Device hub · Fitness watches · Desk research
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
SE 2 is the 2022 $249 40/44mm value Watch: S8, 32GB, Crash Detection, sleep stages, and an 18-hour table — without Always-On, ECG, or Blood Oxygen.
In short
SE 2 is the 2022 $249 40/44mm value Watch: S8, 32GB, Crash Detection, sleep stages, and an 18-hour table — without Always-On, ECG, or Blood Oxygen. It is off watchOS 27. SE 3 added Always-On, S10, 64GB, and stays on watchOS 27. Buy leftover SE 2 only if the discount is real. Skip it if you need ECG or a current OS.
Product images
Placeholder — OEM press not licensedApple Watch SE (2nd generation)
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not an Apple asset). View official product image
Apple product images are copyrighted. Typical Newsroom “editorial use only” language does not grant a commercial comparison site a redistribution license.
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the Apple product page for the real product photo.
Placeholder — OEM press not licensedApple Watch SE (2nd generation)
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not an Apple asset). View official product image
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the Apple product page for the real product photo.
Who it is for
- iPhone owners documenting Crash Detection on a value 40/44mm case without inventing Always-On or ECG.
- Researchers comparing SE 2’s S8 / 32GB / 1.5-hour 80% charge to SE 3’s S10 / 64GB / Always-On table.
Who should skip it
- Anyone who needs watchOS 27. Apple’s current list is Series 9 or later, SE 3, and Ultra 2 or later — SE 2 is off that list.
- Anyone who wants Always-On, ECG, Blood Oxygen, or SE 3’s 32-hour Low Power Mode row.
- Buyers without a compatible iPhone. Leftover 111853: iPhone Xs or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 18 or later.
- Anyone who wants Ultra hardware or a Series Always-On panel.
Key differentiators
- S8 + Crash Detection + Fall Detection on leftover 111853 at a $249 launch start. No electrical heart sensor.
- Not Always-On. Leftover display row is Retina LTPO OLED, Ion-X, up to 1,000 nits, 326 ppi. SE 3 leftover is Always-On.
- 80% in about 1.5 hours on leftover 111853. Series 8 leftover does not print that minute.
- Off watchOS 27. Quote Apple; do not write an end-of-support scare.
Caveats
- Every numeric battery and brightness line is an Apple claim. GadgetShowdown has not lab-tested SE 2.
- apple.com leftover SE URLs 301 to apple.com/watch/. Cite Support 111853.
- Do not copy SE 3 Always-On, S10, 64GB, or 32-hour Low Power Mode onto this hub.
- Leftover pairing floor is iOS 18 / iPhone Xs — later than the 2022 Newsroom iPhone 8 / iOS 16 sentence shared with Series 8. Quote the live leftover sheet.
Watch-category specs
Same manufacturer rows on every watch page.
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 40mm: 759 sq mm; 44mm: 977 sq mm | Apple Support 111853 |
| Display type | Retina LTPO OLED; Ion-X front glass | Apple Support 111853Not Always-On. SE 3 leftover is Always-On. |
| Display resolution | 40mm: 324 × 394 px; 44mm: 368 × 448 px | Apple Support 111853 |
| Peak brightness (OEM) | Up to 1,000 nits; 326 ppi | Apple Support 111853Manufacturer nits claim. |
| Always-On display | No — leftover Support 111853 lists Retina LTPO OLED, not Always-On | Apple Support 111853 |
| Case size(s) | 40mm and 44mm | Apple Support 111853 |
| Case material | Aluminum | Apple Support 111853 |
| Case dimensions | 40mm: 40 × 34 × 10.7mm; 44mm: 44 × 38 × 10.7mm | Apple Support 111853 |
| Weight | 40mm GPS 26.4 g / GPS + Cellular 27.8 g; 44mm GPS 32.9 g / GPS + Cellular 33 g | Apple Support 111853Case-only figures from Apple; band not included. |
| Finishes | Midnight, Starlight, Silver | Apple Support 111853 |
| Chip / processor | S8 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor; 2-core Neural Engine | Apple Support 111853 |
| On-device storage | 32GB | Apple Support 111853SE 3 leftover is 64GB. Do not write that SE 2 matches it. |
| Battery — normal use (OEM) | Up to 18 hours of normal use | Apple Support 111853 |
| Battery — low-power / saver (OEM) | Not published | Apple Support 111853 |
| Battery — GPS / outdoor workout (OEM) | Not published | Apple Support 111853 footnote 2 |
| Charging (OEM) | Apple Watch Magnetic Charger to USB-C Cable (1m). Up to 80% charge in about 1.5 hours | Apple Support 111853 footnote 3 |
| Water resistance | 50m (ISO 22810:2010) — swimproof; not scuba, waterski, or high-velocity water | Apple Support 111853 footnote 6 |
| GNSS / GPS | L1 GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and QZSS | Apple Support 111853BeiDou is not named on leftover 111853. |
| Cellular | LTE and UMTS on GPS + Cellular models (plan required). International roaming listed (carrier-determined) | Apple Support 111853 |
| Heart rate | Second-generation optical heart sensor; Heart Rate app; high/low HR and irregular-rhythm notifications | Apple Support 111853Not third-generation optical. No electrical heart sensor. |
| Blood oxygen (SpO2) | No Blood Oxygen sensor/app on leftover Support 111853 | Apple Support 111853 |
| Temperature sensing | Not published | Apple Support 111853 |
| ECG | No ECG app / electrical heart sensor on leftover Support 111853. Apple’s ECG footnote on Series sheets excludes SE | Apple Support 111853 |
| Sleep tracking | Sleep app including sleep stages | Apple Support 111853 |
| Sport / workout profiles (OEM) | Dedicated running, hiking, cycling, and swimming blocks plus a More Workouts list (skiing, snowboarding, rowing, golf, walk, elliptical, HIIT, yoga, and others printed on leftover 111853) | Apple Support 111853 |
| Other sensors | Compass; always-on altimeter; high-g accelerometer; high-dynamic-range gyroscope; ambient light. Digital Crown with haptic feedback | Apple Support 111853 |
| Durability / ingress | 50m water resistance (swimproof). No IP6X / MIL-STD row on leftover 111853 | Apple Support 111853 |
| Safety / incident alerts | Emergency SOS; international emergency calling; Crash Detection; Fall Detection; noise monitoring; Backtrack | Apple Support 111853 |
| Operating system | watchOS (Support 111853). Newsroom launch OS was watchOS 9. SE 2 is off Apple’s watchOS 27 device list | Apple Support 111853; Series 12 / watchOS 27 Newsroom list |
| Phone compatibility | iPhone Xs or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 18 or later (leftover 111853). Re-check current pairing floors | Apple Support 111853 |
| Wireless (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth) | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n); Bluetooth 5.3 | Apple Support 111853 |
| NFC / contactless payments | Apple Pay; GymKit | Apple Support 111853 |
| Band / strap system | Apple Watch band interface. 40mm fits 130–200mm wrists; 44mm fits 140–245mm wrists. Box includes one band | Apple Support 111853 |
| US MSRP (launch) | Starts at $249 (US) | Apple Newsroom, 2022-09-07 |
| Price band | Value leftover ($200–$300 US launch) | Derived from $249 start |
| Announced | 7 September 2022 | Apple Newsroom |
| Availability | Order from 7 September 2022; US stores from Friday, 16 September 2022; leftover after SE 3 | Apple Newsroom, 2022-09-07 |
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) extras
Unique to this line or SKU.
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| Always-On | No. Leftover 111853 is Retina LTPO OLED. SE 3 leftover is Always-On | Apple Support 111853 |
| Crash Detection | Yes — leftover 111853 safety block. Newsroom 2022 launched Crash Detection on the new SE | Apple Support 111853; Apple Newsroom, 2022-09-07 |
| Wrist fit | 40mm fits 130–200mm wrists; 44mm fits 140–245mm wrists | Apple Support 111853 |
| watchOS 27 | Not on Apple’s watchOS 27 device list | Apple Series 12 / watchOS 27 Newsroom list |
| Versus SE 3 (desk) | This hub: S8, 32GB, not Always-On, 18-hour single row, ~1.5 h to 80%, off watchOS 27. SE 3 leftover: S10, 64GB, Always-On, 18 / 32-hour table, still on watchOS 27 | Support 111853 vs Support 125094 |
| In the box | Apple Watch SE; band; Apple Watch Magnetic Charger to USB-C Cable (1m) | Apple Support 111853 |
Overview
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) is the September 2022 value Watch. Leftover Support 111853 is the live OEM source. The physical product is a 40mm or 44mm aluminum watch, 10.7mm thick, with Digital Crown, side button, second-generation optical HR, compass, Crash Detection, and no Always-On panel.
First table: watches-v1. We have not worn this watch.
Battery (OEM table only)
| Mode (Apple’s words on 111853) | SE 2 claim |
|---|---|
| Normal use | Up to 18 hours |
| Low Power Mode | Not on leftover 111853 |
| 80% charge | About 1.5 hours |
How this page compares on a desk
| Desk fact (OEM) | SE 2 | SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Always-On | No | Yes |
| Chip / storage | S8 / 32GB | S10 / 64GB |
| Battery table | 18 h | 18 / 32 h LPM |
| ECG / SpO2 | No / no | No / no |
| watchOS 27 | No | Yes |
| US launch start | $249 (2022) | $249 (2025) |
Sources
- 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
Does SE 2 have Always-On, ECG, or Blood Oxygen?
No. Leftover 111853 is Retina LTPO OLED without Always-On, and there is no electrical heart sensor or Blood Oxygen app. Those holes are why SE 3 and Series sheets stay separate.
Does SE 2 get watchOS 27?
No. Apple’s watchOS 27 list is Series 9 or later, SE 3, and Ultra 2 or later.
Does SE 2 have Crash Detection?
Yes on leftover 111853 and Newsroom 2022. That is the main 2022 SE hardware hop versus first-gen SE.
Is $249 a street price?
$249 is Apple’s published US launch start on 7 September 2022. Leftover street tickets change. SE 3 later started at $249 as a current value Watch.
Official product page: Apple Watch SE (2nd generation). Tech specs: Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) specs.