Apple series 6 vs Apple SE: Which smartwatch is best?

Watch sizes: 40mm and 44mm

Always-on Display? Yes

Health metrics: Blood oxygen levels, ECG, fall detection, high and low heart rate notifications, irregular heart rhythm notifications, noise alerts

GPS or GPS plus cellular? Both available

Case material choices: Aluminium, stainless steel, titanium

Aluminium watch colour choices: Space grey, silver, gold, blue, Product Red

Stainless steel watch colour choices: Graphite, gold, silver

Titanium watch colour choices: Titanium, space black titanium

Processor: S6 system-in-package

Storage capacity: 32GB

Series 6 is the most advanced Apple watch yet. It has an always-on display so that you don’t need to raise your wrist to illuminate the screen as on the SE. This is handy if you want to sneak a look at the time in a dull meeting without raising your wrist. In design terms, the series 6 and SE look very similar with a 30 per cent bigger display than series 3. The screen has beautifully curved corners, a big speaker, a microphone and so on. The display comes in two sizes, 40mm and 44mm.

Series 6 is also available in three different material finishes: aluminium, stainless-steel and titanium in what’s called Apple watch edition. This is an especially sumptuous watch, and is pricier. The aluminium series 6 comes in GPS and GPS + cellular variants but the stainless steel and titanium models come with GPS + cellular as standard. Aluminium casing means the watch face is covered in Ion-X glass but the stainless steel and titanium options use sapphire crystal instead which is much tougher.

This is the most colourful Apple watch yet, with five choices in the aluminium version: space grey, silver, gold (these three are also available in the Apple watch SE) plus a gorgeous blue and Product Red, which refers to Apple’s partnership with HIV/Aids charities. The glossy stainless-steel finish comes in three shades, gold, which is perky and opulent, silver which is straightforwardly shiny and graphite which is classily discreet. Titanium comes in two finishes, regular titanium and a space black version, which is the most discreet of all because it’s matte and very black. 

If health, fitness or wellness are important to you, then series 6 is the watch for you. All current Apple watches can count your steps, encourage you to stand up each hour, exercise for 30 minutes each day, and can even track your sleep. Heart rate notifications are also on every watch. But if you want to delve a little deeper into your health, then the two features exclusive to series 6 may appeal. 

An ECG app means that in addition to the heart rate features mentioned above, you can take an ECG measurement on your watch. Another exclusive addition is blood oxygen monitoring. This is a very slick app that is quick and easy to use, telling you your blood oxygen levels in just 15 seconds. And monitoring blood oxygen while Covid-19 is around is pretty important.

Noise monitoring is a feature that sends you alerts when the racket around you is loud enough to potentially damage your hearing. It’s available on series 6 and Apple watch SE. The latest processor is only found in series 6 (Apple watch SE uses last year’s chip, which is still pretty nippy). And if you are tracking your sleep, then you’ll need to wear the watch at night and recharge it in the morning. Though both SE and series 6 can do this, the battery on the series 6 recharges more quickly. In terms of choice of design, health features and sheer power, Apple watch series 6 is head and shoulders above the SE – and every other smartwatch available.

Watch sizes: 40mm and 44mm

Always-on Display? No

Health metrics: Fall Detection, high and low heart rate notifications, irregular heart rhythm notifications, noise alerts

GPS or GPS plus cellular? Both available

Case material choices: Aluminium only

Watch colour choices: Space grey, silver, gold

Processor: S5 system-in-package

Storage Capacity: 32GB

Apple watch SE looks identical to series 6 and works largely the same, though it lacks some of the extra features and more powerful processor on the flagship watch. The display is not always-on, as on series 6, so to see the time, or whatever’s on the screen, you need to raise your wrist. The Apple watch is completely reliable at illuminating the screen with the slightest movement, unlike some rival gadgets, but it’s not quite as slick as series 6. But in everyday use, there’s precious little difference between the two models, and the SE is more than £100 cheaper.

Battery life on both is a full day’s usage, so overnight charges are required, but you won’t be buying the series 6 for extra battery life. The displays are identical, too. Although the SE doesn’t have ECG or blood oxygen monitoring, it has the same heart rate capabilities and neat features like Breathe, a one-minute mindfulness app, as the series 6.

The range of bands with which to adorn your timepiece is also identical between series 6 and SE. These vary from the glorious “solo loop” to the gorgeous stainless-steel “Milanese loop”. And Nike+ special editions for sportier types are also available in both models, with distinctive straps and extra watch faces (for the same price as the regular watch). It’s worth noting that as part of Apple’s battle against electronic waste, the SE and Series 6 both are packed with a charging cable but no charging plug – the cable will fit any USB charging plug you have knocking around.