Apple Watch 6 vs Apple Watch SE Review: Detailed Comparison

This week, on September 15th, Apple introduced two brand new versions of its smartwatch line: the Apple Watch 6 and the Apple Watch SE. Even though it has fewer capabilities and operates on a less advanced S5 chip, it is not the Apple Watch for those with limited financial resources. On the other hand, the Watch SE has been purposefully engineered to be more budget-friendly even though it and the Wear OS 7 smartwatch come in wifi-only and cellular configurations.

The Apple Watch 6 can be purchased for a price of $399, while the Watch SE can be purchased for $279.

We will compare the different models of the Apple Watch here for anyone interested in purchasing one but either buying their first one or not sure which model to get after their current one.

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The Design of the Apple Watch

At first glance, they appear to be virtually identical. However, there are more variations of the Series 6 available to purchase. Cases are compatible with either version of the watch.

Apple has introduced two new bands for its customers to choose from: the Solo and the Braided Solo. Because the display on the iPhone 6 and iPhone SE are identical, including the resolution, using either one feels precisely the same to the naked eye. Because they are both water-resistant, you can go swimming with complete assurance while wearing any one of them.

The Watch 6 is available in a wider variety of colorways and designs. The Apple Watch 6 is available in a brand-new blue color and a red that has never been seen before, in addition to the standard black, silver, gold, and aluminum. You have the choice between purchasing a titanium or steel model, both of which are available in a variety of colors.

Hermes, a well-known fashion company, has collaborated with Apple to provide a range of notable bands for the Apple Watch Series 6, available in various materials and hues.

The always-on feature is carried over to the Series 6 model. This appeared for the very first time in Series 5 the previous year. Because of this function, your display will be virtually always on. This eliminates the need for you to flick your wrist in order to switch it on so that you may check the time or your alerts.

Inside

The S6 chipset, which is the most recent offering from Apple, is included in the Apple Watch Series 6 package. On the other hand, the SE has the S5 as standard equipment. This is one of the aspects that had to be sacrificed for the SE to become more user-friendly, which is the main point of discussion here. Users will likely observe that the SE lacks features found on the 6. Apple has stated that the SE can still achieve twice the speed of the 2017 Series 3 model.

The Series 6 features an Ultra-Wideband as standard (also known as a U1 chip). This is the standard display that appears on iPhones beginning with the 11th generation and upwards. Its purpose is to provide devices with the ability to locate other devices with precision, albeit within very close proximity, and its application is for spatial awareness. Apple stated that this was being used to further improve AirDrop, a technology that enables users of one iPhone to share things with users of other iPhones near them. Apple tantalizes us with the promise that what we've seen so far is only the beginning of what they have in store for us. There have been rumblings for some time now that Apple is developing a tile tracking device, and some people think that the U1 will be utilized for this.

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Blood Oxygen App

The addition of a blood oxygen sensor is a significant improvement over previous iterations of the Apple Watch, making it one of the most notable differences between the Apple Watch 6 and the Apple Watch SE. A more popular name for this instrument is an oximeter. This will record essential data on your breathing and blood circulation. The time required to obtain a reading is precisely 15 seconds. This will give you an idea of how your cardiovascular and respiratory systems are functioning as a whole. Because changes in blood oxygen levels can tell us how severely this virus is harming the body, this monitoring strategy has been dubbed the "COVID-catching watch." In our post, you can get additional information on how smartwatches are diagnosing COVID-19.

The pulse oximeter comes with its own dedicated mobile application. You can take a manual reading whenever you like, but it will continue to take measures in the background even when you're not actively using it (for example, when you're sleeping). The information will be displayed in the Health app, where you may also track any changes or trends that may occur.

Both of these devices come equipped with an optical heart rate sensor that can monitor your heart rate at all times. The companion ECG app, which we saw make its debut on Series 4, is now available on the Series 6 watch. This will detect a heartbeat that is not regular.

Software

As we've already mentioned, both of these gadgets are powered by WearOS 7. The feature is known as "Family Setup" is brand new to this edition. Because of this, it is possible for users to pair either device with an iPhone. People who have young children or elderly relatives to care for will benefit greatly from this. You have the ability to perform things such as restrict the contacts that the watch can send messages to, implement restrictions over app downloads, and configure automatic location monitoring. It is not necessary for the other user to have an iPhone in order for them to make use of this feature, which is a departure from the norm for Apple. More information on this topic, including the many reasons why it is ideal for families with children, may be found here.

In addition to the Family Setup feature, WearOS 7 has several new watch faces, one of which is called Memoji.

There have also been a few other fascinating additions, such as the monitoring of noise levels, the detection of falls, a more accurate altimeter (which Apple claims will detect a difference of one foot), and the ability to contact emergency SOS services.

Additional Reading: Which is better: Fitbit Charge 5 or Samsung Galaxy Watch 4?

Price

The Series 6 has dethroned the Series 5 as the reigning series. To our great relief, the prices have not changed. (most recent revision: November 2020)

The GPS model with a 40mm antenna costs $399. The 44mm begins for $429.

The price tag will increase by an additional one hundred dollars for either of the cellular variants. Be sure to check Amazon's price for the most up-to-date information on pricing and offers.

Apple Watch SE

If you want the GPS version of the SE model, the price starts at $279. The SE model is also available in a 44mm or 40mm version.

If you wish to take advantage of the location tracking features, you will need to purchase the cellular version, which can be purchased for as little as $329.

Veronica

Veronica is a culture reporter at Collaborative Research Group, where she writes about food, fitness, weird stuff on the internet, and, well, just about anything else. She has also covered technology news and has a penchant for smartphone stories. .