Apple Watch SE (2022) Review

The Apple Watch SE (starting at $249) is the budget-friendly model in Apple’s smartwatch lineup. The second-generation SE looks just like its predecessor, but costs $30 less and packs some nice under-the-hood upgrades, including a faster processor, a new motion sensor for Crash Detection, and significantly more battery life. However, it lacks some niceties of the Series 8 (starting at $399), such as an always-on display and sensors for blood oxygen (SpO2), electrocardiogram (ECG), and body temperature readings. With a bigger screen that stays on all day and more advanced health-tracking tools, the Series 8 is our top pick for most Apple Watch buyers, but the second-gen SE is a worthy alternative for staying active, connected, and safe on a budget. 

The Most Affordable Apple Watch

Starting at $249, the second-generation Apple Watch SE takes the place of the now-discontinued Series 3 as the base model in Apple’s smartwatch lineup. It sits below the flagship Apple Watch Series 8 ($399) and the rugged Apple Watch Ultra ($799). 

While the Series 8 is our top pick for most people and the Ultra is aimed at outdoor adventurers, the Watch SE is positioned as the sensible choice for first-time smartwatch users, as well as older adults, children, and budget-conscious buyers. All three models in Apple’s current smartwatch lineup require an iPhone 8 or later running at least iOS 16. 

Left to right: Apple Watch SE, Series 8, Ultra
(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

The new Watch SE comes in 40mm (small/medium) or 44mm (large) sizes and features a 100% recycled aluminum case in Midnight (a deep navy blue), Silver, or Starlight (champagne). The Series 8 is a touch bigger, at 41mm or 45mm, and comes in aluminum or stainless steel. 

For connectivity, the Watch SE comes standard with Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi support. Models with cellular connectivity for phone-free calling and music streaming cost $50 extra (plus carrier charges). 

(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

For this review, Apple loaned me the 40mm cellular Watch SE in Starlight with a matching Sport Band. The included Sport Band is made of comfortable, waterproof fluoroelastomer, and features a pin-and-tuck closure. Apple includes a USB-C charging cable in the box, but you’ll need to provide your own power adapter. 

Apple also sent a 41mm Sport Loop accessory band in Elderberry. Made of woven nylon with a hook-and-loop fastener and Velcro closure, the Sport Loop is comfortable and easy to get on, off, and adjust, but I don’t prefer it for sweaty workouts, as it takes time to dry. Though it was designed for the Series 8, the 41mm Sport Loop also works fine on the 40mm Watch SE. 

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Unboxing an Apple Watch is an *experience* Come on this journey as I unbox the new Apple Watch SE.

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Design-wise, the second-generation Watch SE remains largely unchanged from its predecessor. Holding them side by side, they are indistinguishable save for the back of the case. The second-generation SE features a new back cover made of a nylon composite material that matches its aluminum case. Not that it matters, since the back cover is hidden when you’re wearing the watch, but I like the look of it. Apple says this new back cover is lighter than the previous one, and more environmentally friendly, allowing for an 80% reduction in carbon emissions during the production process. 

(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

Indeed, all four models—40mm and 44mm, with and without cellular connectivity—are lighter than the original. Both of the small/medium size models now weigh less than an ounce (0.93 ounces for GPS-only, and 0.98 ounces for cellular; down from 1.07 ounces and 1.08 ounces, respectively). When I hold the 40mm first-gen and second-gen cellular models in either hand, I can notice the weight difference. Both large models now weigh about 1.16 ounces (though the cellular model is a bit heavier), which is down from 1.28 ounces. 

The new SE ships with watchOS 9, the latest version of Apple’s wearable operating system, which features a redesigned compass app, international roaming, fresh watch faces, a medications app, new workout metrics (including running power and heart rate zones), AFib history tracking, and sleep stage tracking. 

(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

On the inside, the new Watch SE packs the same Apple S8 64-bit dual-core processor as the Series 8 and the Ultra, an upgrade from the Apple S5 powering the last generation. Apple says the second-generation model performs common user tasks 20% faster than its predecessor. In the rare case that I see a spinning circle and have to wait for an app to open, it’s only for a fraction of a second. As with the Series 8, I never experience lag when interacting with the Watch SE, even while simultaneously running multiple apps and switching between them. 

The new Watch SE also has the same upgraded motion sensor as the Series 8 and Ultra that enables Crash Detection. I explained how this works in my Series 8 review, but these models use a new accelerometer and gyroscope, along with the GPS, barometer, and microphone to automatically detect severe car crashes (and, erroneously, roller coaster rides), and call 911 for help. 

(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

This builds on an already robust suite of safety features available in the SE, including Emergency SOS, Fall Detection, and irregular heart rate and rhythm notifications. Cellular SE models also now support international emergency calling, so you can reach emergency services in more than 120 countries and regions without your phone while traveling. International emergency calling also works with Fall Detection so the watch can call for help, even in another country, if it detects a hard tumble followed by inactivity. 

With support for Apple’s Family Setup feature, which lets you manage an Apple Watch for a family member who doesn’t have an iPhone, the SE is a nice option for school-age children and older adults. During the setup process, the iPhone-based Watch app asks if you’re setting it up for yourself or a family member, then guides you through the process. 

(Credit: PCMag)

I had no trouble setting up the review unit with the iPhone 14 Apple also loaned for testing. If you’re switching from a different Apple Watch, it will ask if you want to set up your apps and settings the same way on the new one. While you wait for everything to sync, the app will ask you to create a password for your Apple Watch (don’t skip this step, especially if you use it to track your period), provide basic health information (birth date, sex, height, and weight), set up cellular (if applicable), and add a card to Apple Pay. 

What You Don’t Get With the Apple Watch SE

The Apple Watch SE costs $150 less than the Series 8 and makes some compromises in exchange for its lower price. 

Most notably, this generation lacks an always-on display mode, which might be a deal breaker for some people. Its OLED Retina display is colorful and easy to read indoors and outside, with a maximum brightness level of 1,000 nits, like the Series 8. But with the Watch SE, you must move your wrist toward you or press a button to illuminate the display. In the wrist-down position, the SE’s display turns off, meaning you can’t simply glance down to discreetly check the time. Fortunately, the SE’s display quickly illuminates when you lift or turn your wrist, so the lack of an always-on display has bothered me less than expected. 

(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

Note that the Watch SE has a much thicker display bezel than the Series 8. Apple introduced a skinnier display border on the Series 7, increasing screen real estate by 20% compared with the previous generation, and the Series 8 retains that svelte bezel design. 

When I first powered up the Watch SE, its prominent display bezel, which is about 40% thicker than its counterpart on the Series 8, stood out to me like a sore thumb. Unless you’re switching from a Series 7/8 to the new Watch SE, however, this probably won’t bother you. If it does, there’s an easy solution: just pick a watch face with a black background. That way, the bezel just looks like an extension of the screen. As I noted in my Pixel Watch review, Google used this trick to de-emphasize the chunky display bezel on its smartwatch. 

(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

The SE lacks a software QWERTY keyboard on the screen. On the Series 7/8 and the Ultra, the QWERTY keyboard is available anywhere you need to input text, with support for both taps and swipes, and machine learning-powered word prediction. When entering text on the SE, you can use finger scribbles, dictation, quick replies, emojis, and/or your connected iPhone keyboard. 

In terms of durability, the SE has a WR50 rating, so it’s water resistant to 164 feet and safe for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or the ocean. The Series 8 adds an IP6X certification, meaning it’s dustproof, a spec you don’t get on the SE. The Ultra exceeds both with a WR100 water resistance rating and MIL-STD 810H certification. 

(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

The new SE also forgoes several health-tracking features available on the Series 8 and Ultra, including body temperature measurements and retrospective ovulation estimates. Its pricier siblings check your overnight wrist temperature every five seconds and track changes from your baseline to tell you whether you’re running hotter or colder than usual. If you have a menstrual cycle, the Series 8 and the Ultra can use your temperature data to estimate the date of your last ovulation, a metric that can be helpful if you’re trying to get pregnant. 

As with the last generation, the new SE still can’t take an electrocardiogram or measure your SpO2. 

Living With the Second-Gen Apple Watch SE 

The Apple Watch SE only promises 18 hours of battery life on a charge, but it far exceeded that estimate in my real-world testing. With normal use, the Watch SE lasted 37 hours on a charge, which was just long enough for two nights of sleep tracking. That’s a nice battery life bump from its predecessor, which lasted as long as 30 hours in testing. 

The Apple Watch Series 8, in comparison, lasted 30.5 hours on a charge with normal/heavy use, or up to 40 hours with light use. The Ultra is the longest-lasting of the bunch, staying powered for up to 57 hours with normal/heavy use in my tests. Remember that the last two have always-on displays.

The Watch SE is slower to recharge than the Series 8, which only takes about an hour to go from dead to 100%. After an hour on its charger, my Watch SE juiced up to 65%. Apple says an 80% charge takes about 1.5 hours, and a full charge takes 2.5 hours. 

(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

Happily, two of my favorite Apple Watch health and fitness features—the automatic handwashing timer and workout detection—worked perfectly on the SE.

The Apple Watch uses motion sensors to detect handwashing movements and a microphone to listen for the sound of running water, then automatically displays a 20-second timer on the screen, a very useful feature in the era of COVID-19. Every time I wash my hands while wearing the SE, it pops up the handwashing timer. When 20 seconds is up, the watch will vibrate and congratulate you. 

(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

The Apple Watch can automatically detect certain types of workouts including indoor/outdoor walks and runs, pool/open water swimming, outdoor cycling, elliptical sessions, and rowing. After about 10 minutes of activity, the watch will ask if you want to start recording the workout, then display your stats for that session on the screen. When it detects you have finished, it will remind you to end tracking. In testing, this feature worked as intended during walks with my dog, and motivated me to keep going until we hit a full mile. 

(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

The new SE tracks your pulse around the clock using Apple’s second-generation optical heart sensor. This is the same one in the Ultra, while the Series 8 boasts a new third-gen version. 

In testing, workout heart rate readings from the Watch SE have been high compared with measurements from the Fitbit Sense 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, but they seem reasonable based on my perceived exertion. 

For a 35-minute rowing session, the Apple Watch SE said I had average and maximum heart rates of 144bpm and 168bpm, respectively, and burned 221 total calories. For that same workout, the Fitbit Sense 2 measured my average and max heart rates at 108bpm and 131bpm and said I burned 158 calories. In this case, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle, though closer to Apple’s measurements. 

(Credit: PCMag)

For a 30-minute beach run, the Watch SE said I had average and max heart rates of 174bpm and 188bpm, respectively, while the Galaxy Watch 5 reported those metrics at 148bpm and 171bpm. In this case, the Watch SE’s measurements seem more accurate based on how much I struggled during the run.  

Lots of factors can affect the accuracy of optical heart rate monitoring, including the fit of your watch, air temperature, tattoos, motion, and more. Variations in health data from one product to the next are expected, so it’s a good idea to stick with one device to track your changes over time. 

After wearing the Apple Watch SE to bed one night, I woke up to a low heart rate alert. “Your heart rate fell below 40bpm for 10 minutes starting at 4:30 a.m.,” the Health app stated.

If you’re “extremely fit and your heart is strong,” a measurement this low is no cause for concern, Apple explains. Otherwise, a chronically low or sudden drop in your heart rate can indicate that “something may be wrong with your heart’s electrical signals.” 

(Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

I have used every version of the Apple Watch since the Series 5, and this is the first time I’ve ever received a heart rate alert, so I was a bit alarmed. That same night, the Oura (Gen 3) smart ring measured my heart rate as low as 41bpm around the same time, but positioned this as a positive: “Your heart rate was relatively low, indicating that you got some good quality rest!” the Oura app states. “Can you feel the difference?” 

I woke up feeling well-rested that day and haven’t seen another warning in the days since, so I’m not super worried about the low heart rate alert, but I plan to continue monitoring it. 

Small and Mighty

With the Series 3 out of the picture, the $249 Watch SE is the least expensive and smallest smartwatch in Apple’s lineup. The second-generation SE isn’t a massive update, but Apple has lowered the price by $30, upgraded the processor, added a new motion sensor for Crash Detection, and changed to a more environmentally friendly back cover. With the exception of an always-on display and a few health sensors (ECG, SpO2, and temperature), it offers almost all the same connectivity, safety, and fitness features of the Series 8 for $150 less. It offered excellent performance overall in testing, with a responsive touch screen and 37 hours of battery life per charge. The Series 8 retains our Editors’ Choice for its more robust health-tracking capabilities, but the SE is a solid option for its target audience of first-time smartwatch buyers, children/teens, and older adults.