iPhone owners looking to purchase a new smartwatch will inevitably check out Apple’s 2026 Apple Watch lineup. The Apple Watch Ultra 3, Series 11, and SE 3 start at $799, $399, and $249, respectively. Third-party retailers may also offer previous generation models at discounted prices. Customers interested in the cheapest possible options can focus on the Apple Watch SE family of wearables, which contains three generations: original Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch SE 2, Apple Watch SE 3. The latter is the best choice of the three, and remains a great buy in 2026, offering a higher-end Apple Watch experience than its predecessors. The Apple Watch SE 2 can also be a good alternative for specific use cases. The original model is more of a niche scenario, mainly because it no longer receives the latest versions of watchOS.
The Apple Watch SE, introduced in 2020, comes in two sizes (40mm and 44mm), two connectivity options (GPS and cellular), and three colors for the aluminum frame (Silver, Space Gray, and Gold). Specifications include a Retina LTPO OLED panel that supports up to 1,000 nits of brightness, the S5 chip, 32GB of storage, Bluetooth 5.0, and a battery that provides 18 hours of use on a charge. Health features include heart rate measurements and notifications for specific measurements (high and low heart rate, irregular rhythm and low cardio fitness), as well as sleep and cycle tracking. Apple Watch SE also supports fitness tracking and several safety features, including emergency SOS calls and fall detection.
If the battery is in good condition, a used Apple Watch SE for less than $80 can be useful for an elderly person or a young user whose parents want to track their location without giving them a smartphone. We’ll look at SE 2 and SE 3 below.
The Apple Watch SE 2
Available for around $170 (new) or less than $140 (refurbished), the Apple Watch SE 2 is a much better choice than the original. Launching in 2022, the SE 2 model is available in the same sizes, connectivity options and materials as the original. The colors have changed slightly, with the Apple Watch SE 2 coming in Midnight, Starlight, and Silver options. The Apple Watch SE 2 retains many of the specifications of the first model, but has a faster S8 chip that ensures the wearable can run watchOS 26. The wearable also supports Bluetooth 5.3.
The Apple Watch SE 2 is a more capable health tracker than its predecessor. Sleep tracking comes with a sleep score that can give users more information about their sleep quality. The device supports the same fitness routines as the previous generation, but adds two key features that can support health and workout decisions. The Vitals app tracks heart rate, breathing rate, and sleep duration at night. The Training Load feature can help users determine whether they should take a break from training or continue their fitness plan. Finally, the Apple Watch SE 2 model has a Mindfulness application and a crash detection function.
In other words, the Apple Watch SE 2 can still be a reliable wearable even if it’s several years old, especially if purchased at a good price. It’s an even better choice for younger users and aging adults. It can also be used by iPhone users who are healthy but want to track their health and fitness metrics. For example, the Apple Watch SE 2 can be used to track an entire marathon, provided the battery is in good condition to provide health monitoring for several hours.
The Apple Watch SE 3
The Apple Watch SE 3 2025 is the best budget option for users looking for an affordable wearable. The device introduces several features that were previously only available on the most premium Apple Watch models, including always-on display support, the S10 processor, 64GB of storage, a 4-core Neural Engine, and 5G support in the cellular version. The design remains unchanged, however, while the color options only include Midnight and Starlight.
Improved hardware also affects health tracking features. The device may offer sleep apnea notifications, just like the Apple Watch Series 11. It also tracks wrist temperature at night, which appears in the Vitals section. The cycle tracking feature can also offer users retrospective ovulation estimates, which can be helpful for people trying to conceive. What the Apple Watch SE 3 lacks compared to the Series 11 is support for ECG, blood oxygen tracking, and hypertension notifications. The Apple Watch SE 3 also supports the same gestures as the more expensive models, including Double Tap and Wrist Flick. While battery life is rated at 18 hours like its predecessors, the device supports fast charging, requiring just 45 minutes to go from 0% to 80%.
In other words, the Apple Watch SE 3 is an excellent purchase in 2026 for all the categories of users mentioned above. It could be a first connected device for kids, a reliable fitness tracker for adults, and a more advanced health tracker for older adults who are more interested in notifications about potential health irregularities the wearable might detect. The Apple Watch SE 3 is also a better investment for the future, as the device will likely get the same watchOS updates as the more expensive models.
