Apple Watch SE 2 review 2024

Apple Watch SE 2 review

what is the apple watch se 2?

Apple’s more affordable smartwatch offers everything most users require, featuring excellent fitness and safety capabilities.

(Image: © Future)

APPLE WATCH SE 2: TWO-MINUTE REVIEW

what is the apple watch se 2?

The Apple Watch SE 2 builds on the foundation of the original Apple Watch SE, which didn’t require major changes. Apple has refined it by making it lighter, incorporating a new processor for future-proofing, adding new colors, and slightly reducing the price.

If you’re considering upgrading from the original Apple Watch SE, it may not be worth it since there are no significant new features, aside from car crash detection. While this feature is valuable, it may not justify the $250 / £250 price tag for most people.

When deciding between the Apple Watch SE 2 and the Apple Watch Series 8, it depends on the specific features you need and your budget. The Series 8 offers an always-on display, an ECG, a pulse oxygen sensor, and a temperature sensor designed to help women manage their reproductive health. If these health sensors aren’t important to you, the Series 8’s higher price might not provide a vastly different experience compared to the SE 2.

APPLE WATCH SE 2 REVIEW: PRICE & RELEASE DATE

• Released September 2022
• 40mm version from: $249 / £259 / AU$399
• 44mm version from: $279 / £299 / AU$449

The Apple Watch SE 2 is not solely defined by being the budget-friendly option in Apple’s lineup, yet its affordability is a significant factor. Priced at $249 / £259 / AU$399 for the standard 40mm model and $299 / £299 / AU$479 for the cellular version (which we tested), it represents a $30 price drop in the US and a £10 to £20 reduction in the UK compared to the original Watch SE.

APPLE WATCH SE 2 REVIEW: DESIGN

• Lighter than any other Apple Watch
• Four aluminum color options
• Slightly thicker bezel than Series 8

The Apple Watch SE 2 retains the classic design familiar to anyone acquainted with previous Apple Watch models. Available in 40mm and 44mm sizes, it is the smallest watch in Apple’s 2022 lineup.

This year, it comes in three aluminum finishes: Midnight (black with a hint of blue), Starlight (silver with a golden hue), and Silver (pure silver). We tested the Midnight version, which at first glance appears black, but upon closer comparison with the black screen, reveals a subtle blue tint.

The Watch SE 2 features the well-known Digital Crown and power/app button on the right side, with the power button flush with the case, just like its predecessor. It sports toughened glass with curved edges on the front (though the screen is not sapphire), and the back houses the crystal-covered heart rate sensor. The rest of the rear has been updated with a ‘nylon infused’ material, which complements the aluminum chassis, offering a more unified look when the watch is off your wrist. Although not a significant change, it enhances the unboxing experience.

A notable improvement is the weight reduction. The new 40mm Apple Watch SE is about 13% lighter than the previous version and 18% lighter than the 41mm Series 8 aluminum model. While this only amounts to a few grams, the difference is noticeable. Having used the Apple Watch Series 7 aluminum (the same weight as the Series 8) for the past year, I immediately felt the lighter weight of the SE 2. If you prefer a watch that feels minimal on your wrist, this is an excellent choice.

The Watch SE 2 is water-resistant up to 50 meters, making it suitable for swimming in pools or open water, but not for deep-sea diving (the Apple Watch Ultra is designed for that).

One minor difference is the slightly larger bezel around the screen compared to the Series 8 (or Series 7). However, this is hardly noticeable depending on the watch face you use. I prefer a watch face with a black background, which makes the bezel virtually invisible. Many watch OS designs also use black backgrounds to blend the screen with the edge of the watch, so while the difference can be highlighted with certain watch faces, it doesn’t detract from the overall experience.

APPLE WATCH SE 2 REVIEW: DISPLAY

• Bright at up to 1,000 nits
• No always-on option
• Toughened glass – not sapphire

The screen of the Apple Watch SE 2 appears unchanged from its predecessor: an OLED display capable of up to 1,000 nits of brightness. This matches the brightness level of the Series 8, ensuring good visibility in most conditions, including outdoors. While reflections can occasionally interfere, they haven’t posed any significant issues.

One feature missing in the SE 2, however, is the always-on display found in the Series 8. When you lower or turn your wrist away, the SE 2’s screen goes completely black. It also turns off after a short period even if it’s still facing up. In contrast, the Series 8’s screen dims instead of turning off entirely, allowing you to see the time or current workout stats while conserving power.

For most users, the SE 2’s approach works well. The display activates quickly and reliably with wrist movement, designed to respond to such gestures. However, it requires a noticeable arm movement to trigger the display. For example, simply turning your wrist slightly to check the time while typing isn’t enough. Subtly checking the time during a meeting or discreetly viewing your workout stats without moving your hands is also challenging. While you can tap the screen to wake it up, this might be noticed if you’re trying to be stealthy.

This can make it harder to monitor workout stats during exercises like weightlifting, cycling, or using an elliptical, where you might not want to move your hands. An always-on display allows you to glance at the screen for information without turning your wrist, a convenience the SE 2 lacks.

While the absence of an always-on display isn’t a major flaw, it can be a downside depending on how you use your watch. On the upside, this omission seems to benefit battery life, which we’ll discuss later.

APPLE WATCH SE 2 REVIEW: FITNESS & HEALTH

• No major upgrades, apart from car crash detection
• Good workout options, with more running stats in watchOS 9
• No ECG or pulse oxygen sensor, but still has irregular heartbeat warning

The Apple Watch SE 2 introduces only a few new health or fitness features compared to its predecessor, but it still offers a comprehensive package for general health tracking—as long as you’re not looking for advanced metrics.

Key features include motion sensors for movement tracking and personal fall detection, GPS on all models for location and speed data, a pulse sensor for heart rate monitoring and irregular rhythm alerts, a noise sensor to warn of potential hearing damage, sleep tracking, and numerous software health options.

A significant hardware upgrade is the addition of a more accurate accelerometer. This new sensor supports Apple’s Car Crash detection feature, which prompts the watch to check if you’re okay after a crash and automatically calls emergency services if there’s no response. This improved accelerometer should also enhance activity tracking accuracy and regular fall detection, although in practice, there’s no noticeable difference compared to the previous Apple Watch SE or Series 7.

The SE 2 lacks an ECG, pulse oxygen sensor, and temperature sensor—features available in the Apple Watch Series 8. Competing smartwatches from brands like Fitbit offer some of these features at similar or lower prices. While Apple has slightly lowered the SE 2’s price, it would have been beneficial for the company to include at least the ECG, given its emphasis on the life-saving potential of these health features.

watchOS 9 has enhanced sleep tracking, offering more detailed insights into sleep stages through an easy-to-understand graph. It also introduces a medication reminder tool, which separates medication alerts from general reminders and tracks the impact of missed doses on metrics like activity levels, heart rate, and sleep quality.

The Watch SE 2, like other Apple Watches, relies heavily on the Workouts app for fitness tracking. The app includes a wide range of exercise options, from yoga to running to strength training, and allows for quick initiation of workouts via Siri or manual selection. The watch also features passive fitness tracking, detecting and prompting you to record exercises that match its workout profiles.

watchOS 9 adds more detailed metrics for activities such as running (including power, stride length, and contact time), and automatic switching between sport types for triathletes. However, these updates are not exclusive to the SE 2 and are available on other Apple Watches.

The SE 2 continues to use the three-ring system to track exercise minutes, calories burned, and standing activity, with customizable targets to meet various fitness goals. The heart-rate tracking is suitable for casual or semi-serious use, though serious fitness enthusiasts may prefer a chest-based heart rate monitor for greater accuracy.

Overall, while the fitness features of the Apple Watch SE 2 are familiar and have seen little change, they have been steadily improved through software updates.

APPLE WATCH SE 2 REVIEW: BATTERY LIFE

• Much longer than advertised – around two days in our testing
• Low Power Mode can extend it even further
• No fast-charging support

The Apple Watch SE 2 pleasantly surprised me with its battery life, exceeding Apple’s claims based on my experience. Apple states the SE 2 offers “up to 18 hours” of battery life, which is their standard claim for watches. While Apple’s battery life estimates are usually conservative, this time they’re significantly underselling it.

Over a 24-hour period of wearing the Watch SE 2, I typically see the battery drop to about 50%. For instance, on one specific day: I put it on, fully charged, at 9 am; wore it all day, including a seven-mile walk tracked with the Outdoor Walk workout (keeping the heart-rate sensor and GPS active for over two hours); wore it all night for sleep tracking; took it off for a 20-minute shower (without charging it); and tracked my two-mile bike commute to the office with an Outdoor Cycle workout.

By 9 am the next day, 24 hours later, the battery was at 47%. In practice, this watch lasts nearly two full days of real-world use, including overnight sleep tracking. If you turn it off overnight, you could stretch it to almost three days.

Importantly, this performance is achieved without using the new Low Power Mode, which can be activated by swiping up from the bottom of the watch display, tapping the battery symbol, and flipping a switch on-screen. This mode deactivates some background functions to save battery, such as reducing the frequency of passive heart-rate readings, meaning you won’t get irregular heartbeat notifications while it’s active.

With Low Power Mode on, I observed a 30% drop over a 21-hour period of lighter use (no long workouts), including sleep tracking overnight.

The only downside related to the battery is the slower charging speed compared to the Series 7 or Series 8, which come with a higher-power charging option. However, the impressive battery life compensates for this. If I charge it every morning while getting ready for work, it reaches 100% or close. It only feels slow if you need to charge from a low battery level.

There’s also a new feature where, if you’re using your Watch and a notification comes in, it appears as a small banner at the top instead of taking over the whole screen. Personally, I prefer the old way – I rarely use my Watch for tasks that require intense focus, and I only allow important notifications to come through. The banner notification is too small and easy to miss. While this could be useful for those using their Watch as a map, I find it less effective overall.

Apple has also introduced new watch face options, including a Lunar face with various language options and a sleek new Metropolitan face. The Metropolitan face offers several customization options, my favorite being the ability to tweak it outside of the face editing screen. When using it normally, you can turn the Digital Crown to switch between squat numbers on the dial, regular-looking numbers, or tall numbers. The first and last options have a cool ’60s speedometer aesthetic, and it’s fun to play around with during idle moments.

SHOULD YOU BUY APPLE WATCH SE 2?

Apple Watch SE 2

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