Apple Watch SE 2 Months Later
Apple Watch SE 2 Months Later

Image: MTG Productions/YouTube

Apple Watch SE. It looks like every other Apple Watch at a glance. But, there are some differences that make this watch fit in its SE lineup of products. In fact, it is probably the perfect mix!

Image: MTG Productions/YouTube

DESIGN

Remember, this is a watch, which means, we need to touch base on the design. Apple has typically gone the route of avoiding the circular watch design. I have the aluminum casing and it’s held up pretty well. If you’re interested in picking up the stainless steel option, you’ll have to go after the Series 5 or the new Series 6. My Apple Watch SE is the Nike Edition, but I swapped the band for a Milanese loop. Anyway, the Apple Watch SE has the same display as the Apple Watch Series 6. It has both 40mm and 44mm options just like the Series 6 with a display resolution of 368x448.

Apple Watch SE includes an OLED display which equates to more vibrant colors and deeper blacks. There is one thing that the SE does not include in which you can find in Series 5 and 6 and that is the always-on-display. However, in my opinion, raising to wake is fast enough and it also saves on battery life.

Image: MTG Productions/YouTube

PERFORMANCE

Since we touched based on design, let’s take a look at performance, where Apple has never disappointed the consumers with their products. The Apple Watch SE is fast. It might not include the latest S6 chip found in the Series 6, but the S5 chip it includes is still buttery smooth.

The Series 3 includes the S3 chip which has definitely aged, so, if you’re on the lookout for Series 3, please move on and look at the SE. You’ll notice the difference in speed between Series 3 and SE. Also, the SE stands pretty close to the Series 6 in speed. Coming from Wear OS devices, I’m super happy with the results because I’ve been looking for a fast performing smartwatch for such a long time. That’s why Apple is dominating the smartwatch market with its Apple Watch devices.

Apple has included a new feature built with families in mind called Family Setup with its latest Series 6 and SE. This feature lets you set up an Apple Watch independently for a kid or parent who doesn’t have an iPhone or any phone for that matter. Now, the caveat here is that if you want all of the features on an Apple Watch paired with Family Setup, you would need a cellular model so do keep that in mind. Otherwise, this family setup feature does come in clutch especially for parents who want to gift their children with a watch rather than a phone.

The Watch SE runs the latest Watch OS 7 without any lag, so you’ll be getting all the latest features like new watch faces, although some are exclusive to the Series 6. When I say without lag, I mean it. Even so, Watch OS 7 and the Apple Watch SE work seamlessly with the iPhone and I’m going to praise Apple for its amazing work with its ecosystem because it’s that good. Apple has perfected the hardware and software to work effortlessly together and other companies are struggling to keep up. You can’t pair an Apple Watch with an Android device and even if you pair a Wear OS device with an iPhone, you won’t be getting all of the features with notifications and other features.

Image: MTG Productions/YouTube

HEALTH

When we say Apple Watch, health is one of the main things that come to our mind. But, I just haven’t been using the watch for its health features. I’ve had the Watch SE for more than two months, and I just haven’t got into using the watch for the health features. I definitely should, and I will be in the future. When I first got the watch, I went ahead and tried out everything it had. The SE includes fall detection, noise monitoring, and Emergency SOS. I think that Emergency SOS and fall detection is super useful because I’ve heard real-life stories on how fall detection saved people’s lives. How about the new oxygen blood level sensor? That is unfortunately only available on the Series 6, so, if you’re on the lookout for a watch with an oximeter, skip the SE. Otherwise, everything else that makes an Apple watch an Apple watch is present in the SE.

Image: MTG Productions/YouTube

PRICE

It’s important to look at the price when picking up a new product. Now, I was hoping that the Apple Watch SE would start at $199, but Apple went ahead and priced it between Series 3 and Series 6 at $279 for the 40mm and $309 for 44mm. Honestly, the pricing is still pretty good. If you’re in dire need of a cellular model, it only costs an extra 50 bucks for each model, so $329 for the 40mm and $359 for the 44mm.

Just make sure that before you pick one up, ask yourself; Do I carry my phone with me all the time? If yes, you don’t need the cellular model. Apple is actually aiming for their Apple Watch SE to perform just like the iPhone SE. It is especially in my opinion the perfect way and a cheaper alternative to entering the Apple Ecosystem.

Image: MTG Productions/YouTube

If you’re in the market looking for a new Apple Watch, then the SE is a good buy. $279 for 40mm and $309 for 44mm is not too shabby, and if you look good enough, you may even find them on sale once in a while. Just remember this, if you’re on a budget, don’t consider series 3. I don’t even know why Apple is still selling the Series 3. It’s old, slow, and it won’t be supported much longer.
['Melih Gungor']
['Gadgets', 'Apple Watch', 'Health', 'Apple', 'Technology']