Samsung has announced the newest addition to its smartwatch lineup with the Galaxy Watch FE. But how does it compare to Apple’s entry-level wearable – the Apple Watch SE?
The Galaxy Watch FE is Samsung’s entry-level offering, with Samsung suggesting it’s “ideal for those looking to begin their journey to improve their overall wellness with comprehensive insights”.
With this in mind, we’ve compared the specs of the Galaxy Watch FE to Apple’s most affordable smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE 2, so you can see where the two devices differ.
Wear OS vs watchOS
The key difference between the two smartwatches comes from their respective operating systems. The Galaxy Watch FE is Android-powered and runs on Wear OS powered by Samsung interface, whereas the Watch SE 2 is part of the Apple ecosystem and runs on watchOS.
The Watch SE 2 requires an iPhone for both the initial setup and for everyday use and will not naturally work with any Android smartphone. While other Galaxy watches are compatible with iPhones, Samsung has stated that the Galaxy Watch FE is only compatible with devices running on Android 11.0 or higher.
Both operating systems allow access to external apps through their respective App Stores and have customisable interfaces too.
Both work as health and fitness trackers
Primarily health and fitness trackers, both the Galaxy Watch FE and Apple Watch SE boast similar tracking features. Firstly, the two smartwatches allow users to track more than 100 workouts, from yoga to swimming and offer access to their respected Samsung and Apple Health apps to show useful insights.
The two watches can also track and monitor heart rate, and will alert users if any irregularities are detected.
Both the Galaxy Watch FE and Apple Watch SE also have a useful sensor which detects a fall and will send out an emergency SOS.
The Apple Watch SE has a dedicated mental wellbeing feature with the Mindfulness app, which allows you to document how you feel either at that moment or during the day. You can then correspond this data with your sleep and exercise habits too.
The Apple Watch SE 2 is available in two sizes
The Apple Watch SE 2 comes in a choice of two sizes: 40mm and 44mm. The larger 44mm is designed to fit 140-245mm wrists whereas the smaller should fit 130-200mm wrists. The 44mm also includes a slightly larger screen size (44mm x 38mm compared to 40mm x 34mm).
Unlike the Apple Watch SE and other Galaxy smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch FE is currently only available in 40mm.
Both are water resistant
The Apple Watch SE 2 has a water resistance rating of 500 metres under ISO standard, which essentially means it can be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or the sea. However the Watch SE won’t survive a submersion below shallow depth, so should be avoided for sports such as scuba diving.
Similarly, Samsung explains the Watch FE is not suitable for diving or high-pressure water activities, but does boast an IP68 rating which means it’s protected against dust and can survive a submersion in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
Galaxy Watch FE is cheaper
Although the difference is negligible, the Galaxy Watch FE is cheaper with an RRP of £199/$199.99/€219. The Apple Watch SE 2 starts at £219/$249/€279 for the 40mm size and jumps to £249/$279/€309 for 44mm.
