Ordering an Apple Watch commits you to three things you cannot change afterwards, and one you can change any time. Case size, case material and cellular are fixed at purchase. The band is not, and it is the only one of the four Apple has left unpriced.
That ordering matters this week because Apple sells three watches with very different amounts of choice: SE 3 from $249 offers two sizes in one material, Series 12 from $399 offers two sizes across three materials, and Ultra 4 from $799 offers one size in one material.
The four choices, and which ones stick
| Choice | Options Apple offers | Changeable later |
|---|---|---|
| Case size | 40mm or 44mm on SE 3, 42mm or 46mm on Series 12, 49mm only on Ultra 4 | No |
| Case material | Aluminum on SE 3, aluminum or titanium or ceramic on Series 12, titanium on Ultra 4 | No |
| Connectivity | GPS, or GPS plus Cellular | No |
| Band | Sport Band, Sport Loop, Milanese Loop, Modern Buckle, Trail Loop, Alpine Loop, Ocean Band | Yes |
| Published price for each | Only the three starting figures | Not applicable |
One band and an Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable come in every box. Apple includes no power adapter with either new watch.
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Size decides more than the look
On Series 12 the two sizes differ in display area as well as diameter: 374 x 446 pixels across 970 square millimeters at 42mm, and 416 x 496 pixels across 1196 square millimeters at 46mm. Both run at 326 pixels per inch and peak at 2000 nits.
Ceramic is the exception that trips people up. Apple measures the ceramic Series 12 cases at 43mm and 47mm rather than 42mm and 46mm, and at 9.85mm deep rather than 9.7mm, so choosing pearl white or night blue changes the physical case size as well as the finish.
Material changes the weight by more than 20 grams
| Series 12 case | 42mm | 46mm |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum, GPS | 32.2 g | 39.5 g |
| Titanium | 36.5 g | 44.9 g |
| Ceramic, pearl white | 41.7 g | 51.3 g |
| Ceramic, night blue | 42.8 g | 52.9 g |
For reference, an SE 3 runs 26.3 g at 40mm and 32.9 g at 44mm, and Ultra 4 is 63.0 g in natural titanium and 63.1 g in black. The spread from the lightest watch Apple sells to the heaviest is roughly 37 grams.
Material also changes the front crystal, which is Ceramic Shield 2 on aluminum Series 12 models and sapphire on titanium and ceramic, and it changes the finishes available: dark bronze, light gold, black and space gray in aluminum, radiant gold and natural in titanium, pearl white and night blue in ceramic.
Cellular is the choice people regret
Apple sells GPS and GPS plus Cellular versions and there is no way to add cellular later. On Series 12 the cellular models support RedCap for 5G and LTE, and Apple lists international roaming and Apple Watch for Your Kids, which needs a cellular watch.
Ultra 4 goes further with Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My via satellite, included free for two years on an Ultra 3 or later activation. Series 12 has no satellite features at all. Neither watch has a published cellular price, so the cost of this permanent decision only appears in Apple’s own checkout.
The band is the one thing you can undo
Bands swap freely, which is why the unpriced band list is the least serious of Apple’s pricing gaps. Apple publishes fit ranges by case: 130 to 200mm for a 42mm Series 12, 140 to 245mm for a 46mm, and 130 to 210mm for Ultra 4.
- New Sport Band colors: olive, burgundy, wildflower blue, pale succulent.
- New Sport Loop colors: chambray blue, magenta, burgundy plaid, light umber plaid, using a new inkjet printing process.
- Milanese Loop in radiant gold and dark bronze, plus a Modern Buckle in a new woven material with a gold hardware option.
- Ultra 4 bands: Trail Loop in dark umber, sand and burgundy, Alpine Loop in desert, dark olive and burgundy, Ocean Band in translucent gray, kelp and black.
- Every one of those is orderable now and in stores from Friday, September 18, at prices Apple has not published.
What has not been confirmed
Apple has not published a wrist fit range for SE 3, a price for any band, a price for any configuration beyond the three starting figures, or the cost of the cellular option on any model. Its Series 12 specs page also lists aluminum cellular models as slightly lighter than aluminum GPS models, at 31.5 g against 32.2 g, which reads like an error and is worth checking against the live page before you decide on weight alone.
Orders are open now and both new watches arrive on Friday, September 18, with watchOS 27 landing free on Monday, September 14. Settle size, material and connectivity before checkout, and leave the band for later. Our event recap covers everything else Apple announced on September 9.
