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iPhone owners looking to buy 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 stock previous-generation models for 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 still 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 doesn't get the latest watchOS releases anymore.

The Apple Watch SE, introduced in 2020, comes in two sizes (40 mm and 44 mm), two connectivity options (GPS and cellular), and three colors for the aluminum frame (Silver, Space Gray, and Gold). Specs include a Retina LTPO OLED panel that supports up to 1,000 nits of brightness, the S5 chip, 32 GB of storage, Bluetooth 5.0, and a battery that offers 18 hours of use on a charge. Health features include heart rate measurements and notifications for specific metrics (high and low heart rate, irregular rhythm, and low cardio fitness), plus sleep and cycle tracking. The Apple Watch SE also supports fitness tracking and several safety features, including Emergency SOS calling and Fall Detection.

If the battery is in good condition, a used Apple Watch SE under $80 can be useful for an older adult or a young user whose parents want to track their location without giving them a smartphone. We'll examine the SE 2 and SE 3 below.

Available for around $170 (new) or under $140 (refurbished), the Apple Watch SE 2 is a much better choice than the original. Launched in 2022, the SE 2 model comes 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 specs of the first model, but features 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 the quality of their sleep. The device supports the same fitness routines as the previous generation, but adds two key features that can support health and training decisions. The Vitals app tracks heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep duration at night. The Training Load feature can help users determine whether they should take a break from training or continue with their fitness plan. Finally, the Apple Watch SE 2 model features a Mindfulness app and a Crash Detection feature.

Put differently, the Apple Watch SE 2 can still be a dependable wearable, even if it's several years old — especially if it's purchased for 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 in good health but want to track their health and fitness metrics. For example, the Apple Watch SE 2 can be used to track an entire marathon, assuming the battery is in good condition to provide health monitoring for several hours.

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The 2025 Apple Watch SE 3 is the best budget option for users looking for an affordable wearable. The device introduces several features that were previously available only on the more premium Apple Watch models, including always-on display support, the S10 processor, 64 GB of storage, a 4-core Neural Engine, and 5G support in the cellular version. The design remains unchanged, however, while the color options include only Midnight and Starlight.

The improved hardware also affects the health tracking features. The device can 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 may be useful to people trying to conceive. What's missing from the Apple Watch SE 3 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 only 45 minutes to go from 0% to 80%.

In other words, the Apple Watch SE 3 is a great purchase in 2026 for all the categories of users mentioned before. It can be a first connected device for children, a dependable 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 is likely to get the same watchOS updates as the more expensive models.