Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Starlight Aluminum Case with Starlight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

Why it's worth it

The SE 3 is the least expensive way into the Apple Watch world, and it keeps the parts that matter most: fall detection, crash detection, an always-on display and sleep apnea notifications. It's the right pick for a teen, a parent or a first watch.

The safety features are the reason to buy this for someone you love. It detects a hard fall or a severe car crash and can connect the wearer to emergency services automatically, then notify their emergency contacts. Check In can tell a family member they got home. For an older parent or a new driver, that's worth more than any training metric.

It kept the always-on display, which used to be a flagship-only perk. You can read the time without flicking your wrist. That sounds trivial until you're carrying groceries or holding a toddler, and it's the single biggest usability gap the older SE models had.

From our review of 10 smartwatches and fitness trackers, by Ben Carter, Tech Editor

What we like

• +The safety features are the reason to buy this for someone you love
• +It kept the always-on display, which used to be a flagship-only perk
• +The overnight health tools are more complete than you'd expect
• +Charging is fast, which papers over the 18-hour battery

What to know

• –Apple doesn't list an ECG app or a blood oxygen sensor for this model
• –The 40mm case is small and the chip is a generation behind
• –It's iPhone-only, same as every Apple Watch