Apple Watch SE 2 vs. Apple Watch Series 8 Buyer's Guide

At its "Far out" event in 2022, Apple announced the second-generation Apple Watch SE and the Apple Watch Series 8. The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is a low-cost option that still offers many of the Apple Watch features that have made the device so popular over the years, while the Apple Watch Series 8 offers a more feature-rich experience with additional health monitoring capabilities.

apple watch se gen 2
Both the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ and the Apple Watch Series 8 feature the S8 chip, Crash Detection, water resistance, an optical heart sensor, up to 18 hours of battery life, and more, but there are significant differences between the two devices.

The aluminum Apple Watch Series 8 starts at $399, while the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is much more competitively priced at just $249. So what exactly do you get by spending the additional $150 and is it worth it? Our comparison helps to answer the question of which of these two Apple Watch models is best for you.

Key Differences

‌Apple Watch SE‌ (second-generation) Apple Watch Series 8
Aluminum casing Aluminum or stainless steel casing
Ion-X glass front Ion-X glass (aluminum) or sapphire crystal (stainless steel) front
Color-matched nylon composite back case Ceramic back case
44mm or 40mm case size 45mm or 41 mm case size with edge-to-edge display (nearly 20% more display area than ‌Apple Watch SE‌)
Retina display Always-On Retina display
324 by 394 pixels with 759 sq mm display area (40mm) and 368 by 448 pixels with 977 sq mm display area (44mm) 352 by 430 pixels with 904 sq mm display area (41mm) or 396 by 484 pixels with 1143 sq mm display area (45mm)
Second-generation optical heart sensor Third-generation optical heart sensor
Blood oxygen sensor and Blood Oxygen app
Electrical heart sensor and ECG app
Temperature sensing
Cycle tracking Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates
U1 chip
Fast charging
Available in Midnight, Starlight, and Silver Available in Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and PRODUCT(RED) (aluminum) or Silver, Graphite, or Gold (stainless steel)
Starts at $249 Starts at $399 (aluminum) or $699 (stainless steel)

The Apple Watch Series 8 is a minor improvement over the previous Series 7 model, offering Crash Detection and body temperature sensing. Yet compared to the ‌Apple Watch SE‌, the Apple Watch Series 8 is a considerably more feature-rich device with advanced capabilities.

With its larger display, advanced health monitoring features, and range of colors and finishes, the Apple Watch Series 8 will be the model of choice for those who want more out of their smartwatch. If you feel that the always-on display, additional health monitoring features, or fast charging would be particularly useful to you, or simply like a specific casing and color combination not available with the ‌Apple Watch SE‌, the Apple Watch Series 8 will be the best model for you.

If you are on a budget and are not particularly attracted to the additional features of the Series 8, the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is still a very compelling option. As it shares so many features with the Apple Watch Series 8, in most cases you should probably choose the more inexpensive model, unless you particularly value features such as the larger, always-on display or advanced health monitoring and can justify the added cost.

The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ is an ideal device for children and senior citizens who do not have an iPhone thanks to Family Setup, but it is also the go-to model for most customers who are new to the Apple Watch and those who are upgrading from a Series 3 or older due to its competitive pricing and generous feature set, allowing users to get an unconstrained Apple Watch experience at a low cost.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch 10, Apple Watch SE
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Monday July 7, 2025 10:55 am PDT by
Amazon is back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a...

Top Rated Comments

polyphenol Avatar
37 months ago

U1 chip
It's all very well that the 8 has this, and the SE doesn't, but what matters to potential purchasers is what advantages there are to having a U1 chip. Or what disadvantages there are to not having it! Without that, it's just a few characters in a list.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MR_Boogy Avatar
37 months ago

The Apple Watch SE is an ideal device for children
Sorry, in what world is a smart watch costing several hundred bucks an ideal world device for a child?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
468837 Avatar
37 months ago
Articles like these also fail to mention that the Series 7 was a minor bump over Series 6. 7 got an extra millimeter display and fast charging. Same processor. Really, when you think about it that way, the 8 has two new features: body temp (not the most helpful for a male, at least how it was marketed) and crash detection. Besides that, and the two small 7 upgrades, Series 8 is essentially a Series 6.

I think if you’re a female interested in addition cycle tracking detail, then the 8 is a better value over the SE. If not, and you have Series 6, the 8 is not enough of an upgrade.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GuruZac Avatar
37 months ago
I'd rather have the Series 8 as I prefer the newer style design and AoD, but the new SE is a great smartwatch for $249.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mick-Mac Avatar
37 months ago
I'll start caring when the battery life isn't chronically awful.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sir_Macs_A_Lot Avatar
37 months ago
These just don't seem as nice after seeing the Ultra. It's like psyching yourself up to go buy a McDonald's hamburger knowing that there's a Five Guys around the corner from there.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)