Apple launched a series of gadgets ranging from smartwatches to smartphones, and earbuds last month. Today we are going to review the entry-level wearable from Apple which is the new ‘SE’ watch. The new SE watch (2022) is available in two size variants 40mm and 44mm. The company has also provided the users with the option of choosing the LTE-enabled version, which costs a little higher than the version without LTE support.
In the box
The box contains the watch capsule, two sizes of bands, and the magnetic charging cradle.
Design
The look of the Apple Watches throughout the time remained the same with its aluminum built square-cut design and it looks the same as its predecessor launched in 2020. The new SE 2022, being an entry-level smartwatch from the company, comes with a smaller screen size when placed in front of the latest 8 series smartwatch. The digital crown placed on the right side of the watch is very smooth to navigate through the content on the screen. Also, a power button is located below the crown which also allows you to launch apps. On the left side lies two cutouts for the speaker. On the back side, one can spot the heart-rate sensor. The straps are designed very smartly, distributing the weight of the capsule thoroughly. One thing about the straps that we liked is their capability to get easily attached and detached from the dial. The watch feels a little heavy when compared to Samsung Galaxy Watch5 which has a lighter body weight.
Display
The 40mm size which we got is a very decent size fitting the wrist quite comfortably. The watch comes with a Retina LTPO OLED display and has a brightness level of 1000 nits making the screen easily visible under bright sunlight. The 3mm bezels around the screen are quite prominent which we don’t see in the 8 series watch. The company did not use always-on-display in the new SE watch which has some benefits as well and that is saving the battery power. The display of the watch is very sharp and the level of colours is preserved very accurately when you view anything on the display.
The new SE watch allows you to reply to the texts on the screen through dictation or by scribbling letters which is quite ok whereas Samsung Galaxy Watch5 which falls around the same price range offers you the option to type on the screen to reply to texts which we really liked. We feel Apple could have done better in this section.
Resistivity
The new Watch SE comes with an IPX6 waterproof rating and can protect the watch up to 50m underwater. Also, the watch comes with Ion-X glass which prevents the display from getting unwanted scratches.
OS & processor
The new Apple Watch SE is powered by the same WatchOS 7 and S8 processor which is used in the latest Series 8 watch. The processor is very fast and launches the apps very quickly. The touch interface has also improved as while scrolling you won’t get stuck on any content. The company claims that the new SE is 20% faster than its predecessor and we can vouch for it that the new processor and the OS are faster. The Haptic alerts for incoming messages and calls are very noticeable and grab your attention even when you are occupied and not looking at your phone.
Storage
The new SE comes with 32GB of storage allowing you to install various apps and store your favorite music.
Features
The new Apple watch SE comes loaded with various features and unlike the Series 8 watch you don’t get Blood Oxygen Monitoring and the ECG feature on it. The Heart rate monitoring function keeps track of your heart rate and we found out that the measurements were quite accurate. The watch features emergency features like Crash Detection and SOS which in case of emergency automatically sends rescue messages and your location to the nearest services. The watch is equipped with a Cycle Tracking feature for women to help them track their monthly cycle. You can also use Siri on the watch to give commands to carry out functions.
The fitness tracking feature of the watch is very accurate and it can automatically detect when you are working out and give suggestions. Sleep monitoring measures your sleep schedule and provides suggestions for when to sleep. You can also see the duration of the sleep and the heart rate during sleep on the health app. The workout mode features various activities like indoor/outdoor running, cycling, pool swimming, open water swimming, hiking, rowing, strength training, core training, dancing, etc, and you can add other activities as well. There are various other features as well like Compass, Maps, Noise detection, Walkie-Talkie, Wallet, Stocks, etc.
The Apple Watch SE can also launch the camera of your phone and you can also view the photos in your gallery on the watch.
Calling
The new Apple Watch SE can be used to make calls using phone connectivity or directly from the watch when the phone is away. You can register the number on the watch to make calls and the process of registering is very simple, within a few clicks you are all set. We used the watch to make a few calls and the results were very good as the speaker does a very nice job and the voice of the person on the other end was very clear and also the person was able to hear us clearly. To make sure the person on the other side hears your voice you must keep the watch very near to your mouth as when we tried to move the watch a little away the voice became a little unclear.
Battery
The latest SE watch comes with a battery life of one day similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy Watch5. You need to charge back the watch daily if you want to wear it t regularly. The lack of Always-on-display helps to conserve the battery a bit more. There is a Low-power mode that limits battery usage by restricting the sensors and turning off certain features.
Conclusion
Apple makes one of the best smartwatches and the new SE with all its features does not fail to impress. The sensors are very accurate and provide real-time insights. Falling within the same range as Samsung Galaxy Watch5 we feel that the new SE falls a little behind in terms of design and aesthetics. Being an entry-level watch, it is a good alternative for iPhone users who want to go for a pocket-friendly watch.
