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Short Summary
Main recommendation: The Apple Watch Series 6 is a modest refresh, mainly notable for new colors, a faster S6 chip, a brighter always-on display, a blood oxygen sensor, and a new altimeter, so existing Apple Watch owners are unlikely to need an upgrade. The Apple Watch SE at $279 offers most of the everyday features for less, lacking blood oxygen, ECG, and always-on display, and the new Solo Loop stretchy bands are a notable accessory addition.
Key Points
- The Series 6 keeps the same materials and sizes as the previous generation, with new colors including blue, gold, graphite, and Product RED.
- The S6 chip is based on the A13 Bionic and allows the always-on display to be twice as bright while keeping battery life at about a day and a half.
- A new blood oxygen sensor uses infrared light to estimate blood oxygen percentage, but it is not medical grade.
- The Series 6 adds 5 GHz Wi-Fi support and a barometric altimeter that measures elevation down to the foot (though it won't work on planes).
- The Apple Watch SE, starting at $279, is essentially a Series 5 without the blood oxygen sensor, ECG, or always-on display.
- The wall charger is no longer included in the box, and must be purchased separately.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions: To find your band size for the Solo Loop, print Apple's fitting document from their site, use a credit card to confirm the printout is at the correct scale, cut out the loop, wrap it around your wrist, then order the Solo Loop in the size that matches. If you fall between sizes, the speaker recommends choosing the snugger size, since the band stretches and will loosen over time, whereas a band that is too large will stay too large.
- Concrete instructions: The Series 6 charges from zero to 100 percent in about an hour and a half, and the speaker notes that most batteries charge fastest from zero to about 75 percent.
- The Solo Loop bands cost $50 for the stretchy version and $100 for the braided version; the speaker says the stretchy one is the one worth buying.
- The blood oxygen sensor is described as giving a general indication only, and the speaker's own readings were consistently normal.
- Series 6 pricing stays the same as the previous model, and the speaker expects the SE to be popular as a holiday gift.
Bottom Line
The Series 6 is an incremental update driven by color options and better speed and display brightness, while the SE is the better-value choice for most buyers who do not need the advanced health sensors.