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Apple Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm) vs Apple Apple Watch Series 3
Apple Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm) ($102) 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 8 (45mm) | Apple Apple Watch Series 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $102 | $37 |
| Weight | 38.8g | 32.3g |
| Chip | S8 SiP | S3, dual-core |
| Case | 45mm aluminium, GPS | 42mm Aluminum |
| Display | 1000 nit always-on Retina | OLED Retina, raise-to-wake only |
| Water | 50m, WR50 | — |
| Sensors | Temperature, ECG, blood oxygen | — |
| Weight | 38.8g (Apple published) | 32.3g (Apple published, 42mm Aluminum GPS) |
| GPS | — | Standalone GPS |
| WR | — | 50m |
Pros & Cons
Apple Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm)
- Full sensor suite including ECG and temperature
- Crash Detection
- Cheap for a watch with this much hardware
- 1000 nits looks dim next to a Series 9
- Same 18 hour battery
- Design is three generations old
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.
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