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

By pulling together many of the best bits from the now-discontinued Series 4 and Series 5, the SE is an affordable entry into the Apple Watch experience that will suit a majority of users.

Affordable price; Ease of use; Apple Pay; Heart-rate sensor; Interchangeable straps

No always-on display; Missing some of the sensors found in Series 6 model

“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

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 might not be the best Apple Watch in terms of features, but for most people the Apple Watch SE is the one you should buy. It retains all the vital tech (IP rating, GPS, sharp OLED) and ditches the ones that make the most sense.

Excellent value; Huge range of tracking features; The best smartwatch OS around; Wide variety of straps available

No always-on display; Battery life still only really a day

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

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

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

Apple’s smartwatch lineup has gone from straightforward to surprisingly complex seemingly overnight. Where we used to have this year’s model or last year’s model at a lower price to choose from, now Apple is selling three distinct Apple Watch models at varying price tiers and with varying options.

Fast performance; Great smartwatch software; Reliable battery life

No always-on display; No third-party watch faces; No ECG or blood oxygen monitoring

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