The Apple Watch has quickly become the world‘s most popular smartwatch since its initial release in 2015. Apple has iterated year after year to improve the device‘s capabilities and performance. The Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 6 represent two different generations of this iconic wearable device.
Released in 2017, the Series 3 retains the familiar squircle shape but brings key enhancements like cellular connectivity and improved water resistance. The Apple Watch Series 6 arrived in 2020 with upgrades like an always-on display, blood oxygen sensor, faster processor, and new color options.
But with a $200 price gap between the Series 3 and Series 6, you may be wondering exactly what those extra dollars get you in terms of real-world functionality. This comprehensive feature and performance comparison breaks down all you need to know to decide which of these Apple Watch models best fits your needs and budget.
Pricing and Value
The 38mm GPS-only Apple Watch Series 3 can be purchased brand new from Apple for $199. The larger 42mm size comes in at $229. You can often find these models discounted even lower from third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.
The Apple Watch Series 6 starts at $399 for 40mm and $429 for the 44mm model. Adding mobile connectivity with the cellular option raises the price by $100 for each respective size. These watches can also sometimes be found on sale, but generally run $200+ more than the Series 3.
Given nearly a 3 year gap between releases, this significant price difference is to be expected. The question is whether the Series 6 delivers enough extra utility and performance to warrant spending over twice as much as the now-discounted Series 3.
Design
Both generations of the Apple Watch retain the same general squircle shape and digital crown control scheme. But the Series 6 enjoys a slightly larger display packed into a thinner overall profile:
Series 3
- 38mm and 42mm aluminum case options
- 11.4mm thick
- 563 sq mm (38mm) and 740 sq mm (42mm) display sizes
Series 6
- 40mm and 44mm aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium case options
- 10.7mm thick
- 759 sq mm (40mm) and 977 sq mm (44 mm) display sizes
So while the actual case diameter difference is only 2-4mm depending on size, the Series 6 squeezes in noticeably more screen real estate into its thinner design.
The other main aesthetic difference comes down to material and color options. The Series 3 is limited to silver or space grey aluminum. Meanwhile, the Series 6 can be outfitted in silver, space grey, gold, blue, or (PRODUCT)Red anodized aluminum. More premium stainless steel and titanium casing is also available on cellular models.
Overall, the Series 6 certainly looks and feels like the newer, more advanced product from a design perspective. But the Series 3 still provides that iconic Apple Watch look at a more affordable price point.
Displays
Both Series 3 and Series 6 Apple Watches feature high quality OLED Retina displays. But the Series 6 panel adds two key advantages:
Always-On Capability
Whereas the Series 3 display remains black unless raised or tapped, the Series 6 introduces an always-on mode. This allows the watch face or certain apps to stay visible at all times at a dimmer brightness level. This allows you to discretely check the time or other info without the typical wrist raise gesture. Expect around a 10-15% hit to battery life though.
Brighter Peak Brightness
Lab testing confirms that the Series 6 OLED panel reaches a peak brightness of 1000 nits, a nearly 30% bump over the Series 3‘s 700 nit maximum. This allows improved outdoor visibility in direct sunlight.
Both watches do provide the same relative pixel density for sharp images though. So the viewing experience is excellent on both, with the always-on capability and boosted peak brightness giving the Series 6 an edge.
Performance and Storage
The Apple Watch Series 3 is equipped with Apple‘s dual-core S3 processor and 8GB of onboard storage. Meanwhile, the Series 6 gets a nice performance boost from the newer dual-core S6 chip and 32GB of storage.
In practice, expect snappier app load times and smoother UI navigation performance from the Series 6. It should handle more demanding apps and watch faces without any hiccups. The extra onboard storage also means you can sync over more music, photos, and apps from your iPhone.
As smartwatches have focused more heavily on health and fitness tracking over the years, the performance gap between the Series 3 and 6 does make a meaningful difference. But if you‘re mostly looking for notifications and basic app functionality, the Series 3 should still handle daily duties just fine. It just misses out on the headroom that the Series 6 offers as apps continue improving and gaining new features.
Fitness Tracking and Sensors
Heart Rate Monitor
Both the Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 6 can continuously measure your heart rate as well as warn about elevated or irregular patterns. But the Series 6 leverages a newer generation optical heart rate sensor for improved accuracy during workouts and higher overall reliability.
GPS
Onboard GPS for tracking outdoor activity routes, pace, and distance is also included in both watch models. Though connectivity here gets a minor upgrade from GLONASS support on the Series 3 to GLONASS + Galileo and QZSS on the Series 6. This allows for more accurate tracing of your path in areas with obstructed views of the sky.
Accelerometer and Gyroscope
Motion sensors for tracking steps, calories burned, and workout detection are equally capable on both the Series 3 and Series 6 models.
Altimeter
The Series 6 features a always-on altimeter for tracking elevation changes like flights of stairs climbed or hikes in the mountains. The Series 3 lacks this capability entirely though.
Compass
Absent from the Series 3, the built-in compass in the Series 6 allows for better awareness of which direction you‘re facing. This helps when trying to navigate unfamiliar areas or trails.
Blood Oxygen Sensor
One of the hallmark new health sensors introduced in the Series 6 is the ability to measure blood oxygen saturation levels on demand. This SpO2 data provides supplemental information about your breathing quality and aerobic fitness. The Series 3 lacks any kind of blood oxygen monitoring though.
So in summary, you trade off a lot of advanced health monitoring capabilities by opting for the cheaper Series 3. Accelerometer/gyroscope tracking is equally on par for step counting and workouts. But the improved optical heart rate sensor, newly added blood oxygen monitoring, always-on altimeter, and onboard compass give the Series 6 a definite advantage for fitness fanatics.
Safety Features
The Apple Watch has always included emergency features like Emergency SOS and Fall Detection. But the Series 6 takes safety to a new level with a new Blood Oxygen app and ECG app:
The ECG app can indicate potential signs of irregular heart rhythms indicative of underlying conditions like atrial fibrillation (Afib).
And the new Blood Oxygen sensor also provides data that could hint issues like sleep apnea or declining lung function over time.
Of course, neither watch is intended as a true medical device replacement. But they can provide supplemental health insights you can discuss with your doctor.
The Series 3 does include basic fall detection though. So if you do slip and take a spill, it can still automatically place an emergency call if you remain motionless after the drop.
Connectivity
With each generation of Apple Watch advancement, faster, lower energy Bluetooth gets added for accessory connectivity along with improved WiFi modem chips.
Bluetooth and WiFi
The Series 3 supports Bluetooth 4.2 and 2.4Ghz b/g/n WiFi.
The Series 6 steps up to Bluetooth 5.0 and 2.4/5GHz b/g/n WiFi. Expect improved connection reliability and slightly faster data transfers to your iPhone as a result.
Cellular
Cellular LTE connectivity is available as a $100 upgrade for both the Series 3 and Series 6 lines at time purchase. This untethers the watches from your iPhone allowing you to receive calls, texts, emails, and stream Apple Music or podcasts without having your phone on hand.
Of course, you will have to pay your mobile carrier an additional monthly fee for adding standalone cellular service to either Apple Watch. Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and most other major carriers do support connectivity though.
If mobile connectivity is a must, the Series 6 certainly provides faster overall LTE speeds and supports improved call audio quality thanks to Bluetooth 5.0. But the Series 3 will still gets the job done for basic messaging and entertainment streaming without your phone nearby.
Battery Life and Charging
Both the Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 6 are officially rated for 18 hours of runtime by Apple between charges. For both, you can expect nearly a full day‘s use before having to power up again overnight.
The Series 6 efficiency may actually be every so slightly lower though due to powering its always-on display and additional sensors. Still, battery life is quite comparable overall despite over 3 years separating these two Apple Watch generations.
When it comes time to charge, both models charge quickly and conveniently via included magnetic charger cables. 0 to 80% in about an hour or so. Full top offs take around 2 hours.
Smartwatch Features
As two successive generations of Apple Watch built atop watchOS, the Series 3 and Series 6 share all of the platform‘s core capabilities:
- App Store access for downloading programs
- Notifications from iPhone texts, emails, calls
- Built-in apps like Messages, Calendar, Weather, Apple Music remote app
- Watch faces galore to customize your look
- Contactless Apple Pay transactions
- Syncing activity and health data with iPhone‘s Health app
- Custom alarms, timers, and reminders
- Microphone and speaker for phone calls and voice assistant
You‘ll have the full Apple Watch experience with either model. The Series 6 earns you extra headroom for upgrades thanks to its faster processor and more plentiful 32GB of storage. But you certainly won‘t feel deprived sticking with the Series 3 for all your basic smartwatch needs.
It comes down to the advanced health insights delivered by sensors like ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, improved heart rate readings, always-on altimeter that really set the Series 6 apart. If you can live without those upgrades, saving $200+ with the Series 3 easily makes sense.
Apple Watch Series 3 vs Series 6: Conclusion
The Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 6 share excellent smartphone companion functionality from notifications to contactless payments to mapping outdoor workouts via GPS. Either watch will cover the basics of the wearable experience at a competent level.
But the Apple Watch Series 6 clearly delivers substantial improvements to health monitoring (blood oxygen & ECG apps), safety (improved fall detection and Emergency SOS), always-on convenience, and all around hardware upgrades.
The $200+ premium for the Series 6 does buy you at least 2-3 years of additional longevity given its 2020 release vs 2017 for the aging Series 3. But if budgets are tight, Apple does keep old models like the Series 3 capable through software updates.
At the end of the day, paying up for the still-current Series 6 rewards you with the best Apple health insights and smartest features. But the Apple Watch Series 3 remains a viable option primarily for buyers that aren‘t as performance and app focused.
