The second-generation Apple Watch SE is Apple's 2022 entry-level watch, sharing the Series 8's S8 chip but dropping the always-on display and advanced health sensors. It has aged as a dependable value pick for iPhone owners, with the main long-term gripes being tight battery life, slow charging and a feature set overtaken by the SE 3.
This entry is written from the 4 sources listed at the bottom of the page. The numbers are our editorial estimates drawn from that material, not measurements, and no statistical sample sits behind them.
On the evidence gathered here, yes. 78% of owners say they would buy it again, and satisfaction is still 6.8 out of 10 two years in. Shared flagship chip was expected to keep software updates coming for years.
Six months in, most owners are still wearing it daily and find it does the essentials well; the missing always-on screen and nightly charging are the usual mild gripes.
Some batteries fade and fail around 18 months with costly repairs. Feature set looks thin next to the SE 3. Ion-X glass is less crack-resistant than newer screens.
Shared flagship chip was expected to keep software updates coming for years. Sentiment across the ownership period stays close to flat, which is rare: it reads 7.9 out of 10 in the first week and 6.8 two years later.
Worth it for: First-time apple watch buyers; Budget-minded iphone owners; Basic fitness tracking. Think twice if: Android phone users; Multi-workout days; Health-sensor enthusiasts.
Our reading of how sentiment moves across an ownership period, drawn from the sources below. It is an editorial estimate, not tracked longitudinal data.
| At purchase | 8.0 / 10 |
|---|---|
| First week | 7.9 / 10 |
| One month | 7.7 / 10 |
| Six months | 7.5 / 10 |
| One year | 7.2 / 10 |
| Two years or more | 6.8 / 10 |
Owner reviews move this score. The researched figure stays visible next to it, so you can always see what the sources said before anyone voted.
Leave a review on the live pageEvery complaint and every piece of praise above traces back to these. The summaries are ours; nothing is quoted, and no link, quote or username anywhere on this site is invented.
Calls it the best smartwatch for the money, matching the Series 8's speed and workout tracking while lacking always-on display, advanced sensors and battery headroom.
Five-star value-focused review that notes launch pricing, the missing health sensors and always-on display, and expects long software support from the S8 chip.
An owner describes a watch whose battery faded and then failed entirely at about 18 months, with a repair quote they found too high.
Late-2025 comparison that says the SE 3's always-on screen, sensors and faster charging justify upgrading, while the older SE remains a fine budget option.