This Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE face-off volition obliterate each the questions you person astir the fashionable smartwatches — well, that's the program astatine least.
I've ever been a smartwatch skeptic. Whether it's the Google Pixel Watch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch, oregon the Apple Watch, each seemed superfluous for anyone who has a phone. When radical tried to transportation maine to articulation the smartwatch squad, they ever brought up fittingness arsenic a usage case, which has ne'er been a precedence for maine — until now.
After proceeding my doc archer maine that my humor unit is excessively high, I decided to instrumentality workout much seriously. What really drew maine to see an Apple Watch, however, is that I privation to marque definite I'm hitting — and maintaining — a people bosom complaint portion moving connected the treadmill, ensuring effectual calorie burning.
And of course, 1 of the champion ways to way bosom complaint is to usage an Apple Watch. But I've been faced with a dilemma. Should I get the SE (second generation) oregon walk a small much for the Watch Series 9? I decided to get some to find their differences.
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE: terms and specs
I got the cheapest exemplary for some variants. This means I spent $249 for the Apple Watch SE (second generation), which I purchased from Apple's authoritative website.
The exemplary I person comes with the pursuing specs:
40mm lawsuit size
Silver finish
Aluminum chassis
GPS (no cellular)
Ocean Blue solo loop
Some features necessitate you to ammunition retired a small more. For example, a stainless alloy chassis is an other $50 and a bigger lawsuit size (i.e., 44mm) is an other $30. If you privation GPS and cellular support, that volition acceptable you backmost $50.
The Apple Watch Series 9 costs $399 connected Apple's authoritative website (again, this is the cheapest you tin get successful this model).
Here's my configuration:
41mm lawsuit size
(Product) Red finish
Aluminum chassis
GPS (no cellular)
Product (Red) athletics band
As with the Watch Series 9, you tin walk an other $50 to get a stainless-steel chassis. If you privation cellular support, that volition acceptable you backmost different $100.
With the Watch SE being the cheaper of the two, it's the evident victor successful this round.
Winner: Apple Watch SE
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE: Display
The archetypal happening I noticed astir the Watch SE is that it has thicker bezels, which reduces its surface existent property — and the show is minimal to statesman with.
The Watch Series 9's bezels are a batch little obstructive, but either way, I inactive recovered show navigation to beryllium good connected some screens. Thicker bezels, successful my opinion, aren't a large deal.
It's besides worthy thing that the solution is antithetic for the watches:
Watch Series 9 (41mm) - 430 x 352 pixels
Watch SE (40mm) - 394 x 324 pixels
Looking astatine them broadside by side, the Watch Series 9 decidedly delivers a sharper, clearer visuals. But if I were looking astatine the Watch SE independently, I would deliberation that the show prime is capable enough.
Now, let's speech brightness:
Watch Series 9 (41mm) - up to 2,000 nits
Watch SE (40mm) - up to 1,000 nits
The Watch Series 9 is supposedly brighter than Series 9, delivering a max of 2,000 nits implicit the SE's 1,000-nit screen. However, portion comparing some watches successful the sun, I could spot some of them conscionable fine, adjacent with the rays shining agleam connected them similar a spotlight.
You tin archer the Watch SE is slightly dimmer, but the quality is negligible to the bare eye.
The main quality betwixt the 2 screens, however, is the always-on display. I thought I wouldn't attraction astir the Watch SE not having an always-on show (AOD). (For the uninitiated, AOD means that the surface is ever feeding you ocular information.)
However, I recovered myself getting frustrated that I had to support either touching the Watch SE's surface oregon flick my wrist toward myself to cheque the time. Meanwhile, the Watch Series 9, well, stays on. As you tin spot successful the photograph below, the Watch SE's surface is wholly dark, but the Series 9's show is inactive "active" (though it is dimmed).
Also, from a manner standpoint, an always-on show looks much attractive.
Winner: Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE: Design
I decided to spell with 2 colour choices to find whether I'd similar the much sophisticated, subtle plan of the Watch SE — oregon the conspicuous, striking beingness of the Watch Series 9.
To my surprise, I similar the Watch Series 9's gorgeous (Product)Red look. I feared that it would beryllium too red — similar the eyesore of a hue that drapes the blindingly orangish Rabbit R1. However, the Product (Red) has the cleanable equilibrium of vividness and elegeance. It's specified an eye-catching ruby red.
I went with the Silver decorativeness for the Watch SE on with the Ocean Blue solo loop — and I regret it. Oddly, the solo loop collects ungraded easily. And dissimilar the sports set that's featured connected the Watch Series 9, the solo loop requires customized sizing. Mine is simply a size 3, which fits OK, but it could basal to beryllium a smidge tighter.
The sports set has an adjustable strap, allowing maine to marque it arsenic choky oregon escaped arsenic I request it to be. The solo loop, connected the different hand, is conscionable a stretchy bracelet band. I besides don't expect it to person bully durability. As you instrumentality it disconnected and connected implicit time, I foresee it getting excessively stretched out.
Other than that, the Watch Series 9 and SE person the aforesaid squircle design, with a integer crown and broadside fastener connected the right.
Simply due to the fact that of its larger ticker face, Series 9 is the victor here.
Winner: Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE: Texting and calling
I tested texting and calling with some the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Watch SE.
When it comes to texting, the Apple Watch Series 9 features a QWERTY keyboard. I thought it'd beryllium an awkward messiness trying to substance connected the Apple Watch Series 9 with 1 finger, but it wasn't fractional atrocious if you person a small spot of patience successful you.
The Watch SE has thing different. You tin inactive text, but determination is nary keyboard available. Instead, you'll get a tract that lets you scribble the missive oregon connection you privation to constitute — and it volition alteration it into integer text.
To beryllium fair, neither the Watch Series 9 nor the Watch SE are perfect for texting, but the astir utile diagnostic for messaging — a perk that some devices person — is Dictation. I recovered that Dictation, a inferior that transforms your code into text, is the champion for texting connected the Series 9 and SE.
There are prepared replies readily available, too, similar "Thanks" and "OK."
After calling a person with the Watch Series 9 and Watch SE, I blind-tested him and asked him to prime which smartwatch sounded better. Surprisingly, helium said I sounded amended connected the Watch SE. I couldn't archer a marked quality betwixt the 2 successful presumption of dependable quality.
Due to its superior texting features, the Watch Series 9 wins this round.
Winner: Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE 2: Double Tap
Don't bargain the Apple Watch Series 9 due to the fact that of its Double Tap feature. The Watch SE supports the Double Tap, too.
With the Apple Watch Series 9, you simply request to marque definite it's turned connected successful Settings — and you tin usage Double Tap to judge and extremity calls, crook disconnected alarms, play and intermission songs, and more. However, with the Watch SE, you tin lone usage Double Tap erstwhile prompted. For example, a blue-outlined punctual that says "End call" volition look connected the Watch SE, allowing you to bent up.
It's worthy noting, though, that the Watch Series 9's Double Tap diagnostic lets you bash much with it. For example, you tin usage Double Tap to trigger the shutter fastener connected the Camera app oregon scroll done your Widget stacks (things you can't bash with the Watch SE's Double Tap).
Winner: Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE: Siri
Apple boasted that the Watch Series 9 lets you pat into Siri for your wellness data. One time, I asked, "Siri, however galore hours did I slumber past night?" In response, it said, "5 hours and 51 minutes."
In effect to "How galore calories did I pain today?", it said, "You burned 285 calories today."
If I were to inquire Siri the aforesaid questions connected the Watch SE, Siri wouldn't respond with a nonstop answer. It would, instead, amusement maine the app that would supply maine the close answer.
Apple claims that the Watch Series 9's S9 spot yields a faster on-device Siri, allowing you to person zippier entree to your wellness data.
The lone disappointment I'd adhd for some devices is that Siri directed maine to the iPhone app erstwhile I asked for ovulation estimates.
Winner: Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE: Health tracking
If you privation a ticker with the champion health-tracking features, get the Watch Series 9. Here are the sensors and trackers you'll get with it:
Temperature sensing (not connected Watch SE)
Cycle tracking (available connected Watch SE, but doesn't supply ovulation estimates)
Irregular bushed notifications (available connected Watch SE)
High oregon debased bosom complaint notifications (available connected Watch SE)
ECG investigating (not connected Watch SE)
On the Watch SE, you volition not find the ECG app, a tracker that analyzes your heart's electrical pulses. However, you will find it connected the Apple Watch Series 9. It prompts you to clasp your digit connected the integer crown for 30 seconds. You'll past get a speechmaking that tells you your beats per infinitesimal (bpm) — and whether your heartbeat is "sinus," "AFib," "low bosom rate," "high bosom rate," oregon "inconclusive."
Its worthy noting that its AFib detection is the archetypal digital-health tech to suffice for the FDA's MDDT program. In different words, an authoritative authorization successful the aesculapian instrumentality abstraction has green-lighted the Apple Watch for investigating atrial fibrillation. Nice!
As for ovulation tracking, again, you'd beryllium amended disconnected with the Watch Series 9. Ovulation tracking relies connected taking somesthesia readings portion you slumber each 5 seconds overnight. And, well, the Watch SE doesn't person a somesthesia sensor.
However, whether I was connected the SE oregon Series 9, I could inactive log my menstrual cycle, allowing maine to cheque erstwhile my adjacent estimated rhythm volition arrive.
Speaking of the somesthesia sensor, connected the Watch Series 9, you tin get somesthesia readings of your tegument by going to Settings > Health > Health Data > Body Measurements > Wrist Temperature. Not definite wherefore I request to cognize that my close wrist is 96 degrees Fahrenheit, but er, it's determination successful lawsuit anyone asks, I guess.
Interestingly, I besides noticed that some watches trial for biology sound utilizing the mics. Before turning disconnected a whistling teapot, I got an alert from the Apple Watch Series 9 that the decibels successful my surroundings are excessively high.
Oddly, I didn't get that alert connected my Watch SE, though it has a sound detector feature, too.
Note: The Apple Watch Series 9 no longer supports the blood-oxygen monitor for U.S. consumers.
Winner: Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE: Fitness tracking
I haven't spotted overmuch of a quality betwixt the Watch Series 9 and SE erstwhile it comes to fittingness tracking.
If you privation thing that tracks your steps and lets you adjacent your rings astatine the extremity of the day, the Watch SE volition bash conscionable fine.
While wearing the watches to tally connected the treadmill everyday, I acceptable some devices to archer maine erstwhile I've deed my people beats per infinitesimal (i.e., 146 to 156 bpm) portion running. (I did this by fiddling with the "Indoor Run" preferences nether the "Workout" app.) My acquisition with some person been seamless.
If you're a swimmer oregon a diver, however, you whitethorn privation to see the Apple Watch Ultra 2 instead; it supports high-speed h2o sports and recreational diving.
Winner: Draw
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE: Battery life
I thought that the Apple Watch Series 9's artillery beingness would beryllium importantly amended than the Watch SE, but the differences successful their powerfulness ratio are minimal.
One day, to trial some devices' artillery life, I charged the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch SE to 100 percent astatine 4:30 p.m. The Apple Watch SE tapped retired the adjacent time astatine 8:10 p.m. portion the Watch Series 9 lasted a small longer by an hr and immoderate change.
Apple Watch SE - 1 time and 3 hours and 30 minutes
Apple Watch Series 9 - 1 time and 4 hours and 36 minutes
The usage illustration included utilizing Siri to inquire questions passim the time (e.g., weather, mathematics calculations, asking for wellness data), mounting timers for workouts, tracking my bosom complaint during jogs, slumber monitoring, texting friends, controlling Apple Music, glancing astatine emails, and more.
It's worthy noting, though, that Apple Watch Series 9 supports accelerated charging; the Apple Watch SE does not. This means that, connected the Watch Series 9, the artillery tin spell from 0 percent to 80 percent successful 45 minutes, according to Apple.
You tin usage a USB-C Apple charging ceramic similar this one from Amazon to get the fast-charging occupation done.
Winner: Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9 vs. SE: Which 1 should you buy?
Apple Watch Series 9 is amended astatine tracking your health. If you're seeking a instrumentality that tin springiness you ovulation estimates, present ECG readings, support tabs connected your tegument somesthesia (if you attraction astir that benignant of thing), and lets you entree astir of that information via Siri, get the Series 9.
If you're much fitness-focused, and you don't caput the thicker bezels and deficiency of always-on display, the Watch SE is simply a coagulated choice.
You, similar me, whitethorn presume that the Watch Series 9 has amended artillery beingness due to the fact that it's pricier, but successful my experience, some held up beauteous good successful presumption of powerfulness ratio (though the Series 9 edged retired the Watch SE by an hr oregon so).
The lone happening I'd pass against is getting the solo loop set for your Apple Watch. It seems to get escaped aft immoderate clip — and it's not precise durable. Instead, get the sports band, allowing you to set the Apple Watch to your wrist arsenic you similar it.
English (US) · 
Turkish (TR) ·