Apple’s entry-level smartwatch is back near one of its best prices just as Google puts its newest Pixel Watch in front of Android users.
The 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE 3 is listed at $219 on Amazon, down $30 from its regular $249 price. The deal comes as Google opens pre-orders for the Pixel Watch 5, which starts at $399 for the 41mm model and $429 for the 45mm model.
For iPhone owners, that $180 starting-price difference makes the Apple Watch SE 3 a much cheaper way to get the core Apple Watch experience without moving up to Series 11 pricing.
Apple Watch SE 3 Falls to $219 on Amazon
MacRumors reports that Amazon is taking $30 off both GPS versions of the Apple Watch SE 3.
The 40mm GPS model is available for $219, down from $249, while the larger 44mm GPS model is listed at $249, down from $279. MacRumors describes both discounts as second-best prices rather than record lows.
That distinction matters because the SE 3 has previously fallen lower during larger sales. Still, $219 puts Apple’s current budget smartwatch back near the bottom of its historical price range.
Apple’s Budget Watch Now Includes More Premium Features
1. The Always-On Display Is One of the Biggest Upgrades
The Apple Watch SE 3 remains Apple’s lower-cost smartwatch, but the current generation no longer feels as stripped down as earlier SE models.
Apple equips it with an Always-On Retina display, allowing users to check the time, workout information, and notifications without raising their wrist or tapping the screen.
The watch is powered by Apple’s S10 chip and includes a second-generation optical heart sensor and temperature sensor. It supports heart-rate monitoring, high and low heart-rate notifications, irregular rhythm notifications, sleep tracking, sleep score, wrist temperature sensing, and sleep apnea notifications.
2. Battery Life Remains Rated at 18 Hours
Apple rates the SE 3 for up to 18 hours of normal use.
Fast charging also arrived with this generation. Apple says a 15-minute charge can provide up to eight hours of normal use, while the battery can reach about 80% in approximately 45 minutes.
Those improvements make the SE 3 more practical for users who want to wear the watch during the day and continue using it overnight for sleep tracking.
What the Apple Watch SE 3 Leaves Out
The lower price still comes with some compromises.
The Apple Watch SE 3 does not include the ECG app or blood oxygen measurements available on higher-end Apple Watch models. Apple’s own comparison information confirms that the SE 3 uses its optical heart sensor for heart-rate monitoring but lacks those more advanced health capabilities.
For many buyers, however, the SE 3 still covers the features they are likely to use most often, including workouts, heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, notifications, and an Always-On display.
That makes the $219 price particularly attractive for iPhone owners who want Apple Watch basics without paying for the complete health-sensor package.
Google Pixel Watch 5 Starts at $399
Google’s Pixel Watch 5 targets a different ecosystem and comes with a much higher starting price.
Google says the new smartwatch is designed around Gemini Intelligence, advanced fitness features with Google Health, improved GPS tracking, and new Health Guardian capabilities.
Gemini Intelligence is intended to provide more proactive assistance, while improvements to Raise to Talk allow users to launch workouts, set timers, and access information using Gemini directly from the watch.
Google also says the Pixel Watch 5 delivers its most accurate GPS route tracking yet, with improved performance in difficult environments such as areas surrounded by tall buildings or covered trails.
Pixel Watch 5 Gets a Brighter Display and Longer Battery Life
Pixel Watch 5 uses a 3,000-nit domed Actua 360 display.
Google rates the smaller 41mm model for up to 30 hours of battery life, while the larger 45mm version is rated for up to 40 hours. Both models support fast charging.
The watch also introduces new Health Guardian features designed to identify health and wellness trends, although availability varies by country and some features are still rolling out. Google notes that several of these capabilities are intended for general wellness rather than medical diagnosis.
Pixel Watch 5 Pre-Orders Are Already Open
Google opened Pixel Watch 5 pre-orders on August 12.
The 41mm model starts at $399, while the 45mm version starts at $429. Both are scheduled to reach store shelves on August 20.
Google is also releasing a 45mm Stephen Curry Special Edition priced at $579. Pre-orders began August 12, with store availability scheduled for September 3. The special edition includes an exclusive sweat-wicking performance loop band.
Apple and Google Are Promoting the Watches From Different Angles
The timing puts two very different smartwatch pitches in front of consumers.
MacRumors has promoted the $219 Apple Watch SE 3 Amazon deal on X, highlighting the lower entry price.
Made by Google, meanwhile, has been promoting the Pixel Watch 5 around health, sleep, fitness, and its traditional watch-like design ahead of the August 12 announcement.
The difference reflects how the two products are positioned. Google is introducing its latest-generation smartwatch with new AI, health, GPS, and hardware features, while the Apple Watch SE 3 is competing largely on value.
Apple Watch SE 3 or Pixel Watch 5?
For most buyers, this is not a direct platform-to-platform buying decision.
The Apple Watch SE 3 is designed for iPhone users, while Google says the Pixel Watch 5 works with most phones running Android 12 or newer.
For Android users, the Pixel Watch 5 is the newer and more AI-focused option, with Gemini Intelligence, improved GPS, a brighter display, longer rated battery life, and Google’s expanding health features.
For iPhone owners, the Apple Watch SE 3 offers a much cheaper entry point. At $219 for the 40mm GPS model, it delivers fitness tracking, sleep data, heart-rate monitoring, notifications, an Always-On display, and fast charging without requiring buyers to step up to a more expensive Apple Watch.
For now, the price difference is the clearest part of the comparison: the headline Apple Watch SE 3 deal starts at $219, while Google’s Pixel Watch 5 starts at $399 ahead of its August 20 release.
