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Is the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) still worth buying in 2026?
Only at a real discount. Apple discontinued the SE (2nd Gen) in September 2025 and replaced it with the SE 3 at the same $249 starting price. The older SE still handles fitness tracking, notifications, and crash detection well, but it won't get watchOS 27 and lacks always-on display, ECG, and blood oxygen. Buy it if you find it well under $200; otherwise the SE 3 is the better $249.
The Bottom Line
The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) was Apple’s budget smartwatch until September 2025, when Apple discontinued it and replaced it with the Apple Watch SE 3 at the same $249 starting price. The older SE isn’t a bad watch. It still tracks workouts, delivers notifications, handles Apple Pay, and includes crash detection. But it’s a previous-generation product now: no always-on display, no ECG or blood oxygen, an older S8 chip, and it will not receive watchOS 27.
Who it’s for: buyers who find real clearance pricing, well under the old $249 list, and just want dependable fitness tracking and notifications without paying for sensors they won’t use.
Who should skip it: anyone who can find the current Apple Watch SE 3 for a similar price, or anyone who wants confirmed multi-year software support.
The pick: the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) on Amazon, typically $150 to $220 depending on size and color, well below its original $249 MSRP.
What Changed Since This Watch Launched
Apple’s September 2025 event retired the SE (2nd Gen), the Series 10, and the Ultra 2 all at once, replacing them with the SE 3, Series 11, and Ultra 3. That matters for anyone considering this watch today:
- It is no longer sold new through Apple’s own store. Any current listing is retailer stock, not an active product line.
- watchOS 27 dropped support for it, along with Series 6 through 8 and the original Ultra. It’s capped at watchOS 26.
- The Apple Watch SE 3 launched at the same $249 and added an always-on display and the faster S10 chip, closing most of the gap that used to separate the SE from the pricier Series line.
None of that makes the older SE useless. It just means the buying decision now hinges entirely on price: a genuine discount makes it a smart budget buy, and paying close to $249 for it makes no sense when the SE 3 exists at that price with a longer software runway.
What This Watch Actually Does Well
For the core things most owners use a smartwatch for, the SE (2nd Gen) holds up:
- Activity tracking. Steps, workouts, calories, and heart rate trends work the same way they do on pricier Apple Watches.
- Notifications. Texts, calls, and app alerts on the wrist, without the always-on screen the Series line has.
- Apple Pay. Tap to pay at checkout, same as every other Apple Watch.
- Find My iPhone. Ping a lost phone from the wrist, a small feature people use more than the marketing suggests.
- Crash detection. Included, same as the current lineup.
What it doesn’t do: no ECG, no blood oxygen sensing, no sleep apnea detection, and no always-on display. If none of those matter to you, the day-to-day experience is close to a current Apple Watch.
Battery Life
Apple rates the SE (2nd Gen) for up to 18 hours of typical use, the same figure Apple lists for the current SE 3. Owner reviews and outlets that have tested it generally describe it as a daily-charge watch, not a multi-day one; skipping a night’s charge is usually fine, but don’t expect two full days on a single charge.
Performance: The Real Gap Versus Current Models
The SE (2nd Gen) runs Apple’s S8 chip with 32GB of storage, versus the S10 chip and 64GB of storage in the current SE 3 and Series 11. Day-to-day app opening and Siri requests feel similar for most people, but the older chip has less headroom for future watchOS features, which is part of why Apple cut watchOS 27 support for it.
Who Should Buy This Watch
Buy the older SE if:
- You find it meaningfully below its original $249, ideally under $200
- You mainly want fitness tracking, notifications, and crash detection
- You don’t need ECG, blood oxygen, or an always-on display
- You’re not planning to keep it long enough for watchOS 27 to matter
Skip it if:
- The price you’re seeing is close to the SE 3’s $249
- You want confirmed current-generation software support
- You specifically want always-on display or health sensors, in which case look at the Apple Watch Series 10 at a discount, or the current SE 3 or Series 11 new
The Honest Alternative Comparison
If you’re cross-shopping this against the Series 10, we’ve laid out the full trade-offs, including the watchOS 27 gap and the chip difference, in our Apple Watch SE vs Series 10 comparison. Short version: the older SE remains the better everyday value between the two, but check the SE 3’s price before buying either.
For gifting scenarios, our best tech gifts guide covers where this watch fits alongside other picks. Pricing on this exact model tends to move around sale events, so compare current listings before you buy.
Verdict
Buy it if you find the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) genuinely discounted, well under its old $249 list price, and you just want reliable fitness tracking and notifications for a couple of years.
Skip it and buy the SE 3 instead if the price you’re seeing is anywhere close to $249. The SE 3 launched at that same price with an always-on display, a faster chip, and a full runway of software updates.
Rating: 4.2/5, reflecting solid core functionality dragged down by discontinued status and no watchOS 27 support.
This review is based on Apple’s published specifications, Apple’s official discontinuation and watchOS 27 compatibility announcements, and pricing reported by outlets including MacRumors, CNN Underscored, and 9to5Toys. Affiliate links above are tagged and grimtech may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
The Verdict
The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) is discontinued, but leftover stock still covers fitness tracking, notifications, and crash detection for most people. It only makes sense at a genuine discount off its old $249 list price, and only if you don't mind that it's capped at watchOS 26 and skips always-on display, ECG, and blood oxygen.
Check Price on AmazonThe Good
- Covers the basics most people actually use: activity tracking, notifications, Apple Pay, crash detection
- Now sells well below its original $249 list price
- Same core watchOS experience as pricier current models, minus a few features
- Crash detection included
The Bad
- Discontinued by Apple in September 2025; capped at watchOS 26, no watchOS 27
- No always-on display, ECG, or blood oxygen sensing
- Older S8 chip and 32GB storage versus current models
- Pricing is inconsistent since Apple no longer sells it directly
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grimtech is an independent tech-review publication. We test and research gear, cut the hype, and give one clear recommendation you can act on. Our rule is simple: trust is the whole business, so we never let a commission shape a verdict, if the cheaper or older product is the right call, that's what we tell you. We earn affiliate commissions when you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you, and that never changes what we recommend.