Technologies

Apple Watch Series 8 vs. SE: Which One Is Right for You?

The Series 8’s extra health-tracking features, faster charging and always-on display separate it from the SE.

Deciding on a new Apple Watch can be challenging, especially if you’re choosing between the $399 Apple Watch Series 8 and the $249 Apple Watch SE.

Unless you’re an avid scuba diver or rock climber — or want to look like one — you’re probably not considering the $799 Apple Watch Ultra. The Series 8 and SE are both intended for everyday wearers that want to keep an eye on their health and fitness levels, but don’t need the Ultra’s larger screen, longer battery life and extra features tailored for the outdoors.

Both the Series 8 and SE run on Apple’s WatchOS 9 software, have the company’s newest chip and are among the first to detect car crashes. That’s in addition to the functionality Apple’s watches have offered for years, like the ability to track workouts, detect hard falls and mirror iPhone alerts.

Which one is right for you depends on what you want in a smartwatch. As someone who primarily uses my Apple Watch for logging exercise, viewing notifications and checking the time, there’s little that I missed when switching from the Series 8 to the SE after testing both.

The biggest reason to choose the Series 8 over the SE right now is its extra health-tracking smarts, such as its new wrist temperature measurements, blood oxygen saturation readings and the ability to take an electrocardiogram. The Apple Watch isn’t a medical device and shouldn’t be treated as such. But those who want more data on their cardiac and respiratory health to share with their doctors might find the Series 8 to be the better choice.

I think the Series 8’s main benefits will become more clear over the long term. Temperature sensing is still new, but I like the idea of being able to see how changes in my baseline temperature may correlate with how I’m feeling that day. The Series 8’s ultrawideband chip, which isn’t present in the SE, may also feel more valuable in a future where unlocking your car with your phone or watch is just as common as using Apple Pay at the checkout counter.

Apple Watch Series 8 with rainbow display on blue background

A larger screen with an always-on display

If you were to ask me what I’ve missed most about using the Apple Watch SE, it’s the always-on display found on the Series 8 and other flagship Apple Watches since 2019. Without an always-on display, the Apple Watch SE’s screen just turns into a black box on my wrist, which isn’t exactly the most attractive look.

When wearing the Series 8 (or the Series 5, 6 or 7), I can view my watch face anytime without having to raise my wrist or touch the watch. I don’t think the always-on display alone is worth paying an extra $150 if you don’t care about the other health extras that come with the Series 8. But I do wish the always-on display was standard across all Apple Watches at this point.

The Apple Watch Series 8 also has a larger display and comes in 41- and 45-millimeter case sizes, compared to the 40 or 44mm SE. Having a bigger display is nice, but the only thing I missed is the Series 8’s QWERTY keyboard for typing responses to text messages (the Series 7 has this too). On the SE, you can still scribble letters, dictate words or send canned responses, but I like the flexibility of being able to quickly type a couple of words. Those who prefer larger text sizes may also want to choose the Series 8 over the SE.

The Series 8 is also available in a pricier stainless steel finish, and the aluminum version comes in an additional Product Red color option not available on the SE.

Apple Watch Series 8 and iPhone with Health app showing temperature readings

More health tracking

Apple’s flagship watches like the Series 8 have evolved into comprehensive health-tracking devices, with the ability to take an ECG from your wrist and monitor blood oxygen levels. The Series 8 and Ultra are the first to get temperature sensors, enabling them to check your wrist temperature overnight and show whether you’ve deviated from your baseline. It takes five nights to set up temperature sensing, since the watch needs enough time to establish your baseline wrist temperature.

Apple says nighttime wrist temperature can be an indicator of overall body temperature, and changes could possibly be caused by illness, jet lag or exercise. Since the Apple Watch doesn’t have a readiness score like Oura or Fitbit, I could see this information being useful for helping me decide whether my body needs extra rest.

I’m hoping Apple weaves wrist temperature readings into new features and insights in the future. Right now, you can see a chart showing how your nighttime temperature readings deviate from your baseline. But it generally seems like it’s up to you to interpret these readings.

A chart from the Apple Health app showing wrist temperature data from the Apple Watch Series 8.

The Apple Watch isn’t a medical device and can’t alert you when you’re sick, so it can be hard to know how to use this data. That’s part of the reason why I never check my blood oxygen levels; it’s just another statistic that I’m not sure what to make of. I’ve been wearing the Apple Watch Series 8 consistently for a couple of weeks, but I’m still not sure what to do with this temperature data.

My nighttime wrist temperature is pretty close to my baseline most of the time, but it’s usually a fraction of a degree higher or lower. Sometimes my deviations are as high as 0.37 degrees Fahrenheit above my baseline or 0.55 degrees below the norm. I can’t connect the dots between those deviations and what may have happened to cause them. It’s also difficult to wear the Apple Watch Series 8 consistently overnight since I have to charge it during some evenings.

Still, having another data point like wrist temperature opens up some interesting opportunities for the future. I’m hoping Apple finds new ways to crunch all of these statistics together to enable new insights and actionable advice. Until then, nighttime wrist temperature is yet another metric you can potentially share with your doctor if you’re not feeling well, but it’s difficult to tell how useful it actually is.

For now, the biggest application for the Series 8’s temperature sensing will likely be fertility tracking. Apple says the Series 8 and Ultra can provide retrospective ovulation estimates and improved period tracking, potentially making the Series 8 a better choice for those who are interested in using it for family planning purposes. That information can be helpful because it provides users with data from their own bodies, rather than just making estimates based on the length of their cycle.

«But this actually gives you real life data because the time of ovulation can vary from person to person from month to month,» said Dr. Angela Bianco, MD, director of maternal fetal medicine at the Mount Sinai Health System. «Some people ovulate earlier in their cycles, others ovulate later in their cycles.»

Again, the Apple Watch isn’t a medical device and shouldn’t be treated as such. It also shouldn’t be used for contraception.

«I stress that women who are trying not to get pregnant should not use this because there can be errors in the data,» said Dr. Alexis Melnick, an OBGYN at NewYork-Presbyterian and assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medicine. «And you can have a cycle that is variable that may not follow the regular pattern.»

Apple says data stored in the health app — including female health statistics like ovulation estimates — is encrypted when your iPhone is locked with a passcode, Face ID or Touch ID. The same goes for data backed up to iCloud.

You’ll also want to make sure two-factor authentication is enabled for your iCloud account, which should be turned on by default. This ensures that health data is end-to-end encrypted, meaning Apple cannot read or access your data. To make sure two-factor authentication is on, open the Settings menu on your iPhone, tap your name and choose the Password & Security option.

Apple Watch SE on wrist showing battery percentage

Other extras, like faster charging and ultrawideband

While the Series 8’s extra health sensors are the biggest reason to potentially choose it over the SE, there are a few other extras to consider. The Series 8 can charge more quickly than the SE, as it inherits the fast-charging capabilities of the Series 6 and 7. The Apple Watch Series 8 charged from 70% to 80% in 10 minutes, while the SE charged from 70% to 77% over the same time period. For each watch, I used the included charging cable and the same power adapter plugged into the same outlet. Both watches have Apple’s new low power mode, which dials back certain features like automatic workout detection to extend battery life.

The Series 8, like the Series 6 and 7, also have Apple’s U1 ultrawideband chip. Ultrawideband is a wireless protocol for proximity sensing that’s become common in new flagship phones and smartwatches. Ultrawideband is primarily used for finding misplaced items and gadgets using Apple’s Find My service, or for unlocking your car with more precision than Bluetooth.

If you have a car that’s compatible with ultrawideband, for example, you can unlock your vehicle automatically as you approach it with your Apple Watch. Ultrawideband is said to be more secure and precise than Bluetooth when functioning as a key, which you can read more about here. It’s a nice perk, but it’s likely not a necessity for everyone. At least not yet.

The bottom line

The Apple Watch Series 8 and SE have a lot in common when it comes to core features and functionality. They can both track workouts, show iPhone notifications, provide high and low heart rate notifications and detect irregular heart rhythms. They also both come with safety features like emergency SOS, fall detection and car crash detection, the latter of which is exclusive to Apple’s 2022 smartwatches. The new Compass app, which includes a new feature to help you retrace your steps, is also coming to both watches as well as the Series 7, Series 6 and first-generation SE.

If you like using Apple Pay or syncing your Apple Watch to the treadmill at your local gym through GymKit, you’ll do just fine with either the new SE or the Series 8. They both have the same processor, support low power mode and run on Apple’s new WatchOS 9 update.

The difference really comes down to health tracking. By choosing the SE, you’ll miss out on the Apple Watch’s ECG app, blood oxygen sensor and new temperature sensor. Whether those features are necessary depends on what you hope to get out of your smartwatch. Do you primarily want to track workouts, or are you looking for deeper health metrics to share with your doctor?

You’ll also get a few perks that make the Series 8 a better iPhone companion, such as a larger always-on display, faster charging and ultrawideband support. Of those features, I personally find the always-on display to be most useful.

Overall, the Series 8 seems poised to become more useful over time, especially after I’ve had more time to test the temperature sensor. Ultrawideband is another feature I’m expecting to become more useful in the long term as using mobile devices as digital keys starts to become more common. But for now, ultrawideband alone shouldn’t be a deciding factor; it’s more about the sum of how all of these parts come together.

The Series 8 is the right option for those who want more health-tracking features and are willing to pay a premium for it. The Apple Watch SE is the best choice for those who are upgrading from an older watch or are buying an Apple Watch for the first time and just want an Apple Watch that feels new and has all of the core features. But if you have a recent Apple Watch like the Series 5, you can probably hold off on upgrading entirely unless you really want Apple’s new health upgrades.

Apple Watch Series 8 vs. SE

	Apple Watch Series 8	Apple Watch SE
Starting price	$399	$249
Size	41mm or 45mm	40mm or 44mm
Finishes	Aluminum or stainless steel	Aluminum
Colors	Aluminum: Midnight, starlight, silver, Product Red; Stainless steel: Graphite, silver, gold	Midnight,starlight, silver
Software	WatchOS 9	WatchOS 9
Screen	904 sq mm display area (41mm); 1,143 sq mm display area (45mm)	759 sq mm display area (40mm); 977 sq mm display area (44mm)
Health sensors	Blood oxygen, electrical heart (ECG),third-gen optical heart, temperature	Second-gen optical heart
Health features	High and low heart rate notifications, irregular heart rate notifications, blood oxygen, nighttime wrist temperature deviations, cardio fitness level, cycle tracking, retrospective ovulation estimates, sleep tracking	High and low heart rate notifications, irregular heart rate notifications, cardio fitness level, cycle tracking, sleep tracking
Chip	Apple S8 SiP	Apple S8 SiP
Durability	IP6X dust resistant;water resistant up to 50m	Water resistant up to 50m
Safety	Emergency SOS, international emergency calling, crash detection, fall detection	Emergency SOS, international emergency calling, crash detection, fall detection
Battery	Up to 18 hours with fast charging, support for low power mode	Up to 18 hours, support for low power mode
Storage	32GB	32GB
Other features	GPS, optional cellular, Compass Backtrack, always on altimeter, Family Setup, speaker, microphone, activity and exercise tracking, Apple Pay, GymKit, ultrawideband support	GPS, optional cellular, Compass Backtrack, always on altimeter, Family Setup, speaker, microphone, activity and exercise tracking, Apple Pay, GymKit

Technologies

Invincible VS Is a Tag-Team Brawler Packed With Bloody Superhero Carnage

The Invincible franchise is heading to Xbox.

Microsoft’s Xbox Games Showcase had its share of surprises, including a new game from Pokemon developer Game Freak and the ROG Xbox Ally portable handheld. Another surprise is a fighting game featuring characters from the Invincible comic and show.

Invincible VS is a three-versus-three tag fighting game featuring characters from the Invincible universe. The trailer showed several characters from the show, including Invincible, Omni-Man, Atom Eve, Rex Splode, Bulletproof, and two Viltrumites — the powerful alien species Omni-Man and Invincible belong to.

The game itself has a comic book art style to it, but its action is more along the lines of Mortal Kombat. The fighting is very bloody, which is faithful to the comic and show, but no kind of fatalities were shown in the trailer. There are also a couple of familiar settings from the show. While we saw only a handful of characters in this first glimpse of Invincible VS, there is a wealth of heroes and villains that could be added to the game before it launches.

Robert Kirkman’s Invincible
started as a comic in 2003 and ended its run in 2018. In 2021, an animated series based on the comic made its debut on Amazon Prime Video. The show wrapped up its third season in March and has already been renewed for a fourth season.

Skybound Games is publishing Invincible VS with development handled by Quarter Up, an in-house studio led by members of the team that created 2013’s Killer Instinct.

Invincible VS will be released sometime in 2026 for PC and Xbox Series consoles.

Technologies

I Played With the ROG Xbox Ally, the Upcoming Xbox Handheld

The new handheld console was revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase, and I got to spend some time with my hands on it.

Microsoft revealed its long-rumored Xbox handheld console running Windows 11 during the Xbox Games Showcase — two models called the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X — and I spent a short time playing around with one soon after.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to take any pictures or videos of the demo since the hardware we got to test wasn’t final. That became evident when our designated guide had HDMI connection issues with the unit. I was able to play around with the Xbox full-screen experience and the various settings menus and play the beginning minutes of Gears of War Reloaded, which comes out this summer.

The device is quite comfortable to hold, with slightly textured grips. The face buttons, triggers and analog sticks all felt familiar, very similar to what I’m used to on an Xbox controller.

What’s really exciting is that you can download your games, remote play from your Xbox or stream from the cloud, making this more useful than PlayStation’s Portal, which can only stream and play remotely. That’s one of the major benefits of being inside Xbox’s ecosystem: You can play a game on any of its devices, regardless of where you bought it, whether that be Xbox consoles, PC, cloud or this new handheld. This more open-platform approach makes the Xbox Ally closer in spirit to a Steam Deck compared with a Nintendo Switch, which can only run Nintendo games.

When it ships — expected in time for the winter holidays — you’ll be able to navigate via a full-screen Xbox app, which combines your Xbox game library with installed games from several other marketplaces into a single Xbox experience. The company specifically mentioned Xbox, Game Pass, battle.net (owned by Microsoft) and «other leading PC storefronts,» which I’m hoping includes Steam. Much like on an Xbox, each game has icons depicting which platform they’re from. In my demo, the only example of a different storefront was Hearthstone, which had a battle.net icon.

The Xbox Ally consoles use the Game Bar, and if you’ve used the Xbox app on PC, then you’ll find it familiar. In fact, pressing the new Xbox button opens an almost identical version of the guide when playing Xbox games on PC. However, there’s also a new Command Center tab on the far left to adjust settings for power consumption and performance, similar to what we’ve seen on Steam Deck.

In Game Bar, you can quickly jump to the home screen, your library, launch games, open apps, chat with friends, adjust settings and more. And this Game Bar works alongside Asus’s Armoury Crate overlay. This is a little worrisome, as Armoury Crate has usually felt more like unnecessary bloatware, but when we get to test the device later this year we’ll see if Asus has stripped it down to the relevant functions rather than just added more on top.

Since it’s a Windows 11 device, you’ll also be able to launch and use apps like Discord and Twitch and access game mods. The Xbox Ally boots directly into the «Xbox full screen experience» similar to how a Steam Deck launches into Big Picture mode. The full-screen experience is optimized specifically for handheld gaming, and Xbox told me the device minimizes background activity and allocates more system resources to gameplay like Game Mode does on Windows. This means more memory and potentially higher framerates for your games.

The ROG Ally and Ally X have been out for a bit now, but the Xbox models have some unique features. In addition to the Xbox button, the ROG Xbox Ally also has larger, contoured grips. The previous ROG Ally is more rectangular; the Xbox Ally is closer to the design of the PlayStation Portal, with dedicated, slightly separated hand grips that mimic the look and feel of a standard game controller. They also have upgraded components over the Asus versions.

The handheld comes in two options, a white Xbox Ally and the more powerful Xbox Ally X that comes in black. The lower-end Ally is powered by an AMD Ryzen Z2A processor, comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage, weighs 23.6 ounces (670 grams) and has a 60Wh battery. The Ally X has an AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 24GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, weighs a bit more at 25.2 ounces (715 grams) and has an 80Wh battery.

Both models are equipped with a 7-inch,120Hz 1080p screen, the same as on the original Asus versions of the devices. They also have RGB lights surrounding the analog sticks, something I hope I’ll be able to turn off when I spend some real time playing on the device. The Ally X did feel on the heavier side, but then again, the recently released Switch 2 and my Steam Deck OLED are also pretty heavy, so I think that’s just what handhelds weigh these days.

Xbox hasn’t yet revealed the pricing or release date, aside from «this holiday.»

Technologies

Everything I Suspect Will Be Announced at WWDC 2025 Monday

We could see new iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch software called iOS 26, MacOS Tahoe and WatchOS 26. Apple is rumored to overhaul all of its OSes with a unifying visual interface.

Apple’s developer conference, WWDC 2025, kicks off Monday at 10 a.m. PT. At its last two WWDC events, Apple launched itself into new territories, jumping into both AR/VR and generative AI. There’s pressure on the company to match, if not top, what it’s done in the past. CNET has editors and writers attending in person to report on live WWDC 2025 developments as they break.

There was the Vision Pro in 2023, and then Apple Intelligence in 2024. What big announcement is coming in 2025? With both the Vision Pro and Apple Intelligence having faced slow and heavily criticized starts, the big message at this year’s WWDC doesn’t seem clear at all. Apple might focus on operating system redesigns and gradual improvements across the board.

WWDC is usually a showcase for Apple’s future-forward ideas. It’s also where the company discusses its developer tools, as you’d expect. And it’s where previews of all the new OS versions are revealed, giving an early look at what’s coming to the iPhone, iPad, Mac and other Apple devices.

It’s possible Apple will reveal a new home device — a display-enabled HomePod — or even a new Apple Pencil with a calligraphy mode. But the biggest rumors so far suggest a new cross-OS redesign and renaming that could be Apple’s way of deflecting some attention away from not having big new AI features to show off.

OS by year: Will it be iOS 26?

Recent reports from Bloomberg’s often-correct Mark Gurman say Apple is going to ditch the existing numbered OS convention it’s used for years and instead go with another approach to naming: labeling all annual OSes by year number. Instead of iOS 19, we’ll have iOS 26. And iPadOS 26, and MacOS 26, and WatchOS 26, TVOS 26, VisionOS 26. Samsung made a similar move in 2020, jumping from the Galaxy S10 in 2019 to the Galaxy S20 in 2020.

Apple’s numbering has felt pretty disjointed as the numbers have gone ever-higher across multiple device categories. A yearly number would at least help people know if they’re on the current version.

Glass as the new look

The WWDC invites, featuring a hazy transparent ring, hint at a reported redesign of all the company’s software to a new «glass» look. Bloomberg’s Gurman reported on a large incoming cross-OS design shift, calling it a dramatic redesign and one of the biggest Apple’s done in years. The design may mirror the Vision Pro’s VisionOS feel, which has lots of frosted glass panes, layers of transparency and circular app icons. Front Page Tech’s Jon Prosser showed a preview of the expected design based on information from his sources, and it definitely looks VisionOS-esque.

Beyond a coat of paint, will the OSes start to feel more similar in function too? I’m particularly curious about how iPadOS and MacOS start to close in on each other even more. Apple’s iPad has slowly inched toward acting like a computer, with features like Stage Manager for multitasking, and it’s felt inevitable that the tablet line would eventually provide a comparable experience to the MacBook.

WatchOS should get Apple Intelligence, and the Health app may be part of it

One of the devices that’s missed out on Apple Intelligence so far has been the Apple Watch, and that should be changing soon. Apple is expected to put more AI on the next Watch OS, which could help with message summaries, translation and maybe even composing messages. It could also bring overdue health and fitness upgrades. Reports say Apple could be working on adding generative AI insights to its Health app data and even using AI as a medical service, with a launch target of 2026. Health could possibly get a paid subscription tier, similar to Fitness and what many of Apple’s current services are adding. This could be like what Google is doing with Wear OS, which has long used Fitbit Premium as a health subscription (a broader Gemini rollout is on the way too).

I like AI coaching and insights on a watch, but I don’t like subscriptions. We’ll see what happens, and if Apple gets into any of these future plans at this WWDC.

Battery life boosts

Another recent report (again, Gurman) says AI will help Apple improve battery life on its devices. How many devices? The iPhone, but hopefully the Apple Watch, too — these are the products in the lineup that I find I need to charge more than I’d like. For me, at least, iPads and Macs are mostly fine on battery life as is, but I’ll never refuse longer battery life for anything.

Apple has made gradual boosts to its battery features over time, but maybe there will be more intelligently applied power modes this time.

Game news?

Apple may be pushing the importance of games again, just as the Nintendo Switch 2 debuts. Bloomberg reports that the company could release a new app to act as a hub for games and game services including Apple Arcade, becoming an overdue overhaul of Game Center.

A number of game controller accessories, like Backbone, already have app hubs that function as game launchers, but Apple has never done much to help organize games on its devices in a way that feels more like what you find on a console. A new app seems like a good fit for those types of controllers, too.

Apple just acquired its first game studio: RAC7, the developers of hit Apple Arcade game Sneaky Sasquatch.

Apple could also have VR gaming news, if older reports come true: PlayStation VR 2 controllers have been expected to work with Vision Pro headsets, in a push to expand gaming on Apple’s VR/AR headset. Maybe that’ll be part of a push to get more developers onboard, as Apple could be readying a less expensive version of the Vision Pro in the next year. Right now the headset can’t compete with Meta’s more affordable Quest headsets in the gaming department.

AI: Live translation, and maybe Vision camera advancements

Apple opened up camera access to enterprise developers last year, and now it’s time for AI tools to emerge for everyone else — tools that could help describe what you’re seeing, or help you remember things too. Apple has already added assistive support for some camera-enabled functions on the Vision Pro and other products, suggesting more to come.

Though Apple’s WWDC keynote presentation isn’t expected to include many announcements of AI strides, the company still needs to compete with Google, Open AI, Perplexity and many others who are making such strides. Reports say live translation will come to some AirPods models, which would mirror what Google and Meta have been doing on glasses and earbuds and on phones.

The biggest VisionOS move I’d expect to see is some introduction of camera-aware AI. Apple Intelligence debuted on Apple’s VR/AR spatial computer headset earlier this year, but none of the AI can take advantage of the system’s cameras to «see» what you’re seeing. At least not yet. Google’s use of Gemini to access the cameras on upcoming headsets and glasses, and Meta’s support of camera access for Quest developers (and its expanding AI tools on Ray-Bans), suggest Apple needs to move this way now to begin paving a way for camera-aware AI to work on future headsets and eventually glasses.

Apple Pencil

We could see either a brand-new Apple Pencil or updated features that make the current device feel new, according to a report from Bloomberg. Expect to see a new a digital reed calligraphy pen feature unveiled. It’s unclear whether this new software will be for both the original Apple Pencil and the Apple Pencil 2, or if we’ll actually see a brand-new version of the stylus.

A new HomePod-slash-iPad?

There could be a new product emerging at WWDC: a look at a long-expected screen-enabled HomePod that may be part of a bigger push into smarter smart home tech. Reports suggest it’ll be something like a HomePod now — speaker-enabled, with an array of mics — but with a touchscreen. Would it be a screen big enough to act as a photo frame, or something more like a control panel? Where would this thing live, exactly? And what would it cost? Originally, reports of this device even suggested a robotic arm that would allow the screen to follow your face, but those plans seem to be off the table for now.

Of all the wild-card product ideas Apple could announce at this show, this seems the most likely.

WWDC/Gurman potpourri

There are, of course, a number of other rumors from Gurman. Here are some that caught our attention:

Messages app: iOS could get the ability to add backgrounds to chats and group chats.
iPadOS: Apple may reveal an iPadOS version of the Preview app.
iPadOS: MacOS-like multitasking might come to the iPad.
iPhone Camera app: The interface could get an overhaul focused on making it simpler to use.

We’ll know more soon

WWDC is happening June 9, with the keynote video presentation streaming at 10 a.m. Pacific. We’ll be there at Apple Park, too, covering it in person. We’ll know more about how all this software could be hinting at new products, and get a check-in on where exactly Apple is with its AI strategies. And maybe we’ll get a bit of product news, too — you never know.