Apple Watch SE

The Apple Watch SE is already down to $259 at Amazon and Best Buy

The Apple Watch SE is barely a month old, but that isn’t stopping retailers from making the mainstream smartwatch a touch cheaper. Amazon is selling the Apple Watch SE for $20 off, starting at $259 for a 40mm GPS version. It’s also available at the best Buy for an identical discount. The $20 price drop applies at both stores no matter size, color, strap, or connectivity, so you’ll get some savings albeit you spring for a 44mm cellular model. Best Buy is throwing in six months of Apple Fitness+ with new watches, too.

We consider the Apple Watch SE an honest starter smartwatch because of a carefully-considered balance of features. You won’t get the ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, or always-on display tech from more advanced models just like Series 6, but you are doing get fast, responsive wristwear with a gorgeous screen and perks like an always-on altimeter and fall detection. It’s your choice if you don’t look after many frills but still need a watch that ought to last an extended time to return.

The drawbacks mostly come right down to software. You’ll still need an iPhone (though it is often a family member’s iPhone if you’ve got a cellular watch), and therefore the built-in sleep tracking is quite basic. You’ll want to show to third-party apps to measure your rest quality. And while the battery easily lasts over each day, the Apple Watch SE won’t thrill you if you’re wont to days of use from some smartwatches and activity trackers. It strikes an honest overall balance, though, and we’d strongly recommend it over the three-year-old Series 3 especially at this sale price.