Fitness watches · Model guide · Maker specs
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
Buy Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) only well below $249: SE 3 launched at that price with an Always-On screen, and SE 2 doesn't get watchOS 27.
In short
Buy Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) only well below $249: SE 3 launched at that price with an Always-On screen, and SE 2 doesn't get watchOS 27. It has the S8 chip, 32GB of storage, Crash Detection and up to 18 hours of battery in a 40mm or 44mm aluminum case. There's no ECG or Blood Oxygen app, and you'll need an iPhone.
Product images
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
Who it is for
- Bargain hunters who find it well under SE 3's $249 and want the basics: Apple Pay, heart-rate alerts, workout tracking and sleep stages.
- SE 2 owners whose watch still does the job. Keep it: SE 3 adds an Always-On screen, the S10 chip, 64GB and watchOS 27, but still no ECG or Blood Oxygen.
- Swimmers and walkers on a budget. It's water resistant to 50m and has a compass, an always-on altimeter and Backtrack.
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants Apple's new features as they ship. SE 2 doesn't get watchOS 27; SE 3 does.
- Anyone who wants the time on screen with their wrist down. SE 2 isn't Always-On; SE 3 is.
- Anyone who wants ECG or Blood Oxygen. SE 2 has neither, and Apple's ECG app excludes every SE, SE 3 included.
- Android users. SE 2 works only with an iPhone.
What sets it apart
- Crash Detection, the main hardware change from the first SE, plus Fall Detection and Emergency SOS with international emergency calling.
- High, low and irregular-rhythm heart notifications from a second-generation optical sensor, plus sleep stages in the Sleep app.
- A 40mm or 44mm aluminum case, 10.7mm thick and from 26.4 grams before a band, with a 1,000-nit Retina screen at 326 ppi.
Caveats
- Expect to charge it every night. Apple rates it for up to 18 hours of normal use and gives no Low Power Mode figure.
- Charging is slow by current standards: about 1.5 hours to reach 80% on the included magnetic cable.
- The iPhone requirement has moved up since launch. In 2022 Apple listed iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16; it now lists iPhone Xs or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 18 or later.
Key specs
In the same order on every watch page, so you can compare models.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 40mm: 759 sq mm; 44mm: 977 sq mm | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Display type | Retina LTPO OLED; Ion-X front glass | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Display resolution | 40mm: 324 × 394 px; 44mm: 368 × 448 px | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Peak brightness | Up to 1,000 nits; 326 ppi | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Always-On display | No | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Case size(s) | 40mm and 44mm | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Case material | Aluminum | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Case dimensions | 40mm: 40 × 34 × 10.7mm; 44mm: 44 × 38 × 10.7mm | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Weight | 40mm: 26.4 g GPS, 27.8 g GPS + Cellular; 44mm: 32.9 g GPS, 33 g GPS + Cellular | Apple SE 2 tech specsCase only, without a band. |
| Finishes | Midnight, Starlight, Silver | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Chip / processor | S8 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor; 2-core Neural Engine | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| On-device storage | 32GB | Apple SE 2 tech specsSE 3 has 64GB. |
| Battery, normal use | Up to 18 hours of normal use | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Battery, GPS workouts | No separate rating for SE (2nd generation); Apple gives only the 18-hour normal-use figure | Apple SE 2 tech specs, footnote 2 |
| Charging | Magnetic Charger to USB-C cable (1m) in the box; up to 80% in about 1.5 hours | Apple SE 2 tech specs, footnote 3 |
| Water resistance | 50m (ISO 22810:2010); swimproof, but not for scuba diving, waterskiing or high-velocity water | Apple SE 2 tech specs, footnote 6 |
| GNSS / GPS | L1 GPS, GNSS, Galileo and QZSS | Apple SE 2 tech specsBeiDou isn't listed. |
| Cellular | LTE and UMTS on GPS + Cellular models (carrier plan required); international roaming depends on the carrier | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Heart rate | Second-generation optical heart sensor; Heart Rate app; high, low and irregular-rhythm notifications | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Blood oxygen (SpO2) | No Blood Oxygen sensor or app | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Temperature sensing | No temperature sensor listed | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| ECG | No ECG app or electrical heart sensor; Apple's ECG app excludes SE models | Apple SE 2 tech specs; Apple's ECG footnote |
| Sleep tracking | Sleep app with sleep stages | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Workout types | Running, hiking, cycling and swimming, plus skiing, snowboarding, rowing, golf, walking, elliptical, HIIT, yoga and more | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Other sensors | Compass; always-on altimeter; high-g accelerometer; high-dynamic-range gyroscope; ambient light sensor; Digital Crown with haptic feedback | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Durability / ingress | Water resistant to 50m (swimproof); no IP6X dust or MIL-STD rating listed | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Safety / incident alerts | Emergency SOS; international emergency calling; Crash Detection; Fall Detection; noise monitoring; Backtrack | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Operating system | watchOS 9 at launch; SE 2 doesn't get watchOS 27 | Apple Newsroom, 2022-09-07; Apple's Series 12 announcement |
| Phone compatibility | iPhone Xs or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 18 or later | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Wireless (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth) | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n); Bluetooth 5.3 | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| NFC / contactless payments | Apple Pay; GymKit | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Band / strap system | Apple Watch band fitting; 40mm fits 130–200mm wrists, 44mm fits 140–245mm; one band in the box | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| US price at launch | Starts at $249 (US) | Apple Newsroom, 2022-09-07 |
| Price band | Value watch ($200–$300 US launch) | Based on Apple's $249 starting price |
| Announced | 7 September 2022 | Apple Newsroom |
| Availability | Orders from 7 September 2022; US stores from Friday, 16 September 2022; replaced by SE 3 | Apple Newsroom, 2022-09-07 |
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Always-On screen | No; SE 3 added it | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| Crash Detection | Yes; new to the SE line with this 2022 model | Apple SE 2 tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 2022-09-07 |
| Wrist fit | 40mm fits 130–200mm wrists; 44mm fits 140–245mm wrists | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
| watchOS 27 | No; Apple's watchOS 27 device list leaves this model out | Apple's Series 12 announcement |
| Versus SE 3 | S8, 32GB, no Always-On, up to 18 hours, about 1.5 hours to 80%, no watchOS 27; SE 3 has S10, 64GB, Always-On, up to 18 hours (32 in Low Power Mode) and watchOS 27 | Apple SE 2 and SE 3 tech specs |
| In the box | The watch, one band, and a Magnetic Charger to USB-C cable (1m) | Apple SE 2 tech specs |
SE 3 replaced it at the same price
SE 2 was Apple’s $249 watch from 2022 until SE 3 took over at the same price in 2025. Here’s what changed:
| Spec | SE 2 | SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Always-On screen | No | Yes |
| Chip | S8 | S10 |
| Storage | 32GB | 64GB |
| Battery | Up to 18 hours | Up to 18 hours; 32 in Low Power Mode |
| ECG and Blood Oxygen | No | No |
| watchOS 27 | No | Yes |
| US launch price | $249 (2022) | $249 (2025) |
Neither SE has ECG; for that you step up to a Series watch, and above those sits the Ultra, Apple’s adventure watch. SE 2 vs SE 3 goes through the rest, and SE 2 vs Ultra 4 covers the jump to the current Ultra.
The screen isn’t Always-On
SE 2’s Retina LTPO OLED peaks at 1,000 nits behind Ion-X glass, at 326 pixels per inch: 324 × 394 pixels on the 40mm model and 368 × 448 on the 44mm. That’s the same screen area, 759 and 977 sq mm, that Apple used on Series 4 to 6.
It isn’t Always-On, so you lift your wrist to see the time. SE 3 brought Always-On to the SE line.
Health tracking covers the basics
The second-generation optical heart sensor runs the Heart Rate app and the high, low and irregular-rhythm notifications, and the Sleep app tracks sleep stages. There’s no electrical heart sensor, so no ECG, and no Blood Oxygen app; Apple lists no temperature sensor either.
Software stops before watchOS 27
SE 2 launched on watchOS 9 and doesn’t get watchOS 27, so whatever arrives with 27 passes it by. If you plan to keep a watch for years, that alone points to SE 3.
Price and what’s in the box
SE 2 started at $249 in the US when Apple announced it on 7 September 2022, and it reached stores on 16 September 2022. The box has the watch, one band and a Magnetic Charger to USB-C cable (1m), and Apple Pay and GymKit are built in. With SE 3 now in that $249 slot, an SE 2 has to be clearly cheaper to make sense, so compare the two prices on the day you buy.
Compare this watch1
Each one puts it against a single rival.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Apple Support — Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) tech specs (111853) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Newsroom — Apple reveals Apple Watch Series 8 and the new Apple Watch SE — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple — Guidelines for Using Apple Trademarks and Copyrights — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Should I buy SE 2 or SE 3?
SE 3, unless SE 2 costs a lot less. SE 3 launched at the same $249 with an Always-On screen, the S10 chip and 64GB, and it gets watchOS 27. Neither has ECG or Blood Oxygen.
Does SE 2 get watchOS 27?
No. watchOS 27 runs on Series 9 or later, SE 3 and Ultra 2 or later. SE 2 launched on watchOS 9 and won't get the features that arrive with 27.
Does SE 2 have ECG or Blood Oxygen?
No. It has no electrical heart sensor and no Blood Oxygen app, and Apple's ECG app excludes every SE, SE 3 included.
Does SE 2 have Crash Detection?
Yes. Crash Detection came to the SE line with this 2022 model, and Fall Detection and Emergency SOS are there too.
Can I swim with SE 2?
Yes. It's water resistant to 50m under ISO 22810:2010, which covers swimming but not scuba diving, waterskiing or other high-velocity water.
Which size should I get?
The 40mm if your wrist measures 130–200mm around; the 44mm fits 140–245mm. Both are aluminum and 10.7mm thick, and the 44mm adds a bigger 368 × 448 screen.
Is there a cellular SE 2?
Yes. GPS + Cellular models add LTE and UMTS with a carrier plan, and international roaming depends on your carrier. They weigh 27.8 grams (40mm) and 33 grams (44mm) before a band.
Official product page: Apple Watch SE (2nd generation). Tech specs: Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) specs.