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
Fully verifiedSmartwatchReleased · 2026-09-18Announced 2026-09-09
Specs: source
View full specs
Key differences
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistance | 50m (ISO 22810:2010), IP6X dust resistance | 50m (swimproof) |
| Display | Always-On Retina OLED, LTPO3, 2000 nits peak brightness | Always-On Retina OLED, LTPO, 1000 nits peak brightness |
| Chipset model name | S11 | S10 |
| Charging time | Up to 80% charge in about 30 minutes (fast charging) | Up to 80% charge in about 45 minutes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), 2.4/5GHz | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) |
| Health sensors | Electrical heart sensor (2nd generation), Optical heart sensor, Blood oxygen sensor, Skin temperature sensor | 2nd-generation optical heart sensor, Skin temperature sensor |
| Colors | Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black, Space Gray, Radiant Gold, Natural, Pearl White, Night Blue | Midnight, Starlight |
| Peak brightness | 2000 | 1000 |
| Chipset | S11 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) | S10 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) |
| Battery life | Up to 24 hours normal use, up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode | Up to 18 hours of normal use |
Facts shown above are the specifications where both devices have a confirmed value and those values differ — not an indication that either device is better. Showing 10 of 16 differing facts, spread across categories — see the full specification table below for the rest.
Specifications
| Specification | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Design & Build | ||
| Water resistance | 50m (ISO 22810:2010), IP6X dust resistance | 50m (swimproof) |
| Colors | Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black, Space Gray, Radiant Gold, Natural, Pearl White, Night Blue | Midnight, Starlight |
| Weight | 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 | 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 | Aluminum, titanium, or ceramic case | Aluminum case |
| Display | ||
| Display | Always-On Retina OLED, LTPO3, 2000 nits peak brightness | Always-On Retina OLED, LTPO, 1000 nits peak brightness |
| Peak brightness (nits) | 2000 | 1000 |
| Resolution | 42mm: 374×446 px, 46mm: 416×496 px | 40mm: 324×394 px, 44mm: 368×448 px |
| Performance | ||
| Chipset model name | S11 | S10 |
| Chipset | S11 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) | S10 (64-bit dual-core, 4-core Neural Engine) |
| Memory & Storage | ||
| Storage (GB) | 64 | 64 |
| Battery & Charging | ||
| Charging time | Up to 80% charge in about 30 minutes (fast charging) | Up to 80% charge in about 45 minutes |
| Battery life | Up to 24 hours normal use, up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode | Up to 18 hours of normal use |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), 2.4/5GHz | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Contactless payments | Apple Pay (NFC) | Apple Pay, GymKit |
| Cellular connectivity | Cellular models (A3582, A3587) support RedCap 5G and LTE | Cellular models (A3326, A3328) support RedCap 5G and LTE |
| Software | ||
| Operating system at launch | watchOS | watchOS |
| Phone compatibility | iPhone 11 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 27 or later | iPhone 11 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 27 or later |
| Security & Sensors | ||
| Health sensors | Electrical heart sensor (2nd generation), Optical heart sensor, Blood oxygen sensor, Skin temperature sensor | 2nd-generation optical heart sensor, Skin temperature sensor |
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.