To make the Apple Watch available to even more people, Apple created a new model that combines elements of Series 6 design with the most essential features of Apple Watch, all at a more affordable price. The Apple Watch SE.
The Apple Watch Series SE comes with an updated casing identical to the Apple Watch Series 4, 5 & 6, available in silver, gold, or space gray, all in 100 percent recycled aluminum with 40mm and 44mm size options. The watch also comes with all the band options available for Series 4 and above including the Solo Loop.
The Watch SE uses the S5 chip, for up to two times faster performance than Series 3. The SE has the same accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, and altimeter as Series 6. And because it has the latest motion sensors, Apple Watch SE also supports fall detection, “a feature that’s made a lifesaving difference for many Apple Watch wearers” as said by Apple in their event.
Apple had to cut some corners to achieve this affordable price point, so it does not have the always-on display, Oxygen Monitoring, and ECG Feature.
There’s not much to talk about the SE, After all, it’s a series 4 with a newer chip.
The Apple Watch is priced at 279$ (AED 1,149) while they’ve reduced 80$ on the series 3 which now retails for 199$ (AED 730) as an entry point to the Apple Watch and the ecosystem.
So the big question here is, should you buy the SE over the Series 3?
If you’re just looking at price, obviously saving $80 and getting the Series 3 will be tempting. But you’d be getting a watch that launched three years ago with a dated design and is most likely to run out of WatchOS updates three years earlier than the Watch SE.
The newer processor makes the SE more relevant in 2020 and the future. For example, the Series 3 doesn’t support Apple’s new Family Setup plan that lets you set up an Apple Watch for your child, with parental controls for messaging and location tracking. The Apple Watch SE does and supports features like fall detection, noise monitoring, and sleep tracking.
If you need an Apple Watch with the most basic features and you’re pretty positive that you would upgrade to a new model in the coming years, then the Series 3 is probably the safest option, the design may seem dated, but the Series 3 is still a great watch that you can update tp WatchOS 7 and still get most of the new features. You could put in the $80 you saved towards purchasing an AirPods and have an almost complete ecosystem. However, if you plan on using the watch for years to come and need some of the new features, the Apple Watch SE is the safest option right now, after all, there are fairly little compromises you have to make when compared to the Series 6.
The Apple Watch SE is available right now along with the Series 6 & Series 3 at apple.com
Let us know what you feel about the Apple Watch SE in the comments section below.
Last modified: September 21, 2020
