Apple Watch SE 2 vs. Apple Watch Series 8 Buyer's Guide

The Apple Watch Series 8 was announced at the "Far out" event. The Apple Watch SE is a low-cost option that still offers many of the Apple Watch features that have made the device so popular over the years, while the Apple Watch Series 8 offers a more feature-rich experience.

There are significant differences between the Apple Watch Series 8 and the Apple Watch SE, both of which feature the S8 chip, Crash Detection, water resistance, optical heart sensor, and more.

The Apple Watch Series 8 is more expensive than the Apple Watch SE at just $299. Is it worth it to spend an extra $150? The guide tells you how to decide which of the two Apple Watches is best for you.

Differences

The watch is made by Apple.

• Aluminum casing
• Ion-X front glass
• Color-matched nylon composite back case
• 44mm or 40mm case size
• Retina display
• 324 by 394 pixels with 759 sq mm display area (40mm) and 368 by 448 pixels with 977 sq mm display area (44mm)
• Second-generation optical heart sensor
• Cycle tracking
• Available in Midnight, Starlight, and Silver
• Starts at $249

Apple Watches Series 8.

• Aluminum or stainless steel casing
• Ion-X front glass (aluminum) or sapphire crystal (stainless steel)
• Ceramic back case
• 45mm or 41 mm case size with edge-to-edge display (nearly 20% more screen area than ‌Apple Watch SE‌)
• Always-On Retina display
• 352 by 430 pixels with 904 sq mm display area (41mm) or 396 by 484 pixels with 1143 sq mm display area (45mm)
• Third-generation optical heart sensor
• Blood oxygen sensor and Blood Oxygen app
• Electrical heart sensor and ECG app
• Temperature sensing
• Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates
• U1 chip
• Fast charging
• Available in Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and PRODUCT(RED) (aluminum) or Silver, Graphite, or Gold (stainless steel)
• Starts at $399 (aluminum) and $699 (stainless steel)

The Apple Watch Series 8 is a small improvement over the previous model. The Apple Watch Series 8 is more feature rich than the Apple Watch SE.

With its larger display, advanced health monitoring features, and range of colors and finishes, the Apple Watch Series 8 will be the model of choice for those who want the most out of their wrist accessory. If you feel that the always-on display, additional health monitoring features, or fast charging would be especially useful to you, the Apple Watch Series 8 is the best model for you.

The Apple Watch SE is a very compelling option if you don't like the additional features of the Series 8. Unless you value features such as the larger, always-on display or advanced health monitoring and can justify the added cost, you should probably choose the less expensive Apple Watch Series 8.

The Apple Watch SE is an ideal device for children and senior citizens who don't have an phone, but it is also the go-to model for most customers who are new to the Apple Watch and those who are upgrading from a Series 3 or older due to its competitive price.