With the release of the Apple Watch Series 5, makes it three high-end smartwatches; the 3, 4 and 5 in the rich list of Apple smartwatches excluding the Watch 2 and 1 both of which have been discontinued, the Watch 4 has also been discontinued. This comparison chart compares the Apple Watch Series 3 vs 4 vs 5 to find out the differences and which is the best choice for you. Watch 5 comes with a compass, international emergency calling, hearing protection. higher storage, always-on display and onboard access to apps from the watch. Compare to find the differences.
Apple Watch Series 3 vs 4 vs 5: Specifications Compared
| Product Info |  Apple Watch Series 3 (42mm) Specifications, Features and Price |
 Apple Watch Series 4 (44mm) Specifications, Features and Price |
 Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm) (GPS) Specifications, Features and Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | - | - | |
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | Apple Watch Series 3 (42mm) | (44mm), Apple Watch Series 4 | (GPS), Apple Watch Series 5 |
| Device type | Standalone/Fitness smartwatch | Standalone/Fitness smartwatch | Fitness/Sport smartwatch |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex | Unisex |
| Release date | September, 2017 | September, 2018 | September, 2019 |
| Predecessor | Apple Watch Series 2 | Apple Watch Series 3 | Apple Watch Series 4 |
| Successor | Apple Watch Series 4 | Apple Watch Series 5 | — |
| Versions | Apple Watch Nike+ | Apple Watch Nike+ | Apple Watch Hermès, Apple Watch Nike+ |
| BODY | BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Dimension | 42.5 x 36.4 x 11.4 mm | 44 x 38 x 10.7 mm | 44 x 38 x 10.7 mm |
| Weight | 52.8 grams | 48 grams | 36.1g (GPS) |
| Shape | Rectangular | Rectangular | Rectangular |
| Case material | Aluminum | Aluminum, Ceramic/Sapphire crystal back | Aluminum |
| Strap material | Elastomer | Elastomer | Elastomer |
| Bezel material | Bezeless | Bezeless | Bezeless, Sapphire glass |
| Strap size | 24mm | 24mm | 24mm |
| Screen protection | Sapphire glass | Sapphire glass | Sapphire glass |
| Water resistance | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM |
| Durability test | — | — | — |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes | Yes |
| Color | Black, White | Gold, Gray, Silver | Gold, Gray, Silver |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 1.65 inch | 1.78 inch | 1.78 inch |
| Display type | 1000nit, OLED | 1000nit, OLED | 1000nit, OLED |
| Display resolution | 312 x 390 pixels | 448 x 368 pixels | 448 x 368 pixels |
| Pixel density | — | — | — |
| Always on | No | No | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | 1 Physical button, Digital crown, Touchscreen | 1 Physical button, Digital crown, Touchscreen | 1 Physical button, Digital crown, Touchscreen |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth | Yes, Bluetooth v4.2 LE | Bluetooth v5.0 | Bluetooth v5.0 |
| Bluetooth calling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | GLONASS, GPS | GLONASS, GPS | GLONASS, GPS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | 0.768GB | 0.768GB | 0.768GB |
| ROM | 16GB (GPS + Cellular), 8GB (GPS) | 16GB | 32GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No | No |
| CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Technology | 4G LTE | 4G LTE | None |
| SIM type | e-SIM | e-SIM | — |
| Band | — | — | — |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No | No | No |
| Radio | No | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Altimeter | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient light | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Barometer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | No | No | Yes |
| ECG | No | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HRM | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse oximeter | No | No | No |
| Thermometer | App, No | App, No | App, No |
| Other sensors | — | — | — |
| ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
| Blood oxygen | No | No | No |
| Blood Pressure | No | No | No |
| Calories | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | No | Yes | Yes |
| Fitness Level | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Incidental fall detection | No | Yes | Yes |
| Menstrual cycle | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Swim-tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Swim-heart tracking | No | No | No |
| On-screen workout | No | No | No |
| Sport modes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery |
| Battery capacity | 279mAh | — | — |
| Battery life | Regular: up to 18hrs | Regular: up to 18hrs | Regular: up to 18hrs |
| Charging type | Charging dock | Charging dock | Charging dock |
| Charging time | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar power | No | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Chipset | Apple S3 | Apple S4 64bits | Apple S4 64bits |
| CPU | Dual core | Dual core | Dual core |
| GPU | — | — | — |
| Operating system | WatchOS 4 | WatchOS 5 | WatchOS 6 |
| MISC | MISC | MISC | MISC |
| Companion app | Apple Watch App | Apple Watch App | Apple Watch App |
| Compatibility | iOS 12.0+ | iOS 12.0+ | iOS 12.0+ |
| Payment system | Apple Pay | Apple Pay | Apple Pay |
| Interchangeable strap | 24mm, Yes | 24mm, Yes | 24mm, Yes |
| Voice command | Yes, Siri | Yes, Siri | Yes, Siri |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Apple Watch Series 3, Charger, Manual, Straps | Apple Watch Series 4, Charger, Manual, Straps | Apple Watch Series 5, Charger, Manual, Straps |
| Price |
SEE ALSO
The Difference
| Watch Series 3 | Watch Series 5 | Watch Series 5 | |
| DESIGN | |||
| Case Sizes | 38mm and 42mm | 44mm and 40mm | 44mm and 40mm |
| Thickness | 11.4mm thin | 10.7mm thin | 10.7mm thin |
| Always-on-display | No | No | Yes |
| Digital crown | Digital crown with haptic feedback | Digital crown with haptic feedback | |
| ACTIVITY TRACKING | |||
| Noise Protection | No | Yes | Yes |
| ECG Tracking | No | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate sensor | Yes Optical heart sensor | Yes Second-generation optical heart sensor | Yes Second-generation optical heart sensor |
| Compass | No | No | Yes |
| Incidental Fall Detection | No | Yes | Yes |
| International Emergency Calling | No | No | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes up to 16 g-forces | Yes up to 32 g-forces | Yes up to 32 g-forces |
| MEDIA/STORAGE | |||
| Yes | 50% Louder speaker | 50% Louder speaker | |
| Storage | 16GB | 16GB | 32GB |
| PLATFORM | |||
| CPU | S5 with 64-bit dual-core processor Up to 2x faster processor | S3 with dual-core processor | S3 with dual-core processor |
| Chip | W2 Apple wireless chip | W3 Apple wireless chip | W3 Apple wireless chip |
Apple Watch Series 3 vs 4 vs 5: Which Should You Buy?
The Watch 4 and 5 have bigger case size and subsequently bigger display sizes than the Watch 3 which allows you see more at a glance. They are also slightly slimmer than the Watch 3. Moreover, the Watch 5 now features always-on display,plus you can now access apps directly from the Watch 5.
As per activity-tracking features, the Watch 5 with newer features is a more comprehensive activity tracker with a compass, hearing protection and international emergency calling added.
Watch 5 also has a higher storage capacity, all this makes it a better smartwatch than the Watch 4 and 3. It’s the best bargain. However, if you’re low on budget, the Watch 3 or Watch 4 which has been discontinued is a nice alternative.
Apple Watch Series 3 vs 4 vs 5: Prices Compared
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