Apple continues to dominate the smartwatch industry, especially in fitness tracking. The Apple Watch SE and Series 6 offer compelling options for iPhone users wanting advanced health metrics from their wrist. With crisp displays, activity tracking, heart rate monitoring and more, these watches have a lot in common. But the Series 6 does claim some exclusive features that could make it the best Apple Watch for fitness buffs.
This guide will compare the Apple Watch SE and Series 6 across all key categories – price, design, displays, performance, tracking accuracy and battery life. Read on for a detailed side-by-side breakdown, along with expert recommendations on which model best suits your needs and budget.
Apple Watch SE vs Series 6: Pricing
Straight out of the gate, pricing gives the Apple Watch SE an advantage. As a more affordable alternative to flagship models, the SE skips some bells and whistles to keep costs down. Here‘s how pricing shakes out across the lineup:
Apple Watch SE Pricing:
- 40mm SE (GPS Only): $279
- 44mm SE (GPS Only): $309
- 40mm SE (Cellular): $329
- 44mm SE (Cellular): $359
Apple Watch Series 6 Pricing:
- 40mm Series 6 (GPS Only): $399
- 44mm Series 6 (GPS Only): $429
- 40mm Series 6 (Cellular): $499
- 44mm Series 6 (Cellular): $529
It‘s clear the SE gives you an entry point of $120 – $130 less than the equivalent Series 6 model. Adding cellular connectivity tacks on an additional $50 over GPS versions for both watches.
Across all models, from the 40mm size up to 44mm and cellular vs GPS-only, the Apple Watch SE consistently comes in cheaper by about $100 – $150.
For bargain hunters, retirees, kids or anyone not needing top-of-the-line specs, this makes the SE an appealing option from a pricing perspective alone. But there are some very good reasons to stretch your budget for the Series 6 – as you‘ll see as we compare displays, performance and health tracking capabilities.
Design and Display Comparison
You‘ll be hard-pressed to visually tell the difference between the Apple Watch SE and Series 6. They share an extremely similar aesthetic, with rounded corners, numerous band options and near-identical case dimensions:
Apple Watch SE Dimensions:
-
40mm case size
-
32.9 x 35.9 x 10.4 mm
-
30.7g (Aluminum)
-
44mm case size
-
38 x 42 x 10.4 mm
-36.2g (Aluminum)
Apple Watch Series 6 Dimensions:
-
40mm case options
-
32.9 x 35.9 x 10.7 mm
-
36.5g (Aluminum)
-
39.7g (Stainless Steel)
-
47.1g (Titanium)
-
44mm case options
-
38 x 42 x 10.7 mm
-42.3g (Aluminum) -
47.8g (Stainless Steel)
-54.5g (Titanium)
The one discrepancy comes in the 10.4mm vs 10.7mm thickness on 40mm and 44mm models. A difference of only 0.3mm makes for no real discernible change in wearing comfort or visual profile.
More variation actually comes in material options. While the SE is limited to lightweight aluminum for its casing, the Series 6 lets buyers choose from aluminum, stainless steel and lightweight titanium. This gives you a more durable stainless steel model, or ultra thin and sleek titanium version. But at an added cost over aluminum.
Beyond case materials, the Series 6 also provides more color options: silver, space gray, gold, (PRODUCT)Red, blue and graphite. The SE comes in silver, space gray and gold aluminum.
So if having a signature color that perfectly matches your style is important, the Series 6 gives more customization. Though most buyers will happily opt for the cost savings of the SE‘s aluminum casing and classic color trio.
Now let‘s move the comparison onto the display, where the Series 6 again pulls ahead:
Apple Watch SE Display:
- Retina display
- 1000 nits max brightness
- Ion-X glass cover material
- No always-on display
Apple Watch Series 6 Display:
- Retina LTPO OLED display
- 1000 nits max brightness
- Ion-X or Sapphire Crystal glass cover
- Always-on display
Straight away the always-on display of the Series 6 makes a big difference in usability. With the SE, you need to raise your wrist or tap the screen for it to illuminate and show watch face data or notifications.
The Series 6 keeps essential info on screen at all times at a dimmer setting. This saves the hassle of gesturing or tapping throughout your day or workouts. Always-on display is also enhanced to be 2.5x brighter outdoors than the Series 5 for superior visibility in sunlight.
Cover material also tips slightly in favor of the Series 6. Its stainless steel and titanium versions use premium Sapphire Crystal glass. Extremely durable and scratch-resistant, it ensures added protection of the display. The aluminum SE and Series 6 models still benefit from Ion-X glass, which resists cracks and impacts while keeping costs down.
In terms of specs, you get the same relative screen resolution and 1000 nits max brightness across both models. Combined with the wider range of case colors and premium materials offered, the Series 6 takes a marginal win for overall design quality and customization freedom.
But in practice, the SE and Series 6 still look and feel extremely comparable on the wrist day to day.
Performance and Battery Life
The next area we‘ll benchmark is overall system performance, along with battery expectations:
Apple Watch SE Performance:
- S5 system-in-package (SiP) chipset
- 64-bit dual-core processor
- W3 wireless chip
Apple Watch Series 6 Performance:
- S6 SiP chipset
- 64-bit dual-core processor, claimed 20% faster
- U1 Ultra Wideband chip
- W3 wireless
On paper, Apple claims up to 20% faster performance from the Series 6 and its new S6 chipset. In reality though, you‘re unlikely to perceive much difference during everyday use. Both watches handle notifications, apps and activity tracking smoothly.
The Series 6 does also pack dedicated U1 Ultra Wideband support for more precise spatial awareness. This aids AirTag item tracking and other location-based features coming down the road. But not essential for most buyers.
As for battery expectations, Apple rates both the SE and Series 6 at around 18 hours of run time per charge. That assumes normal usage including workout-tracking, notifications and sleep monitoring overnight. In practical terms, most users can get a full day plus extra hours without issue.
One difference in battery performance comes in recharge times. Benchmarks showed the Series 6 reaches full charge about 30 minutes quicker – owing to efficiencies in its newer processor. So you can gain a bit of extra use by charging for less time. But raw usage per charge remains comparable overall at around 1.5 days for both.
In the performance and battery category, the Series 6 again holds a modest advantage thanks to its cutting-edge S6 chipset and charging optimizations. But not enough of a difference that SE owners will feel short-changed enjoying a snappy, responsive user experience at a more appealing price.
Health, Fitness and Tracking Accuracy
This brings us to what‘s likely the biggest Series 6 consideration for shoppers – its advanced health monitoring and fitness tracking abilities.
Apple Watch SE Tracking Features:
- Optical heart rate sensor
- Fall detection
- Emergency SOS
- Noise monitoring
- Always-on altimeter
- Compass and GPS
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- Ambient light sensor
Apple Watch Series 6 Tracking Features:
- Optical heart rate sensor
- Fall detection
- Emergency SOS
- Noise monitoring
- Always-on altimeter
- Compass and GPS
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- Ambient light sensor
- Blood oxygen sensor and app
- ECG app
- Always-on altimeter
At a base level, the SE and Series 6 share an impressive array of tracking capabilities. From detailed daily activity and workout tracking, to high and low heart rate notifications, irregular rhythm alerts, cycle tracking and more.
But the Series 6 pulls well ahead with two key health monitoring exclusives:
Blood Oxygen App
A first for Apple Watch, the Series 6 introduces an infrared sensor on its rear crystal face. This periodically measures blood oxygen levels or SpO2. As your heart circulates oxygenated blood from the lungs around your body, the sensor can detect O2 concentrations anywhere from 70-100%.
Why does this matter? Alongside VO2 max for aerobic fitness, blood oxygen saturation offers critical insight into your overall respiratory and cardiac health. Healthy ranges are around 95-100%. Dropping levels can signal issues like asthma, pulmonary disease or sleep apnea before you even feel symptoms.
ECG App
The other unique health feature for Series 6 is its new ECG app. Electrocardiograms measure the electrical pulses causing your heart to beat and contract. By placing a finger on the Digital Crown while taking a 30-second ECG, the watch can indicate signals appearing normal or highlight warning signs like atrial fibrillation or irregular rhythms.
Doctors can analyze the full ECG waveform from your Health app to diagnose underlying conditions early, before they become serious health threats.
For fitness enthusiasts, recreational athletes or those wanting a holistic view of vital health signals from their wrist, the Series 6 is miles ahead. Blood oxygen and ECG data open the door to detecting issues that basic activity or heart rate tracking could miss. And when early detection makes all the difference in outcomes, the value of this preventative health insight cannot be understated.
Apple Watch Sizing Recommendations
With both models offering the same 40mm and 44mm aluminum size options, which is best for you? Here are some general Apple Watch sizing guidelines:
40mm Case Size Recommended For:
- Smaller wrists under 160mm
- Women/youth
- Petite frames
- Prefer smaller watch profiles
44mm Case Size Recommended For:
- Larger wrists over 160mm
- Men/larger frames
- Vision issues or reading smaller screens
- Prefer wider watch face
The 40mm case looks more compact and uncoverable on petite wrists, while those with thicker forearms or trouble seeing tiny displays favor the more generous 44mm face.
Where you land in ideal sizing also comes down to personal comfort and style preferences. Try both sizes on at home for a few days if undecided. Going smaller gives you more stand-out visual presence, with larger models offering more screen real estate for glanceable data and touch input.
Apple Watch SE vs Series 6: Conclusions
Across the board, it‘s clear why Apple Watch retains such appeal against the crowded smartwatch and fitness tracker space. These well-rounded devices effortlessly combine notifications, daily activity metrics, workout modes, heart health insights and more in sleek wrist-worn designs.
The Apple Watch SE makes an incredibly compelling case as a wallet-friendly entry point into Apple‘s ecosystem. For $120 – $150 less than the equivalent Series 6, you net crisp responsive displays, accurate tracking, smooth performance, cardio fitness insights and robust iPhone integration. Only missing some advanced health tracking and always-on display versus pricier stablemates.
If your budget allows, the Apple Watch Series 6 stands as Apple‘s most impressive health companion yet. Blood oxygen monitoring and ECG app unlock deeper insights into cardiac and respiratory signals. While an always-on display with 2.5x outdoor brightness makes exercise tracking more convenient. You also benefit from cutting-edge processor performance, faster charging speeds and added customization around casing materials and colors.
At the end of the day, choosing between these fantastic smartwatches comes down to honest wants versus needs. If you can live without ECG or blood oxygen tracking (as nice as they are), the Apple Watch SE brings tremendous value. Enjoying virtually every other strength of Apple Watch at $130 below starter Series 6 costs.
But if maximizing health visibility with best-in-class monitoring is essential – or you appreciate always-on convenience – then stretching for the flagship can pay long-term dividends.
