Even though the Apple Watch Series 3 isn’t the company’s latest wearable and has been discounted, it is still a powerful smartwatch.

When it was first launched, the Apple Watch 3 was the market's best smartwatch in terms of raw power and functionality.

The smartwatch is available in two variants, one with GPS and one with cellular connectivity. Replacing the Apple Watch 2, the Apple Watch 3 was a symbol for fitness and longevity with its run and cycle tracking, water-resisting ability, and heart rate monitor.

The Watch 3 now has the latest watchOS 6 software with many useful upgrades. With the release of Apple Watch 5, its price is now significantly cheaper. And during deal seasons, it gets even cheaper.

Apple Watch Release Date & Price

Apple launched the Apple watch 3 backed in 2017. At that time, it was the company’s most expensive wearable. But with the launch of the Apple Watch 4 and Watch 5, the price has decreased. Of course, it is still isn’t a cheap smartwatch but it is way more affordable now.

After Apple released the Apple Watch 5, the price of the Apple Watch 3 has been discounted to $299 for the 38mm model and $329 for the 42mm model.

The GPS version is way cheaper. The 38mm only costs $199 while the bigger model costs $229.

Do take note that while the Apple Watch 4 has been discontinued by Apple, you can still purchase the Apple Watch 3 directly from the company instead of having to look for it somewhere online.

Should you buy the LTE version?

The biggest upgrade that Apple made to the Apple Watch 3 was adding a cellular connection, meaning it can work independently without relying on your phone.

Does this mean you won’t need to have an iPhone to be able to use the Apple Watch 3? Sadly not. In reality, you can receive some app notifications and phone calls when you leave your phone at home. Otherwise, it is still totally dependent on your smartphone.

For notifications, if the app you use hasn’t been upgraded so that it can work in “standalone mode”, you won’t receive notifications and updates even if you enable the LTE connection.

Adding a cellular connection is fine. However, it isn’t the most crucial feature.

The call quality of the Apple Watch 3 is impressive. The microphone’s sensitivity and the speaker’s voice quality are excellent.

It becomes less useful when you are driving as it is hard to hear what is being said because of the ambient noise.

With the LTE version, you will have to spend an extra $5 to $10 per month for the data. With the added cost, it is difficult to recommend the LTE version.

Apple Watch 3 Design and Display

The design of the whole Apple Watch series has become iconic. It is to the point that people can know you are wearing the iTimepiece just by looking at it. When you see someone wearing a Fitbit, you will have to see it up close to know which model. However, with the Apple Watch, it is instant recognition.

Apple integrated the antenna into the Apple Watch’s 3 screen to save space. Compared to the Apple Watch 2, the Apple Watch 3 has seen a slight upgrade in terms of the manufacturing process with the power button and the Digital Crown feels firmer.

The Digital Crown is now a red dot, signifying it is the new model.

It is light and elegant. The 1.65-inch display of the 42mm model is definitely the optimal shape and size as it can display more data. The OLED screen has always been one of the most attractive. It is vivid, bright, and clear. When needed, the screen switches itself off to save battery. So when you want to see the display, you need to flick your wrist.

Apple Watch 3 Specs

If you have already owned an Apple Watch before, with the Apple Watch 3, you won’t see a lot of differences.

Finally, the dock is a useful feature. With the original Watch, pressing this button only opened a contact list, which was pointless.

Now, you can scroll through your latest apps. Apple has managed to make them not drain the watch’s battery life. The operating system gets better.  

Music Storage

Another upgrade is the music streaming feature. Apple announced this feature when the Apple Watch 3 was launched but curiously, it was not there at launch.

If you own the LTE version, this is quite a good addition. With the Apple Music streaming feature, you get two things: Apple Music and Beats Radio. Bost can be accessed through Siri by asking it to play the music that you want to listen to. You should create a running playlist or Siri will play some odd choices.

Despite this feature, it isn’t any good reason to buy the LTE variant. You should consider the version only when you are worried about people not being able to reach you when you are out exercising.

Apple Watch 3 Fitness

The Apple Watch 3 focuses more on fitness with improved heart rate monitoring as well as other features.

You will get a more advanced heart rate monitor as it will record not only your beats per minute but also your daily resting heart rate, pulse while walking, workout ranges.

One of the best things is that the Apple Watch 3 has 16GB of internal storage, meaning you can fill the smartwatch with tracks. Your tracks will be synced naturally and regularly.

However, it only works if you subscribe to Apple Music or listen to stored songs on your phone regularly. The smartwatch doesn’t support any other streaming service. But it takes the Apple Watch 3 ages to sync the music.

Apple Watch 3 Battery

If you are considering the non-LTE version, the battery life is stellar. It can last up to over 50 hours.

With the LTE version, the smartwatch can still last more than 24 hours even when you use it the whole day for motion tracking, workouts, and runs. In short, the smartwatch’s battery life is really impressive.