Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 11 Buyers Guide: 30+ Differences Compared

[MacRumors]

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... Click here to read rest of article

Article Link: Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 11 Buyers Guide: 30+ Differences Compared

 

[djc6]

Cellular is only a $50 add-on for the SE, but $100 for the Apple Watch 11. I'm looking for a cellular apple watch, only reason I might go with the Series 11 is battery life.

 

[awshucks]

I'm quite surprised that the SE got an AOD

 

[bmark]

I'm quite surprised that the SE got an AOD

AOD is overrated on the Apple Watch. I could do that on my S5 but it's not necessary.

 

[Tripps9000]

Yeah the aw se3 looks pretty good to me but my aw se2 is doing pretty good so I will probably hold off on upgrading until they no longer support my watch👍🏻

 

[catracho504]

Go for a series 10 on sale, its better than invest in SE3

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Go for a series 10 on sale, its better than invest in SE3

No apple watch is an investment; they are throwaway (please recycle) devices that last a handful of years and the resale value is peanuts.

Pick one with the features you want and don't worry about the rest. I would probably pick the SE3 over the 10 just because it's smaller and cheaper. My previous 6 was at my limit for size.

 

[ceddy]

I've been without an Apple Watch for 2.5 years. My last one was an S3 I think. Picked up the SE3. It's really great value, but man, I forgot how ugly these things are. Apple needs to inject some design into these things.

 

[Atog]

No apple watch is an investment; they are throwaway (please recycle) devices that last a handful of years and the resale value is peanuts.

Pick one with the features you want and don't worry about the rest. I would probably pick the SE3 over the 10 just because it's smaller and cheaper. My previous 6 was at my limit for size.

That’s why I would never go to anything other then aluminum version. It will be dead in couple of years anyway, so why spend more for a better metal, when it’s not a long lasting gadget.

 

[imamacperson]

Wonder why Apple didn't put satellite connection in the series 11?
Did have room?

 

[Compote]

2 advantages :

- Titanium and Sapphire are essential for durability, but only if you buy the extra expensive one, that's a huge caveat.
- Precision Finding for ‌iPhone‌ is also good but I have used the S3 and SE2 to be informed of having misplaced my phone at a library and in a store, and I was always warned on time before someone else found it.

One misleading line:

- IP6X dust resistant is a misrepresentation, as the Apple Watch 7 and later offer the same (including the SE3).

All in all, there is strictly ZERO incentive to buy anything other than the SE3, if you're not going for a titanium, more durable watch. The only deciding factor would be to hold them close side to side and appreciate the bigger screen.

The difference in price isn't warranted when you realise how comparatively fragile the 11 is to the SE3.

AND most importantly: STARLIGHT AND MIDNIGHT ARE THE BEST COLORS THAT GO WITH ALMOST EVERYTHING.

 

[bmark]

No apple watch is an investment; they are throwaway (please recycle) devices that last a handful of years and the resale value is peanuts.

Pick one with the features you want and don't worry about the rest. I would probably pick the SE3 over the 10 just because it's smaller and cheaper. My previous 6 was at my limit for size.

I've had my S5 since it was released and it still works fine.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I've had my S5 since it was released and it still works fine.

My S6 wouldn't last a day after 2 years, and would die during runs in sub 30F temps if the battery was anything less than 50%. If you use the track GPS workouts daily, sometimes hour+ like I do, they don't last.

Battery was at 77% at month 23. I would think I had a dud but my brother, who bought his 6 on the same day, had almost identical battery health.

 

[bmark]

My 6s wouldn't last a day after 2 years. If you use the track GPS workouts daily, like I do, they don't last.

I use GPS workouts when I go to the gym. You must have got a lemon.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I use GPS workouts when I go to the gym. You must have got a lemon.

I trail run, and no I didn't get a lemon; same happened with my 5 prior, and my 3 prior to that. I never used them to play music via BT, either.

Additionally, they looked like garbage by the time I got rid of them. I would climb with my 6, and my screen looked like Freddy Kruger had his way with it.

My point is, they are not an investment.

 

[bmark]

I trail run, and no I didn't get a lemon. Same happened with my 5 prior, and my 3 prior to that.

I never used them to play music via BT, either.

Maybe I just got a limited edition model that still works fine! I've never played music via BT on my watch either.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Maybe I just got a limited edition model that still works fine! I've never played music via BT on my watch either.

They worked fine, the battery was just toast.

I'm sure the Ultra line is much better, and they are obviously more durable, but waaay to big and bulky for my taste.

 

[bmark]

They worked fine, the battery was just toast.

My battery is at 71% and works fine. Maybe I don't use my watch much like others.

 

[Compote]

Wonder why Apple didn't put satellite connection in the series 11?
Did have room?

At least they didn't take it away from the 10.

That’s why I would never go to anything other then aluminum version. It will be dead in couple of years anyway, so why spend more for a better metal, when it’s not a long lasting gadget.

To be fair if my S3 hadn't shattered I'd still be using it and would have been very happy keeping it.
It's really a matter of risk/investment since the watches do break easily and Apple won't fix them. Give Apple as little money as you can, and that includes the warranty and Apple care which is too pricey to recommend. That's why they came up with a comprehensive scheme that included Watches : there was no justifying the warranty on an SE even at 35 dollars. 35 is the kind of discount that got me to buy the SE2 in the first place (it was a 50 discount).

AOD is overrated on the Apple Watch. I could do that on my S5 but it's not necessary.

You'll get it anyway and you'll like it, we think.

Go for a series 10 on sale, its better than invest in SE3

It was 30% off in France this week, they all flew off the shelves. But they were still more expensive than the SE3, substantially. Some 60 euros. Wait and see if there's stock on Black Friday.

No apple watch is an investment; they are throwaway (please recycle) devices that last a handful of years and the resale value is peanuts.

Pick one with the features you want and don't worry about the rest. I would probably pick the SE3 over the 10 just because it's smaller and cheaper. My previous 6 was at my limit for size.

It's an investment if you'd rather keep it for many years and you're not rich. On sale, the 10 is WELL worth the extra bells and whistles for 60 $/€ more than the SE3, though there will be a stopgap where the 10 won't be supported, whereas the SE3 will. I would argue (from looking frantically for an 8 or a 9 for months) that the ones that hold their value the most are the SEs and the numbered ones, absolutely not the stainless steel / titanium ones. If you care to resell your Watch, definitely go for the cheaper models.

 

[JosephAW]

Waiting for better battery technology, sodium or aluminum battery.

 

[Atog]

Waiting for better battery technology, sodium or aluminum battery.

Yep. Same here, this would make  watch so much better.

 

[rickey939]

Loving the SE 3 so far, my first AW and finally caved after all these years for the value/features. No regrets.

 

[davidg4781]

I’ve been without an AW for a couple of months now. I want to buy one because I felt it helped with exercising but I really can’t decide which one. I originally planned to get the sapphire one for durability. But that price tag stings a bit. My last was an SE2 so I think I’ll like the 11 (or 10) over the SE3.

I was planning on getting an iPhone and Apple Watch but I hate spending that much. And my 11 Pro is getting close to needing an upgrade.

 

[Abstract]

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... Click here to read rest of article

What a strange, presumptuous conclusion to reach.

The real differences are in the features that the SE3 lacks, which are features that may be of zero interest to most of the population (water depth gauge, water temperature, ECG), regardless of you are a child, 32 years old, or 78 years old. I mean, yes, there are age-related risks around heart issues, but that still makes decisions more about features rather than age.

My 46 year old coworker just suffered from an irregular heart and needed to wear a loop, get regular checkups, etc. He’d benefit from the heart sensor and all the associated features that it unlocks.

So could a 23 year old. Or perhaps not. Again, age doesn’t determine this.

However, if you HAD to draw a conclusion based on a person’s age, wouldn’t an older person be better off buying an S11 for its heart features?


Anyway, buy the Apple Watch S11 if you:

1. Need the additional features on the Series 11.

2. Can easily afford the Series 11, and paying slightly more doesn’t bother you. “May as well.”

3. Because you want the Series 11, and the SE3 isn’t a Series 11.


The SE3 is definitely more watch than most people need, but people want what they want.

 

[svish]

With the addition of always on display, the SE becomes quite a good buy. I will personally go for the Series watch as it has a slightly larger screen with watch faces supporting seconds hand. The brighter display of Series 11 is also very useful for outdoor environments. But I am very happy with my Series 10 and not going to upgrade to a 11.