is no longer sold by Apple, and is subject to far bigger discounts than the recent SE.
Apple Watch SE 3 vs Apple Watch SE 2: Which one gets my vote?
Out of the two watches, I would pick the Apple Watch SE 3, because it’ll be well-supported with new features for many years to come, while the Apple Watch SE 2 nears the end of its life cycle.
However, this comes with a caveat: there are some really exciting deals on the Apple Watch SE 2 right now, as retailers try and clear old stock. If you can get the SE 2 for $150 / £170 or lower, as I’ve seen it at some retailers, I would say it’s still worth buying.
Below are the best deals live right now, at the time of writing, for both watches in the US and UK.
US deals
Record-low price: This significant $50 price drop takes one of the latest Apple Watch models, which is less than two months old, down to its lowest price yet. Ultra-wideband, gesture controls, Apple Intelligence capabilities when paired with a newer phone, fast charging, and an always-on display elevate it above the SE 2. View Deal
Record-low price: This will sell out! This is outstanding value on Apple’s previous budget smartwatch, and the kind of deal we love to see on Black Friday. The GPS-only model is also available for the same price, but get the cellular before it’s gone.View Deal
UK deals
Record-low price: The brand new Apple Watch SE 3 is available at a discount of £11 from Argos. It’s a small 5% discount, but for a watch that’s hardly two months old, it’s unusual to see – and you get all those brand-new features listed above should you choose it over the Apple Watch SE 2. View Deal
Record-low price: While the SE 3 hasn’t been discounted very much in the UK, the next best budget Apple Watch is the SE 2, which is now cheaper than it was last Black Friday at £164. It offers the full Apple Watch experience with redesigned watchOS 26 software and a plethora of health and fitness features. View Deal
More Black Friday deals in the US
- Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
- Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $119
- Best Buy: $1,000 off TVs, laptops & headphones
- Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
- Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
- Lenovo: 45% off laptops & tablets
- Lowe’s: up to 30% off appliances, holiday decor & tools
- Samsung: up to $2,000 off appliances, TVs & phones
- Target: 40% off Christmas decor, clothing & furniture
- Walmart: furniture, cheap TVs & vacs from $69
- Wayfair: 54% off Christmas, furniture & decor
Shop more of today’s best UK Black Friday sales
- Amazon: up to 66% off tech & essentials
- AO: up to £500 off Dyson, Bosch & Hisense
- Argos: up to 50% off appliances, tech & toys
- Boots: save on 1,000s of beauty products
- Currys: deals on Ninja, Shark & Lenovo
- Dell: laptops from £279
- Dyson: up to £550 off vacuums
- EE: Switch 2 bundles from £20/month
- John Lewis: up to 50% off tech & fashion
- Lego: sets & accessories from £2.99
- Samsung: deals on appliances & phones
- Very: up to 40% off tech, toys & fashion
