Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) vs Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm)
Side by side comparison between Apple Watch 1 vs Apple Watch 3 Aluminum smartwatches, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
1.5"
AMOLED
AMOLED
340x272
N/A
512MB
RAM
RAM
Dual-core
205
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
vs
1.65"
AMOLED
AMOLED
390x312
N/A
768MB
RAM
RAM
Dual-core
352
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
What's the better smartwatch? Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm)
The phonemore's choice is much more technical than personal. Therefore, you shouldn't only consider this. Our goal is to help you, but what's important to us may not be important to you. You decide which one is the best! Comment!
2 Advantages 
10 Advantages | 18 Common items in both devices |
| 8GB (5GB available) |
| Aluminum body, glass front, plastic composite back |
| AMOLED |
| 16 million |
| WatchOS 5.0 |
| Capacitive |
| Multitouch |
| +11 specs and more in the table below |
Check the comparison table below for more items that are not evaluated in comparison score above.
Highlight differences Clear highlight📱 Model features | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| Model | Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) |
| Other model names | Apple Watch Series 1 Aluminum 38mm A1802, iWatch S1 | Apple Watch Series 3 A1859 GPS 8GB, Apple Watch S3, iWatch |
| Country or region available |  (Global, International) | (Global, International) |
| Brand | Apple | Apple |
| Release date | 9/16/2016 | 9/22/2017 |
| Depth | 10.5 millimeters (0.41 inches) | 11.4 millimeters (0.45 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 33.3 x 38.6 millimeters (1.31 x 1.52 in) | 36.4 x 42.5 millimeters (1.43 x 1.67 in) |
| Weight | 25 grams (.88 ounces) | 32 grams (1.12 ounces) |
| Build, materials | Aluminum body, glass front, plastic composite back | Aluminum body, glass front, plastic composite back |
| Protection against water and others | IPX7 certified: water resistant up to 1 meter and 30min | 5 ATM: 50 meters waterproof |
📲 Display | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| Display type | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Screen size | 1.5" inches | 1.65" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~55.1% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~55.4% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 340x272 pixels | 390x312 pixels |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch | Capacitive Multitouch |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 290 PPI | 303 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Scratch-resistant glass | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Refresh rate | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Display features | feature not registered | feature not registered |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| System version | WatchOS 3.0 | WatchOS 4.0 |
| Firmware update | WatchOS 5.0 | WatchOS 5.0 |
| User Interface | feature not registered | feature not registered |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| Chipset | 32bit: Apple S1P (28nm) | 32bit: Apple S3 (28nm) |
| CPU | Dual-core, 1 processor: 2x 520MHz ARM Cortex-A7 (Dual-core) | Dual-core, 1 processor: 2x 1GHz ARM Cortex-A7 (Dual-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | PowerVR G6200 | PowerVR G6200 |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| RAM memory | 512MB LPDDR | 768MB LPDDR4 |
| Internal storage | 8GB (5GB available) | 8GB (5GB available) |
| External storage | Not supported | Not supported |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| Dual-SIM | Not supported | Not supported |
| SIM card | Not supported | Not supported |
| Maximum Download / Upload | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Network technology | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Frequency, bands | Expand band details Collapse details | |
| GSM MHz band | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary 2G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary 3G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary 4G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary data network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 2G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 3G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 4G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary data network | Not supported | Not supported |
📷 Camera | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | Not supported | Not supported |
| Main camera resolution | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video recording (primary) | Not supported | Not supported |
| Flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Focal length | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Autofocus | Not supported | Not supported |
| Touch focus | Not supported | Not supported |
| Image stabilization | Not supported | Not supported |
| Zoom | Not supported | Not supported |
| Face/smile detection | Not supported | Not supported |
| BSI sensor | Not supported | Not supported |
| HDR | Not supported | Not supported |
| Camera extras | feature not registered | feature not registered |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | Not supported | Not supported |
| Front camera resolution | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video recording (secondary) | Not supported | Not supported |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Focal length | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| Loudspeaker | Supported | Supported |
| Active noise cancellation | Not supported | Not supported |
| Radio | Not supported | Not supported |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.264, H.263 | MP4, H.264, H.263 |
| Audio formats | MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC | MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| USB | Not supported | Not supported |
| Audio output | Not supported | Not supported |
| TV output | Not supported | Not supported |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 + A2DP | 4.2 + A2DP |
| WiFi | 802.11 b/g/n [wifi4] (2.4GHz) | 802.11 b/g/n [wifi4] (2.4GHz) |
| DLNA | Not supported | Not supported |
| GPS | Not supported | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Gyroscope Heart rate Pedometer | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Gyroscope Heart rate Pedometer |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 205 mAh | 352 mAh |
| Charger, watts | Wired charging | Wired charging |
| Inductive / wireless charging | Magnetic charging (dock) | Magnetic charging (dock) |
| Talk time autonomy | 18 hours | 18 hours |
| Standby | feature not registered | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| Call control | Not supported | Not supported |
| Messaging | SMS, E-mail | SMS, E-mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Not supported | Not supported |
| Ringtones | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Web browser | Not supported | Not supported |
| Antenna | Not supported | Not supported |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Not supported | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Space gray, Gold, Rose gold, Silver • Band colors: Gray, White, Black, Pink • Sport bands • 450 nits screen • 3D Touch display • Siri • Magnetic charger • Requires an iPhone 5s/iOS 11 or later | • Colors: Silver, Gold, Space Gray • Sport Band or Nike Sport Band • 1000 nits screen • 3D Touch display • Siri |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Apple Watch 1 (Aluminum 38mm) | Apple Watch 3 Aluminum (42mm) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | feature not registered | 0.11W/kg (head), 0.02W/kg (body) |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |