Apple has launched its new range of smartwatches for 2025, and there’s plenty to talk about.

However, with the high-end Apple Watch Ultra 3 and regular Apple Watch Series 11 now official, it’s easy to overlook the cheapest model in the lineup.

But do so at your peril. The Apple Watch SE 3 introduces several useful upgrades, yet maintains an impressively affordable price tag. Here’s everything you need to know about the newest edition to Apple’s SE smartwatch lineup.

Apple Watch SE 3: Key Upgrades

New S10 chipset

Unlike previous models, the new SE gets the exact same chipset as its more premium siblings – the Series 11 and Ultra 3.

The Apple S10 chip looks set to be a significant upgrade compared to the S8 found in the 2022 Apple Watch SE.

But flagship-level performance isn’t the only thing that the new chipset enables…

New health metrics

Thanks to the S10 chip and a new temperature sensor, the Watch SE 3 is capable of several health metrics that were previously exclusive to the more premium models.

Among them are suspected sleep apnea detection, on-device Siri, ovulation estimates and gestures including double-tap and wrist flick.

However, it still misses out on the dedicated ECG sensor, blood oxygen monitoring and hypertension notifications that are all available on the Series 11 and Ultra 3.

Better battery life and faster charging

Apple never officially discloses battery life for its devices, so we don’t know for sure how big the SE 3’s cell is. However, the company is now claiming 24 hours of battery life on a single charge, up from 18 hours on the previous model.

It also says that the Watch SE 3 charges “up to 2x faster than the previous generation”. 45 minutes plugged in will supposedly get you to 80%, while a quick 15-minute top-up will enable enough charge for eight hours of usage.

Apple

Other hardware improvements

The other big change worth mentioning is the always-on display, bringing the SE 3 in line with Apple’s more premium smartwatches.

The watch also now supports 5G and allows you to use the built-in speaker for media playback, both of which were absent on the SE 2.

watchOS 26

The Watch SE 3 runs watchOS 26 out of the box. Apple’s new operating system for its smartwatches includes its new ‘Liquid Glass’ design, plus new features including extra widget customisation, a featured photos shuffle and a dedicated version of the company’s Notes app.

Apple

When is the Apple Watch SE 3 release date?

The Watch SE 3 launched at Apple’s big “Awe-Dropping” event on 9 September 2025, which was headlined by the iPhone 17 range.

Pre-orders for the watch are live now, ahead of it being released on 19 September.

Here’s when the previous Watch SE models made their debuts. As you can see, a third generation was overdue.

Apple

How much does the Apple Watch SE 3 cost?

Despite the upgrades on the Watch SE 3, Apple has kept pricing very similar to its predecessor from three years ago. Here’s how much you can expect to pay at launch:

• GPS, 40 mm – £219/$249
• GPS + Cellular, 40mm – £249/$279
• GPS, 44mm – £289/$299
• GPS + Cellular, 44mm – £319/$329

And here’s how they compare to previous generations:

Apple Watch SE (2nd gen)

• GPS, 40 mm – £219/$249
• GPS + Cellular, 40mm – £289/$279
• GPS, 44mm – £289/$299
• GPS + Cellular, 44mm – £319/$329

Apple Watch SE (1st gen)

• GPS, 40mm – £269/$279
• GPS + Cellular, 40mm – £319/$329
• GPS, 44mm – £299/$309
• GPS + Cellular, 44mm – £349/$359

For context, the Apple Watch Series 11 starts at £369/$399, while the Watch Ultra 3 will set you back at least £749/$799.

See more alternatives in our full guide to the best smartwatches you can buy. However, note that this doesn’t yet include the Pixel Watch 4, as it isn’t released until 9 October.