Released in 2022, the second-gen Apple Watch SE is by definition the best budget smartwatch for iPhone users. But with so many cool Apple Watch Series 9 and Series 8 deals flying from left and right these past few months, it’s easy to forget about that mid-range model and wonder if one of the two high-enders might be a better choice for you.
Thanks to an unprecedented $123 markdown from a $329 list price, the 44mm cellular-capable Apple Watch SE 2 remains significantly cheaper than an equivalent Apple Watch Series 9 variant, at least with a starlight aluminum case and matching starlight sport loop. While that comes with a fair share of compromises, including no ECG technology or blood oxygen sensor, the two wearable devices look undeniably similar at first glance.
Powered by the same S8 processor as the Apple Watch Series 8, the Apple Watch SE (2022) is unlikely to lag or stutter in daily use compared to essentially all the best smartwatches available today. The battery life is… admittedly not great, but of course, the same can be said about the Series 8 and Series 9 as well.
Then you have a Retina display that’s not remarkably bright but it is reasonably sharp all in all, as well as top-notch water resistance and all kinds of cool health monitoring and potentially life-saving tools. We’re talking everything from a heart rate sensor to fall detection and crash detection technology, not to mention good old fashioned sleep tracking, Emergency SOS functionality, and irregular rhythm notifications.
If you want to be able to make and receive voice calls directly on your wrist while also keeping your spending to a minimum, this is definitely the time to act, and if you don’t hurry, your money-saving opportunity will surely expire.
