Smartwatches · 2022 · Apple

Apple Watch SE (2nd generation, 44 mm)

Name: Apple Watch SE (2nd generation, 44 mm)
Brand: Apple

The Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) is Apple’s lower-cost watch from 2022. It offers S8 SiP, Crash Detection and an 18-hour battery life, but no always-on display, ECG, blood oxygen or temperature sensing. The most common topic in owner reviews is the need to charge it every day.

Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), 44 mm aluminium case; GPS and GPS + Cellular models. The 40 mm case, the original Apple Watch SE (2020) and Apple Watch SE 3 are separate models.

Apple Watch SE (2nd generation, 44 mm) — Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) in Midnight and Starlight, from Apple’s tech specs page. — Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) in Midnight and Starlight, from Apple’s tech specs page.

Specifications

Specification	Value
Case and weight	44 × 38 × 10.7 mm aluminium case; GPS 32.9 g, GPS + Cellular 33 g Weight is for the case only and rises with the band. The 44 mm case fits 140–245 mm wrists.
Display	Retina LTPO OLED; 368 × 448 pixels, 977 sq mm display area, 326 ppi; up to 1000 nits; Ion-X glass SE has no always-on mode; the screen wakes when you raise your wrist. Ion-X is strengthened glass and is not as scratch-resistant as sapphire.
Chip and storage	S8 SiP (64-bit dual-core processor); 2-core Neural Engine; 32 GB Storage holds music, podcasts and apps and cannot be expanded.
Sensors	2nd-gen optical heart sensor; compass; always-on altimeter; high-g accelerometer; high dynamic range gyroscope; ambient light sensor The high-g accelerometer and gyroscope are used for Crash Detection. ECG, blood oxygen and temperature sensors are not included on this model.
Safety features	Emergency SOS; International Emergency Calling; Fall Detection; Crash Detection Crash Detection can call emergency services after a severe car crash. Emergency SOS needs a cellular connection or Wi-Fi calling with internet access from the watch or a nearby iPhone.
Battery	Up to 18 hours; about 80% charge in about 1.5 hours Apple measures 18 hours with 90 time checks, 90 notifications, 45 minutes of app use and a 60-minute workout with music; on the cellular model, 4 of those hours are on LTE. Longer GPS workouts shorten it.
Water resistance	50 metres under ISO 22810:2010 Suitable for swimming, but not for scuba diving, water skiing or high-velocity water sports.
Location and wireless	L1 GPS, GNSS, Galileo and QZSS; Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n); Bluetooth 5.3; LTE and UMTS on the GPS + Cellular model The cellular model can make calls and use data without your iPhone nearby; carrier support is required.
Compatibility	iPhone Xs or later with iOS 18 The watch can only be set up and used with an iPhone; it does not work with Android phones.
Colours	Midnight, Starlight and Silver

From the manufacturer

Apple presents the new SE as 20 percent faster than the previous generation thanks to S8 SiP, with Crash Detection and a colour-matched nylon composite back case. Apple Support

Strengths and limitations

Tom’s Guide’s review named the missing always-on display as the biggest drawback; there is also no ECG, blood oxygen or temperature sensor. The reviewer wrote that with Low Power Mode on for a few hours each day, the watch lasted just over 24 hours with normal use.
Tom’s Guide, Kate Kozuch; last updated 2 February 2023. Based on one person’s usage.
Tom’s Guide: Apple Watch SE (2022) review

Owner experiences and issues

In Dutch reviews on Coolblue, Con says heart rate is measured accurately but the band feels tight. Anita and Al list the need to charge the watch every day as a drawback; Al likes the water resistance.
Coolblue (Netherlands), 44 mm 4G page; 3 most helpful of 53 reviews in the shared pool. Cellular model.
Coolblue: Apple Watch SE (2022) 4G 44 mm customer reviews
Battery is the most common topic in Best Buy reviews. Eddie61 says it needs charging every night; one reviewer reports 3 days with light use and 1.5 days when used as a phone, while OzcanC says battery is slightly better than advertised after about a month of use. Jamdown criticises the lack of an always-on display; NewDaddy advises against using it in a salt-water pool.
Best Buy Canada, GPS + Cellular 44 mm; verified buyer reviews syndicated from Best Buy US. The visible reviews were collected as part of a promotion; ownership periods may be short.
Best Buy Canada: Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) GPS + Cellular 44 mm customer reviews

Apple Watch SE (2nd generation, 44 mm)

Specifications

From the manufacturer

Strengths and limitations

Owner experiences and issues

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