With the most recent release of the new Apple Watch Series 7, consumers in the market looking for a new Apple Watch have even more of a selection to choose from. However, there are still other smartwatches currently being sold by Apple which may give you a better bang for your buck.
On their website, Apple currently sells 3 Apple Watch generations: the Series 3, the model SE, and the latest and greatest Series 7.
The Series 3 retails on Apple’s website for $199, the SE for $279, and the Series 7 for $399. Series 3 released in Sep. 2017, SE in Sep. 2020, and Series 7 in Sep. 2021. But apart from this, what are the main differences of the three watches?
With the Series 3 being the oldest, there are some important sacrifices being made. Things like a smaller display, slower processor, no always-on display, missing health features, etc. can be a dealbreaker for some.
So what Apple Watch model should you go for?
We’d recommend you to stay clear of the Series 3. If it’s you very first smartwatch you won’t know what you’re missing. The Series 3 is still a capable smartwatch, even 4 years later, although it has many drawbacks. The $199 price point is attractive for first-time buyers, but there’s a lot you miss out on, such as the always-on display, ECG, Blood oxygen measuring, altimeter, compass, better sensors, fall detection, a larger and brighter display, a faster chip more storage, a louder speaker, and more.
Really, if you don’t want to drop more than $200 on a fancy new smartwatch, we’s recommend looking around for a good condition used Series 4 on eBay, which would provide a huge upgrade over the aged Series 3.
Should you buy the Apple Watch SE?
The SE is a fantastic Apple Watch, event today. For the money, you really get a lot of smartwatch, and what you’re missing out on for the price is the latest health features like the ECG and blood oxygen monitoring. Also, there is no always-on display: this can either make all the difference or be just a small detail depending on the user. It does feature a much faster processor than the Series 3, a substantially faster processor, compass, altimeter, and other things that make it a big upgrade over the S3.
For someone who isn’t a total Apple nerd but is invested in the ecosystem, this is a pretty sure purchase that we don’t think you can wrong with. If the missing always-on display is something you think you might need, we recommend looking into the S5, S6, or S7.
Should you buy the Apple Watch Series 7?
The latest addition to the Apple Watch lineup, the Series 7 doesn’t add all that much different from apart from the Series 6. Really, the main and almost only difference is the new larger display. Apple says it is almost 20% bigger than the display on the S4, S5, SE, and S6. It gets slightly more bright indoors that the S6 when in the resting face, but not when turned on. What does change, is it’s durability. While we have no exact numbers, Apple claims this is the most durable Apple Watch ever.
Get the Series 7 if you just want the best Apple Watch around and price is not an issue for you. You’ll have a fantastic and highly capable smartwatch and health device for years to come.
What Apple Watch are you looking to buy?