Apple Watch Series 12 vs Apple Watch SE 3
Verified 2026-10-03
A factual specification comparison between the Apple Watch Series 12 and the Apple Watch SE 3.
Image: Apple
Apple · SmartwatchApple Watch Series 12
- Status
- Released · 2026-09-18
- Announced
- Announced 2026-09-09
- Verification
- Verified
- Last checked
- Checked 2026-09-30
Image: Apple Inc.
Apple · SmartwatchApple Watch SE 3
- Status
- Released
- Verification
- Verified
- Last checked
- Checked 2026-10-01
Key differences
SpecificationApple Watch Series 12Apple Watch SE 3
Design & Build
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistance (differs) | 50m (ISO 22810:2010), IP6X dust resistance | 50m (swimproof) |
| Colors (differs) | Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black, Space Gray, Radiant Gold, Natural, Pearl White, Night Blue | Midnight, Starlight |
Display
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Display (differs) | Always-On Retina OLED, LTPO3, 2000 nits peak brightness | Always-On Retina OLED, LTPO, 1000 nits peak brightness |
| Peak brightness (nits) (differs) | 2000 | 1000 |
Performance
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset model name (differs) | S11 | S10 |
| Chipset (differs) | S11 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) | S10 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) |
Battery & Charging
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Charging time (differs) | Up to 80% charge in about 30 minutes (fast charging) | Up to 80% charge in about 45 minutes |
| Battery life (differs) | Up to 24 hours normal use, up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode | Up to 18 hours of normal use |
Connectivity
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi (differs) | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), 2.4/5GHz | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) |
Security & Sensors
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Health sensors (differs) | Electrical heart sensor (2nd generation), Optical heart sensor, Blood oxygen sensor, Skin temperature sensor | 2nd-generation optical heart sensor, Skin temperature sensor |
These are specifications where both devices have a confirmed value and the values differ. A difference is not a judgement that either device is better. Showing 10 of 16 differences; the full specifications below include all of them.
Full specifications
differs · Not disclosed: not published by the manufacturer · —: not recorded
SpecificationApple Watch Series 12Apple Watch SE 3
Design & Build
5 differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistance (differs) | 50m (ISO 22810:2010), IP6X dust resistance | 50m (swimproof) |
| Colors (differs) | Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black, Space Gray, Radiant Gold, Natural, Pearl White, Night Blue | Midnight, Starlight |
| Weight (differs) | 42mm aluminum (GPS): 32.2 g, 46mm aluminum (GPS): 39.5 g | 40mm aluminum (GPS): 26.3 g, 44mm aluminum (GPS): 32.9 g |
| Case dimensions (differs) | 42mm case (aluminum/titanium): 42 x 37 x 9.7mm; 46mm case (aluminum/titanium): 46 x 40 x 9.7mm; ceramic case: 47 x 41 x 9.85mm | 40mm case: 40 x 34 x 10.7mm; 44mm case: 44 x 38 x 10.7mm |
| Build materials (differs) | Aluminum, titanium, or ceramic case | Aluminum case |
Display
3 differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Display (differs) | Always-On Retina OLED, LTPO3, 2000 nits peak brightness | Always-On Retina OLED, LTPO, 1000 nits peak brightness |
| Peak brightness (nits) (differs) | 2000 | 1000 |
| Resolution (differs) | 42mm: 374×446 px, 46mm: 416×496 px | 40mm: 324×394 px, 44mm: 368×448 px |
Performance
2 differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset model name (differs) | S11 | S10 |
| Chipset (differs) | S11 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) | S10 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) |
Memory & Storage
No differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Storage (GB) | 64 · same on both | |
Battery & Charging
2 differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Charging time (differs) | Up to 80% charge in about 30 minutes (fast charging) | Up to 80% charge in about 45 minutes |
| Battery life (differs) | Up to 24 hours normal use, up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode | Up to 18 hours of normal use |
Connectivity
3 differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi (differs) | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), 2.4/5GHz | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 · same on both | |
| Contactless payments (differs) | Apple Pay (NFC) | Apple Pay, GymKit |
| Cellular connectivity (differs) | Cellular models (A3582, A3587) support RedCap 5G and LTE | Cellular models (A3326, A3328) support RedCap 5G and LTE |
Software
No differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system at launch | watchOS · same on both | |
| Phone compatibility | iPhone 11 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 27 or later · same on both | |
Security & Sensors
1 difference
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Health sensors (differs) | Electrical heart sensor (2nd generation), Optical heart sensor, Blood oxygen sensor, Skin temperature sensor | 2nd-generation optical heart sensor, Skin temperature sensor |
Terms used on this page (4)
- Nits
- A unit of screen brightness (candela per square metre). Typical, HDR and outdoor peak figures are measured under different conditions.
- IP rating
- Ingress protection under IEC 60529: the first digit rates dust protection, the second water protection, each under the manufacturer's stated test conditions.
- LTPO
- A display backplane technology that lets the refresh rate vary, down to low rates to save power.
- OLED
- A display whose pixels emit their own light, so black areas can be fully dark; LCDs use a separate backlight.
Sources & verification
Apple Watch Series 12
Verified 2026-09-30- AppleManufacturer newsroomTier 1
- Apple Inc.Manufacturer specificationsTier 1
Apple Watch SE 3
Verified 2026-10-01- Apple Inc.Manufacturer specificationsTier 1
Tier 1 sources are the manufacturer's own product pages, technical specification sheets, or support documentation. Tier 2 sources are reputable independent technical references, used only for facts that couldn't be confirmed from official documentation.