It’s simply over 18 months for the reason that Apple Watch SE launched and whereas it was a winner then, the presence of the Apple Watch 7, with the bigger display screen, has made it much less enticing as a tool.
However, it’s nonetheless the most effective Apple Watch for “most people”. What meaning is – while you ask what you need in a Watch from Apple, is it only a gadget that sits in your wrist as a companion on your iPhone? If so, then you must take a look at the Watch SE, particularly if you will get a deal on it.
Launched in September 2020 because the “affordable” model of the Watch 6, the Watch SE value £269/ $279 for the 40mm model … and it isn’t come down a lot in value since then.
Specs
Software: watchOS 8
Compatibility: Apple solely
Battery life: 24 hours combined use
Memory: 32GB
Display and measurement: 40 / 44mm
GPS: Yes
Water resistance: Yes, 50M
Heart fee: Yes
Sleep tracker: Yes
Step rely: Yes
Music: Yes
In that point, the Watch 7 has emerged on the similar £419/$399 value because the Watch 6 however with a bigger, easier-to-read display screen. So, given the most costly Apple Watch is extra feature-rich, we’d count on the Watch SE to be cheaper to point out the gulf in efficiency. Thankfully, we’re seeing good offers emerge for the SE – and it’s changing into a extra enticing purchase.
That stated, the Watch SE remains to be an incredible gadget for many who desire a good health tracker, a motivating well being gadget and a wise digital companion to the iPhone – the notifications are wealthy and the vary of watch faces is beneficial and regularly rising.
There are small touches {that a} spec checklist cannot present you: just like the Taptic Engine that can faucet away at your wrist to offer you a notification, and which is much nicer than the heavy buzz many smartwatches provide.
The Breathe and Relax options within the Meditation app – which appeared with the brand new watchOS 8 software program – are a real draw, so in the event you’re undecided you may get the utmost profit from all of the health-monitoring options of the brand new Watch 7, the Apple Watch SE is a best choice in the event you do not thoughts flicking your wrist to simply see the time.
It may not rank because the greatest working watch, however it’s nonetheless an honest little tracker for anybody with an iPhone.
Apple Watch SE: Design and show
- Easy-to-read show
- Nice haptic suggestions
- No always-on show
When it involves the design of the Apple Watch SE, it’s totally acquainted. You’ve most likely seen an Apple Watch sooner or later through the years in the event you’re studying this evaluate, and also you’re getting the identical curved glass protecting a vibrant OLED display screen.
The buttons on the appropriate are the Digital Crown, used to scroll by way of menus and make sure decisions, and the Side Button, which lets you pay for issues with Apple Pay and see your just lately used apps.
Both are simple to hit and extra helpful than they was: the Digital Crown, as an illustration, packs haptic suggestions so you may really feel the objects scrolling previous while you’re searching a menu.
The Watch SE is available in 40mm and 44mm display screen sizes, relying on the scale of your wrist, although not like the Apple Watch 5 onwards there isn’t any always-on show right here.
That might not sound like a lot (and does assist enhance the battery life) however it means if you wish to know the time, it is an exaggerated increase and flick of the wrist simply to learn how late you might be for an necessary assembly.
However, the display screen is vibrant and straightforward to learn – it lacks the height brightness of the Watch 7 however we have by no means had a difficulty with studying the Watch outside.
Apple Watch SE: Set up and usefulness
- Simple arrange
- Great vary of watch faces
- Not as quick as newer Watches
The Watch SE sticks to Apple’s mantra of “It Just Works”: from the arrange (the place you scan a digital picture out of your Watch together with your cellphone or deliver it near an iPhone to start pairing) to the primary flicks you encounter, all the pieces is clearly signposted and intuitive.
Some individuals might not just like the sprawling unfold of apps in grid view – it is simply modified to a listing view – however most will delight within the many watch faces on provide.
Fancy a watch face that makes all of it about your health and coronary heart fee? Simply achieved. Want to see the battery life? That’s an possibility. Care in regards to the photo voltaic cycles or how vibrant your a part of the world is true now? All there for you.
If you are scrolling by way of the Watch SE, you may both accomplish that with the Digital Crown or the speedy and responsive touchscreen.
As the Watch SE relies on the older S5 chipset from Apple, it lacks the zip of the Watch 6 or Watch 7, however nonetheless performs effectively underneath the finger.
Apple Watch SE: Features and efficiency
- Great all-round health tracker
- Sub-par battery life
- Can be used to unlock iPhone when carrying masks
The Apple Watch SE would possibly appear to be it is feature-poor from the outset – it lacks the ECG or SPO2 sensor that the Watch 5 and Watch 6 introduced, and are nonetheless current on the Watch 7.
However, we have discovered these to be redundant options. Sure, they’re useful in the event you’ve acquired a situation the place monitoring your coronary heart rhythm or blood oxygen is related, however for many they’re going to be performed with a couple of times and dropped.
Yet it is underneath this high-level well being monitoring that the Watch SE shines, because it’s only a good smartwatch, balancing effectively between helpful options that improve your day and never overfilling issues with an excessive amount of selection.
For occasion, the Watch SE tracks sleep and heart-rate variance, however not stress ranges. It’ll observe a variety of sports activities, together with dance, working, high-intensity interval coaching and extra, however would not have choices for monitoring what occurs while you soar out a aircraft, as top-end fitness-focused smartwatches do.
If you are hoping for a tool that can allow you to take a name hands-free without having to succeed in on your cellphone, the Watch SE can do this. It’ll present your messages with a pleasant, rounded bubble, and allow you to ship them again utilizing your voice.
With 32GB of storage, you may fill it with your personal music or subscribe to Apple’s Music service, permitting you to obtain music to your wrist – and now not have the necessity to take your cellphone with you to hearken to tunes. And with opponents like Spotify now doing the identical factor, the Watch SE is rising in prowess as a media companion.
That usefulness seems in components just like the music management, which pops up robotically in the event you begin taking part in music in your cellphone. So usually we’d be listening after which realise we have now no palms to seize a cellphone and alter tracks, however there’s the choice, proper there in your wrist while you increase it subsequent.
The Watch SE can assist with the problem of not having the ability to unlock an iPhone with Face ID when carrying a masks. It will search for a linked Watch and skip the lock display screen, because it is aware of you’re close by. It’s a useful function in the course of the pandemic and one we used way over we anticipated to.
We really feel the Watch SE is feature-rich sufficient for many, although it is nonetheless not good. It’s not as correct by way of GPS efficiency as a devoted Garmin (have a learn by way of our round-up of the greatest Garmin watches, in the event you’re on the lookout for a top-end tracker) however it’s darn shut. In our check we discovered that it managed to be inside a number of hundredths of a mile over an extended course, however wasn’t as bang on mile markers as we would like.
The coronary heart fee monitor is sweet sufficient for a lot of, too, however it could battle to trace except you progress it additional up the arm. If you are after a top-end health gadget, no mannequin within the Watch vary goes to be your good friend. Instead, look to manufacturers resembling Garmin and Polar for correct health monitoring.
Apple makes use of a system of rings to point out you the way lively you’re being every day. These rings ‘close’ while you hit your every day train targets. Standing, transferring or exercising will assist shut these rings in order that they type full circles – in the event you don’t hit your goal, then the rings can have a niche in them.
Being inspired to shut your rings every day is motivating and the Watch SE will be taught your every day rhythms and ping you when it thinks you need assistance remembering to work out. It has an inbuilt decibel-meter to remind you to be careful on your audio well being, and it will observe your VO2 max and every day resting coronary heart fee. We like carrying it to get these notifications and know we’re on observe.
One main concern for the Watch SE is the battery life. Apple’s declare of 18 hours in regular use is pessimistic: we simply acquired 24 hours of use, even with some working and different motion and use all through the day. It’s able to monitoring you with no trace of needing a charger by way of a 2-3 hour run, shedding 9% battery over 90 minutes when linked to your cellphone, so GPS isn’t wanted on the wearable.
But for usually lasting without having to discover a energy prime up – particularly if you wish to observe sleep – it is too quick. If you wish to monitor your slumber, when are you alleged to cost it? The Watch SE takes greater than two hours to cost, so it is arduous to know when to do that.
Apple wants to begin providing a Watch with three days of battery life no less than. It’s annoying that, even with out an always-on show, the Watch SE would not provide satisfying battery life.
Should you purchase the Apple Watch SE?
If you simply need an Apple Watch, and fear in regards to the stuttering efficiency and age of the Watch 3, then we advocate the Watch SE as your greatest guess.
You will miss the always-on show, however for the general Apple Watch expertise you’re getting a fantastic vary of options right here.
We would say that the dearth of a value drop since launch is galling. We’d counsel holding an eye fixed out for a great deal to deliver it down a contact in value (and we’ve already seen a number of gross sales that supply it).
You’ll get loads out of the Watch SE, so long as you discover a respectable charging schedule.
If the Apple Watch SE isn’t for you…
The simple various provide, the Watch 7 is 50% costlier, however you’re getting a more moderen, quicker and larger-screen watch, with out including a lot heft to the wrist.
If you don’t care in regards to the always-on show, or want the SPO2 or ECG sensor, then this might not be well worth the improve – however it’s going to stick with you for a very long time.
Among the most effective health watches, that is the one to go for if you wish to spend the identical however need issues like an always-on show and demand extra metrics out of your gadget. The spectacular show, mixed with almost thrice the battery life, implies that extra severe runners or lifters ought to be checking this out.
Fitbit Versa 3
A less expensive possibility, the brand new Fitbit Versa is extra health tracker than smartwatch, but additionally comes with GPS monitoring, in addition to a wider vary of physique metrics. Plus, there are extra methods that will help you work out.
If you wish to spend rather less add this to your checklist of possibles – and it’ll final a great three days with all the pieces turned as much as the max, too.