Apple Begins Selling Refurbished Apple Watch Series 3 Models With LTE - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Begins Selling Refurbished Apple Watch Series 3 Models With LTE

Apple this week added refurbished Apple Watch Series 3 models with LTE to its online store for the first time in the United States.

apple watch series 3 lte refurbished
A selection of 10 cellular-enabled Apple Watch Series 3 models have been made available for sale over the past two days, but as of writing, only one model remains in stock. More inventory should be added over time, so we recommend using the website Refurb Tracker if you are interested in a particular model.

The refurbished models are priced between $359 and $549, reflecting savings of 15 to 16 percent off the price of brand new models.

A cellular-enabled 42mm Apple Watch Series 3 with a silver aluminum case and fog-colored sport band is listed for $359, for example, which is $70 off the $429 price of an equivalent brand new model.

Apple Watch Series 3 models were first released in September 2017, but only non-cellular GPS models were available refurbished until now. Series 3 models feature a faster dual-core S3 processor, and an Apple-designed W2 chip that makes Wi-Fi up to 85 percent faster and up to 50 percent more power efficient.

Apple says all refurbished Apple Watch models are thoroughly inspected, tested, cleaned, and repackaged with a new box and all manuals and accessories, including a magnetic charging puck and a power adapter. In our view, Apple's refurbished products are generally indistinguishable from brand new ones.

Any refurbished Apple Watch comes with Apple's standard one-year warranty effective on the date the device is delivered. The warranty can be extended to up to two years from the original purchase date with AppleCare+ for Apple Watch, which covers accidental damage for a fee, at a cost of $49 in the United States.

Apple also began selling refurbished iMac Pro models earlier this week.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11

Popular Stories

3 4 24 Sport Band Refresh Feature

Sketchy Rumor Claims Apple Watch Series 12 Could Introduce Sensor in Band

Friday July 3, 2026 8:54 am PDT by
The Apple Watch Series 12 could ship with a new health sensor built directly into one of its bands, according to a sketchy rumor from a known leaker. The leaker known as "Kosutami" says the sensor will be injection-molded into a silicone band, and only a silicone band, apparently because Apple has not yet solved how to embed similar hardware in bands made from other materials. No detail was...
watchos 27

Siri AI Comes to Apple Watch in watchOS 27 Beta 3

Monday July 6, 2026 1:24 pm PDT by
With watchOS 27 beta 3, Apple added support for Siri AI and the Siri app, so Apple Watch users can now use the features right from their wrist. Apple said Siri AI would be coming to the watch back when watchOS 27 was first introduced, but the feature wasn't live until now. The Dynamic App Grid that pops up when the Digital Crown is pressed displays the Siri app in the center, and the...
Apple Watch Series 10 Jet Black

Apple Watch Series 13 Rumored to Mark the End of an Era

Wednesday July 8, 2026 1:29 pm PDT by
While the Apple Watch Series 12 is still a few months away, a new rumor suggests that next year's Apple Watch Series 13 will mark the end of an era. According to a recent post from a known leaker on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, the Apple Watch will be receiving a major redesign next year, and this will apparently include a new way of attaching bands to the watch. As a result, the ...

Top Rated Comments

Westside guy Avatar
107 months ago
Given how rarely I make phone calls anymore... I wouldn't mind seeing an LTE Watch that's either completely decoupled from another iOS device or else one that could work with an iPad. I could be very happy with just a Watch and an iPad Mini - removing the iPhone from the equation completely.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
107 months ago
Does refurbished mean they scraped off that red dot? If so I'm interested.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
107 months ago
Another contributor is the more efficient faster dual core processor in the Series 3. The problem with the first generation Apple Watch was that It was incredibly slow for the most part, which it had to work harder with third-party applications, the heart rate sensor drained it fast and the battery was adversely affected because of this. With the Much improved processor in the Series 3, the battery life isn’t taxed as hard, resulting in more longevity.
I also meant that I think the battery in the LTE version is slightly bigger than non-lte so its a better pick if battery life is your top priority vs. Series 3 non-lte and just dont use lte. Its slightly heavier too from what I remember but still significantly lighter than those sapphire versions.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
107 months ago
I bought the LTE version simply because I believe it has a bigger battery and lasts longer. Im not confirming this but the battery life on this is incredible compared to my original. I can go two days no problem. Obviously Im not using LTE service or have interest in it.
Another contributor is the more efficient faster dual core processor in the Series 3. The problem with the first generation Apple Watch was that It was incredibly slow for the most part, which it had to work harder with third-party applications, the heart rate sensor drained it fast and the battery was adversely affected because of this. With the Much improved processor in the Series 3, the battery life isn’t taxed as hard, resulting in more longevity.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacLawyer Avatar
107 months ago
The LTE feature turned out to be pretty useful to me. I had my doubts at first.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Macaholic868 Avatar
107 months ago
Not buying til it's round
Good luck. The problem with a smart watch is lack of screen real estate. Why would Apple go round and reduce the screen real estate even further? The round watch face would have to huge. I don’t see it happening anytime soon.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors