Electronics & Computing Mobile & Communication Smartwatches APPLE Watch SE 3 - 44 mm

APPLE Watch SE 3 - 44 mm

Published date: 21/Sept/2026

APPLE Watch SE 3 - 44 mm

Colour

Currently unavailable

Key Features

Battery Life
Up to 18 hours
Supported OS
iOS
Display size
1.78"
Always-On Retina display with OLED and LTPO
Payments & calls
Pay & calls
Resistance
Water resistant 50 m

What Customers Say

Reviews cover both sizes of the SE 3, with one tester wearing the 40 mm; the 44 mm shares everything but its larger screen, case and weight. Reviewers agree the SE 3 closes most of the gap to Apple's dearer watches: the always-on display is the upgrade every tester singled out, and the S10 chip makes apps, Siri and the new double-tap and wrist-flick gestures feel as quick as on the Series 11 and Ultra 3. Testers found the sleep score, nightly wrist-temperature readings and sleep apnoea notifications worthwhile additions, the tougher Ion-X glass came through weeks of careless wear unmarked, and the speaker now plays music and video, if thinly. Battery life reached a full day with sleep tracking for most testers and one regularly saw well into a second day, while the new fast charging reached 80% in around 45 to 50 minutes, and every reviewer called it the best-value Apple Watch and the one most iPhone owners should buy.

The repeated complaints are the older design with thicker bezels and only two colours, a 1,000-nit screen that is harder to read in direct sunlight, and the absence of the ECG and blood-oxygen readings the Series watches offer.

For a first Apple Watch or anyone who wants the essentials on a larger screen without the Series price, reviewers see no reason to spend more; buyers who want ECG or a brighter display should step up.

Who Should Buy This

  • iPhone owners who want the core Apple Watch experience for less,
  • First-time smartwatch buyers and parents buying for a teenager,
  • Health-conscious buyers who want sleep, temperature and heart alerts,
  • Larger-wrist buyers who want the bigger screen and case,
  • Swimmers who want a watch rated for pool and open-water use.

Who Should Skip It

  • Android phone owners, since the watch pairs only with an iPhone,
  • Buyers who want ECG or blood-oxygen readings on the wrist,
  • Anyone who wants several days of battery between charges,
  • Phone-free users who need calls and data away from the iPhone.

What Experts Says

Overall Assessment and Positioning

The Apple Watch SE 3 in the 44 mm aluminium case is the GPS model of the larger size of Apple's entry-level watch: a 368 x 448 Always-On Retina OLED display, a 10.7 mm case weighing 32.9 g, the S10 chip and watchOS, sold in Midnight and Starlight. It sits below the Series 12 and the Ultra, shares its chip with both, and pairs only with an iPhone; against Wear OS and the multi-day sports watches its case is the iPhone integration at a lower tier.

Key Strengths and Standout Features

The always-on display is the headline change for the SE line, here the larger of the two panels, under Ion-X front glass Apple rates at four times the previous crack resistance. The health list covers heart-rate alerts for high, low and irregular rhythms, a temperature sensor feeding cycle tracking, sleep stages with a sleep score and sleep apnoea notifications, plus Fall Detection, Crash Detection, Emergency SOS and Check In. The S10 chip brings on-device Siri, double-tap and wrist-flick gestures and 64 GB of storage. Battery life is quoted at up to 18 hours of normal use or 32 hours in Low Power Mode, and charging to 80% in about 45 minutes makes an overnight sleep-tracking routine workable with a short top-up before bed. Built-in GPS with GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou covers outdoor workouts, the case fits 140 to 245 mm wrists, and it is water resistant to 50 metres.

Value Proposition and Who It's Best Suited For

This is the watch for an iPhone owner who wants the essentials, notifications, Apple Pay, activity and sleep tracking and the safety features, on the bigger screen and without the Series line's sensor set. It gives up ECG, blood oxygen and the brighter edge-to-edge display, so buyers who want those, who use an Android phone, or who need a cellular connection should look at the Series 12 or the GPS + Cellular sibling; for a first Apple Watch on a larger wrist it is the sensible default.

Similar Reviews

Video Reviews

ChoiceWise Scores: 81 Out Of 100

Display
94
Battery
45
Fitness & Health
88
Durability
81
Smart Ecosystem
85
Connectivity & GPS
81
Comfort Build
92

The ChoiceWise Score is calculated using a defined methodology based on the features and factors that matter most in this category. Read our full scoring methodology: choicewise.app/methodology#score

CategorySmartwatch
Strap materialFluoroelastomer
ClosurePin-and-tuck closure
Supported OSiOS
Operating systemwatchOS
ConnectivityWiFi 4 Bluetooth 5.3
GPSBuilt-in GPS
GPS systemsGPS GLONASS Galileo QZSS BeiDou
Battery typeBuilt-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Charging methodApple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable
Charge timeUp to 80% charge in about 45 minutes
Battery lifeUp to 18 hours All-day battery life, up to 18 hours of normal use Up to 32 hours in Low Power Mode Up to 7 hours outdoor workout
Size1.78"
Resolution368 x 448 pixels
TypeAlways-On Retina display with OLED and LTPO
TouchscreenYes
ShapeRectangular
ResistanceWater resistant 50 m
Voice assistantSiri powered by Apple Intelligence
Health & fitness trackingHeart Rate app High and low heart rate notifications Irregular rhythm notifications Advanced Cycle Tracking app with fertile window estimates, retrospective ovulation estimates, and perimenopause and menopause support Medications app Mindfulness app Noise app Sleep app including sleep stages Sleep score Sleep apnoea notifications Running: Custom workouts Running: Customisable Workout Views Running: Training Load Running: Heart Rate Zones (customisable) Running: Post-workout heart rate Running: VO2 max Running: Race Route Running: Pacer Running: Cadence, Stride Length, Ground Contact Time, Vertical Oscillation and Running Power Running: Automatic track detection Running: Multisport workout Running: Heart Rate Zone, pace and target alerts Hiking: Compass with bearing, incline, elevation and coordinates Hiking: Custom waypoints Hiking: Automatically generated waypoints to cellular connectivity Hiking: Backtrack GPS data Hiking: Offline maps with custom route creation Hiking: Topographic maps for thousands of national and regional parks (US only) Hiking: Hundreds of curated hikes across all 63 US national parks Cycling: Average speed, elevation gained and distance Cycling: Connection to cycling accessories via Bluetooth Cycling: Functional Threshold Power Cycling: Power Zones Cycling: Cadence Cycling: Live Activity on iPhone Swimming: Pool swim or open water swim Swimming: Custom workouts for pool swims Swimming: Splits and auto sets Swimming: SWOLF score Swimming: Automatic stroke detection Swimming: Kickboard detection Swimming: Average pace, total distance and lengths
Smart functionsMedia playback Apple Pay GymKit Emergency SOS International emergency calling Fall Detection Crash Detection Noise monitoring Backtrack Check In
Other featuresPay & calls Lens: Tough Ion-X front glass with 4x crack resistance 1,000 nits peak brightness 2 nits minimum brightness S10 chip with 64-bit dual core processor 4-core Neural Engine 64 GB storage Digital Crown with haptic feedback Side button Single tap, double tap and wrist flick gestures Built-in speaker and microphone Fast-charge capable Compatible with iPhone 11 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 27 or later Fits 140–245mm wrists
SensorsSecond-generation optical heart sensor Temperature sensor Compass Always-on altimeter High-g accelerometer High dynamic range gyroscope Ambient light sensor
Dimensions44 x 38 x 10.7 mm (H x W x D)
Case size44 mm
Case materialAluminium
ColourMidnight Starlight
Weight32.9 g
Box contentsApple Watch SE 3 Strap Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable (1m)

Frequently Asked Questions

Apple quotes up to 18 hours of normal use, up to 32 hours in Low Power Mode and up to 7 hours of outdoor workout tracking, with a charge to about 80% in around 45 minutes.

No, it requires an iPhone 11 or later running iOS 27 or later; there is no Android support.

Yes, it is water resistant to 50 metres, which covers swimming in a pool or open water, though it is not rated for diving.

The 44 mm case carries a 368 x 448 pixel Always-On Retina OLED display at 326 ppi, which works out at about 1.78 inches diagonally, reaching 1,000 nits.

No, the SE 3 has no ECG app or blood-oxygen sensor; it offers heart-rate notifications for high, low and irregular rhythms, a temperature sensor and sleep apnoea notifications.

No, the GPS model relies on a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection to your iPhone for calls, messages and notifications; only the GPS + Cellular model has its own mobile connection.

Yes, Apple Pay is built in, alongside GymKit for connecting to compatible gym equipment.

Apple states the 44 mm case fits wrists from 140 to 245 mm, and it comes with a strap in the box.

ChoiceWise does not perform hands-on product testing for this page. The expert opinion and recommendations are based on third-party reviews and sources, which we analyze and summarize using our editorial process.