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The Apple Watch SE is back on sale for $219 at Amazon and Best Buy, bringing what was already one of the better values on the wearable market within $10 of the lowest price we’ve tracked. Though we’ve seen this deal a few times since the SE launched last September, it’s still $30 off Apple’s MSRP and about $20 off the device’s usual street price. Note that this offer is for the 40mm model; if you want the larger 44mm case size, that variant is down to $249, which is a slightly less significant discount.
We gave the second-generation Apple Watch SE a review score of 89 last year, and we currently note it as the top pick for first-time or budget-sensitive buyers in our guide to the best smartwatches. Compared to the flagship Apple Watch Series 8, the SE lacks more advanced health-tracking features like a skin temperature sensor, ECG monitor and blood oxygen sensor, and its slightly smaller display doesn’t have an always-on mode, so it’s more cumbersome for checking the time. It also charges slower than the Series 8 or higher-end Apple Watch Ultra. For the most part, though, it provides the usual Apple Watch feature set at a lower price, with notifications, heart-rate monitoring, crash detection and a similar-looking, water-resistant design. This second-gen model runs on the same S8 processor as its pricier siblings, too, so it’s just as fast in day-to-day use.
That processor bump is the biggest upgrade from the first-gen Apple Watch SE, but most people with that device shouldn’t feel the need to upgrade here. Instead, this model is best for folks upgrading from an older Apple Watch (say, a Series 4 or older) or iPhone owners looking to buy an Apple wearable for the first time without spending more than $300. If that describes you, this deal should make the device a bit more approachable.
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