The iconic Apple Watch launched in 2015 and has seen continuous evolvement in the features that it offers to users. The Apple watch series 3 launched in September 2017, with the series 6 launched in September 2020. With so many different Apple watches out there it’s hard to decide which one is the best choice for your needs. Read on as we look at the Apple Watch 3 vs 6.
Apple 3 vs. 6 Design
Overall, the design of both Apple smartwatches bears a lot of similarities with the key differences being size, color selection, and available band choice. Both come in two different sizes with the Series 6 available in 44mm and 40mm, and the Series 3 available in 38mm, and 42mm. Interestingly, despite the difference in size, the case of the Series 6 is 11% thinner than the Series 3 case, making it a light watch.
Find the Apple Watch 3 on eBay or Amazon below.
![Apple Watch Series 3 [GPS 38mm] Smart Watch w/Space Gray Aluminum Case & Black Sport Band....](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41XnTnpJd-L._SL160_.jpg)
The Series 6 offers cases in Stainless Steel, Titanium, and Aluminium whilst the Series 3 is only available in Aluminium. The composite back of the Series 3 makes it a little less durable than the Series 6 with its sapphire crystal back. The Series 6 is available in over 8 different colors whilst you can purchase Series 3 in either Space Gray or Silver.
Both have a water resistance rating of up to 50m, but Apple stresses that their watches should not be worn for any type of high-velocity water activity.
- There isn’t much in it where design is concerned. If you want a wider range of colours and are happy with a larger face, then the Series 6 is your best option. However, if colour is not important, but a smaller face is; the Series 3 would seem the better option.
Display
The Series 6 offers an impressive display resolution of 324×394 for the 40mm version and 368×448 pixels for the 44mm version. It features a TTPO OLED display with Always-On Retina.
The display resolution for the Series 3 is 272×340 pixels for the 38mm version and 312×390 for the 42mm. This means that the display on the Series 6 is a staggering 30% larger. The Series 3 has a Retina OLED display which does not benefit from LTPO technology. However, the peak brightness from both watches is 1000 nits.
- For its higher display resolution, the Series 6 is a significant improvement over the Series 3.
Read more: Best Apple Watch Faces Updated for Watch OS9
Internals
When it comes to technology, the Series 6 comes with the new dual-core S6 chip, which Apple claims is 20% faster. It also has a W3 Apple Wireless chip which supports Bluetooth 5.0 as standard and a U1 ultra-Wideband chip. As expected, Series 3 is lacking in this department and uses in-house S3 silicon which works alongside a W2 chip. The Series 3 is lacking when it comes to cellular connectivity support as well.
Storage-wise, Series 6 offers 32GB of storage in comparison to Series 3, which offers 8GB of onboard storage.
- Hands down, the Series 6 not only has better technology behind it but also a significant amount of storage.
Features
Series 6 has the capacity to measure both blood oxygen saturation levels and ECG – both of these options are not available with Series 3. Both watches do however have an Emergency SOS feature.
Heart wellness features are present in both Series 6 and Series 3. They can send heart rate, and heart irregularity notifications. The Series 6 supports the new Family Setup feature which allows the user to configure an Apple watch for a family member without needing the iPhone. This feature is not available on the Series 3 due to a lack of cellular connectivity.
Both watches also offer all of the usual features you would expect from a smartwatch of this type and do it well.
- If you want a smartwatch that does even more then the Series 6 is the way forward. However, if you are happy with the more standard features the Series 3 covers all the bases.
Battery life
When it comes to battery life, Apple is somewhat reluctant to reveal the figures. It is claimed that a single charge lasts 18 hours for both Series 6 and 3 watches.
- With both watches claiming to last the same amount of time from a single charge there is nothing in it for battery life.
Conclusion
Undeniably, Series 6 has some big advantages over Series 3 based on advances in technology. The bigger memory, better connectivity, and increased features certainly make it a better watch. However, it will mostly be down to personal preference whether these features are worth the higher price tag for many individuals.
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Last Updated on October 22, 2022
A highly motivated all-around writing professional with experience in writing about modern technology. Joanne writes for Superwatches for over 2 years now. Joanne specializes in product comparisons and reviews for us and we truly appreciate the quality of her work.
Lives in Congleton, UK.