Apple Watch Series 6 vs Apple Watch SE: What’s The Difference?
The Apple Watch is quickly becoming one of Apple’s most popular products. Now in its fifth year, the device has come a long way from its humble beginnings. And this year marks a major turning point in the Apple Watch history–because Apple just launched TWO different types of Apple Watches for the first time ever.
That’s right, Apple has announced the Apple Watch Series 6–and its as cool as you hoped. But the company also surprised everyone by announcing the Apple Watch SE. But just how do the two fitness-focused wearables compare? Let’s take a look.
Apple Watch Series 6 vs Apple Watch SE Quick Comparison
Design
- Apple Watch Series 6 – The Series 6 comes in 40 mm or 44 mm sizes and three different material options: Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Titanium. It also comes in up to five different color options per material–including the new blue and red.
- Apple Watch SE – The SE comes in 40 mm or 44 mm sizes, too, but only one material option: Aluminum. It comes in up to three different color options.
Winner? Apple Watch Series 6 – From a pure design standpoint, the Series 6 wins out. It comes in three different material options, the aluminum of which comes in a new blue and red models.
Displays
- Apple Watch Series 6 – Always-on Retina display. They always display means your Watch face will always show even when you’re not interacting with it.
- Apple Watch SE – Retina display. It’s the same beautiful resolution as the Series 6, but the SE’s display will shut off to preserve battery power when you aren’t actively using it.
Winner? Apple Watch Series 6 – The always-on display can’t be beaten. It’s what makes the Series 6 feel like a “real” watch and not just a computer on your wrist.
CPU/Processor
- Apple Watch Series 6 – Dual-core S6 SiP and U1 chip.
- Apple Watch SE – Dual-core S5 SiP.
Winner? Apple Watch Series 6 – Not only is the S6 chip 20% faster than the S5, but the Series 6 features a U1 chipset, too, which will help with location tracking and communication between devices.
Sensors
- Apple Watch Series 6 – The Series 6 sports the new Blood Oxygen sensor as well as the much-loved ECG. It also features an Always-on Altimeter and Fall Detection.
- Apple Watch SE – The SE doesn’t have the new blood ox sensor or the ECG. However, it too sports the Always-on Altimeter and Fall Detection.
Winner? Apple Watch Series 6 – It’s no contest. The blood oxygen sensor is critical for any smartwatch today, and the ECG can be a literal life-saver.
Storage Options
- Apple Watch Series 6 – 32GB
- Apple Watch SE – 32GB
Battery Life
- Apple Watch Series 6 – The Series 6’s battery will get you about 18 hours of battery life.
- Apple Watch SE – The SE’s battery will get you about 18 hours of battery life.
Winner? Draw – Both get you about 18 hours of battery life.
Price
- Apple Watch Series 6 – starts at $399 for the GPS model and $499 for the cellular.
- Apple Watch SE – starts at $279 for the GPS model and $329 for the cellular.
Verdict?
Hands down, the best Apple Watch to get is the Series 6. The ECG and Blood Oxygen sensor is worth it for the extra cost alone–not to mention that beautiful always-on display. The Series 6 is also 20% faster than the SE and offers more color and more material options.
However, the SE is a terrific Apple Watch if you’re looking to keep your costs low. It doesn’t offer the ECG or Blood Oxygen sensor, nor does it have the always-on display, however, it has other critical features like Fall Detection, irregular heart rhythm notifications, and the always-on altimeter.
Either way, you can’t go wrong. But if you have the money to spend, go for the Series 6–you won’t be disappointed.
Apple Watch Series 6 vs Apple Watch SE: Specs
Here are the specs for the Apple Watch Series 6:
- Processor: Dual-core S6 SiP and U1 chip.
- Models: GPS + Cellular, or just GPS
- Materials: Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Titanium
- Storage: 32GB (all models)
- Battery: 18 hours
- Display: 40 mm or 44 mm Always-on Retina display
- Connectivity: GPS, NFC, Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz and 5GHz, and (optional) Cellular LTE
- Waterproofing: Water-resistant 50 meters
- Sensors: Blood Oxygen, ECG, Accelerometer, Ambient Light Sensor, Gyroscope, Vibration/Haptics Engine, Heart Rate Sensor, Barometer, Always-on Altimeter, Fall Detection
And here are the specs for the Apple Watch SE:
- Processor: Dual-core S5 SiP
- Models: GPS + Cellular, or just GPS
- Materials: Aluminum
- Storage: 32GB (all models)
- Battery: 18 hours
- Display: 40 mm or 44 mm Retina display
- Connectivity: GPS, NFC, Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz, and (optional) Cellular LTE
- Waterproofing: Water resistant 50 meters
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient Light Sensor, Gyroscope, Vibration/Haptics Engine, Heart Rate Sensor, Barometer, Always-on Altimeter, Fall Detection
Looking for the latest fitness hardware? Here’s what you need to know about the Oura Ring.
Michael Grothaus
Apple expert and novelist, Michael Grothaus has been covering tech on KnowYourMobile for the best part of 10 years. Prior to this, he worked at Apple. And before that, he was a film journalist. Michael is a published author; his book Epiphany Jones was voted as one of the best novels about Hollywood by Entertainment Weekly. Michael is also a writer at other publications including VICE and Fast Company.Comments are closed.