Apple Watch Series 6 vs Apple Watch SE: Which should you buy?

Apple Watch Series 6 Blue Aluminum

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$359.99

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at Amazon

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$386.68

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at Amazon

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The Flagship

The latest Apple Watch flagship offers the most advanced features to date on the wearable device.

For

  • Always-on display
  • Blood oxygen app
  • Stainless steel and titanium options

Against

  • Not much different than Series 5
  • Can get very expensive quickly

Apple Watch Se Gps White Silver

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$149

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at Walmart

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$239

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at Amazon

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$299.99

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at AT&T Mobility

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Fresh alternative

Cupertino’s first-ever mid-priced Apple Watch comes with lots of bells and whistles for less.

For

  • Still packs a punch
  • Great mid-priced alternative

Against

  • No support for always-on display
  • No blood oxygen app

For 2020/21, Apple has decided to release not one, but two new Apple Watches. If you’re looking for everything Apple Watch has to offer, you’ll want to invest in the Series 6. If you want to save some money, but still want most of the cutting-edge features found on that model, go with the all-new SE.

Apple Watch Series 6 vs. Apple Watch SE: The differences

It’s difficult to see the differences between these two Apple Watch models, at least on the outside. Dig deeper, however, and you can see where the less expensive SE lacks, as the following chart shows.

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Header Cell – Column 0

Series 6SEStarting price$399$279Case materialsAluminum
Stainless steel
TitaniumAluminumCase sizes40mm
44mm40mm
44mmBattery performanceUp to 18 hoursUp to 18 hoursScreen materialSapphire Crystal (Stainless Steel, Titanium)
Ion X glass (Aluminum)Ion X glass (Aluminum)Display qualityAlways-On Retina LTPO OLED display (1000 nits)Retina LTPO OLED display (1000 nits)ProcessorS6 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processorS5 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processorWireless chipsetW3W3Ultra WidebandU1NoneWater-resistance50 meters50 metersFeaturesCompass
Always-on altimeter
Second-generation optical heart sensor
Accelerometer up to 32 g-forces
Ambient light sensor
Fall detection
Blood oxygen sensor
Electrical heart sensorCompass
Always-on altimeter
Second-generation optical heart sensor
Accelerometer up to 32 g-forces
Ambient light sensor
Fall detection

Storage capacity32GB32GB

Apple Watch Series 6 vs. Apple Watch SE: Better health and more with Series 6

Apple Watch Series 6 Review

Apple Watch Series 6 Review

(Image credit: Lory Gil / iMore)

The Apple Watch Series 6 is the first to offer a blood oxygen sensor. Like the Series 5 before it, the model also has an electrical heart sensor and always-on display. The latter has been “enhanced” for this year. The Series 6 also includes a fresh dual-core S6 SiP.

As the current flagship, the Series 6 is also the only Apple Watch to come in stainless steel, titanium, and Hermès. There are also Series 6 aluminum model exclusives, blue and (PRODUCT)RED. Finally, Series 6 is the only Apple Watch to include a U1 chip. First introduced on the iPhone 11 series, the chip offers improved spatial awareness and accuracy than Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi.

Apple Watch Series 6 vs. Apple Watch SE: Much is the same with SE

With the Apple Watch SE, you still get many of the same features found on the Series 6. These include 32GB storage, a bigger display, fall detection, international emergency calling, noise monitoring, support for Family Setup, compass, always-on altimeter, Digital Crown with haptic feedback, second-generation speaker, and mic, a ceramic and sapphire crystal back.

The Apple Watch SE is available in both 44mm and 40mm sizes and in both GPS only and GPS + Cellular models. One advantage to the SE is if you want a GPS + Cellular model, the price increase over the GPS-only model is only $50, rather than the $100 price difference for the Series 6.

Apple Watch Series 6 vs. Apple Watch SE: Which should you buy?

Apple Watch Series 6 Apple Watch Se

Apple Watch Series 6 Apple Watch Se

(Image credit: Daniel Bader / Android Central)

If you’re looking for the latest and greatest Apple Watch, the Series 6 is the choice for you. It’s the one with the most features and styles. Its two biggest features, the blood oxygen monitor and electrical heart sensor, take wellness to new levels.

For those new to Apple Watch, the SE could be the model for you. Offering many of the same features as the Series 6, the SE is aggressively priced and a much better solution than the Series 3.

Regardless of the model you select, be sure to check out some of our favorite Watch bands!

Apple Watch Series 6 Red CellularOur pick

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$359.99

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at Amazon

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$386.68

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at Amazon

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Health and wellness tools continue to get added to Apple Watch, as the latest flagship shows.

Apple Watch Se Gold Gps CellularBudget pick

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$149

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at Walmart

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$239

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at Amazon

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$299.99

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at AT&T Mobility

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Skip the Apple Watch Series 3 and get this one instead. It’s more like the Series 6 and still has many of the same features.