Apple Watch SE 3 always-on screen and the S10 chip for £219

What is new about the Apple Watch SE 3?

The SE 3 is Apple's cheapest current watch, and the first SE update in three years. Apple announced it on 9 September 2025 and it went on sale on 19 September, according to Tech Advisor. The RRP on Apple's UK store is £219 for this 40 mm GPS model, £249 for the 44 mm GPS version, and £289 and £319 for the cellular versions. T3 points out that the starting price is £40 lower than the SE 2's original £259. This page covers the 40 mm GPS model in Midnight aluminium with a Midnight Sport Band, Apple model number A3324.

The biggest change is inside. The SE 3 uses the S10 chip with a four-core Neural Engine and 64GB of storage, the same chip family Apple puts in its dearer watches. That brings an always-on display for the first time on an SE, the double tap and wrist flick gestures, on-device Siri, and a speaker that can play media. Apple's specification page also lists a temperature sensor, a sleep score, sleep apnoea notifications and ovulation estimates. MacRumors calls it a great upgrade for SE 2 owners.

How big is it, and how will it wear?

Apple lists the 40 mm case at 40 mm tall, 34 mm wide and 10.7 mm deep, with the GPS version weighing 26.3 grams before the strap. It fits wrists from 130 to 200 mm, according to Apple. That makes it one of the lightest watches you can buy with a full smartwatch feature set, and a sensible size for smaller wrists or anyone who wants to wear it to bed for sleep tracking.

The screen is an always-on OLED panel at 324 x 394 pixels with up to 1,000 nits of brightness, under Ion-X glass that Apple says has four times the crack resistance of before. If you want more screen, the 44 mm version measures 44 x 38 mm at the same 10.7 mm depth and costs £30 more.

What does it run on, and how long does the battery last?

There is no movement here: it is a smartwatch running watchOS, and it needs an iPhone to set up and use. Apple quotes up to 18 hours of normal use, up to 32 hours in Low Power Mode and up to 7 hours of outdoor workout tracking. Charging is the better story. Apple says it reaches 80% in about 45 minutes, and that 8 minutes on the charger gives enough for 8 hours of sleep tracking.

Reviewers found the battery behaves much as Apple says. TechRadar got through a full day including sleep tracking after nearly a week of use, though it expects to charge daily. T3 found it handled a day of notifications, a GPS-tracked run and an evening of music control, but always needed a quick charge before bed. Expert Reviews puts it bluntly: you will charge it every day.

For fitness, Apple lists a second-generation optical heart sensor, an always-on altimeter, a compass and single-frequency GPS, along with running metrics, heart rate zones, training load and swim tracking. TechRadar found its workout, sleep and heart rate results similar to the Series 11 and Ultra 3 worn alongside it. Expert Reviews reports occasional heart rate dropouts and GPS that sometimes struggles under trees.

How well is it built?

The case is 100% recycled aluminium, and Apple rates it at 50 m water resistance, which it describes as swimproof. Expert Reviews notes that the rear is plastic and that the case is slightly chunkier than the Series 11. Apple's own operating range is 0 to 35 degrees Celsius, which is worth knowing if you plan to use it on cold winter runs or ski days.

Is it good value against its rivals?

For iPhone owners, it is hard to beat at £219. The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at £369 on Apple's UK store, £150 more, and adds a bigger, brighter screen, ECG, blood oxygen readings and longer battery life. Most people will not miss those features.

• Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro: £249.99 from Huawei UK, with sapphire glass, a titanium case and multi-day battery. Expert Reviews and T3 both point to Huawei's Fit Pro line for battery life.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch8 40 mm: £269 from Samsung UK. A good choice for Android users, since the SE 3 will not work with an Android phone.

What is the catch?

The design is old and the battery is short. TechRadar and T3 both call out the thick bezels around the screen, which T3 says make it look a generation behind, and TechRadar found the 1,000 nit screen harder to read in direct sunlight than newer models. The SE 3 also misses the ECG app, blood oxygen readings and hypertension notifications found on the Series 11 and later, according to MacRumors and Tech Advisor. And with an 18 hour battery claim, you will be building a daily charge into your routine.

“The SE 3 is the Apple Watch most iPhone owners need, as long as they are happy to charge it every day.”

What do owners say?

Themes from public owner feedback, paraphrased. We never copy Amazon reviews or ratings.

• After nearly a week, the battery lasted a full day including sleep tracking, but still needs charging daily

  TechRadar (opens in a new tab)

• The pronounced bezels make it look a generation behind newer watches

  T3 (opens in a new tab)

• Occasional heart rate dropouts, and GPS that can struggle under tree cover

  Expert Reviews (opens in a new tab)