Apple Watch Series 12 vs. Apple Watch SE 3: Compare Apple’s New Watch and Its Lower-Cost Option
Apple’s lower-cost smartwatch still has plenty of useful features, even with the new Series 12 going on sale soon.
Apple recently introduced the Apple Watch Series 12, its latest flagship smartwatch, alongside its more budget-friendly counterpart, the Apple Watch SE 3. The Series 12 maintains a starting price of $399, while the SE 3 begins at $249, making it an attractive option for cost-conscious consumers. Both smartwatches boast similar rectangular OLED Retina displays with rounded edges; however, the SE 3 utilizes an always-on LTPO OLED display, providing up to 1,000 nits of brightness.
The Series 12 is available in various sizes, ranging from 42mm to 46mm, while the SE 3 comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes. Notably, the SE 3 is notably lighter than its counterpart, weighing in at 26.4 grams (40mm) or 33 grams (44mm).
Both devices share similar water resistance capabilities and are equipped with IP6X ratings for dust and water resistance up to 50 meters. The Series 12 is adorned with Ceramic Shield 2 glass, while the SE 3 opts for Ion-X cover glass, which boasts four times greater resistance to cracks.
When it comes to heart rate tracking, the Series 12 boasts a second-generation electrical heart sensor, an always-on optical heart sensor, and a temperature sensor. These features enable the Series 12 to analyze data and detect potential hypertension, offering valuable insights for medical professionals. In contrast, the SE 3 relies on a second-generation optical heart sensor, which can still monitor heart rate during exercise or sleep, but lacks the ECG app's capabilities and atrial fibrillation detection found in the Series 12.
On the battery front, the Series 12 delivers 24-hour battery life and fast-charges to 80% in just 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the SE 3 offers a slightly shorter 18-hour battery life but can still fast-charge to 8 hours of normal use in just 15 minutes. Both watches offer emergency features such as fall detection, emergency SOS, and crash detection. Although the Series 12 includes an Ultra Wideband chip and Apple's new S11 chip, the SE 3 relies on an S10 chip with a 64-bit dual-core processor and a W3 Apple wireless chip.
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