You’ve seen them on eBay for fifty bucks. Maybe you found one in a junk drawer, the screen dusty but miraculously scratch-free. It’s the Apple Watch Series 3 GPS Cellular, a device that feels like a lifetime ago in the tech world. When it launched in 2017, Jeff Williams stood on a stage and literally called a person on a surfboard to prove that, yes, your watch could finally be a phone. It was a massive deal.
But honestly? Using one in 2026 is a weird, frustrating, and occasionally nostalgic experience.
The Apple Watch Series 3 GPS Cellular was the first time Apple truly cut the cord. Before this, your watch was basically a Bluetooth leash for your iPhone. If you left your phone in the car, your watch became a very expensive paperweight that could occasionally track a heartbeat. The Series 3 changed that dynamic by cramming an electronic SIM (eSIM) into a chassis that wasn't any bigger than the Series 2.
It was an engineering marvel. But time is a cruel mistress to lithium-ion batteries and dual-core processors.
The Reality of the S3 Chip in a High-Speed World
Let’s talk about the guts. The S3 System in Package (SiP) was a beast for its time. It brought Siri's voice to the watch for the first time—before that, Siri just gave you text responses. It felt snappy. It felt futuristic.
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Now? It feels like it’s running through waist-deep molasses.
If you try to open a modern app on an Apple Watch Series 3 GPS Cellular, you’re going to be staring at those spinning loading dots for a while. The 768MB of RAM simply cannot keep up with the bloated code of modern watchOS complications. While Apple officially cut off software support for the Series 3 with the release of watchOS 9, the units still out there are stuck on watchOS 8.8.1.
That’s a problem.
It means you’re missing out on the redesigned Compass app, the Sleep Stages tracking, and the vastly improved Medication reminders. You’re essentially living in a software time capsule. Most people don't realize that even if the hardware holds up, the lack of security updates eventually makes these devices a liability for your personal data.
The Cellular Connection: The Only Reason to Care
Why would anyone buy the cellular version of a watch this old? It's the red dot on the Digital Crown. That little red circle was the status symbol of 2017.
The Apple Watch Series 3 GPS Cellular offered something the base GPS model didn't: 16GB of storage. The standard GPS model only had 8GB, which became a legendary nightmare for users trying to update their software. You’d have to factory reset the whole watch just to install a 500MB update because the OS took up almost all the usable space.
The 16GB in the cellular model makes it the only Series 3 worth owning.
Even today, if you can get a carrier to activate it (which is getting harder as some networks phase out older LTE bands or change how they handle wearable plans), the cellular functionality still works. You can go for a run, leave your iPhone 15 or 16 at home, and still get a phone call from your mom. You can stream Apple Music. It’s a bit janky, and the battery will drain in about 45 minutes of active LTE use, but it works.
I’ve talked to runners who still swear by the Series 3 for "disposable" fitness tracking. If you’re doing a Spartan Race or a muddy trail run, would you rather risk a $800 Ultra or a $40 Series 3? Exactly.
Design and the "Old" Screen
The screen is... small.
If you’ve used a Series 7, 8, or 9, going back to the Series 3 feels like looking through a porthole. The thick black borders (bezels) are massive. You get a 38mm or 42mm case, but the actual display area is significantly smaller than the modern 41mm or 45mm equivalents.
It uses an OLED Retina display with Force Touch. Remember Force Touch? That thing where you pressed hard on the screen to clear all notifications? Apple killed that off years ago in favor of long presses, but the Series 3 still has the physical gasket for it.
- Display: 1000 nits brightness (still decent for outdoors).
- Durability: Ion-X glass on aluminum models; Sapphire crystal on stainless steel.
- Water Resistance: 50 meters (swimming is fine, diving is not).
The aluminum casing on the Apple Watch Series 3 GPS Cellular is surprisingly resilient. However, the battery is the elephant in the room. Most Series 3 units found today have a battery health percentage in the 70s. This means you’ll be lucky to get a full 12 hours out of it, let alone the "18 hours" Apple originally promised.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Watch
There's a common misconception that you can just pick up any Series 3 and it'll work with your new iPhone. That's a half-truth.
Because the Series 3 is stuck on watchOS 8, it can still pair with iPhones running iOS 16, 17, or 18. But the experience is buggy. Some users report that notifications don't sync properly, or the weather app refuses to update.
Another weird quirk: The Heart Rate sensor.
The Apple Watch Series 3 GPS Cellular uses an optical heart sensor. It does not have the electrical heart sensor for ECGs. It won't tell you if you have AFib with the same precision as later models, and it definitely doesn't have the blood oxygen (SpO2) sensor. If you're buying this for health monitoring, you're getting 2017-level data. It's fine for "how hard am I running?" but useless for "is my heart doing something weird?"
The Price-to-Value Trap
Don't pay more than $50 for this watch. Honestly, even $50 is pushing it.
You can find the Apple Watch SE (second generation) on sale for $189 frequently. The SE 2 is about 20 times faster than the Series 3. It has a better screen, better battery, and will actually get software updates for the next three years.
The only reason to buy an Apple Watch Series 3 GPS Cellular now is for a child who just needs a way to call home, or as a "beater" watch for the gym.
Actionable Steps for Owners and Buyers
If you currently own one, or you just bought one for a steal, here is how you make it usable:
- Disable High-Intensity Features: Turn off Background App Refresh. It’s located in Settings > General. Your battery will thank you.
- Minimize the Face: Use the "Modular" or "X-Large" watch faces. They require less processing power to render than the more complex faces with multiple animations.
- Check the Battery Health: Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health. If it’s under 80%, don't expect it to last through a workout and a workday.
- Clean the Sensors: Use a damp, non-abrasive cloth to clean the back crystal. Older models often suffer from "sensor drift" because of salt buildup from years of sweat.
- Upgrade if You Value Security: Since it no longer receives security patches, avoid using it for sensitive tasks like Apple Pay if you're worried about exploits, though the Secure Element chip is technically separate from the main processor.
The Apple Watch Series 3 GPS Cellular was a pioneer. It proved that we didn't need to be tethered to our phones. But in the tech world, being a pioneer just means you're the first one to become obsolete. It’s a great piece of history, a mediocre fitness tracker, and a pretty poor smartwatch by 2026 standards. If you need a tool that just works without the headache, it's time to move on to the SE or a used Series 7. If you just want a cheap way to see your texts while mowing the lawn, the Series 3 still has one last gasp of life left in it.