Apple Inc. is an American multinational tech company whose headquarters are in Cupertino, California. It was founded in April 1976 and is today considered to be one of the Big Five companies in the US. The founders were Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. Thanks to the popularity of their products, Apple made history by becoming the first company to reach a value of one trillion dollars.
Apple introduced a smartwatch, the Apple Watch in 2015.
Overview Of The Apple Watch SE
Is the Apple Watch SE the best watch out there? There’s no doubt that this is a snazzy smartwatch that’s packed with features. The most exciting thing about it is that it’s got all the useful features of the Apple Watch 6 but it’s cheaper.
Before we can delve into the comprehensive Apple Watch SE review, we’ll do some unboxing. Inside the box you’ll find:
· An Apple Watch SE made of aluminum
· A magnetic charging cable
· A strap (customers can order the watch with a band of their liking)
One aspect that makes the watch stand out is the fitness tracking that is as good as ever. It includes motivating nudges that help to keep you active.
Pros
· Comfortable
· Superb haptics
· Great health tracking
· Magnificent battery
· Water resistant up to 50m
Cons
· Sleep tracking isn’t outstanding
· Only functions with an iPhone
· Lacks always-on display
· No ECG
Things to consider before buying a smartwatch
Buying a smartwatch can be quite challenging at times. You have to look for one that you’re your needs and checks all the boxes for everything that you’re looking for. This means that you need to do some bit of research to avoid wasting your hard-earned money.
How do you know which smartwatch to buy? You, most definitely, want a health-focused device that is durable, allows you easy access to your notifications, and most importantly, is stylish and comfortable. If you are content with your current watch there no need to get this smartwatch. Also, if you’re not looking to make such an investment, don’t buy the Apple Watch SE. some cheaper alternatives include the Samsung Galaxy, Huawei, LG, Xiaomi, Fossil, Oppo, and others.
Here is a list of the most important things to consider before making a purchase:
1. Compatibility
Compatibility is of utmost importance because smartphones are meant to serve as your smartphone’s companion. Ensure that the watch is compatible with your handset.
2. Brand
No-name smartwatches may be cheaper but you should avoid them because they have lots of durability, display, and connectivity issues. When you’re going for a popular brand, be very careful to avoid buying a replica.
3. Budget
You’d be surprised at how much money you can save without having to compromise on the capabilities that you’re looking for. The most expensive smartwatch doesn’t necessarily have to be the best in the market. Make a list of all the watches that have all the features that you’re looking for and go for the most affordable one.
4. Features
As the smartwatch categories are growing, so are the capabilities. If you already know what you’re in the market for, this should make it so much easier for you to find the feature that you’re looking for. Some key features that you should look out for include water resistance and heart-rate monitoring.
5. Design
The first question you should ask yourself is whether you need a round smartwatch or a rectangle-shaped one. A good smartwatch should offer plenty of customization options such as a choice of straps and the ability to swap them.
Keep in mind that comfort counts for a lot when it comes to design.
6. Battery life
You shouldn’t only check the battery life when buying gadgets like phones and laptops. It’s also very important for a smartwatch to have good battery life. Keep in mind that watches with color screens and voice capabilities don’t last very long especially when used as phones.
7. Warranty
Getting spare parts or repairs done on a smartphone can be quite expensive. Go for a watch that comes with at least a year of repair and replacement warranty.
Specifications Of The Apple Watch SE
The Apple Watch SE is powered by the Apple S5 Dual-core processor, PowerVR GPU, and OS 7.0 that’s upgradable to 7.3. It is built with a glass front ceramic/sapphire crystal back, and an aluminum frame. Its screen is protected by Ion-x strengthened glass. It also packs 1GB RAM that supports 32GB internal storage.
The device has gold, silver, and space gray finishes and is compatible with iPhone6s or ones with iOS 14 or newer.
Here are it’s specifications:
| 1 | Display | LTPO OLED 3D touch display with 448 x 368 pixels resolution + 1000 nits max brightness |
| 2 | Strap | Genuine leather, stainless steel, silicone, synthetic rubber, double-layered/woven nylon, handmade elastic band |
| 3 | Screen size | 1.78 inches |
| 4 | Modes | Airplane, Walkie-talkie, Theater, Schooltime. Do Not Disturb mode |
| 5 | Sensor | Accelerometer, gyroscope, optical heart rate sensor (2nd gen), ambient light sensor, barometer |
| 6 | Dimensions | 44 x 38 x 10.4 mm |
| 7 | Battery | Non-removable Li-Ion battery (up to 18hrs) + wireless charging |
| 8 | Weight | 36.4 g |
| 9 | Features available | GPS, compass, always-on altimeter, water resistance (50m), speaker, microphone, international emergency calling, emergency SOS |
| 10 | Price in Ringgit Malaysia (RM) | RM 850 – RM 928 |
Features and Benefits
Before you get completely lost in this review, there’s one thing you need to ask yourself: What are the benefits of all the features found on the Apple Watch SE? to answer this question, we’ll give you a comprehensive description of what makes this device a better-value smartwatch.
Here are the main features and their benefits:
1. Design and Display
The Apple Watch SE has the same curve design as other Apple Watches that have been launched since the Apple Watch 4 in 2018. It packs the Digital Crown that rolls pleasantly under the finger when you are scrolling. Below it is the power/multitasking button that helps flip through recently-opened apps. On the underside, you can feel a bulge that is the heart rate monitor. The monitor has glowing green LEDs.
The device’s display uses OLED display technology and comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes. It features 1000 nits brightness and Ion-X glass to protect it from scratches. The smaller 40mm Apple Watch features a resolution of 324 x 394 pixels while the larger 44mm Apple Watch has a resolution of 368 x 448. This translates to 759mm2 and 977mm2 display area for the 40mm and 44mm Apple Watch respectively.
2. Battery life
The fact that the Apple Watch SE display isn’t always on means that the battery will last even longer. The SE also lacks the advanced heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring of the Watch 6 that are heavy drains on the battery.
Even though users are promised 18 hours of battery life from a full charge, they actually get more – about 24-36 hours. Keep in mind that the “all-day” battery life doesn’t apply if you want to track sleep.
Charging the Apple Watch SE to 100% from fully drained takes around 2 and a half hours.
Overall, I believe that this device has excellent battery life compared to other Apple Watch models.
3. Performance and software
The Apple Watch SE uses the S5 chip that was used to great effect in the Series 5. On paper, it’s 20% slower in performance than the S6 chip in Series 6, but there’s no noticeable difference really. It’s considerably faster than the chip used in older Series 3 that’s still in the market.
This watch runs the latest operating system called watchOS and comes with watchOS 7 installed out of the box. This OS offers the same notification, fitness, and health-tracking features as the Series 6. The watchOS 7 update includes several new watch faces such as GMT watch face that shows multiple time zones, Count Up for tracking time-lapse, Chronograph Pro with a tachymeter, Typograph for displaying numerals in custom styles, Memoji for putting a Memoji on Apple Watch, and Stripes in customizable patterns.
Lastly, the OS has a Family Setup option that allows users to manage and set up Apple Watches for children or older family members who don’t own iPhones. Thanks to this setup, kids can call/text their parents, talk to Siri, use Apple Pay with funds provided by parents, etc.
4. Compatibility and connectivity
The Apple Watch SE has the same tight integrations with an iPhone as other Apple Watches with regard to notifications, Apple Pay, and a wide range of 3rd-party apps such as Google Maps, Strava, and a basic version of Spotify. The only app that is unavailable is WhatsApp. Users can respond to their messages directly from the notification section but can’t start new ones from your wrist.
Although most of the watch’s work offline, that doesn’t mean that it is entirely independent of the iPhone. With this watch, you can connect to your iPhone or the internet through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Users can also connect via 4G if they have a compatible phone plan.
There are two Apple Watch SE configurations: GPS and GPS + Cellular. The GPS + Cellular SE models have an LTE connection while the GPS-only models don’t. LTE connectivity has been available since the Apple Watch Series 3. With an LTE connection, the Apple Watch is untethered from the iPhone and doesn’t require an iPhone or Wi-Fi network for an internet connection.
5. Fitness
One of the main reasons why people buy the Apple Watch is its fitness capabilities. Apple’s wearables are functional fitness and wellness devices that keep getting better with each iteration since the first Apple Watch was unveiled in 2015. This means that users now get better value for their money.
Users can track their fitness in the Workout app which tracks running, walking, cycling, yoga, dance, and cooldown. As a result, the calorie burns are more accurate because users can easily tell when they reach their fitness rings. Important data such as the heart rate is displayed on whichever phone or screen you are using.
All this talk about fitness may sound simple but the watch helps you learn your general movements, helping you live a healthier life. The suggestions given by the Watch SE on what to do to become more fit will encourage you to be more active. As if all that is not enough, you can access dozens of workout videos to help you achieve your fitness goals.
6. Warranty
Apple warranty covers products against manufacturing defects starting the day of purchase. The warranty period for the Apple Watch is 1 year. The warranty doesn’t cover damage caused by accidents or unauthorized modifications.
The experts at Apple understand exactly how everything works and can easily help users resolve any issues that arise.
Most Apple Watch issues can be easily solved by unpairing, restarting the smartwatch, and then pairing it again. If the problem persists, arrange for the watch to be taken to an authorized Apple Center for repair or replacement. There is no charge for repair or replacement for issues covered under warranty. Otherwise, you will be required to pay an out-of-warranty fee.
The replacement parts are warrantied for 90 days or the remaining term of the Apple warranty, whichever is longer.
7. Other unique features
Other unique features that are worth mentioning include:
i. Waterproof
The Watch SE is water-resistant up to 50m thanks to the seals and adhesives. This allows you to go swimming with this device and monitor your vitals. So dive right in and map your route in water as you track your splits.
The speaker which needs air to produce sound is the only point of ingress and it’s designed to expel water from itself using sound vibrations after exposure to moisture.
ii. Fall detection
Thanks to its inbuilt accelerometer and gyroscope, the Apple Watch SE detects when the user takes a hard fall. It then connects to emergency service especially if he/she has become immobile.
What this means is that users can get immediate help in an emergency, even when they are across international borders.
iii. Music and Podcasts
Imagine endless music and podcasts wherever you go.
With the Apple Watch SE, you have access to over 70 million musical tracks on your wrist. You can also stay up to date with your favorite podcasts while you’re on the move. All the inspiration you need for your workout or trip and every one after that is an arm-length away.
Alternatives
You will be shocked to find out that none of our three picks for the Apple Watch SE alternative are Apple Watches. While Apple watches sync up very well with iPhones, you can still opt for other options that come in handy when you need to track your fitness while receiving notifications. All you need to do beforehand is check all the features you need to ensure that you get the functionality that you’re looking for. Check out our list of options below:
1. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 R820
Pros
· Lightweight and comfortable
· Attractive minimalist design
· Great haptics (digital control)
· Great battery life
· Supports LTE
Cons
· Quite pricey
· Very few 3rd party apps
· Workout tracking isn’t as comprehensive
This watch goes for RM1,399.00
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 R820 is almost a resounding success. However, the lack of comprehensive workout tracking is really a negative if you’re worried about a particular thing such as your heart. On the other hand, we love that this Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 R820 has excellent notifications, pin-sharp haptics, snappy performance, and good battery life. Try it and you might end up loving it just as much as we do.
Comparison list
- Performance for both of them is speedy and superior
- Both are an attractive combination of good looks and good features
- They come with touchscreen displays
2. Bluetooth Smartwatch with Sport Tracker
Pros
· Water-resistant
· Sleep monitoring support
· Comes with multi watch faces
· Gives weekly health support
· Quite affordable
Cons
· The round shape is not very pretty
· Screen doesn’t respond to touch
· Phone has to be close-by
This watch goes for RM88.99
The Bluetooth Smartwatch with Sport Tracker doesn’t have the advanced health sensors that the Apple Watch SE has but it has everything else we love about Watch SE but for a significantly lesser amount. Buy this watch if you don’t care much about blood oxygen. This feature is more of a peace-of-mind feature rather than a must-have feature so you can live your life well without it.
Comparison list
- You get extensive tracking features with both brands
- Improved battery life for both watches – it doesn’t drain quickly
- Both models are water-resistant
3. Huawei Watch GT2e
Pros
· Has a beautiful design
· Always on. Display
· Accurate heart tracking
· Sporty
· Excellent battery life
Cons
· No third party apps
· Lacks payment options
· No NFC
This watch goes for RM599.00
If you are a health and fitness fanatic, the idea of getting a Huawei Watch GT2e must sound appealing. If you’re undecided about which watch to get between the Apple Watch SE and the Huawei Watch GT2e, try out the latter and you might be shocked to realize that it’s all you ever needed.
Don’t get this Huawei watch if you’re in the market for the best and the latest. If you love having all cutting-edge features then this isn’t for you.
Comparison list
- Both are affordable models
- Upgraded chipset for both of them
- It’s easy to change the straps for the two brands
Conclusion
A few years back, the world of wearables wasn’t filled with a ton of high-quality devices to choose from. However, not all these devices are created equal and one has to do some bit of homework before choosing the right smartwatch. We hope that this piece helps you figure out which one is best for you. A lot of people still wonder, are smartwatches worth it? There’s a high chance that if you’re here, your answer to this question is yes.
Some of the main reasons why you should buy this smartwatch are that it features the same larger display size as Series 6, fall detection, a compass, an always-on altimeter, noise monitoring, and gives regular heart rate notifications. It is also a good deal (in terms of pricing), has a bigger screen, comes with newer health features, and has the fall detection feature.
With the Apple Watch SE, you are never too far away from help whenever you need it. Click here to find out more about the product and make a purchase.
