Apple Watch SE (2022) Review: 3 Months Later!

[@toadlguy]

Thanks for the great review. One thing to note is that the SE only costs $50 more for cellular (vs $100 more on the Series 8). A $300 (now fully capable) sports watch with cellular is something no competitor has.

[@Dcrainmaker]

Indeed - good point!

[@hambo76]

Except you need a monthly plan as Apple Watch doesn't support post-paid plans.

[@mart2.n]

Do you have impressions of the work with the cellular version? Aren't this cut the battery life even more?

[@alexxu3762]

i'd say SE is definitely value for money. it pretty much cover all the function i need for the daily basis

[@civilizeddiva]

2:34-2:37: Ooohhh! Fitbit user here, so these informational vlogs are helpful 3:07-3:14: Yes!…except for the outside part🤣

[@michaelbruchas6663]

Thanks!

[@frankykikay1]

I’ve watched a lot of videos about this watch but this one is more detailed. I’ve learnt a lot. Thank you so much.

[@rocketdogrobo]

Thanks

[@MrYoungangel22]

this is the type of review i have been waiting fro since this watch was released. Thanks for showing of how you use the watch

[@tomlauwers]

Ray, thanks for the in-depth review. I have been using a Garmin watch for the past few years, mainly for triathlon training. Don’t really use it mid-race, so I’m not bothered about multi-sport mode. The Apple Watch SE obviously has a much nicer screen than my current forerunner 945, but having to charge every single day is a no-go. How do you track sleep and activities, and find some time as well to recharge? My Garmin usually recharges while I’m taking a shower, no issues there with battery life. Would be good if there is a middle ground. A triathlon watch with better screen, without compromising on battery life too much. Any suggestions?

[@Dcrainmaker]

Generally speaking I charge it mostly in the morning once I get to my desk, during my first chunk of e-mails. Sometimes, if I forget, I'll charge it at night before going to bed. It's not as ideal as not having to think about it for days, but you kinda get used to it.

[@jamesharrell4131]

Garmin Epix meets your criteria of a triathlon watch with a better screen but still good battery. Charging while showering is adequate for it. With Always On Display turned on it gets 5-6 days, turned off 15-16.

[@tomlauwers]

@@jamesharrell4131 thank you James! I need to check it out.

[@toadlguy]

One advantage with the Series 8 is the fast charging. I find that when I shower in the morning I charge my Series 7 (same as 8) and it usually tops it off. Sometimes I need to put it on the charger for another 15 or 20 minutes. I use to have to charge the Series 3 overnight.

[@Dcrainmaker]

@@tomlauwers And oops, sorry, totally missed the last sentence of the question. Yup, completely agree on Epix.

[@JXHNDRX]

3:15 "stop chasing rings" Sonic fans: Blasphemy!

[@Dcrainmaker]

😂

[@daishi711]

Today my 955 started recommending running workouts for all biking modes.. so I keep an open mind about Apple being competitive. I just want power meter compatability

[@jimjimplus]

That’s a lot of activity on very little sleep!

[@Dcrainmaker]

Efficiency is the name of the game. Or, three small kids are. One of the two.

[@MeRenegade]

What I miss most having moved from Gamrin Venu 2 to the Apple Watch SE 2 is the fast charging and that summary of day in the Garmin connect app ! That was always so good and Health app just looks like a mess to me, no clear show of what all I did today in one view. Also I cant understand those apple graphs for now ;-/

[@James-KL]

Excellent review as usual DC 👍

[@Dcrainmaker]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@aussiekai]

Really enjoy watching your informative tech videos man, keep it up!

[@Chrishagen]

The se is an amazing bit if kit and tremendous value, no doubt.

[@divinusfilius3771]

My favorite feature is the location saving and then compass nav to it.

[@jeeastham]

Great video as always Ray! Quick question, I have a series 7 and it’s like it only checks my HR once per min and not continuously… do I have something setup incorrectly?

[@matthiassventoest6800]

what if I can get the first SE, for a ridiculous price in the 145-150 range.. with the new OS, available on that watch.., would it be worth it ?? I want to try the watch, but idk 🤷‍♂️. I will check your archives for a 1st Generation review

[@cusebike5391]

I'm currently have the SE on my right wrist and the Garmin Venu 2 on my left. The differences are not subtle. Heart rate & sleep tracking go to the SE. The heart rate is especially noticeable on the rower and weight lifting. I've been using a Garmin H/R strap for comparison. Battery life goes to the Venu. I'm not a runner. I'm a biker/kayaker. For those activities, I'm still leaning to the Garmin but the SE is growing on me. For biking, I use a Garmin 1030 but I sometimes don't have enough charge for the duration of my ride so the Venu comes in handy in that situation. I do lose power when I go to the wrist but that's not usually important for a single ride. The display is excellent on both.

[@Dcrainmaker]

Indeed, I could do an entire video on Venu 2 vs SE...but, given it took me through months to get this one out...

[@nugrahaprihutama8789]

which one is the best for weight lifting, running and riding ?

[@Kev_Smith]

Interesting. I'm also wearing a Venu 2 (on my right) but as I'm an Android guy I have a Galaxy Watch (3) on my left. I'm very conscious of this when in the gym and I'm that guy wearing two watches, lol. I've only recently started trying out Garmin-life, hence wearing two. There's things I really like about it but as you can probably tell with wearing the Samsung still, there's things I'm not happy with - sleep and swimming tracking are two examples that come to mind straight away.

[@joyaclub]

I'm on the fence between a similarly priced Forerunner 245 and Series 7. Thoughts?

[@Lasombra08]

Forerunner 245 is a little long in the tooth at this point.

[@joyaclub]

@@Lasombra08 True. But it’s the best Garmin option within my budget (half the price of a 255). That said perhaps a Series 7 is the better option.

[@xuchenglin6256]

If you never used a “smart” watch, Apple Watch may feel fresh to you. But if you are a runner just want fitness tracking, get a FR245. Better FR255. It really depends on what you need. For me, after all those years, “smart” watches does not attract to me any more. I even turned off all the notifications and “smart” features on my Garmin.

[@rudyaguilar6504]

Can you use it and get notifications form far away/2-5 hours form your IPhone 11 and Apple Watch SE with cellular data?

[@TheMonito360]

Please compare the AW SE vs Forerunner 255

[@ChirsRichardson10]

Can you do a Apple Watch Ultra review after 3-6 months? Thanks

[@Drrck11]

I'm more of a Galaxy watch fan, but I must admit, that Apple Watch SE has some pretty good features for $250

[@xuchenglin6256]

I feel we have entered a time that all those “technologies” are becoming more and more boring while we have to still pretend it’s not… Especially for you Ray… I still remembered back in the day when Fenix 3 just came out I found your blog and read at least 3 times in every detail on your article about it before I made my purchase for that watch… That’s the most expensive “watch” I have bought in my life but it became one of the best decisions in my life because it completely changed my lifestyle. I went to my first RUN/BIKE/HIKE… just to use the watch’s functionality to a full extent… Which later turned me into a cyclist/runner/hiker… I guess that’s the best part of technology. But now maybe it’s me that’s changed, the more I’m “athletic” the less I care about technology… Or it’s just because the techs are becoming boring. I still can’t find out 1 core thing that all those newer gadgets could do but my old Fenix 3 can’t. Now I got a FR245 and what impressed me the most is the daily suggested workout feature which works like a magic for me. For other things? I just don’t care much any more… I got my hands on a AW8 but just finds out I would just do the same things as on a Garmin, albeit the nicer screen and apps. All these techs now feels… the same, and I find myself don’t even bother it anymore… Thank you for still hanging there doing all these incredible stuffs for us!

[@pepo7671]

Can i wear the apple watch to broadcast heartrate signal to garmin egde 1030?

[@stuka78]

Better the native running app or the Nike run app?

[@ActuMoto]

I’d like to decide between whoop and AW. I like the design of the whoop but I like the accuracy of the AW…any thoughts?

[@matthiassventoest6800]

quality post, thank you for the updated information

[@Dcrainmaker]

Thanks, no problem!

[@the2wheelfanatic939]

@@Dcrainmaker hello. Could you refer me to a video or a link to a watch that is good for endurance athletes. I was watching your Polar Unite video and was interested in an endurance watch was. You mentioned that it WASN’T an endurance watch Just wondering if you direct me to an endurance style watch :)

[@Dcrainmaker]

@@the2wheelfanatic939 Yup! An endurnace-focused watch would be something like the Forerunner 955 ($499) kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJ6YiKOnmM-lndU or the Garmin Epix ($899): kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZ69g6B3f5mtr9k

[@the2wheelfanatic939]

@@Dcrainmaker thanks so much! I ended up purchasing the Polar Unite.

[@issamibinu]

My se2 doesn’t measure hear rate while i walk not during workout but old apple watches measure heart rate when we do normal walking

[@tecmalo6857]

Hey Ray, just a short question: Are you going to review the new Stryd Sensor? I´m still considering to buy it, but I would personally love to hear your opinion first. Greetings and love your Content

[@Dcrainmaker]

Yup! In the short-term queue here. Just been trying to minimize running the last few weeks to recover from a minor nagging injury I got earlier this fall. Nothing serious, but figured I'd give my knee a few calmer weeks.

[@NourMoghrabi]

Can you do video for Apple Watch SE 1 generations vs Apple Watch SE 2 generation. I have Apple Watch SE 1 generations

[@justinsaiyan5587]

Maybe I missed it but what was this the 40mm or 44mm? And did you enjoy that size? Not a huge guy but I do enjoy the larger screen but I feel like in practice the smaller size might be better and more comfortable working out, playing basketball and sleeping with

[@jesus.portilla]

You make very informative, interesting and useful videos. Thnx

[@jericho9653]

Is the se 2022 the 2nd gen? Or is there a 2nd gen of the se 2022??

[@ankurd2889]

I'm watching this from India (central) and here it's still 85 in day.. I'll do the 'like' thing..but hey..people watch your content from far away lands...

[@jackjack3874]

Hi Ray... the se 2022 and series 7 are currently the same price where I am at... which one would you go for?

[@pug_63]

I was considering getting the SE2 as my first Apple Watch, but decided to get the non-cellular Nike Series 7 instead. Reasons included always on, dust resistance, non-plastic back and fast charging - I sleep track, so it only goes on the charger during my “morning routine”. Went for the 41 in Starlight - tried both sizes/colours in my local Apple Store. I think I made the right decision, even though it was more expensive.

[@Lasombra08]

It's a Christmas miracle! 😀

[@Dcrainmaker]

Eventually I manage to finish it!

[@Lasombra08]

@@Dcrainmaker Happy holiday season to you and your wife!

[@aparagarwal1234]

Great review , I’m currently on AW7 and loving it!

[@Dcrainmaker]

Great to hear!

[@jamesarevalo1626]

What is the battery percentage now after how many months of using?

[@patriciooliva9944]

This is a great video, thank you

[@nikoscaptain7]

Can I use it without I phone ?

[@robskyful]

Surprised to see you but shouldn’t be.I have three DJI drones,mini 2,Air 2s and the Fpv not avata .I have the se 2022 and am happy with it and of course other apple stuff,12 inch iPad iPhone SE and MacBook air.I never charge phone or watch above 80 % , better for battery life.I get two full days on my watch.I also have an electric bike,I think you do ?.Enjoy all your videos,straight to the point with no flim flam.

[@jtb52]

Great thanks, I've the se cellular. Didn't know about the compass so thx! I like it as backup for phone..it's happened my phone came out of my cycling jersey during a crash... I didn't realise for a few hundred metres...Anyway I found it after 30 moins but I was on my own...so now I've the watch as backup

[@NathanBudd]

Annoying that this is £259 in the UK (which is currently ~$200) given that it's $249 in the US. Makes it a big jump from the Gen 3 which was the cheapest in the lineup for £199.

[@Dcrainmaker]

Yeah, one minor thing to keep in mind is that EU/UK buyers get a guaranteed 2-year warranty, versus only 1-year for US folks.

[@jihyunkim8547]

thanks for great video! I comparing se2022 with forerunner255(especially 255S model). any thoughts about both model?

[@xuchenglin6256]

Get a FR255 if you care about running and biking etc. By “care about” I mean you don’t just run/bike/swim, but want to run/bike/swim faster or become competitive. Toady Garmin is training and athletic focused, the suggested workout is great, it will lead you the right way, that’s what I see the most valuable in FR245/255 from my own experience. But if you are more of casual/geeky/non-athletic-lifestyle, probably AW will be more “like a smart thing”. It’s a fancy toy that happen to be OK with fitness things.

[@billiethegrr8]

Would you suggest upgrading to the SE 2022 from the series 4 for the sleep tracking and running/ multi sport? I don’t use the EKG on my 4 and the 4 doesn’t have spo2 anyway.

[@Dcrainmaker]

The Series 4 gets many of the changes already, so in that sense, there isn't a huge bump up to be honest.

[@billiethegrr8]

thanks for the reply. Is upgrading to the 7 from the 4 a better jump? Or Do you think I should hold off until the 4 becomes obsolete with apple iOS updates to upgrade?

[@GuadalupeGonzalez-kk1ut]

Can you download music and podcasts on the se? How much memory comes on the se?

[@Dcrainmaker]

Yup! Comes with 32GB.

[@CoreyMarlin]

Awesome video! Thanks for the amazing content, as always. Its wild to imagine you or anyone sleeping with that many different fitness trackers on. Do you sleep with multiple on you every night?

[@Dcrainmaker]

Yup, every single night!

[@CoreyMarlin]

@@Dcrainmaker Which device tends to give you the most "accurate" sleep/recovery data?

[@nugrahaprihutama8789]

which one is the best sport watch for weight lifting, running, swimming, riding ? AW sE 2, Garmin FR 255 or Garmin Instinct 2 ?

[@davidmeloni8282]

If you mostly care about sports, the 255. If you also care about the smartwatch functionality, the SE2

[@xuchenglin6256]

FR255, for a peace of mind. You’ll stop fiddling with all the extra “smart” stuff on a Apple Watch for maybe 1 month, turn off notification on your Garmin after maybe 6 months. They’ll just become a watch that does the data record job in about a year. And Garmin does it better. Then the biggest pain would then be battery, you don’t want your watch dead during your long ride. It’s not say a fully charged AW won’t do the thing, it’s just YOU will always forget the charge. Even with a FR255 you’ll find yourself sometimes didn’t charged it to proper level so it dies halfway, but it happens a lot less unlikely. Fancy things doesn’t matter.

[@JB-hq9yj]

The SE2. Garmin is buggy with clearly inferior HR and sometimes even GPS now. Apple is about to start lapping Garmin easily in the next 2 years.

[@angiea406]

A really want a keyboard. anyone has a keyboard app that works on the SE???

[@fiddlerthedrum4613]

Can you realistically swim with this? Tons of complaints about water damage per quick google. I just fried my Apple Watch 6 last night after about 3 minutes in pool

[@Dcrainmaker]

Zero problems swimming with it. I swam tons with it. If any Apple Watch is dying in a pool, it's likely got some sort of hairline crack/fracture in the case from a previous hit/drop/etc.

[@vriend1234]

@@Dcrainmaker I unfortunately have other experiences. Two of my Apple Watches died after swimming. First one was an SE 2020 which died after al little bit over two years. Second one is this SE 2022 which already died after only three months. I think the Digital Crown is where is goes wrong, but I cannot proof this. I still own my Series 3 as a back up. Releasing the water lock with the Series 3 is by turning the Digital Crown, while the later models you have to press the Digital Crown for a few seconds. After releasing the water lock on the SE models, after a while things are getting nasty with the screen. The screen doesn't respond properly or not at all or all kinds of things happen on the screen while you do not touch it. Really sick and tired of it. Found your KZbin channel to determine the brand and model of my new watch to use for running, cycling and swimming. It ain't gonna be an Apple.....

[@T20yur]

My SE 2 has fast charging😅

[@chch242]

Freezing my ass off on the northern hemisphere, while you are baking in the sun and asking for like in meantime. That's confidence in the subcribers! :-)

[@monkswhiskers3354]

Worth upgrading from a 5? I only use aod for swimming

[@Dcrainmaker]

Honestly, probably not. Maybe a Series 8, but you've got most of the software features of the new SE via WatchOS9, and so realistically speaking the only thing you'd really get is the vehicular crash detection.

[@carlosmobellan9443]

@@Dcrainmaker and the Compass

[@tbaze27]

how in the world did you burn 7.600 calories omg lol

[@4toes1nose]

Thank you

[@vincentvega3093]

Thanks for the long time review. I got a 45mm series 7 wifi on black friday for 359€. I found the se to be overpriced

[@Dcrainmaker]

Not bad! Though, I've seen the SE down to $219USD these days (I haven't tracked the EU prices too closely).

[@vincentvega3093]

@@Dcrainmaker since it is a rather new release the 45mm would be apple price at 339€ in Germany with the 19% vat. I must say i got it for the green body :]

[@jayjaywriter1115]

@@vincentvega3093 isnt the bat included in the standart price?

[@toadlguy]

I did the same thing. Got the 45mm Series 7 for $309.

[@ZachGrabill]

895???

[@Dcrainmaker]

Haha...a 70KM one-day trail run/hike.

[@Limnous]

7,6k cal??? 😳 is that even possible

[@kristianniss5201]

14 minutes in, I find out I can't use the watch. wish that was mentioned in the beginning.

[@JN32006]

I've never been able to get on board with the AW design, which looks like it's designed for women. I cringe when I see a man wearing an AW. I appreciate the technology in the AW, but the feminine design doesn't cut it. Guys, please wear a Garmin, Coros or Suunto.