Smartwatches / Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) vs Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum)
Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum)
$249.00
VSSamsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum)
$409.99
Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) vs Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum)
Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum)
The best Wear OS watch — as long as the phone on your desk is also a Samsung.
Wins overall by 0.3 points
Quick Verdict
This is close. The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) edges ahead by 0.3 points, but that margin is inside the noise — the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) is a defensible pick on its own terms. FDA-cleared heart features for $249 — the best-value Apple Watch, with the worst battery here.
The Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) and Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) are both closely matched smartwatch models, and the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) is $161 cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) ($249 vs $409.99). On Value, the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) leads (9.0 vs 7.0/10) — what you get for the money once LTE upcharges and subscriptions are counted in. On Display, the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) leads (9.2 vs 7.4/10) — panel type, brightness, always-on behaviour and legibility in sunlight. On Ecosystem Freedom, the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) leads (2.5 vs 1.0/10) — the category's trap dimension: how much of the watch still works on a phone other than the maker's own. 10 means full parity on iOS and Android; 1 means one phone brand or nothing. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) scores 7.3/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 7.0/10 for the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum), though the gap is close enough that your specific use case should decide it. Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) | Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249.00 | $409.99 |
| Release Year | 2025 | 2026 |
| Phone Compatibility | iPhone only. Requires iPhone 11 or later running iOS 26 or later. No Android support of any kind. | Android only, and heavily Samsung-favoured. Requires Android 13 or later with at least 1.5 GB RAM. It will NOT pair with an iPhone at all. On a non-Samsung Android phone you lose ECG and blood pressure (the Samsung Health Monitor app is Galaxy-phone only), the SmartThings camera-feed integration, the Camera Controller remote shutter, DND/bedtime sync and audio messages. |
| Claimed Battery Life (hrs) | 18 | 24✓ |
| What the Battery Claim Assumes | Apple's 18 h figure assumes the same mixed-use day as Series 11 (90 time checks, 90 notifications, 15 min app use, 60 min workout) with the always-on display active and no LTE. Add overnight sleep tracking and you are charging twice a day. | The 24 h here is a measured figure, not a Samsung claim: Samsung publishes no hours figure on the US Galaxy Watch9 page — only that the larger battery means 'less frequent charging'. GSMArena's review of the 40mm (390 mAh) got roughly 24 hours of normal use including a 3-hour GPS hike, and under 24 hours with the always-on display plus a 1.5-hour tracked workout. The 44mm reviewed here carries 445 mAh. |
| Case Size (mm) | 40 | 44 |
| Display | LTPO OLED, always-on (new to the SE line), up to 1000 nits | Super AMOLED under sapphire crystal, up to 3000 nits |
| Operating System | watchOS 26 | Wear OS (One UI Watch) |
| Third-Party Apps | Full on-device App Store — identical native watchOS catalogue to Series 11 and Ultra 3 | Google Play Store on the watch — a real Wear OS catalogue, though thinner than watchOS and with several Samsung-phone-gated first-party apps |
| Health Features Enabled in the US | Live in the US: ECG, irregular rhythm notifications, sleep apnea notifications and hypertension notifications (FDA-cleared), plus wrist temperature. Blood Oxygen uses the same post-Masimo design as Series 11 — captured on the watch, calculated on the iPhone. There is no depth gauge and no skin-temperature-driven ovulation estimate beyond what Series 11 offers. | ECG and irregular heart rhythm notifications are FDA-cleared; sleep apnea detection is FDA-cleared. Blood pressure began a phased US rollout on 31 March 2026 — but it is NOT FDA-cleared, it runs through the Samsung Health Monitor app, and it must be re-calibrated against a separate upper-arm cuff every 28 days. BIA body composition and skin temperature are wellness features, not cleared measurements. |
| Subscription Wall | None required; Apple Fitness+ ($9.99/mo) is optional. | No subscription is required for core metrics. Samsung bundles trial subscriptions to third-party fitness apps that renew at full price. |
| LTE Option | Separate SKU: Apple lists SE 3 GPS + Cellular at a $50 upcharge and it needs its own carrier line. The cellular 40mm has repeatedly been discounted to $249.99 at Amazon, closing the gap. | Separate SKU and separate ASIN: the LTE Galaxy Watch9 is a roughly $50 upcharge over Bluetooth at each size, plus a carrier line. |
| Water & Dust Rating | 50 m water resistant (WR50), IP6X dust resistant | IP68 and 5 ATM (50 m), MIL-STD-810H |
| Battery Replacement | Apple out-of-warranty battery service is a flat $99 — over a third of the watch's price. | Samsung does not sell a consumer battery-replacement service for Galaxy Watch; the case is sealed and the practical answer from service centres is a whole-unit swap. |
| Warranty | 12 months | 24 months |
| Colors | Midnight, Starlight | Graphite, Silver |
Category Scores
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) leads clearly here, 5.8 against 4.5 — a 1.3-point margin on real endurance between charges, judged against what the claim actually assumes rather than the headline number. If that is what you are buying for, the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Health Tracking
The Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) is marginally ahead, 8.8 to 8.6. A gap this small rarely decides a purchase on its own, though it counts if depth of heart, sleep and body metrics that are genuinely enabled and cleared for use in the US is your priority.
Fitness & GPS
The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) leads clearly here, 8.4 against 7.8 — a 0.6-point margin on workout tracking, GPS accuracy, sport modes and training analysis. If that is what you are buying for, the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ecosystem Freedom
The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) leads clearly here, 2.5 against 1.0 — a 1.5-point margin on the category's trap dimension: how much of the watch still works on a phone other than the maker's own. 10 means full parity on iOS and Android; 1 means one phone brand or nothing. If that is what you are buying for, the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) does not close the gap elsewhere.
App Ecosystem
The Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) leads clearly here, 10.0 against 8.5 — a 1.5-point margin on whether there is a real third-party app store on the wrist or a handful of proprietary mini-apps. If that is what you are buying for, the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) leads clearly here, 9.2 against 7.4 — a 1.8-point margin on panel type, brightness, always-on behaviour and legibility in sunlight. If that is what you are buying for, the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Build & Durability
The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) is marginally ahead, 8.0 to 7.6. A gap this small rarely decides a purchase on its own, though it counts if case and glass materials, water and dust ratings, and how well it survives daily wear is your priority.
Value
The Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) leads clearly here, 9.0 against 7.0 — a 2.0-point margin on what you get for the money once LTE upcharges and subscriptions are counted in. If that is what you are buying for, the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) if…
- • Value matters most to you — the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) scores 9.0/10 here (what you get for the money once LTE upcharges and subscriptions are counted in).
- • App Ecosystem matters most to you — the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) scores 10.0/10 here (whether there is a real third-party app store on the wrist or a handful of proprietary mini-apps).
- • You want to spend less — it's $161 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is iphone.
Choose the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) if…
- • Display matters most to you — the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) scores 9.2/10 here (panel type, brightness, always-on behaviour and legibility in sunlight).
- • Ecosystem Freedom matters most to you — the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) scores 2.5/10 here (the category's trap dimension: how much of the watch still works on a phone other than the maker's own. 10 means full parity on iOS and Android; 1 means one phone brand or nothing).
- • Battery Life matters most to you — the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) scores 5.8/10 here (real endurance between charges, judged against what the claim actually assumes rather than the headline number).
- • Your main use case is android or heart-health.
Pros & Cons
Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum)
Pros
- +Cheapest route to a US-enabled ECG plus hypertension and sleep apnea notifications
- +Same S10 chip and same watchOS 26 as the $399 Series 11 — the gap is display and sensors, not speed
- +Always-on display and fast charging finally arrive on the SE line
- +No subscription gates any metric, unlike the similarly-priced Fitbit Sense 2
Cons
- −18 hours is the shortest battery life of any watch in this comparison
- −1000-nit display is half the brightness of Series 11 and a sixth of Galaxy Watch Ultra2's
- −Aluminum only, two colours only, no titanium and no larger 46mm option
- −iPhone-only — worthless the day you switch to Android
Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum)
Pros
- +3000-nit sapphire display and a real Google Play Store on the wrist
- +BIA body composition and blood pressure trends that Apple and Google do not offer at all
- +Two-year warranty is the longest of any major-brand watch here
- +Snapdragon Wear Elite makes it the fastest standard Galaxy Watch yet
Cons
- −Will not pair with an iPhone under any circumstances
- −On a Pixel or OnePlus phone you lose ECG and blood pressure entirely — Samsung Health Monitor only installs on Galaxy phones
- −Blood pressure is not FDA-cleared and needs a separate arm cuff to re-calibrate every 28 days
- −Samsung publishes no battery-hours figure at all; reviewers get roughly a day with AOD on
- −No consumer battery replacement — a worn-out battery means a new watch
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) or Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Value, the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) or the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum)?+
The Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) scores higher on Value (9.0/10 vs 7.0/10) — what you get for the money once LTE upcharges and subscriptions are counted in.
Which is better for Display, the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) or the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum)?+
The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) scores higher on Display (9.2/10 vs 7.4/10) — panel type, brightness, always-on behaviour and legibility in sunlight.
Which is better for Ecosystem Freedom, the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) or the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum)?+
The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) scores higher on Ecosystem Freedom (2.5/10 vs 1.0/10) — the category's trap dimension: how much of the watch still works on a phone other than the maker's own. 10 means full parity on iOS and Android; 1 means one phone brand or nothing.
Which is better for App Ecosystem, the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) or the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum)?+
The Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) scores higher on App Ecosystem (10.0/10 vs 8.5/10) — whether there is a real third-party app store on the wrist or a handful of proprietary mini-apps.
Is the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) worth the price difference over the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum)?+
The Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) is the cheaper option at $249 versus $409.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Value.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) is the better fit if you mainly care about iphone. The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) is the better fit for android or heart-health.
What's the warranty on the Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) vs the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum)?+
The Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) ships with a 12-month warranty; the Samsung Galaxy Watch9 (44mm, Bluetooth, Aluminum) ships with a 24-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Amazfit Bip 6 (46mm) — $79.99
Premium Option
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 (47mm, LTE, Titanium) — $699.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.