5 Reasons You Should NOT Buy the Apple Watch S3 Right Now

Yes, Apple is still selling the Apple Watch Series 3. No, you absolutely shouldn’t buy it, even if it’s the most affordable model now at $200. That was easy! But if you’d like to learn more, let’s go over a few reasons why this older Apple Watch shouldn’t be on your list anymore. Continue reading to browse 5 Reasons You Should NOT Buy the Apple Watch Series 3 Right Now.
Its Design Is Outdated
Apple has actually updated the physical design of the Apple Watch a few times, generally increasing the display size making new models much more usable. If you compare the Series 3 to newer Apple Watches, you’ll quickly see that it’s smaller, bulkier, and its small display is generally less usable – frankly, it’s significantly less comfortable to wear, too. Giving up all the design improvements Apple has made since just isn’t a good idea.
A Speedy Apple Watch Feels Good
The Apple Watch feels great when its app responses are immediate and you can quickly get things done. The problem is that the processor in the Series 3 is so old by now that it’s much harder to guarantee a fast experience. The Series 4 alone was twice as fast as the Series 3. Think how much faster the Series 7 is – that’s speed you shouldn’t give up.
Compatibility Issues
The Apple Watch Series 3 is already running into a few compatibility issues. For the latest watchOS updates, you have to fully wipe the Series 3 to install them, removing any collected data it might have. That’s because the Series 3 has such small storage (8GB) that even the latest operating system updates struggle to work around it. We don’t know the specifics for watchOS 9 yet, but it’s likely to be even more demanding. The same is true of the apps used in watchOS, which have been developed and updated for the most recent Series 7, not the Series 3.
It’s Missing Vital Features
Apple has also made a lot of hardware improvements to the Series 7, including some of the best features the Apple Watch has and reasons why some people buy one in the first place. Take the ECG readings to monitor heartbeat, for example. That much-praised feature showed up in the Series 4 – so, you don’t get it with the Series 3. Or take the Blood Oxygen app that became particularly popular during COVID: that was only available starting with the Apple Watch Series 6. Other hardware improvements have enabled new modes, improve data connections to cell towers, and lots more. Choosing the Series 3 skips out on all those improvements.
You Won't Save That Much Money
While $200 may sound like a great price for an Apple Watch at first glance, you probably shouldn’t let that sway you into getting one. Just look at the Apple Watch SE instead: it’s only around $80 more and includes a host of upgrades that the Series 3 doesn’t have. That ensures that it will be faster, and prepared for watchOS 9…while the future of the Series 3 looks far less certain. Apple may still be officially selling it, but we suspect an announcement is coming this year that the Series 3 will ultimately be retired soon.