Apple Watch SE 3 vs Amazfit Balance

Under $250, the Apple Watch SE 3 ($249) and Amazfit Balance ($199) highlight the trade-off between deep iPhone ecosystem integration and standalone hardware generosity.

For iPhone users who want a true wrist extension of iOS—complete with two-way iMessage replies, Apple Pay, Siri, App Store apps, and automatic Crash and Fall Detection powered by the S10 SiP—the Apple Watch SE 3 is the clear winner, even with its 18-hour battery life and lack of an Always-On display.

However, on pure hardware specs, the $199 Amazfit Balance runs circles around the SE 3: it packs a larger 1.5-inch 1,500-nit Always-On AMOLED screen, circularly polarized dual-band 6-satellite GPS, wrist BIA body composition, SpO2, skin temperature, and a 14-day battery life that works on both iPhone and Android.