Home / Smartwatch / Comparison
Apple Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm) vs Apple Apple Watch Series 3
Apple Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm) ($91) vs Apple Apple Watch Series 3 ($37) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right smartwatch.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm) | Apple Apple Watch Series 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $91 | $37 |
| Weight | 38.8g | 32.3g |
| Chip | S7 SiP | S3, dual-core |
| Case | 45mm aluminium, GPS | 42mm Aluminum |
| Display | Always-on Retina, larger than Series 6 | OLED Retina, raise-to-wake only |
| Water | 50m, WR50 | — |
| Durability | IP6X dust resistant | — |
| Weight | 38.8g (Apple published) | 32.3g (Apple published, 42mm Aluminum GPS) |
| GPS | — | Standalone GPS |
| WR | — | 50m |
Pros & Cons
Apple Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm)
- Bigger display than the Series 6 in a similar footprint
- IP6X dust resistance
- The cheapest always-on Apple Watch worth buying
- No temperature sensor
- Older S7 chip feels slower on modern watchOS
- Will drop off watchOS support before the others here
Apple Apple Watch Series 3
- Cheapest working Apple Watch by a wide margin
- Still runs core fitness and notification features
- Compact 42mm case body many later Watches abandoned
- Standalone GPS without needing a phone nearby
- No always-on display, screen sleeps between raises
- watchOS support has ended, no further security updates
- Battery is old on any used unit, expect a shorter day
- Chip is genuinely slow navigating menus by modern standards
Apple Apple Watch Series 3 is the better value at $37. Both are part of our curated smartwatch index — tap through to check current pricing.
More Smartwatch comparisons
Apple Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Apple Watch Series 11Apple Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Apple Watch SE (3rd Gen)Apple Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (46mm)Apple Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)Apple Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm)Apple Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm)