If you have any doubt as to whether you should get an Apple Watch at all, the SE is Apple’s entry-level option. OK, so it isn’t the most exciting Apple watch. It hasn’t been updated since 2022 and doesn’t have the flashiest standout features, like the ability to check your skin temperature or your blood oxygen. The smaller, 1,000-nit display is now very noticeable now that bigger, brighter screens have come to Series 9. Most regrettably of all, it does not have the next-gen ultra-wideband chip to precision-locate your many other Apple devices.
However, it is the most affordable of what Apple touts as its first carbon-neutral products (when bought in conjunction with the new sport loop, that is). It’s compatible with WatchOS 10, which is where many new health and wellness features show up. It has the last S8 chip, which is what the Series 8 has, and features like Crash Detection to call your emergency contact and emergency responders if you’ve been in a car accident and are unresponsive for 10 seconds. It also has the newly redesigned Compass app, fall detection, and support for international roaming, and it works with Family Setup. It comes in a teeny 40-mm case size, and the nylon back makes it even lighter. If you have an Apple Watch, everyone in your family wants an Apple Watch. The SE will serve you, your nana, and your 9-year-old perfectly well.