Apple Watch SE 3 arrives with flagship chip, built-in speakers, faster charging, and more

Along with the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Apple Watch Ultra 3, the Cupertino-based tech giant today also introduced the Apple Watch SE 3, which serves as an entry-level model. Unfortunately, Apple hasn't modernized the “cheap smartwatch” in some areas — the watch's design still harks back to the Apple Watch Series 6 (curr. $119 on Amazon) from 2020. The SE lacks an ECG and the new high blood pressure detection. The frame is made of 100% recycled aluminum.

There is one significant new feature — the OLED display, with a brightness of up to 1,000 nits, finally supports an always-on display, unlike its predecessor, while the processor has been upgraded from the Apple S8 to the Apple S10. This gives the smartwatch access to a range of new gestures, allowing, for example, notifications to be cleared with a flick of the wrist or certain functions to be controlled with a double-tap gesture using the thumb and index finger without having to touch the touchscreen.

The Apple S10 is also said to make Siri respond faster, as voice input can be processed directly on the Apple Watch. The skin temperature sensor is said to make cycle tracking more precise, while sleep tracking is enhanced with sleep apnea detection. Battery life remains unchanged at 18 hours, while the more expensive Series 11 is advertised to achieve a runtime of 24 hours. Apple also announced faster charging for the SE 3, with 8 hours of battery life in 15 minutes of charging, and 0–80% in 45 minutes. The Apple Watch SE 3 inherits the older second-generation heart rate sensor, and the case is still water-resistant to a depth of 50 meters. The device will be available on September 19, and you can pre-order it now for $249.