Apple Watch SE 1st Gen

The Apple Watch SE, the company’s first sub-$300 smartwatch, offers most of the features of its pricier counterparts, lacking only advanced functionalities like ECG and blood oxygen sensing.

The Apple Watch SE, resembling the Series 5 but lacking a few health features such as the electrocardiogram and blood oxygen measurements, is designed for easier setup for children or elderly relatives who don’t own an iPhone.

The Apple Watch SE is not the top model in terms of features, but it is the most recommended for the average consumer. It keeps all the crucial technology like IP rating, GPS, and sharp OLED, while omitting the less essential ones.

The Apple Watch SE is highly recommended for iPhone users as it excels in daily productivity, health and workout tracking, and managing notifications, making it an excellent everyday watch.

Despite being a cheaper model, the Apple Watch SE feels high-end with its solid construction, excellent haptic engine, and handy Digital Crown for navigation.

The Apple Watch SE features a classic rectilinear design, with a digital crown on the right side for navigation and functioning as a multipurpose button. A microphone and another button for app access and power control are also on the right side. A speaker is located on the left side of the watch.

The new features of the Watch SE are mostly updates from watchOS 7, like the new Fitness app, sleep tracking, and automatic hand wash detection and countdown. There are also new shareable watch faces with support for multiple complications from the same app.

The Apple Watch SE still offers a comprehensive suite of fitness tracking features including GPS, water-resistance for swimming, and an accelerometer for fall detection.

New software features include hand washing reminders and Family Setup. It also supports Apple Pay for contactless payments and allows Apple Music subscribers to download music directly onto the device.

The battery life of the Apple Watch SE is not optimal, especially when using all features such as the brighter, always-on screen, sleep-tracking, blood oxygen tracking, GPS-enabled workouts, and hand washing reminders.

Though it has a year-old processor and lacks an always-on display, the Watch SE’s offerings may attract iOS users interested in smartwatches but hesitant to spend $400, despite being $80 more expensive than the still available Series 3.

While the Apple Watch SE may not have all the features of other Apple watches, it retains the essential technology, such as an IP rating, GPS, and a sharp OLED, without feeling compromised. It is the recommended choice for most people due to its affordability.

The Apple Watch SE serves as a mini iPhone for some users, enabling them to see messages discreetly, especially during work, use exercise features, change watch faces, and even answer phone calls without needing to physically access the phone.

The Apple Watch SE is a good choice for first-time smartwatch users and those who do not require advanced health features like ECG or blood oxygen monitoring.

The Apple Watch SE stands out with its beneficial blood-oxygen-measuring tool, accelerated charging time, and slightly enlarged display, retaining its position as the optimal smartwatch or fitness tracker for iPhone users.

The Apple Watch SE offers exceptional value with a vast array of tracking features and the best smartwatch OS available. It also provides a wide selection of straps for customization.

The Apple Watch SE, while offering numerous theoretical features, disappoints with its mediocre battery life and dependency on iPhone for operation, thereby limiting its usability.

The Apple Watch SE falls short in some areas with the lack of an always-on display feature and a battery life that barely lasts a day.

The Apple Watch SE can be fitted with silicone bumpers which are cost-effective and don’t interfere with the watch’s touchscreen functionality.

The Apple Watch SE has a watch stand accessory which conveniently holds the existing watch charger, and fits snugly into the silicone hole, with the wire neatly wrapped around the back.

A bumper is recommended for Apple Watch users who are involved in sports activities or tend to be clumsy, although it may alter the aesthetic appeal of the watch. Apple advises to remove it for drying.

Apple’s new “Solo Loop” band is a continuous strap with no buckles or clasps, providing a comfortable fit when the right size is chosen. However, the fit can be tricky to get right, as the silicone bands are tighter than the woven options, which may lead to a need for exchanges.

Apple’s digital crown offers a minimalist approach that maintains the Watch SE’s compact size.

The Apple Watch SE is made from aluminum.

The Apple Watch SE, with its cellular-enabled version, allows one to make calls directly from the watch.

The Apple Watch SE has a 50m water resistance rating, which allows it to be worn in both a pool or the ocean.

The Apple Watch SE offers good water resistance, effective up to a depth of 50 meters.

While the SE does not offer as many customization options as the Series 6, users can still personalize their device with a variety of straps, including the new braided Solo Loops bands.

The Apple Watch SE is available in several colors.

Notably, Apple Watch SE’s stand transforms the watch into a bedside clock when used with nightstand mode enabled.

The Apple Watch SE can be charged wirelessly using a magnetic puck.

The Apple Watch SE’s strong integration with the iPhone makes it a top choice for iOS users, with only the Series 5 and Series 6 being potentially better options.

The Watch SE connects quickly to GPS, with Apple Maps providing effective guidance, including new cycling directions with information on bike paths and slope steepness.  

The Apple Watch SE comes with a multitude of connectivity options, including Bluetooth for earbuds or phone connection, Wi-Fi, and GPS for workout tracking. It also features NFC for Apple Pay transactions and an available LTE version.

The Apple Watch SE allows music streaming from services like Spotify or YouTube to any connected wireless earbuds, including Airpods and third-party devices. The watch also manages Airpods’ noise modes like transparency or noise cancellation. Moreover, the built-in Wi-Fi allows easy connection to new signals directly from the watch.

The non-cellular version of the Apple Watch allows calls, but only if the user stays within range of their phone.

The Apple Watch SE carries familiar features with a knob for scrolling through notifications, apps and volume controls, and a button for shortcuts. Long pressing the digital crown activates Siri, while pressing the button below shows the power menu. Double tapping it pulls up your default card on Apple Pay.

The Watch SE’s OLED Retina display provides a bright, colorful, and sharp viewing experience.

The Watch SE features an always-on altimeter that includes changes in elevation in workout reports after walks, bike rides, or hikes.  

The SE includes the newly introduced sleep tracking feature, which, while not as comprehensive as competitors like Fitbit, provides a simple overview of sleep patterns on both the watch and the Health app on the iPhone.

The Apple Watch SE features sleep tracking capabilities, which can be customized to fit your sleep schedule through the settings in the app menu.

Four new workouts are added in watchOS 7: dance, core training, functional strength training, and cooldown. However, the tracking for these activities is not noticeably different from a generic “other exercise” session.

Apple’s Health app allows users to monitor their blood oxygen levels over time.

The Apple Watch SE user interface is intuitive, offering a vast array of workout options that can be easily accessed for activities like running or walking outdoors.

Game installation on the Apple Watch SE is simple, and involves installing the game on one’s phone, after which it will automatically appear on the watch. One can then locate the game in the app menu and start playing.

By tapping on the discover icon at the bottom right of the Apple Watch SE display, and scrolling down to ‘explore watch apps’, one can find a variety of suggested applications by Apple, ranging from fitness tasks to games.

The Apple Watch SE offers an engaging feature that allows users to create and fully customize emojis, known as memoji, enhancing the overall user experience.

The Apple Watch SE features Apple Pay, enabling seamless transactions by simply tapping the power button and your wrist on any terminal.

The Apple Watch SE’s Phone Finder feature allows for easy location of a misplaced phone within the house by simply using the control center. The phone icon can be long-pressed to toggle the phone’s flash, aiding in faster retrieval.

The Apple Watch SE has a helpful feature that allows users to locate their lost phones.

The Apple Watch SE, released on 18th September 2020, operates on the watchOS. It comes in dimensions of 30 x 40 x 10.7 mm and weighs 30.49g. The watch is available in silver, space grey, and gold colours, and features GPS. It’s priced at £269 in the UK, $279 in the USA, €299 in the EU, CA$369 in Canada, and AU$429 in Australia.

The Watch SE has a hand-wash detection feature that uses movement and sound to determine if the user is washing their hands and starts a 20-second timer.

The new Family Setup feature allows you to set up the Watch SE for someone else in your family from your own phone, enabling you to keep track of their metrics remotely.

The haptic feedback on the Watch SE can be used to wake users up with a vibration-based alarm, and the watch will also ask if the user wants to turn off the alarm if they wake up and move within 30 minutes before the set alarm time.

In watchOS 7, you can set individual targets for each of the three activity circles, as opposed to one overall goal.

Fall detection, emergency SOS, high or low heart rate notifications, and hearing health notifications are all available features on the Watch SE, providing an added layer of safety for users.

The Watch SE includes a Wind Down and Wake Up feature that can help users prepare for sleep and the upcoming day, with Do Not Disturb mode and gentle alarm tunes, which are similar from those available on a smartphone.

The fall detection feature, which uses the accelerometer to detect severe falls and automatically contacts emergency services, is an extremely useful safety feature in the SE. Although it can be difficult to test, it’s designed to respond to the intensity of the fall rather than malfunctioning.

The Apple Watch SE excels in promoting activity and keeping users active with its unique ‘fill your rings’ system that encourages movement, steps, and standing.

The Apple Watch SE comes with WatchOS, with its wide range of beautifully designed faces, plethora of apps and services, and excellent user experience, and sets the standard for smartwatch software.

The Apple Watch SE’s new watchfaces are customizable, ranging from data-dense to minimalist designs, and can be managed via your phone.  

The Apple Watch SE introduces an automatic handwashing detection feature that initiates a 20-second countdown timer once it senses you’re washing your hands.

The Apple Watch SE allows seamless multitasking, enabling quick toggling between apps such as Spotify by double tapping the crown, which instantly switches to the most recently opened application.

The watch SE offers the feature of customizing and applying a variety of watch faces.

The Apple Watch SE offers a user-friendly interface with a variety of features accessible from the home screen. These include notifications, a quick access toolbar, various modes such as walkie-talkie, theater, night, airplane, and water mode. The watch also houses a multitude of apps offering features like workout tracking, compass, decibel meter with ear damage warnings, voice recording, breathing exercises, maps, period tracking, remote camera, and more. Communication features like messages and phone calls are available when connected to a phone. The interface also allows access to email and Apple Pay.

The Watch SE has an estimated battery life of around 18 hours, similar to the Galaxy Watch 3, and slightly less than the Fitbit Sense. Its battery life is comparable to the Series 6, despite the Series 6 having an always-on display.

The Apple Watch SE offers an impressive all-day battery life, as confirmed by a video strain test where it was among the top three performers.

Charging the watch to full capacity takes over an hour, which could be inconvenient for some users.

The Apple Watch SE, powered by the S5 chipset, provides a speedy performance, with tasks like Siri and voice dictation being processed on the watch, making them faster than before.  

The performance of the Apple Watch SE is impressive, with the S5 chip providing a smooth and fast experience, especially noticeable for those upgrading from earlier models.

The GPS tracking in the Apple Watch SE is accurate and reliable, providing the same results as other Apple Watches. Despite being a more affordable model, users aren’t missing out on this crucial feature.

The OLED display of the Apple Watch SE is exceptional, offering great visibility under any lighting conditions, whether indoors or outdoors.

The SE’s heart rate monitor is consistently active, providing accurate readings throughout the day and night. The SE’s heart rate monitor holds its own when compared to other versions of the Apple Watch and competing wearables known for their accuracy.

The Apple Watch SE microphone and speakers deliver excellent quality during phone calls, ensuring clear communication even in windy outdoor environments.

The microphone and speaker of the Apple Watch SE are praised for their clarity, surpassing user expectations.

The Apple Watch SE 2, featuring the same processor as the Apple Watch 8, offers superior speed compared to the first-generation SE. Its extended support period also makes it a reliable choice for first-time users.

The Apple Watch SE 1 is good, but investing an extra $50 for the SE 2 version could be beneficial due to its potential for greater longevity, although the SE 1 version is expected to remain useful for a few more years.

The 1st generation Apple Watch SE is commendable for basic functionalities, however, investing an additional ~$50 for the 2nd generation SE is considered a better option.

The Apple Watch SE is equipped with more modern features than the cheaper Series 3. The Series 3 lacks the Family Setup feature, uses older sensors, does not support fall detection, and has a smaller display and slower processor.

The SE’s display covers more of the front compared to the Series 3, offering a bright, crisp, and responsive screen, but it lacks the always-on feature, which means users will need to raise their wrist to see the time.

The Apple Watch SE, with its design taken from the Series 4 and Series 6, comes in two sizes and boasts a larger display than the Series 3, though it lacks the variety of materials and new color options.

The SE1 offers a glass back and shows no signs of slowdown, while the SE2 features a plastic back. It’s also advisable to avoid the Series 3 or older versions as they are considered obsolete.

The Apple Watch SE uses the speedy S5 chipset from its predecessor, Series 5, and maintains the body design from Series 4, ensuring full compatibility with accessories from Series 4, 5, and 6.

There’s not much of a visual difference between Apple’s Series 5, Series 6, and SE smartwatches, they all appear to be nearly identical. The Series 6, however, is equipped with a brighter display, a new processor, and Apple’s U1 chip which enhances the watch’s detectability in relation to other nearby devices. Despite these enhancements, the Series 6 doesn’t feel significantly faster than its predecessor, the Series 5.

The most significant upgrade appears to be a faster recharge time. While the Series 5 required over 2 hours to recharge, the Series 6 takes approximately an hour, a useful feature considering the watch’s new sleep tracking ability.

The Apple Watch SE resembles its predecessors, the Series 5 and 6, and boasts a higher-end feel despite its lightweight and compact size. It stands out for its classy appearance compared to other rectangular smartwatches such as the Fitbit Sense, which feels less premium.

Purchasing the SE version saves almost $150, and it looks quite similar to the flagship Apple Watch 6, making it a cost-effective and stylish choice.

The Apple Series 6 and SE watches support all existing and upcoming watch faces.

A user suggests purchasing the Apple Watch 6 for its health features and Always On Display, but recommends the SE for those who don’t require these features to save money.

One user, after extensive research, chose the SE over the 6 due to the lack of need for the EKG/Oxygen feature. However, there’s a concern that Apple might introduce options for the newer chip in the 6, thus promoting the purchase of the more recent product.

The Apple Watch SE has been positively received by a user who switched from a Fitbit Ionic and Versa 2. The lack of an Always On Display feature isn’t a concern as having the watch only show time when the arm is lifted conserves battery life.

The Apple Watch SE is relatively comfortable to wear to bed, but its sleep tracking features may not be as insightful or accurate as other smartwatches like Fitbit or Samsung. The Watch SE uses accelerometer data rather than heart rate data to track sleep and may inaccurately detect sleep and wake times.

The Apple Watch SE offers various reply options for incoming messages including voice, handwriting keyboard, emoji, suggested responses, Memoji stickers, and a Digital Touch, making it more versatile than Samsung or Fitbit watches.  

The Apple Watch SE’s battery performance is similar to Samsung’s latest wearable, but a departure from multi-day endurance devices like Fitbit. The charging method remains unchanged, utilizing a magnetic puck, and the Watch SE does not support other wireless charging solutions like Qi.

At $279, the Apple Watch SE offers more modern smartwatch features than its competitors.

The 40mm SE Apple watch is priced around $280, while the larger 44mm version is available for approximately $310.

The Apple Watch SE excels in integration with the iPhone, making it a better smartwatch option for iOS users, despite lagging behind in sleep tracking.

The ability to download music and podcasts without needing to carry a phone is highly appreciated by users who enjoy running. The Apple Watch SE also provides workout data like a phone would.

The Apple Watch SE is highly valued by some users, as its voice memo recording feature proves to be a convenient tool for legal protection in case of potential lawsuits.

For a first-time smart watch user, the Apple Watch SE is considered to provide the best balance between value and features among the current lineup.

A question was raised about the need for a cellular version of the Apple Watch to make or receive calls. It’s clarified that the cellular version’s only advantage is that it allows for call-making and receiving without needing the phone nearby.

The Apple Watch SE is cost-effective, albeit missing a few advanced features such as an always-on display.

The Watch SE uses the same Ion-X glass display as the aluminum models of the Series 6 and older, which might be less durable than the sapphire crystal on the stainless steel and titanium editions, as evidenced by the screen cracking after a fall.

Apple’s new Solo Loop, a silicone band without fasteners or buckles, was not preferred due to discomfort, despite it being the correct size. A nylon sport strap was used instead without any impact on blood oxygen readings.

The plain design of the Apple Watch SE might not be suitable for those aiming to dress up or look fancy in a suit.

The hand-wash detection feature may be somewhat intrusive as it insists on a 20-second wash duration, which may not always be necessary. However, if the user stops washing before the time’s up, they will receive a gentle reminder, which can be easily ignored.

Despite its affordability, the absence of an always-on display on the SE is felt as a significant drawback, particularly for those who use the watch for basic functions such as time-checking, making it feel less like a watch and more like a fitness tracker.

Apple’s Health app, despite the company’s focus on good, utilitarian design, remains somewhat difficult to navigate.

The SE offers automatic tracking, although its reliability can be questionable. For high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts or long walks, manual activation might be necessary for accurate tracking.

The Apple Watch SE may require charging twice a day, which is inconvenient.

While protective cases for the Apple Watch work well, water can get trapped between the watch and the case, necessitating frequent removal and cleaning. Some users have resorted to removing their watches when washing their hands to avoid this inconvenience.

Silicone protectors for the Apple Watch may hamper the touch screen functionality, causing some users to question if there’s a way to increase the touch sensitivity on the watch.

The Apple Watch SE’s screen is prone to malfunctioning, sometimes requiring a hardware repair. A suggested fix is to unpair and then re-pair the device.

The recommended sequence for troubleshooting the Apple Watch SE’s screen issue is to first restart, then reset, followed by re-pairing, and finally returning the product if necessary.

Vertical stripes on the Apple Watch SE’s display indicate possible damage to the controller or connector, potentially caused by a swelling battery. Third-party charger usage and battery health should be checked for potential issues.

The Apple Watch SE has been reported to have glitches.

The Apple Watch SE at times seems to recognize touch, indicated by the animation, but appears to have a software bug affecting its performance.

The Apple Watch SE has a touchscreen issue where user presses were not recognized due to a faulty screen guard. After removing it, the touchscreen functioned properly.

There is an accessibility issue in the Apple Watch SE that can be resolved by turning off the ‘hold duration’ feature found under ‘touch accommodations’ in the accessibility settings on the watch app of the phone.

Even a two-day-old Apple Watch SE can experiencing issues with touch recognition, affecting multiple users.

The Apple Watch SE, despite the glitching issue, can sometimes continue to recognize touch inputs. A potential solution in this case could be a forced restart or unpairing and re-pairing it with the phone.

The Apple Watch SE has excluded certain features like the always-on display and Force Touch to maintain a lower price point, but these are not considered essential features for all users.

The Apple Watch SE lacks an ECG monitor and the new health sensors for measuring blood oxygen, features found in the Apple Watch 6.

The Apple Watch SE lacks an always-on display feature.

The Apple Watch SE lacks an always-on display feature, which was notably missed.

There’s a criticism about the absence of the Always On Display feature on the Apple Watch SE.

It’s advised to review the consumer laws and warranty conditions in one’s region, as products are often required to be fit for purpose even beyond the manufacturer’s warranty period. If not user-damaged, there’s a strong chance for a free repair or replacement. In particular, Apple has shown exceptional customer service in such cases, so it’s recommended to reach out to them initially.