Do you need to buy the latest Apple Watch Series 10, or does the more affordable Apple Watch SE 2 offer enough of the same experience? Let’s find out.
The Apple Watch has hit its first big birthday. The Apple Watch Series 10 is the 10th generation of Apple’s wearable, and it brings a host of new changes while keeping the same DNA that makes the Apple Watch special.
However, it’s still not the most affordable smartwatch, but Apple does offer the two-year-old entry-level Apple Watch SE 2. If you are on a limited budget and want to experience an Apple Watch, should you buy the Apple Watch SE2 or is it worth stretching your budget for the Apple Watch Series 10? Let’s find out.Apple Watch Series 10 vs. Apple Watch SE 2: specsApple Watch Series 10 vs SE 2: design and display
The Apple Watch Series 10 was announced at Apple’s Glowtime event and has undergone a major redesign, while the SE 2 follows the same design language as earlier versions of the Apple Watch. The result is a stark contrast between the two.
The Series 10 is 1mm thinner, slightly heavier, and slightly bigger than the Apple Watch SE 2, but it has a much larger display. Despite the bigger display, it feels better on the wrist thanks to a thinner design that makes it feel far more premium.
The Apple Watch Series 10 gets a glass front, a titanium or aluminum frame, and a ceramic and sapphire crystal back. In contrast, the Apple Watch SE 2 is far less premium as it replaces the ceramic with plastic and only comes with an aluminum frame.
The display on the Apple Watch Series 10 is also far better. It’s bigger, slightly higher in density, and features a higher peak brightness at 2,000 nits. The Apple Watch SE 2 display is no slouch as it’s still a Retina OLED with 1,000 nits peak brightness, but there’s a noticeable difference between the two. The Series 10 also features a Sapphire crystal glass front that should render it far more durable than the Ion-X strengthened glass on the Apple Watch SE 2.
Despite both displays using LTPO technology, only the Apple Watch Series 10 features an always-on display. It also has a much wider viewing angle, allowing you to see what’s on the display at a broader angle.
There’s little doubt that the Apple Watch Series 10 is just the nicer-looking watch. It is thinner, bigger, and has a much nicer display, as well as the display characteristics you’d want from a smartwatch such as an always-on display and sapphire crystal protection. This is where the differences between the two watches are most noticeable.
Winner: Apple Watch Series 10Apple Watch Series 10 vs SE 2: health and fitness tracking
The Apple Watch Series 10 runs WatchOS 11 out of the box, while the Apple Watch SE 2 can be updated to the same platform. Although they share the same operating system version, there are a few health features that are not available on the more affordable Apple Watch.
