Apple Watch SE 3 vs Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Apple Watch SE 3

The big SE 3 story: an always-on display, a first for the SE line. The LTPO OLED panel peaks at 1,000 nits — bright enough for everyday use, but half the Series 11's 2,000 nits and a third of the Ultra 3's 3,000.

• Always-on display arrives on the SE for the first time — Origin Disc: 'that alone is a huge upgrade for the SE line.'
• LTPO OLED panel peaks at 1,000 nits — fine for everyday use but dimmer than rivals.
• 1,000 nits is half the Series 11's 2,000 and a third of the Ultra 3's 3,000 — the SE 3's display is its clearest hardware compromise.
• Always-on is a personal-preference feature — some owners prefer to leave it off for extra battery life.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Bright, vivid AMOLED — the Epix Pro's defining feature versus the MIP-screened Fenix 7 Pro. Always-on display. Sapphire crystal on Sapphire editions.

• Bright, crisp AMOLED display — Engadget: 'a vivid picture without drawing too much battery life.'
• AMOLED is the Epix's defining choice — the vivid alternative to the MIP-screened Fenix 7 Pro.
• AMOLED draws more power than MIP — Notebookcheck notes MIP 'is a more power-efficient technology that thrives in direct sunlight.'
• Always-on display supported — vivid and readable, with battery cost the Epix's large cell absorbs.
• Sapphire crystal on Sapphire editions — highly scratch-resistant for the higher trim levels.

Apple Watch SE 3

Heart rate is the SE 3's standout — testers rate it among the best wrist sensors available. Apple adds nightly wrist-temperature tracking and sleep apnea notifications. But ECG, blood oxygen (SpO2), and the Series 11's new hypertension alerts are all absent, and sleep-stage data underreports deep sleep.

• Heart-rate accuracy is excellent — Mike O'Brien tested it against a Polar H10 ECG chest strap and found it had the second-highest correlation of the watches tested, behind only the Pixel Watch 3.
• The Quantified Scientist rates the Apple Watch's optical heart-rate sensor as the best wrist HR monitor he has tested — the SE 3 inherits it.
• No ECG sensor — confirmed missing; if heart-rhythm ECG matters to you, you need the Series 11 or Ultra 3.
• No blood-oxygen (SpO2) sensor and no hypertension notifications — the Series 11's headline health features are absent.
• Apple adds nightly wrist-temperature tracking — the watch samples skin temperature roughly every 5 seconds overnight.
• Sleep apnea notifications are now included — a useful screening feature given how many people have undiagnosed sleep apnea.
• Sleep-stage tracking underreports deep sleep — Mike O'Brien recorded 45-55 minutes of deep sleep per night while reference devices showed 1.5-2.5 hours.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Elevate Gen 5 optical HR with skin temperature, SpO2, HRV Status, Body Battery, sleep tracking, Morning Report. Garmin's latest sensor generation; ECG added via update.

• Elevate Gen 5 optical HR sensor — Garmin's latest HR generation, an upgrade over earlier Garmin watches.
• Skin temperature sensing — built into the Gen 5 sensor for overnight temperature tracking.
• HRV Status + Body Battery + sleep tracking + Morning Report — Garmin's full wellness + recovery analytics.
• SpO2 (pulse ox) — on-demand and continuous; useful for altitude acclimatization on mountain adventures.
• Optical HR is reliable for steady-state; like all wrist optical HR, less accurate than a chest strap for intervals.

Apple Watch SE 3

The full watchOS workout app, activity rings, automatic workout detection, and built-in GPS. Apple rates about 7 hours of GPS workout tracking. It is not a dedicated running watch — no dual-frequency GPS — but for everyday fitness it covers the essentials well.

• Full watchOS workout app, activity rings and automatic workout detection — everything expected of an Apple Watch.
• Built-in GPS rated for about 7 hours of workout tracking — DesFit found real-world endurance well beyond that claim.
• The Quantified Scientist rates the Apple Watch SE as a pretty good GPS tracker — accurate enough for everyday runs and rides.
• Not a dedicated running watch — no dual-frequency GPS and no deep training analytics; serious runners still look to Garmin or the Ultra 3.
• Crash detection, fall detection and Emergency SOS carry over — Mike O'Brien notes fall detection is 'among the best in the industry.'

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Garmin's deepest training-science suite — Endurance Score, Hill Score, Training Readiness, Acute/Chronic Load, daily suggested workouts, full multisport + triathlon modes. The serious-athlete benchmark.

• Endurance Score + Hill Score — advanced training metrics that quantify endurance fitness and climbing ability.
• Training Readiness + Acute/Chronic Load — science-backed daily training guidance.
• TechRadar ran a marathon with the Epix Pro and recommends it 'to every runner' — a genuine endorsement from race-day use.
• Full multisport + triathlon modes — open-water swim, brick workouts, transitions, plus 30+ sport profiles.
• 10 ATM water resistance — pool, open-water, and high-pressure swim activities supported.

Apple Watch SE 3

Apple still rates the SE 3 at 18 hours of all-day battery, and that conservative number holds — but independent endurance tests stretched it to 37-41 hours of continuous wear depending on size. The genuine upgrade is fast charging: roughly 0-80% in 45 minutes, with a 15-minute top-up buying about 8 hours. A low-power mode reaches ~32 hours.

• Fast charging is new to the SE line — about 0-80% in 45 minutes, matching Apple's claim in testing.
• A 15-minute top-up buys roughly 8 hours of use — enough to rescue a sleep-tracking night.
• Endurance test: the 44mm SE 3 ran ~41 hours of continuous wear and the 40mm ~37-38 hours — far beyond Apple's conservative 18-hour rating.
• Still rated 18 hours — fast charging helps, but daily charging is the reality, and you may need a pre-bed top-up for sleep tracking.
• A low-power mode extends life to roughly 32 hours on a single charge.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Multi-day to multi-week smartwatch battery depending on size; ~31 hours multi-band GPS on the 51mm. Strong for an AMOLED watch — but a MIP Fenix lasts longer.

• Multi-day to multi-week smartwatch battery — up to ~16 days on the 51mm, less on the 42mm. Strong for an AMOLED watch.
• ~31 hours multi-band GPS on the 51mm — supports ultra-endurance and multi-day adventure tracking.
• Battery scales with size — the 42mm trades endurance for compactness; the 51mm maximizes runtime.
• A MIP Fenix 7 Pro lasts longer — the AMOLED panel is the Epix's battery trade-off.
• Proprietary Garmin USB-C charging cable — no solar charging (solar is Fenix-only).

Apple Watch SE 3

watchOS 26 on Apple's S10 chip — identical core performance to the Series 11 and Ultra 3, including double-tap and wrist-flick gestures. 64GB of storage. Apple Pay, the App Store and the full ecosystem are all here. The one hard limit: it works only with an iPhone.

• Same S10 chip as the Series 11 and Ultra 3 — TheJuan&Only confirms identical core performance across the lineup.
• Supports the S10-enabled gestures — double-tap and wrist-flick to dismiss notifications.
• 64GB of storage and the full App Store, Apple Pay, Find My and Siri — nothing core is cut from the experience.
• iPhone-only — like every Apple Watch, the SE 3 does not work with Android phones.
• TechRadar: it has 'the same fantastic chipset as the Ultra 3 and Series 11' — the SE 3 doesn't feel slow or cut-down in daily use.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Garmin OS + Garmin Connect + Connect IQ store. Garmin Pay. Works with iOS + Android. Frequent firmware updates. No Wear OS app catalog.

• Garmin OS + Connect IQ store — apps, watch faces, data fields; a mature ecosystem.
• Garmin Connect app — universally praised for training-analytics depth, frequently criticized for app-UI polish.
• Frequent firmware updates — Garmin continues adding features to the Epix Pro years after launch.
• Works with both iOS and Android — cross-platform, unlike Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch.
• Garmin Pay — contactless payments via NFC.

Apple Watch SE 3

Crack-resistant Ion-X glass, now rated about 4x tougher than the SE 2, over an aluminum case. Water resistance is 50m (5 ATM) — fine for pool and open-water swimming.

• 50m (5 ATM) water resistance — rated for pool and open-water swimming.
• Crack-resistant Ion-X glass, now about 4x more crack- and scratch-resistant than the SE 2.
• DesFit notes Apple Watch aluminum models hold up well in practice — he has scratched only one across many Apple Watches going back to the Series 3.
• Not as scratch-hardened as the Series 11's ceramic-coated glass or the Ultra 3's sapphire — fine for everyday wear, not adventure abuse.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

10 ATM water resistance + MIL-STD-810 thermal/shock/water testing. Titanium bezel + Sapphire crystal (Sapphire editions). Built for serious outdoor and expedition abuse.

• 10 ATM (100m) water resistance — pool, open-water, and high-pressure swim activities.
• MIL-STD-810 tested — thermal, shock, and water resistance for expedition use.
• Titanium bezel + Sapphire crystal (Sapphire editions) — premium, scratch-resistant adventure construction.
• Built for serious outdoor athletes — Engadget frames the Pro series as 'for serious explorers.'

Apple Watch SE 3

Built-in GPS, Apple Pay via NFC, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. An optional cellular model adds standalone connectivity for about $50 more. The SE 3 lacks the Series 11's second-generation ultra-wideband chip, so it can only ping a lost iPhone rather than guide you to it.

• Built-in GPS, Apple Pay (NFC), Bluetooth and Wi-Fi — the standard Apple Watch connectivity set.
• An optional cellular model adds standalone connectivity for roughly $50 more — useful for leaving the phone behind.
• No second-generation ultra-wideband chip — the SE 3 can only beep a lost iPhone, not precision-guide you to it like the Series 11.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Multi-band (dual-frequency) GPS, full-color TopoActive maps, NFC for Garmin Pay, Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi. No LTE.

• Multi-band (dual-frequency) GPS — accurate tracking in urban canyons, dense forest, and deep valleys.
• Full-color TopoActive maps — Engadget notes the Pro series brings 'mapping upgrades'; on-watch turn-by-turn navigation.
• ANT+ + Bluetooth — pair chest straps, footpods, power meters, and cycling sensors.
• NFC for Garmin Pay + Wi-Fi for sync.
• No LTE — phone required for connectivity; no standalone calls or texts.

Apple Watch SE 3

At a held-steady $249, the SE 3 is the cheapest way into a current Apple Watch and the obvious pick for most iPhone owners. The $399 Series 11 adds ECG, blood oxygen, hypertension alerts, a brighter screen and 24-hour battery; the $799 Ultra 3 adds far more. For the majority, the SE 3's gaps will not be felt.

• TechRadar's verdict: the SE 3 'might be the best-value Apple Watch ever made.'
• Mike O'Brien calls it 'the best Apple Watch for most people' — major improvements with very few noticeable differences from the $400 Series 11.
• Gizmodo: 'The Apple Watch SE 3 is a stupidly good value for $250.'
• Step up to the $399 Series 11 for ECG, blood oxygen, hypertension alerts, a 2,000-nit screen and 24-hour battery — worth it only if you actually need those.
• Best for: first-time Apple Watch buyers and anyone who wants the core experience for the lowest price — Tom's Guide names the SE 3 'the best value, great for first-time users.'

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

$899-$1099+ launch. The AMOLED flagship multisport tier. Competes with the MIP Fenix 7 Pro, the Apple Watch Ultra, and the Coros Apex Pro. Ages well and discounts over time.

• $899-$1099+ launch — a genuine four-figure watch in Sapphire trims. Engadget: 'high-end smartwatches for explorers with deep pockets.'
• Discounts well over time — TechRadar noted the Epix Pro 'just hit half price'; Android Central tracked it to its lowest price ever.
• vs Fenix 7 Pro: same features, different displays — AMOLED (Epix, vivid) vs MIP (Fenix, longer battery + better in direct sun).
• Garmin watches age very well — Wired: 'even though Garmin watches are costly, they age very well.'
• Best for: serious runners, triathletes, and outdoor athletes who want Garmin's deepest training tools with a vivid AMOLED screen, full maps, and a flashlight — and can justify the four-figure price.