Apple Watch SE 3

The always-on display and 5G option mean this year's SE is less of a compromise than previous models

- KATE KOZUCH

The Apple Watch SE has always been an affordable way to get the essentials of fitness tracking and iPhone connectivity, and the SE 3 feels less like a compromise than ever, thanks to the addition of an always-on display and 5G.

The latest model benefits from almost all the software upgrades in watchOS 26, including the on-wrist Notes app, live message translations and even “Workout Buddy”, the Apple Intelligence-powered fitness coach. Motion gestures and on-device Siri are supported, too: as well as protecting your privacy, that means Apple's voice assistant can do some things even when the watch is disconnected from WiFi or a smartphone. And in a fun upgrade, you can now play music straight out of the SE's speaker, something previously limited to the Series line.