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

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;

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

The SE might be more affordable but that word has always been relative with Apple kit – it’s still very much a luxury product. Nothing here is particularly necessary to your everyday life, although the health and wellness features are clearly trying to make that case. If you want to fully commit to those, though, a Series 6 will offer you even more peace of mind. An always-on display would certainly make the SE better too, but sacrifices have to be made somewhere to keep that price down. For those who just want to be able to see who’s texting them, whether it’s going to rain, or what song is playing, all without taking their iPhone out of their pocket, the SE does that better than any non-Apple rival and is certainly worth the extra £70 over the ageing Series 3. It’s unlikely to provide an iPhone 3G moment for the Watch, when features and price both hit that perfect sweet spot and sales went through the roof, but if you’ve been tempted to take the plunge before, the SE might be exactly what you’ve been waiting for.

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;

If you find the $399 Series 6 too expensive and the $199 Series 3 too dated, the $279 Apple Watch SE should be just right. With the exception of an always-on display and sensors for blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and electrocardiogram (ECG), it offers almost everything else you get in the Series 6, including a vast selection of downloadable apps, excellent calling and texting capabilities, and potentially lifesaving health features like fall detection, irregular heart rate and rhythm notifications, Emergency SOS, and international emergency calling. It also boasts a larger display, a faster processor, and more safety features than the Series 3. That makes the Watch SE an excellent, cost-effective option for kids, the elderly, or anyone who wants the apps, fitness, and safety features of the Series 6 without paying a premium for its always-on display and advanced health metrics. Price and Design  The Apple Watch SE starts at $279 for the GPS-only model or $329 for the GPS and cellu...

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

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