8GB is not enough unless you like resetting your watch for every major OS upgrade
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Apple Watch SE vs. Apple Watch Series 3 Buyer's Guide
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One of the issues with the series 3 is that there tends to be a memory leak into the available storage. With only 8GB of storage, it leaves a user with little more than 4GB of usable space. watch os 7 required at least 3.1gb of free storage. I had 3.1GB of avail. storage and nothing worked on freeing up more space. I deleted all installable apps. The only way to get watch os 7 on there was to unpair the series 3 and then pair up the device again. The entire escapade took 5 hours from slow os download to then a an error message. DO NOT BUY THE SERIES 3 with 8 GB of storage. You WILL regret the frustration and time suck.
I have a refurbished 5 GPS / Cellular, actually just got it yesterday but after reading all of this I'm on the fence on whether I should return / exchange for an SE, the ECG would be nice to have but is it really worth having? And reading how the processors are the same on the 5 and SE its kinda WTH Apple? I only wanted the cellular functionality because my 3 is GPS.
Decisions, decisions
I would not buy a series 3 when I can get the new Watch SE or even the series 6 GPS in al-you-minee-um.
You’d be a good candidate for the S6, if you think would actually appreciate the additional heath features, AOD, etc. If not, then you’re clear choice would be the SE. Or, unless you want a more premium model with the stainless or above, then you’re choice obviously has to be the S6.
Did the SE, Series 4,5 & 6 fix or improve the accelerometer or whatever it uses to detect motion/exercise time?
I'm tired of having to constantly reset my Fitness Calibration Data because my Series 3 after a while will stop counting exercise time unless I start walking with an extremely exaggerated arm swing.
I can walk a mile non-stop for around 20 minutes and it would only register like 2 minutes. Or the best one was I went on a 4 mile hike that took about 4.5 hours and the watch only registered about 15 minutes of exercise time.
I also had this issue on my 1st gen watch and my friend has the same issue with his Series 2.
The odd thing is the watch will count the steps, but it just doesn't count any of it towards the exercise time.
🤷♂️
I'm tired of having to constantly reset my Fitness Calibration Data because my Series 3 after a while will stop counting exercise time unless I start walking with an extremely exaggerated arm swing.
I can walk a mile non-stop for around 20 minutes and it would only register like 2 minutes. Or the best one was I went on a 4 mile hike that took about 4.5 hours and the watch only registered about 15 minutes of exercise time.
I also had this issue on my 1st gen watch and my friend has the same issue with his Series 2.
The odd thing is the watch will count the steps, but it just doesn't count any of it towards the exercise time.
🤷♂️
Yeah it's pretty shocking they offer the S3 for the SAME PRICE they did for the last year. Maybe $199 worked for the tech a year ago, but not now.
Would anyone really have put up a lasting fuss if they only just offered the SE and 6 this year? Just put the S3's all up on the clearance site at the going sale rate $139 and be done with it.
**Or you know what? Keep the S3 in the lineup, but sell it for $179: that's $100 less than the SE... and it would have been SOME kind of price reduction from last year 😂
Sell the Series 3 on ebay and get the 6? That way you won't feel regretful later for not getting the best now.
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Can you take a video of your wild-swing-walk and post it? 😂 lol
I wonder if that's in the user manual: "If your sensor data fails to measure, walk for one mile swinging your arms in a wildly large arc like your are angry."
I came across this issue upgrading to 6.2.8 on my Series 3. Watch needed 2.1GB and I had about 1.8GB. I don't have many apps installed and uninstalling them only got me to around 2GB free.
I did notice that mail was taking about 500MB, so I just told the watch to "Include Mail" from an empty folder. Free'd up alot of space. I also never check email on my watch so doing so is not an issue for me.
Depending on what speed you’re walking at, the Watch may count it as movement but not exercise. Apple classifies exercise as “a brisk walk or above,” I believe. So very specific and helpful. /s
I think they should sell all watches like that honestly, I don’t need 5 different black sport bands lol. There would also be an environmental benefit too I think.
The argument of only buying a series 3 if you’re on a really tight budget seems weird to me. If you’re on a really tight budget, don’t buy it at all. It’s dated technology and not really worth $200. If you can’t afford $280, then don’t waste $200 on a three year old watch. If $80 is really gonna cause you financial hardship, then go without a watch. If it’s incredibly important to you to have a watch even though you’re broke, then buy a used old Apple Watch for like $50. Buying the series 3 new from Apple is a bad financial decision regardless of how much money you have.
You get 3% off the price and there is 24 0% financing with the Apple card. its really a now brainer. They are paying you 3% to pay something off over 24 months interest free.
Am I the only one here that think that a comparison between the SE and the S5 would make more sense? I have a S2 and have no clue to which one I should upgrade. S6 seems like a waste of money for me considering my usage..
The SE is definitely a better option than the Series 3, imho
If you don't need the ECG functionality the SE would be less expensive, are you looking at gps/cellular ?
There were 5's in the refurbished area today.
The 30% larger screen and 4X memory alone is worth the $80. I would have liked to have seen a SE vs Series 5, especially since there is still new inventory at some of the resellers and they are being discounted
My US$0.02.
With 32 GB of storage the Apple Watch SE is a viable replacement for the iPod of yesteryear. The Series 3 with 8 GB of storage? Not so much.
With 32 GB of storage the Apple Watch SE is a viable replacement for the iPod of yesteryear. The Series 3 with 8 GB of storage? Not so much.
The only thing is you need to buy it directly from Apple to get the 24 months 0%. During the holidays (black Friday and beyond) places like Amazon and Best Buy will usually discount products enough the math shifts out of Apple Card’s favor and towards going with someone else.
Dang, that SE is really a powerhouse compared to the series 3. $279 is really a pretty good deal for all that tech. Great article, MR! Very in depth.
Yep, anything Apple gives you 3% immediate cashback. iCloud, apps, physical products, etc. You can also now do 0% interest Apple Card Monthly Installments on watches, which makes it even more affordable.
