Thinking about picking up a new Apple Watch? It might be tempting to order one of the Series 7 models, but new hardware always comes at a premium. Apple’s latest wearable offers a slightly larger display and some improvements to durability but is largely the same Apple Watch we’re familiar with.
Thankfully, each Apple Watch model offers ample functionality and has seen its fair share of discounts over the last year. So which ones should you consider if you’re in the market for Apple’s popular smartwatch while trying to shop smarter?
There are currently four Apple Watch models to choose from, all of which support watchOS 8. The highest-end is the Apple Watch Series 7, which starts at $399. Last year’s model, the Series 6, has received a modest discount at some retailers since its release but is still usually found starting at $399 as well. If either of those models seems too expensive, however, you can save about $120 by opting for an Apple Watch SE, which will set you back $279.
Finally, there’s the aging Series 3, the most affordable Apple Watch to date. It has a starting retail price of $199, but it frequently goes on sale. However, if you want something more future-proof, you may want to consider Apple’s newer watches, as it’s not clear how much longer Apple will issue software updates to the Series 3 beyond watchOS 8. Regardless of which model you prefer, we’ve rounded up the best Apple Watch deals below.
The best Apple Watch Series 3 deals
The regular price for the 38mm Series 3 is $199. It’s a decent entry-level Apple Watch if you are looking for a smartwatch with reliable battery life and solid build quality — especially if the SE, Series 6, and Series 7 seem out of your price range — but it’s also not one we would recommend picking up at this point. The design is aging, the processor is slower, and its paltry 8GB of internal storage hampers some of the more recent features introduced to the Apple Watch, like the ability to store music and podcasts for offline listening.
If you still want to go this route, Walmart is discounting the 38mm, GPS-enabled Series 3 by $30, bringing the price down to $169. If you prefer the bigger, 42mm configuration with GPS, it’s also on sale in white and black at Walmart for $199 instead of $229.
The best Apple Watch SE deals
Starting at $279 for a 40mm version or $309 for the 44mm, the Apple Watch SE is a good midrange wearable that shares some features found on the like-minded Series 6 and Series 7, including a built-in accelerometer and hand-washing detection. However, it doesn’t have the always-on display found on Apple’s latest flagships, nor does it feature blood oxygen monitoring.
We’ve previously seen the base model of the Apple Watch SE go on sale for as low as $219. At the moment, however, the 40mm, GPS-equipped configuration is only available for around $270 ($9 off) at Walmart and Amazon. Right now, you can pick up the discounted model with a silver case and a blue Sport Band (Amazon, Walmart), a gold case and a white Sport Band (Amazon, Walmart), or a space gray case with a black Sport Band (Amazon, Walmart). If you’d keen on the cellular model, Amazon selling the 40mm, LTE version in grey and gold with various Sport Bands for $286.96 and $299, respectively, instead of $329.
Read more:MediaTek unveils new chipsets for premium 5G smartphones
If you have a larger wrist, both retailers are selling the 44mm, GPS-equipped models in either gold (Amazon, Walmart) or silver (Amazon, Walmart) for $299.98. Amazon is also offering the space gray and gold configurations for the same price, as well as most of the LTE-equipped, 44mm variants for around $350 ($9 off).
The best Apple Watch Series 6 deals
While it’s no longer officially a part of Apple’s wearable lineup, you can still buy the Apple Watch Series 6 at several retailers. The Apple Watch comes in two sizes, 40mm and 44mm, which start at $399 and $429, respectively. The Series 6 features built-in sleep tracking, a great ecosystem of third-party complications, and more sensors than previous models, including one that allows the device to detect your body’s blood oxygen levels.
Deals often come and go quickly on the Series 6. Right now, Target is selling the 40mm, GPS-enabled model for $349 ($50 off) in space gray and its LTE-equipped variant for $449.99 instead of $499. However, given that the Series 7 version is on sale for around the same price — the 41mm, GPS-enabled Series 7 is on sale right now at Amazon in several colors for $349 — we suggest picking up that model instead.
The best Apple Watch Series 7 deals
With a slightly altered design and larger display, the new Series 7 comes in either a 41mm configuration starting at $399 or a 45mm model starting at $429. Right now, you can pick up the 41mm, GPS-equipped model for $349 at Amazon in all of its aluminum colorways with various Sport Bands. Amazon is also selling the 41mm, cellular version for $449 ($50 off) in most color configurations, one of its best prices to date.
If you prefer the larger, 45mm variant with GPS, it’s currently available in black, red, white, and green at Amazon for $379 instead of $429. Amazon is also selling the 45mm model with LTE for around $479 instead of $529 — its lowest price to date — in the same colors.
Read more:OnePlus launches two new smart TVs in India –Check price, specs and other details
A note on the more premium models
While all of the Apple Watch models and colorways covered here are encased in aluminum, Apple does make a more premium range built out of stainless steel and titanium. These offerings have similar designs to their aluminum counterparts, with slightly refined colors and finishings — polished for the stainless steel, brushed for the titanium. However, they start at much steeper prices of $749 and above, and they are functionally the same, save for some exclusive digital watch faces Apple reserves for these premium models. Overall, the upmarket stainless, titanium, and Hermès edition Apple Watches also don’t usually get the discounts and sales as the aluminum models.
