Like the iPhone SE, the Apple Watch SE is the usual Apple Watch but more affordable but packed with features.
Although there are some compromises, it still offers an experience true to what is expected of an Apple Watch, and it is a kind of cross between series 4, 5 and 6 that draws different characteristics of each.
The best news here is the price: $ 279 for 40mm with Wi-Fi, $ 329 for 40mm with Wi-Fi + Cellular, $ 309 for 44mm with Wi-Fi, and $ 359 for 44mm with Wi-Fi + Cellular.
After two weeks with it, this is not just a great entry point for a first smartwatch, it's packed with features.
Bluntly: If you don't need an electrical heart rate sensor, blood oxygen monitoring, and an always-on display, the Watch SE is the clear choice when it comes to Apple Watches.
Here's why.
Classic Apple Watch design with a standard display
The SE doesn't deviate much from the classic Apple Watch design.
The Apple Watch SE keeps the screen 30% larger than it first debuted in the Series 4. The bezels (or edges) around the screen are thin, so not even 40mm.
they feel as tight as we thought they could.
You have the digital crown with vibration and an action button on the right side.
Vibration gives you feedback when adjusting the volume, scrolling through a message, and naturally using the interfaces.
The Apple Watch SE still retains a WR50 resistance of up to 50 meters in water.
That means you can wear it in the shower, wash your hands, and even go swimming.
At the back of the Watch SE is where things are a bit different.
In particular, the SE features a second-generation optical heart rate sensor.
It is not electrical, which means there is no support for ECG (electrocardiogram) or blood oxygen sensors.
There are no super advanced health features, but the SE can still monitor your heart rate in real time and alert you if it detects arterial fibrillation.
The central heart rate sensor in the SE is the same optical sensor found in the 6 Series.
Along with this central sensor, the SE has an accelerometer, a gyroscope for detecting falls, an altimeter, a compass, GPS and an ambient light sensor.
The altimeter has just debuted on the Series 6 and we're quite glad it's found on the SE.
It will be useful for hiking and elevation monitoring.
The biggest change for us with the Apple Watch SE has been the removal of the always-on display.
It makes sense, since Apple needs to compromise a few things to lower the price.
You will have to lift your wrist to wake up the screen or touch it to interact with it.
A small price to pay.
The technology for the display is also practically on par with the Series 6. On the 40 and 44mm SE, it is protected by a layer of Ion-X glass and features a Retina OLED display.
Both sizes can reach a maximum of 1,000 nits of brightness.
It is 324X394 resolution in 40mm and 368X448 resolution in 44mm.
In our eyes, it is a vibrant smartwatch display that offers no noticeable pixelation around text or any images.
Smooth performance and many features
The Apple Watch SE has Apple's S5 processor, the same one that is inside the Series 5.
Bottom line: That means the SE offers great value.
It runs watchOS 7 and the setup is pretty quick.
Once connected with an iPhone, be it for personal setup or family setup, we were able to run options and copy apps as a fresh install in about 10 minutes.
Going from a backup to a Series 5 or Series 6 took just about five more minutes.
Note that this also relies on having a strong internet connection to pull data from the cloud.
Once set up, you can easily swipe left and right to find the watch face you like.
Long press on a watch face takes you to the customization zone.
Here you can adjust colors, write fonts, and even screen complications.
The latter are like mini-apps for your home screen.
We chose the current Dark Sky temperature, our activity rings, calendar, and easy access to heart rate.
There are a ton of third-party apps that offer complications too.
Our new favorite feature is real-time translations via Apple's virtual assistant.
It is very useful to get a quick translation directly from your wrist and without opening a dedicated application.
Most impressive, it shows how capable the S5 chip really is inside.
Apple Pay works just as well - and just as fast - as it does with Series 5 and Series 6. And, thanks to watchOS 7, the Apple Watch SE can monitor hand washing in the same way as the Watch 6. The microphones specifically hear water of a tap, hand movements and even the sound of soap being pumped from a bottle.
And when it detects that you are washing your hands, you will see a countdown appear on your wrist.
Once the 20 seconds are up, you will feel a vibration and hear a short jingle.
You can also choose to receive a reminder to wash your hands when you get home.
This takes advantage of GPS and some improvements to Apple Maps.
Sleep tracking is also included and allows you to set a goal for the number of hours you want to sleep.
You won't find data on different cycles like on a Fitbit, but it's the same sleep-tracking experience as on Series 6 or any other Apple Watch that supports the feature.
It just won't track your blood oxygen periodically overnight like the Series 6.
Like previous Apple Watch models, it has a battery life of around 18 hours - for us that meant around a day and a half, including sleep tracking.
The SE supports 80% wireless charging in about an hour and a half.
Charging to 100% is a little over two and a half hours starting from 0.
The fitness aspects on the SE are essentially the same experience you've had on any other Apple Watch with movement and exercise goals you can set.
You can also use the fitness app to choose from a host of exercises (indoor or outdoor cycling, functional strength training, barre, dancing, running, jogging, surfing, and countless others) that the Apple Watch SE will accurately track through. from a variety of sensors.
We didn't notice any slowdowns or tracking differences between the SE and the Series 6. Both were able to get an exact number of calories burned, minutes of exercise, and heart rate tracked at all times.
Again, what we missed the most was the always-on screen during activity.
You can't just look up at your wrist while exercising to see the time.
And we miss seeing the minutes worked, the calories burned and our heart rate.
The solution?
Raise your wrist or touch the screen.
However, some exercises make this difficult.
conclusion
The Apple Watch SE offers a tremendous amount of value with minimal compromises, like any Apple SE product.
If you're not worried that it doesn't include the electrical heart rate sensor, blood oxygen monitoring, and an always-on display, it's the clear choice when it comes to Apple Watches.
And even if you go for a cell-enabled variant, you're still saving some money.
But if you have a Series 5, the SE doesn't make more sense.
We recommend that you stick with your current model or opt for Series 6 for the new health features.
Note: The above prices reflect the price at the time of publication of the article.
