When Apple launched its latest smartwatches late last year, I was convinced that the Apple Watch SE 3 was the best buy for most users because it offered excellent value for money. I still stand by this, but hear me out: when the Series 11 is heavily discounted, I would recommend it over the SE 3, even if the latter was also on sale.
Like right now. The Apple Watch SE 3 is down to AU$347 for the smaller 40mm case on Amazon, a 13% discount, while the Apple Watch 11 currently has a starting price of AU$497 on Amazon, representing a 27% price drop.
My biggest problem with the Apple Watch 11 at launch was that I couldn’t receive high blood pressure notifications on my wrist, but the TGA approved this feature in December 2025 and a subsequent watchOS update in January 2026 rolled out the feature for Australians to use.
Other health features you’ll get with the Series 11 that the SE 3 lacks are blood oxygen monitoring, sleep apnea detection, and irregular heart rhythm notifications (aka the ECG feature).
Another minor addition that the 11 series gives you is 5G connectivity if you opt for the LTE version (which also gets a discount of up to 21%). This really shouldn’t be a big deal, as smartwatches don’t need super-fast connectivity and, anyway, 5G support on smartwatches is something telcos still don’t offer in Australia, but Apple is working on it.
On top of all that, it offers everything you need to encourage you to exercise more, tracking a wide variety of activities that, I admit, even the SE 3 will do, but the Series 11’s battery life exceeds that of the SE 3 by 25%, which you can extend even further by using Low Power mode.
Our review of the Apple Watch Series 11 gave it a very respectable four out of five stars, calling it “a primary Apple Watch that can go the distance.” While it offers “no major year-over-year performance gains,” it does provide a “bigger battery” and a “longer-lasting display that remains vibrant and rich.” This larger screen now makes using the Messages app on the Apple Watch much easier. Personally, I wear the 46mm version and writing a message by hand on the screen is now much easier.
Plus, watchOS 26 gives it a new feel that really highlights its health features, including the new Sleep Score feature. All this makes it the best smartwatch for iPhone and quite unbeatable at this price.
If you don’t have any heart health issues, the SE 3 will suit you just fine, but if you need a reliable health monitor, I think the Apple Watch 11 is the much better option.