The Watch SE is the right model if you already know that you want a new Apple Watch. It has all the helpful features of the Watch 6, but it is significantly cheaper, which makes it one of the best smartwatches on the market. Even though the always-on display leaves something to be desired, the fitness monitoring, which includes encouraging hints to keep you active, is excellent and will get even better when Fitness Plus hits the market.
However, the Watch SE has the same drawbacks as the other Apple Watch models: some of the features and apps are too light and the battery life is not enough to get the most out of the watch. Since the very first model, the look of the Apple Watch has remained largely unchanged. The Apple Watch Series introduces larger screens, but the overall aesthetic is still easily recognizable.
There aren’t many options if you don’t like the square shape. There are no additional materials or finishes; the enclosure is constructed of aluminum and comes in Space Grey, Silver, and Gold. The second-generation Apple Watch SE is nearly identical to the Series 6 and lacks the fresh look that the Series 7 offered. Additionally, it lacks some health sensors, such as blood oxygen, temperature, and ECG monitoring capabilities. This is because those features need hardware that Apple did not include in the Apple Watch SE in order to keep costs low.
Design
Nobody will be surprised by the Apple Watch SE’s design because it is identical to every other Apple Watch model released since the Apple Watch 4 in 2018. The Digital Crown, which rolls comfortably under the finger when you use it to navigate through a list on the Watch face, is housed in the same curved shape that gracefully folds into the OLED display (more on that in a bit). You can utilize the power/multitasking button, which is located below that, to switch between recently-opened apps and return to the one you were previously using.
Despite being a less expensive Apple Watch, there is no indication that the design process was compromised. The heart rate monitor, which has the glowing green LEDs that check your pulse throughout the day and protrude slightly outward but aren’t felt on the wrist in typical use, is located on the underside of the Watch SE. The Solo Loop, a brand-new kind of band, will debut in 2020 and looks like a really cool addition.
You can put your Watch SE on and take it off without having to repeatedly fasten and unbuckle it because of the silicone (or braided silicon) loop that stretches over your hand. You must, however, be careful to choose the appropriate size for your wrist, as Apple foolishly sent us the largest and third-largest sizes, turning our Apple Watch SE into a bangle.
Display
The Watch SE boasts a 20% bigger display than the Watch Series 3, which is apparent in person despite Apple not disclosing display size statistics for its Apple Watch models. In contrast, the Watch Series 8 is larger still, reaching the casing’s edges, necessitating the additional millimeter over the Watch SE. The Watch SE has a Retina LTPO display, while the Watch Series 3 has a Retina OLED display with up to 1000nits.
It also has a brightness of up to 1000nits. The size of the two displays, though, is where the biggest difference lies. Both lack the Always-On feature seen on the Watch Series 8, thus the screen will be dark while your hand isn’t raised. The Watch Series 3’s ceramic and stainless steel variants are shielded by sapphire glass, while the aluminum model is shielded by ion-X glass. The display is shielded by Ion-X for the Watch SE.
The Apple Watch SE lacks the always-on display option found on the Apple Watch 6 and Apple Watch 5, but it features the same screen and S5 processor as the Apple Watch 5, which is 30% larger than that of the Apple Watch 3. Even though you understand that Apple is trying to differentiate between the SE and the Apple Watch 6, the absence of an always-on display is disappointing, especially for a product that costs more than $250. The screen of the Apple Watch SE was still highly sensitive and activated with just a flick of my wrist.
Tracking
The Apple Watch Series 3 and later can now track your sleep thanks to the WatchOS 7 update that was released in the fall. The watch doesn’t categories your sleep into light or deep sleep, unlike other wearables that measure sleep such as the Fitbit Sense, Oura ring, or phone apps. Instead, it emphasizes duration and encourages you to go to bed, which improves your sleep routine. Your heart rate during the night will also be broken down by the Apple Watch SE, but you’ll need the Series 6 to acquire blood oxygen or SpO2 readings.
When it comes to activity tracking, the Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 8 have a lot in common. Both watches can detect heart rate and your level of aerobic fitness, are swim-proof, offer sleep tracking, and support the same range of activity modes. On both watches, you’ll receive alerts for high and low heart rates as well as irregular heart rhythms. we didn’t notice much of a difference when we switched to recording my workouts with the SE after over a year of using the Series 7.
The Watch SE nevertheless continuously monitors your heart rate even though those two heart health features are missing. It can alert you if it notices irregular heart rhythms and can let you know if your heart rate is excessively high or low. These might be signs of a heart condition. We compared the heart rate sensing capabilities of the Apple Watch SE and an Apple Watch Series 4 that we had on hand. Again, you will need to spend more to acquire a heart rate sensor that is even more precise because the Series 6 receives an updated heart rate sensor.
Other Features
The new skin temperature sensor that Apple added with the Series 8 is the most important feature that the SE lacks. This monitors the wearer’s body temperature overnight and determines if they have ovulated based on any variations from a baseline reading. The SE doesn’t provide this ovulation-tracking capability because it lacks the necessary hardware. However, it performs all other cycle and sleep tracking functions.
To track how much time you’ve spent in different sleep stages including REM, Deep, and Core sleep, you can track your periods or wear this to bed. As you may anticipate, watchOS 9 is the most recent operating system upgrade that comes pre-installed on the Apple Watch SE (2022). Thanks to Apple’s S8 CPU, all of the OS’s new capabilities, such as enhanced exercise views and better sleep monitoring, function seamlessly and without latency on the watch.
Beyond them, Apple spoke extensively about the second-generation SE’s high-g accelerometer and enhanced gyroscope at its September 2022 “Far Out” event. These are unique because they support crash detection. Naturally, we weren’t able to test this feature, but it was glad it wasn’t just available on more expensive watches.
Battery Life
The Series 8 charges incredibly fast. According to the Apple Watch SE, the charging time is 45 minutes to reach 80% and 75 minutes to reach 100%. When we charged our Series 8, there was a noticeable difference. The Series 8 can run in power-saving mode for up to 36 hours. The “all-day” battery life of both watches is up to 18 hours.
Apple would have given the Series 8 the same battery life as the new Ultra, which touts 36 hours of regular use and 60 hours of low-power use, if they had wanted me to buy the Series 8. But for me, the new low-power mode is a godsend. In order to prolong battery life, it disables background heart-rate monitoring and automated workout recognition. The SE 2 seems to have a day-long battery life, but we don’t know how long the Series 8’s battery life lasts.
The Apple Watch SE truly impresses in terms of battery life. In fact, it has the longest battery life of any Apple Watch to date when compared to the Series 6 model with the screen’s always-on feature turned on! We had 57% battery life left at bedtime after a regular day of use (using it from dawn to night and monitoring an hour-long workout in the middle of the day), which was more than enough for sleep tracking, which utilizes 10% to 15% of a full charge in our experience.
Configurations options
Depending on the series and extras you select, an Apple Watch can cost as little as $199 or as much as $1,249. The starting prices are quite simple. The current “cheap” Apple Watch, the Series 3, starts at $199, while the SE starts at $279 and the Series 6 at $399. You will spend more money if you add LTE, increase the screen size, or switch to a stainless steel band.
Apple has released the Series 7, which doesn’t provide many significant upgrades over the Series 6 since we wrote this article. It does, however, add a more pronounced face with a harder finish. If you don’t accept the inconsistent heart-rate sensor, it’s a more trustworthy alternative to the Series 6 at $399 than the Apple Watch SE.
The Apple Watch Series 3 is still available today. This is the first time Apple has released a more affordable Apple Watch model. Normally, older versions stay on the market and are lowered in price. In this case, however, Apple has selectively used features from previous Watch models to produce a mid-range watch at a price that’s halfway between the incredibly affordable Apple Watch Series 3 and the more expensive Apple Watch Series 6.
Final Words
As you might anticipate, the Apple Watch SE, is the most recent version of the operating system. Apple’s S8 CPU enables the OS’s latest capabilities, such as improved exercise views and sleep tracking, to operate on the watch without any hiccups. Beyond them, Apple spoke extensively at its September 2022 “Far Out” event about the second-generation SE’s high-g accelerometer and enhanced gyroscope. The ability to detect crashes is what distinguishes these as unique. Although I was unable to test this feature, it was pleased to see that it wasn’t just available on more expensive watches.
