By pulling together many of the best bits from the now-discontinued Series 4 and Series 5, the SE is an affordable entry into the Apple Watch experience that will suit a majority of users.

Affordable price; Ease of use; Apple Pay; Heart-rate sensor; Interchangeable straps

No always-on display; Missing some of the sensors found in Series 6 model

Our early tests with the Apple Watch SE show a wearable that takes the best of the range, drops the added health benefits and could well be the top-selling Apple Watch out there.

Lower price; Still-powerful chipset

No always-on display; Battery life still not improved

Easy to recommend – but still not for everyone

Better-than-expected battery life; More affordable price; Very customisable (especially for Apple); Fully waterproof

No always-on display; Only available in three finishes; Still fairly pricey

You’re happy with the features on your pre-Series 4 Apple Watch but it’s too slow. Your budget doesn’t go higher than $350. You’re giving it to a child as part of Family Setup. You don’t care about blood-oxygen or ECG readings. You’re content to wear a blank screen on your wrist for most of the day.

Design and display is identical to the Series 6; Price for the LTE model is 50% less than Series 6; Processor and LTE are pleasantly fast

Lack of always-on display is glaring; Doesn't have next-gen health sensors; Battery life is only adequate

The Apple Watch SE is set to start shipping Friday, September 18, but the first hands-on reviews of Apple's lower-cost wearable are now appearing...

Like with iPhone, Apple Watch is a family now, with 2020 bringing two new models targeting not only different price points but very different users, too. More affordable of the two, the Apple Watch SE bridges the gap between the flagship Apple Watch Series 6 and the cheapest Series 3 from 2017.

Affordable balance of features; Excellent battery life; Family Setup could be a game-changer

No always-on display; Advanced health-tracking needs a Series 6 instead

“The Apple Watch SE misses out on some of the flashier features on the Series 6, but keeps nearly all the important ones, along with the same design, at a lower price.”

Stylish design; Highly customizable; Comprehensive health tracking; Responsive; fluid performance; Reliable; easy-to-use software

No always-on display

While the new "SE" moniker attached to the Apple Watch SE has no official designation, I'd like to think it stands for "surprise edition" because that's what the Apple Watch SE is — a pleasant surprise.

Lacks the Series 6’s advanced health features, but the Apple Watch SE is cheaper and still a great smartwatch

Cheaper than the Series 6; Packed with features; Accurate HR and GPS tracking

No ECG or blood oxygen readings; Charges slower than Series 6; No always-on display

The Apple Watch SE drops the always-on display and a couple of advanced health sensors from the Series 6, but otherwise delivers the same winning app, fitness, and safety features for $120 less.

Same screen size and resolution as the Series 6; Supports fall detection; heart health notifications; and Emergency SOS; Always-on altimeter for real-time elevation tracking; WatchOS 7 adds a handwashing countdown timer and sleep tracking; Best third-party smartwatch app selection

No always-on display mode; Lacks ECG and SpO2 sensors