Apple on Tuesday unveiled the Apple Watch Series 3, a new wearable with several significant upgrades. The company also quietly discontinued its Apple Watch Series 2, leaving the Apple Watch S3 and the S1 as the only options for consumers.
The move makes sense, as the non-LTE Apple Watch S3 is pretty similar in form and function to the previous S2 model. With that in mind, here’s how the current Apple Watch models stack up.
Dimensions
- The two configurations of Apple Watch S3 — with or without LTE — will be about the same size across different case versions.
- The LTE-equipped models will be slightly heavier, however, by about 2 grams.
- On a similar note, the ceramic and stainless case options are only available for LTE-equipped models.
- Apple Watch Series 1 models will be slightly shallower and lighter, but retain similar height and width specs. Similarly, S1 models will also only be available in an aluminum case.
38mm Case Dimension Comparison
| Height | Width | Depth | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch Series 1 | 38.6mm | 33.3mm | 10.5mm |
| Apple Watch Series 3 | 38.6mm | 33.3mm | 11.4mm |
| Apple Watch S3 LTE | 38.6mm | 33.3mm | 11.4mm |
42mm Case Dimension Comparison
| Height | Width | Depth | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch Series 1 | 42.5mm | 36.4mm | 10.5mm |
| Apple Watch Series 3 | 42.5mm | 36.4mm | 11.4mm |
| Apple Watch S3 LTE | 42.5mm | 36.4mm | 11.4mm |
On a side note, Apple Watch S3 models with LTE and ceramic case will be slightly larger and heavier than other cases, with the following specs:
- 38mm Ceramic Case: 39.2 x 34 x 11.8mm
- 42mm Ceramic Case: 42.6 x 36.5 x 11.4mm
Display & Glass Quality
Display
- All models of the Apple Watch Series 3 will sport a second-generation OLED Retina display with Force Touch built in.
- The Apple Watch Series 1 is equipped with a first-generation OLED display with Force Touch, though it’s non-Retina.
Glass Quality
- Apple Watch S3 with aluminum cases will use a standard Ion-X glass for its screen.
- Similarly, the Apple Watch Series 1 will also use an Ion-X glass.
- Apple Watch Series 3 with stainless steel or ceramic cases, on the other hand, will use a much more durable sapphire crystal display.
| Display | Glass | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch S1 | 1st Gen OLED | Ion-X |
| Apple Watch S3 (aluminum) | 2nd-gen OLED Retina | Ion-X |
| Apple Watch S3 (stainless or ceramic) | 2nd-gen OLED Retina | Sapphire Crystal |
Connectivity
- Both models of the Apple Watch Series 3 have built-in GPS and a barometric altimeter. The LTE-enabled version of the S3, obviously, has cellular connectivity.
- On the other hand, the Apple Watch Series 1 relies on an iPhone for almost all of its connectivity needs. The Series 1 uses an iPhone’s cellular signal via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi for its navigation needs.
| Cellular | GPS | Barometric | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch Series 1 | No | No | No |
| Apple Watch S3 | No | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch S3 (cellular) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Processing Power & Internals
Procesor
- All Apple Watch Series 3 models will run on an S3 dual-core processor and all will sport Apple’s W2 wireless chip.
- The Apple Watch Series 1 comes equipped with an S1P dual-core processor. It’s an upgrade over the single-core S1 installed in the original 2015 Apple Watch, but it is still slower than the S3 CPU.
Memory & Storage
- The non-LTE Apple Watch S3 and the Apple Watch Series 1 models will come with 8 gigabytes of onboard storage.
- Only the Apple Watch Series 3 models with cellular LTE connectivity will come with 16GB of onboard storage.
Battery
- All three models of the Apple Watch have the same estimated battery life — Apple says it’s about 18 hours on a single charge.
- What remains to be seen, however, is how LTE connectivity for some Watch models will affect that battery life.
Water-Resistance
- All Apple Watch S3 models will be water-resistant to up to 50 meters.
- The Apple Watch Series 1 will only be splash-resistant.
Additional Features
Model Options
- The Apple Watch S3 with LTE will be available in a variety of model options, including Hermes and Apple Watch Edition. As stated above, it’ll also be available with a stainless or ceramic case.
- The Apple Watch S3 will be available in the standard and Nike+ editions. The case is only available in aluminum.
- The Apple Watch S1 will only be available in the standard iteration, with an aluminum case.
Additional Considerations
- Siri is only voiced on the Apple Watch Series 3 models. The digital assistant doesn’t speak on Apple Watch S1.
- Only Apple Watch S3 with LTE will be able to stream music (via Apple Music). Non-LTE S3 and S1 models won’t have music streaming.
Price Point
- The Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE connectivity will start at $399. Additionally, cellular connectivity will cost a bit more on your plan.
- The Apple Watch Series 3 without cellular will start at $329.
- The Apple Watch Series 1 will retail for $249.