X
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

Apple Watch Series 5 vs. Series 3: Apple's older smartwatch models have a lot to offer

Skip the new Apple Watch Series 6 and save money by purchasing an older model. Here's how to decide.

Vanessa Hand Orellana CNET Senior Editor
As head of wearables at CNET, Vanessa reviews and writes about the latest smartwatches and fitness trackers. She joined the team seven years ago as an on-camera reporter for CNET's Spanish-language site and then moved on to the English side to host and produce some of CNET's videos and YouTube series. When she's not testing out smartwatches or dropping phones, you can catch her on a hike or trail run with her family.
Lexy Savvides Principal Video Producer
Lexy is an on-air presenter and award-winning producer who covers consumer tech, including the latest smartphones, wearables and emerging trends like assistive robotics. She's won two Gold Telly Awards for her video series Beta Test. Prior to her career at CNET, she was a magazine editor, radio announcer and DJ. Lexy is based in San Francisco.
Expertise Wearables, smartwatches, mobile phones, photography, health tech, assistive robotics Credentials
  • Webby Award honoree, 2x Gold Telly Award winner
Vanessa Hand Orellana
Lexy Savvides
6 min read

You've decided you need an Apple Watch in your life, but now the question is which one? Apple recently unveiled the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE, discontinuing the Series 5 at the same time (though the Series 3 is still available). With the discontinuation came drastic price reductions for the Series 5, which you can currently get for $299. Meanwhile, the Series 3 is still available for as little as $169

Read more: Apple Watch SE vs. Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple Watch 6 vs. Apple Watch SE

If you'd rather opt for the better value and go with an older model, the good news is you can't go wrong with either the Apple Watch Series 3 or the Series 5. Both have the same fitness tracking features, notifications and seamless integration with your iPhone . So if price is your main concern, rest easy, you'll get everything you need from the Series 3 for much less. But if you have some wiggle room in the budget, the Series 5 has some standout features that might just make it worth the splurge. 

Read more: Apple Watch: The two features that finally won me over 

Sarah Tew/CNET

The Series 5 was the smartwatch gold standard when it was released. It has all the basics plus some added features like an always-on display and an FDA-cleared electrocardiogram app that elevate it above the rest. And if you need your Apple Watch to stand the test of time, then the Series 5 is a better bet. With its latest update to WatchOS 7, Apple has phased out the first three generations of the Apple Watch, and the Series 3 could be next on the chopping block.

Read our Apple Watch Series 5 review.

Josh Miller/CNET

If you're buying your first smartwatch and you're on a budget, the Series 3 is the Apple Watch for you. It has the exact same fitness tracking functionality as the Series 5, heart-rate alerts to keep you in check, and seamless integration with your iPhone. More importantly, it's a much better price than the Series 5 so you could also put the money you save toward the cellular model or keep the extra cash in your pocket. 

Read our Apple Watch Series 3 review.

Always on is convenient, but not a must

apple-iphone-xr-vs-iphone-11-3

The cellular version of the Series 3 has a red dot on the crown, while the Series 5 only has an outline.  

Angela Lang/CNET

The first major difference between the Apple Watch Series 5 and the Series 3 is the display. The screen on the Series 5 is always on so you can see the time or your workout stats without raising your wrist, while the screen on the Series 3 turns off when you're not using it. It may not seem like that big of a deal, but once you've had a taste of the always-on screen, it's hard to go back. (That said, the lack of always-on screen didn't bother us so much on the Apple Watch SE.) Good luck discreetly checking the time during a meeting, because looking at anything on the screen of the Series 3 requires a very intentional flick of the wrist. The Series 5 has a dimmer version of your watch face that's visible at all times. And even with the always-on display, the battery of the Series 5 doesn't drain any faster than the Series 3's.

Watch this: WatchOS 7: What's new on the Apple Watch?

Slightly better battery life on the Series 5

Both the Series 5 and the Series 3 last about 18 hours with normal use, which includes getting notifications from your phone, checking the time and tracking a workout (battery life is slightly less if you're using GPS during a workout). The advantage of the Series 5 Apple Watch is that it allows you to disable the always-on feature if you need to get more mileage out of the battery. In that case, you may be able to squeeze almost two full days worth, or a full 24 hours once sleep tracking becomes available with the update to WatchOS 7 in the fall. You'll also get an extra hour of battery life during outdoor workouts, which might be key if you're training for a race. The Series 5 will track about 6 hours worth of continuous activity (5 with LTE enabled) compared to the 5 hours (4 with LTE enabled) on the Series 3.

The 17 best health and fitness apps for Apple Watch

See all photos

Better visibility during workouts 

The Series 5 is only a couple of millimeters larger than the Series 3, but the screen will seem noticeably bigger because it has smaller bezels. It's still a tiny screen compared to your phone, but it's definitely easier to read. The Series 5 display is also brighter than that of the Series 3, making it easier to see outdoors and in direct sunlight. This will be especially helpful for checking live stats during a run without having to pause and squint at the screen to see your data.

They're both great at tracking workouts 

Both these watches are great fitness companions that track just about any workout and give you reminders to get moving on your off days. They both have a built-in GPS, which means you can leave your phone behind on a run and still be able to track route and distance info via the Watch, and they're water resistant up to 50 meters for both salt- and fresh-water swimming. The key difference is that the Series 5 has a compass, which may come in handy if you do a lot of hiking. 

30-iphone-11

The Apple Watch Series 5 is always on.

Angela Lang/CNET

Same heart features, minus the ECG app

Both watches keep tabs on your ticker with heart health notifications that alert users when their heart rate is too high, low or give signs of atrial fibrillation (aFib), a serious heart condition. But only the Series 5 has an ECG (electrocardiogram) feature built-in. In addition to the traditional optical sensor that tracks heart rate, the Series 5 has a sensor that allows users to take an electrocardiogram by way of the ECG app, which can then be shared with their physician. 

The Series 5 is better in an emergency

The Series 3 and the Series 5 have an SOS feature that can be triggered by long-pressing the side button in a pinch. Once activated, the Watch automatically calls 911 and then sends a text to your emergency contacts with your coordinates. On the Series 5, this feature also works even if you're traveling abroad. The Series 5 also has fall detection, which is like an automated version of the SOS feature that's triggered by a hard fall instead of a long press. If the user doesn't move for about a minute, the Watch then notifies both emergency services and emergency contacts.

Faster processor and more storage space on the Series 5

Unless you have both watches side by side running the same tasks, you may not even notice the difference in speed. But the Series 5 has a faster processor and Wi-Fi chip so it's generally more responsive at performing tasks like starting a workout and switching between apps. It's also more reliable when connected to LTE and has more storage space for listening to your music offline. 

The best deal may be short-lived

If you're buying your first smartwatch, the Series 3 seems like the better deal. It has most of the same features as the Series 5 and costs over $100 less. But there is one more thing to consider when making your decision, and that's the shelf life of the Watch. Apple has been known to stop updating older models, and the Series 3 is currently the oldest model compatible with WatchOS 7, which means it's next on the chopping block to stop receiving support on future OS versions. Whether that means it won't receive an update to WatchOS next year remains to be seen, but it's something to consider if you're planning on holding on to your watch for a couple of years and you want to continue getting the updates.

Apple Watch Series 5 vs. Series 3 specs


Apple Watch Series 5Apple Watch Series 3
Display size, resolution 40mm, 44mm Retina OLED 368x448 pixels42mm, 38mm Retina OLED 312x390 pixels
Always-on YesNo
Dimensions (millimeters) 40mm: 40mm (height), 34mm (width), 10.74mm (depth) 44mm: 44mm (height) 38mm (width) 10.74mm (depth)38mm: 38.6mm (height), 33.3mm (width), 11.4mm (depth) 42mm: 42.5mm (height) 36.4mm (width) 11.4mm (depth)
Weight (grams) 40mm Wi-Fi: 30.8g, Wi-Fi + Cellular: 30.8g 44mm Wi-Fi: 36.5g Wi-Fi + Cellular: 36.5g38mm Wi-Fi: 26.7g, Wi-Fi + Cellular: 28.7g 42mm Wi-Fi: 32.3g Wi-Fi + Cellular: 34.9g
Materials/ finishes Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Ceramic, TitaniumAluminum
Colors Silver, Space Grey, Gold, White (Ceramic)Space Grey and Silver
Interchangeable bands YesYes
GPS Built-in Built-in
Automatic workout detection YesYes
Compass YesNo
Altimeter YesYes
Water resistance Yes, up to 50mYes, up to 50m
Calls YesYes
Notifications Text replies Text replies
Microphone YesYes
Speaker YesYes
Voice assistant Siri Siri
Music Onboard, playback and streaming (with Cellular model)Onboard, playback and streaming (with Cellular model)
Mobile Payments Apple Pay Apple Pay
Sleep tracking No (starting in WatchOS 7)No (starting in WatchOS 7)
Period tracking Yes Yes
Special features ECG app and HR notifications, fall detection, hearing health alertsHR notifications and hearing health alerts
Emergency features Emergency SOS, International emergency calling, fall detection Emergency SOS calling (911 and emergency contacts)
Compatibility iOS/iPhone onlyiOS/iPhone only
Software WatchOS 6 WatchOS 6
Processor S5 chip dual-core processor and W3 wireless chipS3 chip dual-core processor and W2 wireless chip
Connectivity Wi-Fi and Cellular option ($100 more)Wi-Fi and Cellular option ($100 more)
Storage 32GB16GB (Wi-Fi and Cellular model), 8GB (Wi-Fi-only model)
Bluetooth 5.04.2
Power Magnetic Apple charging cable and USB connector (backward compatible)Magnetic Apple charging cable and USB connector (backward compatible)
Battery life All day (18 hrs.)All day (18 hrs.)