As we all know, Apple watches are pretty premium, which makes them expensive, and not all iPhone users can afford them. Therefore, Apple created an affordable watch two years ago for their iPhone users named Apple Watch SE. However, after two years, at the recent Apple event, they announced the new second generation of their affordable watch, the Apple Watch SE (2022). Apple Watch SE (2022) stands for Apple Watch SE 2.
However, the new Apple Watch SE is an incremental update to the original released in 2020. It improves the experience in a few significant areas. Along with the slight cosmetic improvements, Apple Watch SE (2022) offers significant performance benefits and additional software capabilities, especially since it ships with watchOS 9 out of the box. Moreover, the new Watch SE 2 with GPS and Cellular models has launched with even lower starting prices than the 2020 models. Let’s dive deep into the review and help you decide whether you should upgrade from Apple Watch SE to Watch SE 2.
What will you see here?
Overall Apple Watch SE 2 review
Apple Watch SE 2 comes in two standard Apple Watch sizes; 40mm & 44mm. It also has a Crystal-Covered heart sensor on the back, which is quite an upgrade compared to Apple Watch SE 2020. Comes in three new colours - Midnight, Starlight, and Silver.Apple Watch SE 2 comes with a Dual-core CPU speed processor, which holds multitasking very quickly without a visible lag. Also, it offers A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and QZSS for better fitness tracking. You also get NFC for contactless payments straight from the watch. Apple Watch SE 2 has all the essential health monitoring from the last gen with some minor upgrades. Compared to Apple Watch 8 & Watch Ultra, you'll miss many health-related features. It can measure your heart rate pretty quickly but won't be getting any ECG sensor or blood oxygen sensor. The Apple Watch SE 2 can last up to 18 hours on a single charge. If you use the sensors minimally, you can also achieve a battery life of up to 2 days. The watch will also support fast charging, which is quite an upgrade from the last gen.
- Latest S8 chip
- More Fitness Accuracy
- Cheaper than previous Watch SE
- Thick bezel around the screen
- No Temperature Sensor
- No always-on display
Price & Availability
As we all know from the Apple Watch SE 2 review, this series is made for people who require a budget Apple Watch. Therefore, the price and availability are many iPhone users’ main concerns. The Apple Watch SE 2 tch SE 2 starts at $249, which is around £259 for the GPS variant. Also, it costs $299, which is around £299 for the cellular model. This is an excellent item to purchase at this low price if you only want the base-model Apple Watch.
The Watch SE 2 will be available on September 16, but you can pre-order one if you’re eager to get your hands on one.
New Features that make Watch SE 2 a Better Deal
- New Apple S8 Chip
- New color options: Midnight, Starlight, & Silver finish.
- Bluetooth 5.0 For better connectivity
- Sensors include: Accelerometer & Light Sensors.
- GPS GLONASS For better Outdoor Workout Tracking
- Heart Rate Tracking with Irregular Heart Rate Notifications
- Crash Detection
- Fall Detection
- Redesigned Compass App
Car Crash Detection & SOS Emergency services
Apple Watch SE 2 gets some new features compared to the last gen, like automated car collision detection, in which your Watch can recognize if you’ve been in a car accident and notify emergency services. This new feature is made possible due to improved gyroscopic and accelerometer sensors compared to the last-gen Watch SE. The S8 Chips play a significant role in the progress of features, making this watch better than the last gen.
Irregular Heart Rate Alert & Revamped Apps
New features are added in the Apple Watch SE 2 related to fitness, like notifications of high and low heart rates and irregular heart rhythms. It also gets Fall & Car Crash detection features for users’ safety. The Compass App also gets redesigned and is now much more accurate. Also, the outdoor tracking is improved thanks to L1 GPS & W3 wireless chips.
Basic Features Carried From Last-Gen Watch SE
Regarding features, Apple Watch SE 2 offers all the essential health monitoring from the last gen with some minor upgrades. However, compared to Apple Watch 8 & Watch Ultra, you’re going to miss a lot of health-related features. It can measure your heart rate pretty quickly but won’t be getting any ECG sensor or blood oxygen sensor. The new Watch 8 & Ultra also offers the new skin temperature sensor, which you won’t be getting in Apple Watch SE 2.
Design
At first glance, Apple Watch SE 2 looks like the Apple Watch 4, with some hefty bezels around the display. However, the display is more extensive compared to Apple Watch 3. It comes in two standard Apple Watches sizes: 40mm & 44mm. However, this is a compact watch in the Apple Watch series.
Talking about the overall design. Apple Watch SE 2 follows the traditional Apple Watch design, with one digital crown power button and an app button on one side and speakers and mic on the other side. However, this time with SE 2, they offer a Crystal-Covered heart sensor on the back, which is quite an upgrade compared to Apple Watch SE 2020. This time, Apple has given some attention to the watch’s aesthetics while making the rear of the Watch SE 2 match the color of the aluminum chassis around it using a ‘nylon infused’ material. This makes it look more unified while off the wrist. Given that you won’t be doing anything with it, it’s not a big deal, but it will look prettier when you take it out of the box.
However, Apple also introduced new colors for Watch SE 2 compared to the last gen. Previously, the Apple Watch SE was available in Gold, Silver, and Space Gray. The three new colors are Midnight, Starlight, and Silver.
Specifications
The most significant upgrade in terms of the specification is the addition of a new S8 chip. Apple has used the same chipset in Apple Watch 8. In terms of performance, there are no compromises made in Apple Watch SE 2. Apple claims that SE 2 performs with 20% more efficiency than the last-gen Watch SE.
Apple Watch SE 2 comes with a Dual-core CPU speed processor, which holds multitasking very easily without a visible lag. Also, it offers a PowerVR GPU processor for faster and more fluid UI animation. It comes with 1GB of RAM & 32GB of Internal Storage for storing videos & Images. However, there is no External storage capacity option. For long-range and hassle-free connection, it offers 5.0, A2DP, and LE Bluetooth connections. Also, for better fitness tracking, it comes with an A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and QZSS. You also get NFC for contactless payments straight from the watch.
Display
From the display side, both Apple Watch SE 2 & Apple Watch SE looks are entirely identical. There are no changes in the display section compared to the last gen Watch SE. It has the same OLED display in 40mm & 44mm sizes.
However, there are some downgrades in the display section, like the Always On Display is not present even though it comes with an OLED display. It’s strange that SE doesn’t offer Always On Display, as its display uses the same LTPO technology as the Apple Watch 8. The brightness is comparable to the Watch 6. However, there are problems using Watch SE 2 outside in the sunlight because the peak brightness of the Watch SE 2 display is 100nits.
Software
This isn’t unique to the Apple Watch SE, but it’s worth noting that the device will launch with watchOS 9. Even though it is a small update, the current version of Apple’s software offers some essential improvements that are worth noting. Apple also revealed a new low-power option for watchOS 9 at the same event on September 7th. It will considerably increase battery life, which is ideal if you intend to use the Watch SE while sleeping.
The software changes include the watch can notify you of common movement patterns, and at the end of the day, the Watch SE will tell you what you need to do to reach your movement goals. These suggestions are not always the wisest. Going for a walk at 11 pm isn’t particularly helpful, but it does encourage you to be more active at essential times.
Battery Life
There are significant upgrades in the Watch SE 2 battery life. Thanks to the new S8 Chip, the Apple Watch SE can last up to 18 hours on a single charge. However, with the new S8 Chip, if you use the sensors minimally, you can also achieve a battery life of up to 2 days.
That means if you turn off the features like all-time heart rate measure, auto-detection of workout, etc. Moreover, the Watch SE 2 will also get the new low-power mode feature along with Watch 8 & Ultra. It’s a plus point for Watch SE 2 users. The Watch 2 SE will also support fast charging, which is quite an upgrade from the last gen.
Does Apple Watch SE have calling?
Yes, you get the calling feature with Apple Watch SE 2. To call on your Apple Watch, launch the Phone app. Tap Contacts, then scroll with the Digital Crown. Tap the phone button, then tap the contact you wish to call. To begin a FaceTime audio call, hit FaceTime Audio, or press a phone number.
How far can Apple Watch SE be from iPhone?
Bluetooth range is typically approximately 33 feet / 10 meters. When the Apple Watch cannot connect to the iPhone through Bluetooth, it will attempt to connect to a suitable Wi-Fi network as a fallback.
Conclusion- Why should you review it or not?
Concluding the Apple Watch SE 2 review, there are better smartwatches that offer more in this price tag. However, if you’re an iPhone user and want a full-fledged smartwatch experience on a budget, you must stick with Apple Watch SE 2. It offers the full flagship-like Watch 7 experience while cutting out some features. Apple Watch SE 2 offers only the features that people use almost daily. The additional reduction over the original Apple Watch SE is an extra advantage. However, you can get Apple Watch 3 at that price, but Apple discontinues it. Therefore, Apple Watch SE 2 is your best option if you want an Apple Watch experience on a budget.
