Apple’s latest update to its entry-level wristwatch comes in the form of the Apple Watch SE 2 (also called the Watch SE 2022 by some).
It’s a smartwatch that has your budget in mind, as the price of the Watch SE 2 was announced at €299 for the GPS model and €349 for the cellular model. At this relatively low price, this is a great device if you want the base model Apple Watch and nothing else.
The fact that it remains at the price of the previous model and still contains the new S8 chip found in the Apple Watch 8 and Apple Watch Ultra means it has some great new features. It doesn’t have temperature sensing, but low-power mode and collision detection are included as standard.
The Watch SE 2’s release date has been set for September 16, though it’s already available for pre-order, in case you desperately need to get your hands on it.
Apple Watch SE 2: Design
The shape of the Watch SE 2 will be very familiar to anyone who has seen an Apple Watch in the past: with 40 mm and 44 mm versions, it is the smallest watch in the Apple collection.
It sports the familiar combination of the Digital Crown and power/app button on the right side and has the glass-covered heart rate sensor on the back, although that’s something that’s been improved with the Watch SE 2.
Using a “nylon-infused” material, Apple has made the back of the SE Watch 2 match the color of the aluminum frame that surrounds it, giving it a more seamless look when it’s off your wrist. Since this doesn’t happen often, it’s not a huge change, but it will look nicer out of the box.
Wearing the Watch SE 2 on your wrist won’t seem like a novelty to anyone who’s ever worn an Apple Watch: It’s light, the screen is legible (and capable of running as bright as the Watch 8), and while it has the large bezel around the screen, it’s perfectly easy to swipe and interact with apps on the go.
If you choose between the Watch SE 2 and the Watch 8, you only lose a few features: there are no additional sensors for monitoring temperature, blood oxygen, or ECG, the screen is slightly smaller and it doesn’t have an always-on display … but for many it won’t be big losses, especially considering the price.
However, it has automatic traffic accident detection, with which the watch can know if you’ve been hit by a car and alert the emergency services.
Again, this isn’t something we could (or would) test, but it’s made possible by the addition of the improved gyroscope and accelerometer found in even the most expensive watches.
Apple Watch SE 2: Battery
By incorporating the new S8 chip, Apple has hit the nail on the head: the “cheap” Apple Watch now has fast charging and low power mode, although the latter feature, which disables some key sensors such as automatic workout detection, will come to all Apple Watch devices starting with Series 4.
This means that while the Watch SE 2 should only last 18 hours on a single charge, you’ll probably be able to easily stretch it up to a couple of days if you don’t exercise every day, and even if you do, a quick charge will be easier. with the quick charger.
first conclusions
It’s hard to get too excited about the Watch SE 2, but Apple neither wants nor needs you to. All it wants is to offer a smartwatch that is more affordable for some people but still gives access to the ecosystem of apps and services that developers (and Apple) can make money from.
For the wearer, it’s a cheaper way to enter the connected world of Apple and still get most of the key features an Apple Watch can offer. If you don’t care about health metrics and don’t plan to climb a mountain or dive deep in water with your device on your wrist, the Watch SE 2 should be the Apple smartwatch to watch.
