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The Apple Watch 6 and Apple Watch SE are the most expensive and affordable Apple Watches of 2020. Almost identical in appearance, scratch the surface (not literally) and you’ll notice a few key differences in specs – the pack of two different watches sensors, strap options and features. And, of course, the flagship Apple Watch 6 is more expensive too.
A big part of what makes Apple the go-to wearable watches for iPhone users looking for a reliable smartwatch experience is compelling support for capable fitness apps and credentials. It’s safe to say that these strengths are comparable on both the Apple Watch 6 and the Apple Watch SE.
Both support standard training features including Apple Fitness Plus, heart rate monitoring and GPS tracking. That said, advanced features like ECG and blood oxygen monitoring are reserved for the 6 Series.
With the Apple Watch 6 costing about a third more than the SE, are its additional features enough to entice potential buyers?
Design and display – Same front, different back
If you just get the Apple Watch as a piece of bling, then no one will be wiser if you go for the SE over the more expensive Apple Watch 6. In fact, you might be better off going for a previous generation. model – Apple hasn’t really made any significant design changes to the Apple Watch since it was first released in 2015.
The Apple Watch 6 and SE both come in 40mm and 44mm variants, and although they are the same dimensions, the Apple Watch 6 weighs a few grams more. Not much, then – but given the watches’ low weight, the difference could be pretty much noticeable.
Both devices are waterproof up to 50 meters, but the SE and Series 6 cases come in a few different options. The Apple Watch 6 is available in aluminum or stainless steel, while the Apple Watch SE is available exclusively in aluminum.
To go into detail, the Apple Watch 6 is available in silver (aluminum and stainless steel), gold (aluminum and stainless steel), space gray (aluminum), blue (aluminum), product RED (aluminum), graphite (steel stainless), Space Black (stainless steel and titanium), and
Titanium (titanium). Meanwhile, the Apple Watch SE can be offered in gold, silver, or space gray (all aluminum).
As for the strap options, at the low end they are virtually identical, with both Apple Watches available with Braided Solo Loop, Solo, and Sport straps. That said, the Apple Watch Series 6 is also available with a few other flavors, including the breathable Nike Sports band and the iconic and beloved Milanese Buckle.
But that’s not all: there’s also an Apple Watch 6 special edition Hermès that will set you back the small sum of $ 1,249. Sporting a fundamentally different design, rather than Apple’s standard clasp system, the straps are not interchangeable on the Hermès edition and are attached to the body of the watch via a metal buckle at the top and bottom.
The screens of all recent Apple Watches are identical on paper, with Retina LTPO OLED technology combined with 1000 nits of brightness. With a resolution of 448 x 368 and a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch in the larger 44mm version of both, the sharpness of all Apple Watches is excellent.
A different element is the front glass of the watch face. While the Apple Watch Series 6 sports a sapphire crystal display, the more affordable SE fascia is reinforced Ion-X glass. Both watches, however, have the same 60% screen-to-bezel ratio and a screen size of 1.78 inches.
Considering these identical specs, the fact that the Apple Watch 6 supports an always-on display while the Apple Watch SE does not is a bit frustrating. This is something both phones could have presented from a hardware standpoint, but Apple chose to restrict the functionality of its more affordable watch with a software limitation.
Flip the smartwatches over and the final difference appears: the sensors. On the Apple Watch Series 6, you’ll see four dots in a fancy-looking sensor array, but the SE sports a concentric circle pattern that doesn’t support both tracking features on everyone’s lips just yet: ECG and SpO2.
Fitness and Features – ECG and SpO2
It was in Watch 5 that Apple introduced ECG / EKG (electrocardiogram) technology on smartwatches, and this feature carried over to the Apple Watch 6 – but not the SE. Inclusion of this sensor in the more expensive Apple Watch means it can read heart rate data, in turn detecting potential arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) that can be a precursor to heart disease.
One electrode is on the underside of the watch, while the other is on the crown of Apple Watch 6. Press your finger on the crown while the Apple Watch is attached to your wrist and your reading will appear at the screen.
ES also lacks a blood oxygen sensor (SpO2). While such a unit isn’t new, we’ve seen it on even affordable fitness trackers such as the Xiaomi mi band 5; prior to Series 6, they weren’t featured on any Apple Watch. Note that not all SpO2 monitors are created the same and Apple’s unit is FDA certified and will likely be one of the best performers on portable devices.
In general, both Apple Watch models are great fitness and health trackers, running on Apple’s latest on-demand service, Fitness Plus.
Apple Fitness Plus is a streaming video subscription service that offers guided workouts on your Apple TV, iPad, or iPhone. These activities cover activities such as yoga, indoor cycling, and running on a treadmill.
Apple Watch broadcasts your heart rate to the Fitness Plus interface, which can be viewed on a connected device. It’s not available at launch, but it’s expected to be introduced later in 2020.
Both watches also support third-party apps that use the wearable’s sensors for similar purposes, such as FIIT (now available through Sky in the UK) and Wondercise, which goes so far as to match movements with those of a trainer on screen.
OS, power and battery – Deja vu
Apple claims the Watch 6 and SE will last 18 hours, just like previous generations of Apple Watch. Given the SE’s lack of permanent display support, however, we found its real-world use to be more generous – closer to a day and a half, with the flagship Apple Watch 6 slightly behind.
This still leaves users with a charging conundrum on both watches. WatchOS 7 brings sleep tracking to the series, so if you want to use it, you’ll need to find a time other than while you’re in bed to charge it up. There is no low power processor like on the Oppo Watch, there is also no VOOC fast charging technology to see it turn on in just over an hour, giving you less freedom to extend battery life.
When it comes to power, we didn’t notice any performance differences between the two watches, although the Apple Watch 6 houses a newer processor: an Apple S6 versus the Apple S5 on the SE. Both have 32 GB of built-in storage and 1 GB of RAM.
Additionally, both watches support third-party apps unlike other less intelligent smartwatches such as the Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro, for example. In our testing, app support on both looks the same, but if future apps use ECG or SpO2 sensors, then naturally the features won’t work on the OS.
Price
As for the price of the Apple Watch 6, the Wi-Fi version costs $ 399 / £ 379 / AU $ 599 for the 40mm version, while the 44mm version costs $ 429 / £ 409 / AU $ 649. . Meanwhile, the Apple Watch SE can be purchased for $ 279 / £ 269 / AU $ 429 for the 40mm version and $ 309 / £ 299 / AU $ 479 for the 44mm version.
Anyone interested in LTE can expect to pay $ 499 / £ 479 / AU $ 749 for the 40mm Apple Watch 6 and $ 529 / £ 509 / AU $ 799 for the 44mm version. Meanwhile, the 40mm SE LTE watch is priced at $ 329 / £ 319 / AU $ 499, while the 44mm version costs $ 359 / £ 349 / AU $ 549.
Of course, as mentioned earlier, there are a lot of more expensive options for the Apple Watch 6. Want a stainless steel Apple Watch instead of an aluminum one? Prices start at $ 699 / £ 649 / AU $ 1,049. Prices for Hermes Double Tour Edition in stainless steel soar to $ 1,399 / £ 1,349 / AU $ 2,119
To take away
The new Apple Watch SE is a solid response to a world that craves more accessible technology – and to Apple users who may not be as cash rich as they once were. It strips things in the right places, while being nearly indistinguishable from the entry-level Apple Watch 6 in design.
Meanwhile, for anyone who wants the latest and greatest Apple Watch, the company is offering, continuing the ECG functionality and introducing the SpO2 sensor and always-on display into the Watch 6 mix.
For the most part, the Apple Watch SE will suffice; it’s still a very high-end laptop that offers smooth performance and reliable fitness tracking. If you need those extra sensors or want a little more flexibility when it comes to materials, straps, and style, it’s worth the extra effort for the flagship watch 6, and you don’t mind. no pay for it.
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