Apple Pitches $399 Watch Series 12 Against $249 SE 3 With Health and Display Trade-Offs
Updated
Updated · CNET · Sep 13
Apple Pitches $399 Watch Series 12 Against $249 SE 3 With Health and Display Trade-Offs
3 articles · Updated · CNET · Sep 13
Summary
$399 Apple Watch Series 12 keeps the same starting price as its predecessor, while the new SE 3 starts at $249 as Apple’s lower-cost smartwatch option.
Series 12’s edge centers on premium hardware and health tools: a brighter 2,000-nit display, S11 chip, ECG-capable electrical heart sensor, hypertension-sign detection, Ultra Wideband, and swim-focused depth and water-temperature sensors.
SE 3 trims those extras but keeps core fitness and safety features, including optical heart-rate tracking, sleep tracking, fall detection, crash detection, and emergency SOS in a lighter recycled-aluminum case.
Battery life also splits the lineup: Series 12 is rated for 24 hours and charges to 80% in 30 minutes, while SE 3 lasts 18 hours and adds 8 hours of use from a 15-minute charge.
The comparison positions Series 12 as Apple’s feature-rich flagship and SE 3 as the better value for buyers who mainly want a capable fitness wearable.