Apple Watch Series 11 vs Ultra 3 vs SE 3: what’s the difference?

The Apple Watch lineup of smartwatches has had a complete refresh over recent months with the arrival of the Apple Watch Series 11, SE 3, and Ultra 3.

The updates to these watches are more evolutionary rather than groundbreaking, but even so there are a quite a few shiny tricks up their sleeves – and a price tag to match. So now that Apple’s latest watches are available, which one should you slap on your wrist?

Design & build: now with more buzzwords

Design-wise, Apple hasn’t strayed too far from the path. The Series 11 is sleeker than ever, thinner and more comfortable. It’s available in 42mm and 46mm options, and with a new space grey aluminium case. The cover glass is now twice as scratch-resistant, thanks to a new screen coating Apple cooked up. Titanium models keep the sapphire crystal front, because if you’re paying for it, you better be able to punch through drywall with it.

• Read more: Apple iPhone 17: all the new models compared

The Ultra 3 is still only available in a single, massive 49mm size, but the screen size gets bigger. It’s the biggest screen size you can get, thanks to the bezels shrinking down. Apple reckons it’s noticeably easier to read from weird angles, including if you’re scaling down the face of a mountain. As you do. It comes in black titanium alongside the original natural finish.

Meanwhile, the SE 3 sticks to the basics. It’s available in 40mm and 44mm, still made from aluminium, now tougher than ever with 4x crack resistance. Think of it as the practical model in the Apple Watch line-up – reliable, understated, and less likely to bankrupt you.

Screen: brighter, better, still square

The Series 11 display is tougher and still delivers a clear, crisp experience. It doesn’t push the brightness envelope as much as the Ultra 3, but with an Always-On mode and a new ceramic coating, it’s built to survive life on your wrist.

The Ultra 3 is where things get flashy. It uses Apple’s new LTPO3 tech, meaning the screen is larger without actually increasing the case size. It refreshes faster when idle, so now your watch can show a ticking second hand even when you’re pretending not to check the time in a meeting.

The SE 3 gets an Always-On display for the first time, thanks to the new S10 chip. It’s still LCD-based and not quite as vibrant, but for its price, it’s not exactly a dealbreaker.

Features: health gets even more high-tech

The headline feature across all three models is hypertension notifications. Apple’s diving deeper into health, this time claiming it can detect signs of chronic high blood pressure – a feature that could be genuinely life-saving, provided you don’t ignore it because your watch says it at 3am after a night out. You won’t get specific readings like you would with a cuff, but Apple will monitor trends over 30 days or longer and let you know if you need to be alarmed. The feature is currently pending FDA approval.

All the new Apple Watch models also get a new sleep score system. Similar to Whoop’s system, it breaks down how well you slept (or didn’t) with actual metrics.

The Ultra 3 goes several steps further with the addition of satellite connectivity. If you’re lost in the wilds without Wi-Fi or cellular, you can still text your mates to say you’re going to be late for brunch. It can contact emergency services via satellite too, which is great for adrenaline junkies.

The SE 3 finally adds a few grown-up features from the higher-end watches. This includes wrist temperature tracking, sleep apnea alerts, and retrospective ovulation estimates. It also supports the new double tap and wrist flick gestures, for when you’re too lazy to use both hands.

Performance & battery: going the distance

All three watches come with watchOS 26 and are powered by the new S10 chip. This promises zippier performance, on-device Siri, and Apple Intelligence integration – provided you’ve got an iPhone powerful enough to handle it.

The Ultra 3 is the battery champ, lasting up to 42 hours in regular mode, or 72 if you switch on battery saving features. It even squeezes 20 hours of GPS workout tracking in Low Power Mode, which is pretty impressive if you’re training for a triathlon.

The Series 11 gets a boost to 24 hours of battery life and supports fast charging – 15 minutes gets you 8 hours. Meanwhile, the SE 3 holds steady at 18 hours, but now charges up to twice as fast as before, making it more sleep-tracker friendly.

Apple Watch Series 11 vs Ultra 3 vs SE 3: price

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 starts at $799/£749, which is competitive with other rugged smartwatch options. Having said that, it’s still a rather pricey option to stomach.

The Apple Watch Series 11 lands at $399/£399. It’s probably the sweet spot for most people who want all the features without a watch that is bigger than their wrist.

And then there’s the SE 3, starting at a much more wallet-friendly $219/£219. You’re missing some of the ultra-premium bells and whistles, but you still get a surprisingly full feature set for the money. It’ll likely be the most popular new model.

Apple Watch Series 11 vs Ultra 3 vs SE 3: verdict

It’s the usual Apple story: incremental upgrades, a few genuinely cool new features, and enough polish to tempt you if your current watch is more than a couple of years old.

The Ultra 3 is for adventurers, endurance athletes, and those who really want satellite texting just in case they get lost in the wilderness. Series 11 is the well-balanced all-rounder, with most of the best features and none of the bulk. SE 3 is the no-nonsense starter watch that’s now smarter and sturdier than ever – perfect for kids, casual users, or anyone looking to get into the Apple Watch ecosystem without selling a kidney.

Given the SE 3 gets all of the new health features, I think it could be the most popular option this year. It still lacks some of the Series 11’s extra tricks and is nowhere near as flexible as the Ultra 3, but most might not need the extra features.

• Related: watchOS 26 finally brings Apple Intelligence to the Apple Watch… for better or worse