Apple Watch SE Review: This Watch Has Almost Everything I Want

Speaker 1: It's been two years, but the apple watch se is finally getting an upgrade. The 2022 version has a faster processor, low power mode and sensors that can detect car crashes. The new apple watch se is now the cheapest watch in Apple's lineup. It starts at 2 49, which is $30 cheaper than the previous version, but it's also $50, more expensive than the series three, which used to be the cheapest apple watch. Overall, the new apple watch se is [00:00:30] a refreshed version of the original it's missing a lot of the bells and whistles found on the series eight and other flagship, apple watches like an always on display and sophisticated health tracking features. But the apple watch se is really for the person who just wants to track workouts, receive notifications on their wrist and use apple pay. It does those things well, but it still doesn't have everything on my wishlist. Speaker 1: First let's break down the differences between the se and the series eight [00:01:00] compared to the series eight, the apple watch se is missing and always on display, a larger screen, the ability to take an ECG, blood oxygen, saturation, measurements, temperature sensing, and faster charging. There are also options to buy the series eight in stainless steel compared to the se, which only comes in aluminum. The, the apple watch se looks a lot like the previous version. It comes in 40 and 44 millimeter sizes making it slightly smaller [00:01:30] than the series eight and the series seven it's available in midnight Starlight and silver color options. The se screen isn't as large as the series eights or the series sevens, but I didn't mind this too much, except I did miss using the Cordy keyboard to quickly respond to texts when I wasn't near my phone. But what I missed the most when switching to the se after using the series seven for the past year was the always on display. Speaker 1: The apple watch se just turns into an [00:02:00] idle black square sitting on my wrist unless I activate the screen. I've gotten used to seeing the watch face on my series seven every time I look down. So it's a little bit of a bummer not to have this on the cheaper model. It's the only feature I really wish the new se inherited from Apple's flagship watches. The new se generally looks and feels the same as the last one, but apple did make one subtle change to its appearance. The underside of the watch now has a new finish that more [00:02:30] closely matches the apple watches color. It's a nice touch compared to the last version. The only downside is that you're probably the only person who will see this new finish since it isn't really visible when the watch is on your wrist Speaker 1: Among the biggest improvements in the new apple watch se is its S eight processor. The same chip that powers the series eight apple says this should make the new se 20% faster than the previous version I've been switching [00:03:00] between the series eight and the se during the course of this review. And they both feel equally snappy so far, we're also reviewing the series eight. So be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss that video too. The real reason why it's a big deal. Let the se is getting the same new chip as the series eight is because it means the watch should be future proof for a while. The se should be able to support new features and future versions of watch O S for years to come, which hopefully means you won't have to upgrade for [00:03:30] a while. The new lineup of apple watches are also the first to get car crash detection, meaning they can alert emergency services and contacts. Speaker 1: In the event of an accident, the new watches have upgraded accelerometers and gyroscopes compared to older apple watches, enabling them to detect higher impacts apple. Also isn't the first to do this. Google's pixel phones also have a similar feature, but the addition of crash detection is another sign that apple is [00:04:00] really positioning the apple watch as a health and safety device. It comes after apple added fall detection back in 2018, starting with the apple watch series four, apple is also hoping its new smart watches can prevent you from getting lost. The compass app is getting a new feature called backtrack, which can help you retrace your steps. Just turn it on in the compass app and the watch will track your steps so that it can point you in the right direction. When it's time to turn back. I tried this when walking from my house [00:04:30] to a nearby park and sure enough, the compass app displayed a straight line showing my previous path so that I could retrace my steps while this feature is new. Speaker 1: It's not exclusive to the se and the series eight. It'll also be coming to the series six and later meaning the first generation se will get it too when it comes to battery life. There's good news and bad news. First, the bad the apple watch se still has the same 18 hour battery life as [00:05:00] previous apple watches. Now the good, the apple watch is getting a new low power mode to prolong that battery life, low power mode. Isn't exclusive to the new watches either. It'll be launching for the series four and higher. So you might not have to upgrade to get this feature depending on which model you have. It extends battery life by cutting back on certain features like automatic workout detection and background, heart rate measurements. This made a slight difference in the apple watch SES battery life so far, but not too [00:05:30] much with out low power mode turned on. Speaker 1: I had 71% of my apple watch SES battery left after 12 hours of use, which included an hour of outdoor exercise tracking with low power mode turned on. I had 74% left after 12 hours of similar usage. The big question is whether it's worth buying the $250 apple watch se over the $400 series eight. The answer depends on what you want in a, a smart watch. The apple watch se has all [00:06:00] of the same exercise tracking features as the series eight, along with apple pay support, plenty of watch faces to choose from and the ability to show notifications from your iPhone on your wrist. It also has the same safety features as Apple's more expensive watches, including emergency SOS, car crash detection, fall detection and high and low heart rate notifications. If you're a casual user that just wants to track workouts and get iPhone notifications, the apple watch se is a [00:06:30] good choice, especially since it's cheaper than the previous version, but the list of things you're missing out on by choosing the se over Apple's flagship watch is also bigger than it was back in 2020. Speaker 1: The apple watch se lacks the series eight's new temperature sensor, which might be a big deal for people who are interested in fertility planning or seeing if their nighttime risk temperature is off course, which could signal that you're under the weather. My biggest complaint is [00:07:00] that apple didn't add an always on display this time around. I don't think it's worth paying an extra $150 for the series eight just to get the always on display, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it. It's also worth noting that some of the apple watch SES new features like backtrack and low power mode, aren't exclusive to the new apple watch. That makes the case for upgrading difficult. If you own a series four or later the bottom line, if you care about monitoring in-depth health metrics, [00:07:30] you'll wanna go for the series eight. If you care more about just tracking workouts, the se will do just fine. Since you can get some features on older watches too, the apple watch se is ideal. If you're buying an apple watch for the first time or if you're upgrading from the series three or earlier. So what do you think about the new apple watch? Se let me know in the comments. Thanks for watching and I'll see you next time.