Apple Watch 3 (42mm) vs Apple Watch (38mm)
Side by side comparison between Apple Watch 3 vs Apple Watch smartwatches, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
1.65"
AMOLED
AMOLED
390x312
N/A
768MB
RAM
RAM
Dual-core
352
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
vs
1.34"
AMOLED
AMOLED
272x340
N/A
512MB
RAM
RAM
Single-core
205
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
What's the better smartwatch? Apple Watch 3 (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!
14 Advantages 
2 Advantages | 18 Common items in both devices |
| Stainless steel body, glass front, ceramic back |
| AMOLED |
| 16 million |
| Capacitive |
| Multitouch |
| Accelerometer |
| Ambient light sensor |
| +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 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| Model | Watch 3 (42mm) | Watch (38mm) |
| Other model names | Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular (4G LTE) Stainless Steel | Apple Watch 1st gen (2015) A1553 Stainless Steel |
| Country or region available |  (Global, International) | (Global, International) |
| Brand | Apple | Apple |
| Release date | 9/22/2017 | 4/24/2015 |
| Depth | 11.4 millimeters (0.45 inches) | 10.5 millimeters (0.41 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 36.4 x 42.5 millimeters (1.43 x 1.67 in) | 33.3 x 38.6 millimeters (1.31 x 1.52 in) |
| Weight | 53 grams (1.86 ounces) | 87 grams (3.05 ounces) |
| Build, materials | Stainless steel body, glass front, ceramic back | Stainless steel body, glass front, ceramic back |
| Protection against water and others | 5 ATM: 50 meters waterproof | IPX7 certified: water resistant up to 1 meter and 30min |
📲 Display | ||
| Apple Watch 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| Display type | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Screen size | 1.65" inches | 1.34" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~55.4% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~44% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 390x312 pixels | 272x340 pixels |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch | Capacitive Multitouch |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 303 PPI | 325 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Sapphire Glass | Sapphire Glass |
| Refresh rate | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Display features | feature not registered | feature not registered |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Apple Watch 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| System version | WatchOS 4.0 | WatchOS 1.0 |
| Firmware update | WatchOS 5.0 | WatchOS 4.0 |
| User Interface | feature not registered | feature not registered |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Apple Watch 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| Chipset | 32bit: Apple S3 (28nm) | 32bit: Apple S1 (28nm) |
| CPU | Dual-core, 1 processor: 2x 1GHz ARM Cortex-A7 (Dual-core) | Single-core, 1 processor: 1x 520MHz ARM Cortex-A7 (Single-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | PowerVR G6200 | PowerVR SGX543 |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Apple Watch 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| RAM memory | 768MB LPDDR4 | 512MB LPDDR |
| Internal storage | 16GB (10GB available) | 8GB (6GB available) |
| External storage | Not supported | Not supported |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Apple Watch 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| Dual-SIM | Not supported | Not supported |
| SIM card | 1 slot (Single-SIM) e-SIM (Eletronic) | Not supported |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 150/50 Mbps | feature not registered |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G, 4G | feature not registered |
| Frequency, bands | Expand band details Collapse details | |
| GSM MHz band | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 | Not supported |
| Primary 2G network | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | Not supported |
| Primary 3G network | A1891 model (Europe,Australia): UMTS 800/850/900/2100 A1861 model (USA,LATAM,Canada): UMTS 800/850/1700/1900 A1892 model (China): UMTS 2100 | Not supported |
| Primary 4G network | LTE Cat4 A1891 model (Europe,Australia): LTE (Bands 1,3,5,7,8,18,19,20,26) A1861 model (USA,LATAM,Canada): LTE (Bands 2,4,5,12,13,17,18,19,25,26) TD-LTE (Bands 41) A1892 model (China): LTE (Bands 1,3) TD-LTE (Bands 39,40,41) | Not supported |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE | 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 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| 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 | feature not registered |
| 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 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| 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 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| 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 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| USB | Not supported | Not supported |
| Audio output | Not supported | Not supported |
| TV output | Not supported | Not supported |
| Bluetooth | 4.2 + A2DP | 4.0 + A2DP |
| WiFi | 802.11 b/g/n [wifi4] (2.4GHz) | 802.11 b/g/n [wifi4] (2.4GHz) |
| DLNA | Not supported | Not supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS | Not supported |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Apple Watch 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Gyroscope Heart rate Pedometer | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Gyroscope Heart rate Pedometer |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Apple Watch 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 352 mAh | 205 mAh |
| Charger, watts | Wired charging | Wired charging |
| Inductive / wireless charging | Magnetic charging (dock) | Magnetic charging (dock) |
| Talk time autonomy | 18 hours | 3 hours |
| Standby | feature not registered | 18 hours |
➕ Other features | ||
| Apple Watch 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| Call control | Voice dialing | Not supported |
| Messaging | SMS, E-mail | SMS, E-mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Not supported | Not supported |
| Ringtones | Polyphonic and customized | feature not registered |
| Web browser | Not supported | Not supported |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Not supported |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Not supported | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Silver, Space black • Sport band or leather bands (Hermès edition) • 1000 nits screen • 3D Touch display • Siri | • Watch colors: Silver, Space gray • Watch bands: White, Black, Blue, Pink, Brown, Gray, Steel • Band material: Leather, Stainless steel, Fluoroelastomer plastic • iOS 8.2 or higher compatible • Digital Crown • MagSafe charging |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Apple Watch 3 (42mm) | Apple Watch (38mm) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | 0.35W/kg (head), 0.18W/kg (body) | feature not registered |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |