Lacks the Series 6’s advanced health features, but the Apple Watch SE is cheaper and still a great smartwatch

Cheaper than the Series 6; Packed with features; Accurate HR and GPS tracking

No ECG or blood oxygen readings; Charges slower than Series 6; No always-on display

All it's missing is an always-on display

Sleek looking; Offers most of Series 6's key features; Excellent activity monitoring

No always-on display; Expensive; Disappointing battery life

At the end of the day, the Apple Watch SE is nothing new. Apple just took the Apple Watch Series 5, cut off the always-on functionality reserving it for the more expensive Series 6, and also did not include an ECG and blood oxygen sensor.

More affordable price; great deal on cellular model; Fast performance; Great variety of high-quality watchfaces; Very comfortable to wear; Very accurate heart rate measurements for a smartwatch

No always-on screen; Still have to charge it every day; Sleep tracking less useful than on rivals; No ECG; no blood oxygen sensor; Does not work with Android phones

Easy to recommend – but still not for everyone

Better-than-expected battery life; More affordable price; Very customisable (especially for Apple); Fully waterproof

No always-on display; Only available in three finishes; Still fairly pricey

“The Apple Watch SE misses out on some of the flashier features on the Series 6, but keeps nearly all the important ones, along with the same design, at a lower price.”

Stylish design; Highly customizable; Comprehensive health tracking; Responsive; fluid performance; Reliable; easy-to-use software

No always-on display

The Apple Watch SE drops the always-on display and a couple of advanced health sensors from the Series 6, but otherwise delivers the same winning app, fitness, and safety features for $120 less.

Same screen size and resolution as the Series 6; Supports fall detection; heart health notifications; and Emergency SOS; Always-on altimeter for real-time elevation tracking; WatchOS 7 adds a handwashing countdown timer and sleep tracking; Best third-party smartwatch app selection

No always-on display mode; Lacks ECG and SpO2 sensors

Snappy performance on watchOS 7 thanks to the S5 processor; you get all the basic features of a premium smartwatch for a budget price

I miss the always-on display

The Apple Watch SE packs plenty of modern smartwatch features into a compact, low-profile package. It’s not the prettiest watch, and its sleep-tracking reports aren’t as insightful as the competition. But for the price the Watch SE is an excellent starter smartwatch for newcomers.

Powerful OS; Responsive performance; Comfortable design; Comprehensive features for the price

Sleep tracking lags the competition; No always-on display

While the new "SE" moniker attached to the Apple Watch SE has no official designation, I'd like to think it stands for "surprise edition" because that's what the Apple Watch SE is — a pleasant surprise.

It’s not the best Apple Watch, but it's the most easily recommendable. The Apple Watch SE is anything but a ‘cheap Apple Watch.’ It brings the brilliant core experience that most people want, for less.

Top design; All the essential features; Competitive price