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Apple Apple Watch SE (3rd Gen) vs Apple Apple Watch Series 5
Apple Apple Watch SE (3rd Gen) ($249) vs Apple Apple Watch Series 5 ($85) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right smartwatch.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple Apple Watch SE (3rd Gen) | Apple Apple Watch Series 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249 | $85 |
| Weight | 26g | 36.5g |
| Chip | S9 | S5, 64-bit dual-core |
| Display | 40mm or 44mm LTPO | Always-on Retina OLED, first Apple Watch |
| Sensors | Accelerometer + heart rate + GPS | — |
| Battery | 18h | — |
| WR | 50m | 50m |
| Price | $249 (40mm) | — |
| Compass | — | Built-in |
| Safety | — | International emergency calling |
| Weight | — | 36.5g (Apple published, 44mm Aluminum) |
Pros & Cons
Apple Apple Watch SE (3rd Gen)
- Half price of Series 11
- S9 chip runs everything fast
- Same design language
- Crash Detection included
- All Apple Watch apps run
- No ECG or Blood Oxygen
- Aluminum only (no titanium)
- Older design vs Series 11
Apple Apple Watch Series 5
- First Apple Watch you can actually glance at without raising your wrist
- Built-in compass, useful for hiking and orientation
- International emergency calling built in
- Same ECG and fall detection as Series 4
- Always-on mode measurably shortens battery life
- No blood oxygen sensor, that arrived with Series 6
- watchOS support window is closing
- Titanium and ceramic variants command a used premium over aluminum
Apple Apple Watch Series 5 is the better value at $85. If weight matters most, Apple Apple Watch SE (3rd Gen) carries lighter at 26g. Both are part of our curated smartwatch index — tap through to check current pricing.
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