The Apple Watch SE starts at $249, providing an accessible, low-cost option for those interested in owning an Apple smartwatch. The company also now offers the Apple Watch Series 11, which starts at $399, so what exactly do you get by spending an additional $150 and is it worth it? Our comparison helps to answer the question of which of these two Apple Watch models is best for you.
The Apple Watch SE 3 is designed to be a low-cost option that still offers many of the Apple Watch features that have made the device so popular over the years, while the Apple Watch Series 11 offers a more feature-rich experience with additional health monitoring capabilities.
With the latest generation, the Apple Watch SE has a lot more in common with Apple's higher end watches, offering an always-on display, body temperature sensing, sleep apnea detection, 5G connectivity on cellular models, media playback, 64GB of storage, and the S10 chip.
There are still some significant differences between the two devices. Our comparison helps to answer the question of which of these two Apple Watch models is best for you.
| Apple Watch SE 3 | Apple Watch Series 11 |
|---|---|
| Same design as Apple Watch Series 4, 5, and 6 | Refined design with a thinner casing, display with more rounded edges and a wider aspect ratio, and front glass that extends further over the sides for a higher screen-to-body ratio |
| 40mm or 44mm case size | 42mm or 46mm case size with edge-to-edge display |
| Aluminum casing | Aluminum or titanium casing |
| IP6X dust resistant | |
| Ion-X glass front | Ion-X glass (aluminum) or sapphire crystal (titanium) front |
| Thicker borders around the display | Thinner borders around the display |
| 40mm: 1.57-inch display 44mm: 1.78-inch display |
42mm: 1.79-inch display 46mm: 1.99-inch display |
| LTPO display | LTPO3 display (faster refresh rate in always-on mode, enabling a live ticking seconds hand on select watch faces) |
| Wide-angle OLED (up to 40% brighter when viewed at an angle) | |
| 40mm: 324 by 394 pixels with 759 sq mm display area 44mm: 368 by 448 pixels with 977 sq mm display area |
42mm: 374x446 pixels 989 sq mm display area 46mm: 416x496 pixels 1,220 sq mm display area |
| Up to 1,000 nits of brightness | Up to 2,000 nits of brightness |
| 2 nits minimum brightness | 1 nits minimum brightness |
| Color-matched nylon composite back case | Metal back with larger charging coil and integrated antenna |
| Second-generation optical heart sensor | Third-generation optical heart sensor |
| Blood oxygen sensor and Blood Oxygen app | |
| Electrical heart sensor and ECG app | |
| Hypertension detection | |
| Cycle tracking | Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates |
| Water temperature sensor | |
| Depth gauge to 6m | |
| Depth app | |
| Oceanic+ app for snorkelling (available on the App Store) | |
| Single, elongated speaker hole | Redesigned speaker with individual holes |
| Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip | |
| Find iPhone | Precision Finding for iPhone, providing distance and direction, as well as visual, haptic, and audio guidance to a misplaced iPhone |
| HomePod integration (when a user gets within four meters of a playing HomePod, the Apple Watch launches Now Playing to control playback. If nothing is playing, media suggestions appear at the top of the Smart Stack.) | |
| Up to 18 hours battery life | Up to 24 hours battery life |
| Up to 32 hours battery life in Low Power Mode | Up to 38 hours battery life in Low Power Mode |
| Charge 0–80% in about 45 minutes | Charge 0–80% in about 30 minutes |
| Midnight and Starlight finishes | Aluminum: Available in anodized Silver, Space Gray, and Rose Gold, and polished Jet Black finishes Titanium: Available in polished Gold, Slate, and Natural finishes |
| Starts at $249 | Starts at $399 (aluminum) or $699 (titanium) |
The Apple Watch Series 11 is minor improvement over the previous Series 10 model, offering 5G connectivity on cellular models, a slightly bigger battery, and stronger glass on aluminum models. Yet compared to the Apple Watch SE, the Apple Watch Series 11 is a considerably more feature-rich device with advanced capabilities.
With its larger display, additional health monitoring features, and range of colors and finishes, the Apple Watch Series 11 will be the model of choice for those who want more out of their smartwatch. If you feel that the added health monitoring features (such as ECG and blood oxygen monitoring) or more advanced display would be particularly useful to you, or simply like a specific casing and color combination that is not available with the Apple Watch SE, the Apple Watch Series 11 will be the best model for you.
If you are on a budget and are not particularly attracted to the additional features of the Series 11, the Apple Watch SE is a highly compelling option. It now features an always-on display, fast charging, and several new health features such as sleep apnea detection and body temperature sensing, and there are surprisingly few drawbacks. Both devices have the S10 chip and 64GB of storage, and are equally future-proof.
The biggest flaw of the Apple Watch SE 3 is its design, which is based on the Apple Watch Series 4 from 2018 and is now quite outdated. Nevertheless, as it shares many key features with the Apple Watch Series 11, many customers will be happy choosing the more inexpensive model, unless you particularly value features such as the larger display or advanced health monitoring and can justify the added cost.
The Apple Watch SE is an ideal device for kids and senior citizens who do not have an iPhone thanks to Family Setup, but it is also the go-to model for most customers who are new to the Apple Watch and those who are upgrading from an Apple Watch Series 4, SE 1, or older due to its competitive pricing and generous feature set, allowing users to get a balanced Apple Watch experience at a low price.
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