Apple Watch Series 7 vs 6 vs 3 vs SE: Which one’s the best Watch?

	2021 model	2020 model
Product
Photo
Display and size	Retina LTPO OLED display 396 x 484 pixels (45 mm, 1143 mm²) 352 x 430 pixels (41 mm, 904 mm²)	Retina LTPO OLED display 368 x 448 pixels (44 mm, 977 mm²) 324 x 394 pixels (40 mm, 759 mm²)
Models	Choice of GPS or GPS + LTE
Chipset	Apple S7, W3 and U1	Apple S6, W3 and U1
Sensors	Pulse sensor, ECG, SpO2
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.0, WLAN
Memory	32 GB memory
Water resistance	WR50 for water (up to 50m) IP6X against dust	WR50 for water (up to 50m)
Charging	Magnetic (USB-C cable) *33% faster than the Series 6	Magnetic (USB-C cable)
Offers*	Check price	Check price

Let’s move on to the flagship first and foremost, which is the Apple Watch Series 7. Compared to last year and the Series 6, relatively little has actually changed in terms of features.

The most striking feature would certainly the 20 percent larger screen area. The portion of the frame or the so-called bezels was significantly reduced to create more space for the display. In addition, according to Apple, the brightness of the Always-On Display has increased by up to 70 percent when indoors compared to the Series 6. However, based on my experience, I can say that this is not a “game changer” in any way. Meanwhile, the brightness level on the active display has remained the same.

The Apple Watch Series 7 has become much more stable in its latest iteration. Even at its thinnest point, the thickness of the crystal glass has doubled, which should prevent display breakage almost entirely. However, in my seven years of using an Apple Watch, I’ve yet to experience a cracked display.

IPX6 certification offers an additional layer of protection to the smartwatch. In addition to being swim-proof, the Series 7 now also has a certificate for dust resistance. That may not sound like a big deal at first, but anyone who has worn the Apple Watch while playing beach volleyball, spending a day by the seaside, or running or mountain biking on dusty trails will know that this is a thoroughly important new feature. I myself had trouble with fine sand and dust on previous models regularly, as such dust and sand tend to migrate into the crevices of the digital crown which in turn, prevented proper rotation for a while.

Another new feature that I can’t live without on the Apple Watch Series 7 is fast charging, apart from the great battery life. Within 45 minutes, it charges from 0 to 80 percent. You need just 8 minutes of charging for you to use the watch overnight for sleep tracking. However, this only works with the included new cable. The Series 7 can also be charged without any issues on old charging stations, albeit at a much slower rate.

The Apple Watch Series 7 is the first Apple smartwatch to come equipped with the ultra-wideband U1 chip. In the future, this should ensure that cars or hotel doors, for example, can be opened with the Apple Watch. In the US, there are already hotels that use this technology. Adoption of this technology on the Apple Watch outside of the US remains an unknown quantity.

As always with its top-tier Watch models, Apple offers the Series 7 in different finishes. In addition to aluminum, the Watch comes in stainless steel and titanium. The aluminum cases are available in five different colors to suit every taste.

The Apple Watch Series 7 comes in either a 41- or 45-millimeter variant. The aluminum version will begin at a $449 price tag, with the stainless steel model starting from $749 while the titanium version will set you back by $849.

Before we go into the two cheaper Apple Watch models individually, we want to show you the differences between the Apple Watch SE and Watch Series 3 at a glance. You can view the most important information in the following table via a direct comparison.

	Price-performance winner	2017 model
Product
Photo
Display and size	Retina LTPO OLED display 368 x 448 pixels (44 mm, 977 mm²) 324 x 394 pixels (40 mm, 759 mm²)	Retina LTPO OLED display 312 x 390 pixels (42 mm, 740 mm²) 272 x 340 pixels (38 mm, 563 mm²)
Models	Choice of GPS or GPS + LTE	GPS, no LTE
Chipset	Apple S5 and W3	Apple S3 and W2 chips
Sensors	Pulse sensor
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.0, WLAN
Memory	32 GB memory	8 GB memory
Water resistance	WR50 for water (up to 50m)
Charging	Magnetic (USB-C cable)	Magnetic (USB-A cable)
Special offers*	Check price

Apple has also cornered the entry-level smartwatch market with the Watch SE, where it hardly leaves anything to be desired. Even the design hardly differs from the premium version of the product, the Apple Watch Series 7. Only by taking a close look at the display will reveal which model you are wearing. The Watch SE does not have an always-on display and therefore does not always show the screen content.

The display of the Watch SE shares the same panel from the 2020 model, the Apple Watch Series 6. Compared to the Apple Watch Series 3, the SE has a display that is approximately 30 percent larger. At 10.7 millimeters, the case is also 0.7 millimeters slimmer than that of the Series 3. In addition, the Apple Watch SE comes in 40 and 44 millimeters variants, while the 3 only comes in 38 and 42 millimeters variants.

It would not be surprising to see “Nothing new” make the headlines with the Apple Watch Series 3. Apple will continue to sell its smartwatch that was first released in 2017 throughout this year, and also in 2022 in a virtually unchanged form factor while sporting the very same components from four years back.

Let’s begin with an exclusion strategy for now: I personally cannot recommend the Apple Watch Series 3 to anyone, at least not if you want to buy it new from Apple. Sure, the additional $80 that you would fork out for a Watch SE is a lot of money. But relative to the purchase price of the Series 3, the added dough forked out for the SE is simply money very well spent. You get plenty more features, an update to watchOS 9, a much better display and, in case of doubt, a better resale value if you put it up on the market someday down the road.

Whether you settle for the Apple Watch SE or directly for the top model Series 7 is a matter of taste and certainly also a question of budget. Subjectively, the Apple Watch SE can do everything that you do with a smartwatch on a daily basis: heart rate measurement, calorie measurement for plenty of different activities, and almost all the other functions that the top model offers.

With a Watch SE, you will have to make do without the ECG function and oxygen measurement. However, results of both functions are rather meant to be enjoyed with caution from a medical point of view and are at best a guideline.

The always-on display is also missing in the Watch SE. This is one feature I personally do not want to miss out on, as well as the fast charging and the dust resistance. In other words, I would personally accept the surcharge of around $150 compared to a Watch SE and go for the Apple Watch Series 7. But if you don’t need or want all the features, you definitely won’t go wrong with the Apple Watch SE.

Since 2019, Apple has offered in both its stores (physical and virtual) the so-called Apple Watch Studio. Customers can combine any available Apple Watch case with all available bracelets. This way, any number of combinations can be created, allowing buyers to piece together their own personalized Apple Watch.

If you’ve always wanted to see all Apple Watches at a glance, you’ve come to the right place. NextPit has listed all models for you.