Multiple Apple Watch SE models have dropped below $300 on Amazon
Save up to $49.01: The Apple Watch SE has quietly been put on sale at Amazon, with the cheapest model on sale for just $259.99. As of Nov. 10, save up to 15% depending on size and cellular data. Find links to each model on sale below.
Holiday wishlists are always rife with Apple Watches. If you think about it, it's basically the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: We all know someone who wants an Apple Watch, know someone who's trying to gift an Apple Watch, and so on and so forth.
The obvious dilemma: An Apple Watch isn't exactly a budget-friendly gift. Things get especially tricky when a kid asks for one. Are they ready for a $400-something smartwatch? No. Will they be satisfied with a smartwatch directed at kids? That's like asking a teenager if Nalgene is OK when they specifically asked for a Hydro Flask.
In Sept. 2020, Apple finally answered the call of the people and released a diet Apple Watch. The SE's $309.99 to $359.99 price range was already remarkable, but an early Black Friday at Amazon has made them even more palatable. Discounts of up to $49.01 (15% off) have been tacked onto various models, depending on size, color, and GPS versus GPS + Cellular configurations. The cheapest is a 44mm for $259.99, which is officially cheaper than its 40mm sibling. Links to each model on sale are below.
In years past, finding a decently-priced Apple Watch usually meant downgrading to an older, slower model that's permanently on sale. The Apple Watch SE takes the best features from under the hood of the Series 4 and Series 6, then compromises on price by ditching a few high-end features that the average wearer probably won't notice. The biggest thing missing is the separate electrical heart rate sensor required to run an ECG.
The list of what the SE does possess is much longer. Apple's decision to power it with the same optical heart rate sensor as the Series 6 means that it's just as accurate (fitness-tracking wise). Compared to the Apple Watch 3 (a model from 2018 that's somehow still in circulation), the SE charges faster, has less clunky bezels, and won't face the WatchOS 7 slowdowns that older models fall victim to.
These are all of the models on sale:
Apple Watch SE (GPS, 44mm) Space Gray with Black Sport Band — $259.99 (save $49.01)
Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular, 40mm) Gold Aluminum with Pink Sand Sport Band — $279.99 (save $40)
Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular, 40mm) Space Gray with Charcoal Sport Loop — $279.99 (save $49.01)
Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular, 44mm) Space Gray with Charcoal Sport Loop — $309.99 (save $49.01)
Explore related content:
The best gifts for teenage girls, according to teenage girls
Frustrated with your travel shoe options? This list will help.
