Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) Review: The Sports Value Pick at $249

Introduction

The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) is the 2022 budget entry in Apple’s lineup, and it lands at $249 US. It sits well below the Series 8, which starts at $399, or $499 for cellular. On paper that price gap hints at serious compromises. In practice, after wearing it through running, cycling, and swimming while comparing it against a Series 8 on the other wrist, the SE holds up remarkably well.

The biggest functional difference is the display. The Series 8 has an always-on screen, while the SE only lights up when you lift your wrist, then turns off to save battery. Beyond that, there are a handful of trade-offs, and one very pleasant surprise: the SE ships with the same watchOS 9 software as the more expensive models, which transforms it into a genuinely capable sports watch.

How It Compares to the Series 8

The SE omits several Series 8 features, and it helps to know exactly what you are giving up. There is no ECG capability, no blood oxygen (SpO2) sensing, and no wrist-based temperature sensing for cycle tracking. The Series 8 also has a slightly larger display, faster charging, and Apple’s U1 Ultra Wideband chip, which the SE lacks.

What the SE does get is the new vehicular crash detection introduced alongside the Series 8 and Ultra. More importantly, it inherits the full watchOS 9 feature set, and that is where the value story really begins.

Who This Watch Is For

If your focus is everyday health tracking plus a solid dose of sport, this is your watch. Activity tracking is presented through Apple’s familiar three rings, covering standing, exercise, and movement, with daily goals you close by staying active. The nudges arrive throughout the day, and the competitive element with friends is genuinely habit-forming.

Sleep tracking includes sleep stages and phases, synced to the Health app. Sleep and wake times were generally judged well in testing, though the watch did not register a long snooze session that lasted about 40 minutes past the alarm, so treat edge cases with a little caution.

Main Strengths

The sports features are the headline. watchOS 9 brings triathlon and multi-sport mode with automatic or manual transitions, heart rate zones visible during workouts, running power, running efficiency metrics, and structured custom workouts with warm-ups, work intervals, recovery steps, and cool-downs.

Running power requires no extra sensors, though note it only works while running, not walking, which matters for ultrarunners who hike hills. Multi-sport mode is the standout: very few watches near this price offer it, and Garmin’s multi-sport options generally start around $400. At $249, that is remarkable value.

Heart rate accuracy was excellent across steady-state runs, intervals, and indoor cycling, matching chest straps and other optical sensors without trouble. GPS impressed even more: on forest trails and coastal out-and-back routes it stayed clean, and in a dense downtown test with 20 to 30 story buildings, it held the route where the Series 8 lost the plot in one section. In New York City, it matched or beat multiband GPS watches costing several times more.

There are real limits, though. Sensor pairing is narrow: you can pair a Bluetooth heart rate strap, but not cycling power meters or cadence sensors. Battery life is roughly one day of use, maybe a day and a half with care. And you need an iPhone; it does not work with an iPad. Custom workouts must also be created on the watch itself, which is cumbersome.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Beyond the missing sensors and charging speed, think about how deep you want to go. The SE lacks advanced running features like Pace Pro that some similarly priced Garmin watches include. Third-party apps can bridge some sensor gaps, but not within triathlon mode, so you may have to choose between bike power data and a triathlon session.

Buying Advice

At $249, the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) is a fantastic value if you want a great smartwatch that is also a reasonably solid sports watch. The watchOS 9 feature set, strong heart rate and GPS accuracy, and rare-at-this-price triathlon mode make it easy to recommend. If you need the always-on display, ECG, SpO2, temperature sensing, or faster charging, the Series 8 justifies its higher price.

Conclusion

The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) proves that a lower price does not have to mean a stripped-down experience. It misses some health sensors and convenience features, but for runners, swimmers, and triathletes who want Apple’s ecosystem without the premium tier, it is very hard to beat.