Best cheap Apple Watch deals May 2022

Thinking about buying a new Apple Watch? It might be tempting to order one of the Series 7 models, but newer hardware always comes at a premium. And while Apple’s latest wearable offers a slightly larger display and some durability improvements, it’s essentially the same Apple Watch we’re familiar with.

Luckily, every Apple Watch model packs a lot of features and has received its fair share of discounts over the past year. So which ones should you consider if you’re in the market for Apple’s popular smartwatch while trying to shop smarter?

There are currently four Apple Watch models to choose from, all of which support watchOS 8. The top model is the Apple Watch Series 7, which starts at $399. The last-gen model, the Series 6, has had a modest discount at some retailers since its release, but it still usually starts at $399, at least when it’s available. However, if any of these models seem too expensive, you can save around $120 by opting for an Apple Watch SE, which will cost you $279.

Finally, there’s the aging Series 3, the cheapest Apple Watch yet. It has a starting retail price of $199 but is often found on sale. If you want something more future-proof, however, consider Apple’s newer watches, as it’s not clear how long Apple will be pushing out software updates for the Series 3 beyond watchOS 8. Whichever model you prefer, we’ve rounded up the best Apple Watch deals below.

The regular price for the 38mm Series 3 is $199. It’s a decent entry-level Apple Watch if you’re looking for a smartwatch with reliable battery life and solid build quality – especially if the SE, Series 6 and Series 7 seem to be out of your price bracket – but we wouldn’t recommend picking them up at this point either . The design is dated, the processor is slower, and the meager 8GB of internal storage hampers some of the Apple Watch’s newer features, like the ability to save music and podcasts for offline listening.

If you still want to go down that route, Walmart is discounting the 38mm GPS-enabled Series 3 by $30, bringing the price down to around $169, as does Best Buy. If you prefer the larger 42mm configuration with GPS, it’s also available in black and white at Walmart and Best Buy for $199 instead of $229.

Starting at $279 for a 40mm version or $309 for the 44mm version, the Apple Watch SE is a good mid-range wearable that shares a few features with the like-minded Series 6 and 7, including an integrated accelerometer and a hand wash detection. However, it doesn’t have the always-on display of Apple’s latest flagships, nor does it have blood oxygen monitoring.

Right now, the 40mm configuration with GPS is available from various retailers in black (Amazon, Walmart) and an off-white tint (Amazon, Walmart) for around $229, which is just $10 off the previous best price. If you’re interested in the cellular model, Amazon sells the 40mm LTE version in either black or blue for around $290 instead of $329 at checkout. Walmart also has the silver and gray model for around $299, and Best Buy sells gold, pink, silver, and gray variants for the same price.

If you have a larger wrist, all of the retailers above offer the 44mm models with GPS equipment, with Amazon and Walmart selling the silver model for $259. You can buy the gray version or the black model, while the gold version is $270 at Walmart. At Best Buy, you can pick up the black model or one with a silver case and blue sport strap for $279, which is still $30 off list price.

For those hoping to snag the 44mm model with LTE, Amazon sells a few variants for around $329 ($30 off). Walmart and Best Buy also have models in gray (Walmart, Best Buy) and gold (Walmart, Best Buy), but at a better (approximate) price of $312, or you can pick it up in silver with various sports bands from Best Buy for $329.

Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS)

Apple’s mid-range wearable, the Apple Watch SE, serves as an evolution of the Series 3, with features and a design similar to the last-gen Series 6.

Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS)

Apple’s mid-range wearable, the Apple Watch SE, serves as an evolution of the Series 3, with features and a design similar to the last-gen Series 6.

Although it’s officially no longer part of Apple’s wearable lineup, you can still buy the Apple Watch Series 6 from several retailers. The Apple Watch is available in two sizes, 40mm and 44mm, which start at $399 and $429 respectively. The Series 6 has built-in sleep tracking, a great ecosystem of third-party complications, and more sensors than previous models, including one that allows the device to detect your body’s blood-oxygen levels.

Offers often come and go quickly on the 6 Series. While no deals are available for the 41mm configuration, Walmart is currently selling the 44mm LTE-enabled model for $368 in black instead of $529.99. You can also pick up the 44mm GPS-enabled model in white and black for $349 instead of $429.99. However, the 45mm GPS-enabled Series 7 is currently available on Amazon for $359. So we recommend buying this model instead.

Featuring a slightly different design and a larger display, the new Series 7 is available in either a 41mm configuration starting at $399 or a 45mm model starting at $429. Right now, you can pick up the green 41mm GPS-equipped model for $329 from Amazon and Walmart, almost the best price yet. Other colors are also available for $329 from Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. If you prefer the 41mm mobile version, it’s currently available from Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for $429 ($50 off), its lowest price yet.

If you’re trying to snag the larger 45mm variant with GPS, it’s currently available in select colors at Walmart, Amazon, and Best Buy for $359, its steepest price drop yet. The latter two retailers are also selling the 45mm model with LTE for around $459 instead of $529 – its lowest price to date – in multiple colors (Amazon, Best Buy).

A note on the premium models

While all of the Apple Watch models and color variants discussed here are encased in aluminum, Apple makes a more premium lineup out of stainless steel and titanium. These offerings share a similar design to their aluminum counterparts, with slightly refined colors and finishes – polished for the stainless steel, brushed for the titanium. However, they start at much steeper prices of $749 and up, and they’re functionally the same aside from a few exclusive digital watch faces that Apple reserves for these premium models.