5 Best Apple Watches For Cheap 2025 in the United States

The Apple Watch Series 10 offers significant improvements and advanced features making it a strong contender among affordable smartwatches. At 42mm, this model balances a larger screen with a lightweight design, ensuring comfortable wear. It provides an impressive range of health and fitness features, including ECG monitoring, heart rate notifications, sleep tracking, and various workout metrics, making it an excellent choice for fitness enthusiasts.

The Always-On Retina Display is a nice touch, allowing you to easily glance at the screen without needing to activate it manually. Connectivity is robust with built-in GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.3, enabling seamless interaction with your iPhone and other Apple services. One outstanding aspect is its emergency features such as Fall Detection and Emergency SOS, adding a layer of safety. The watch is water-resistant up to 50 meters, making it suitable for swimming and other aquatic activities.

Battery life spans up to 18 hours with normal use, which might require daily charging, but it does come with fast charging to mitigate this inconvenience. Compatibility is limited to iPhone XS or later, which could be a drawback for users with older models or different brands. Customization options are wide-ranging with multiple band styles and customizable watch faces. For an eco-conscious choice, this model is carbon neutral when paired with select bands. It packs a lot of high-tech features into a relatively affordable package, though users should ensure their current devices are compatible due to its dependency on the Apple ecosystem.

The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) stands out as a strong contender in the affordable smartwatch category, especially for users looking for a blend of functionality and style. One of its significant strengths is its comprehensive health and fitness features, including a heart rate monitor, sleep tracking, and fall detection, making it an excellent choice for those focused on personal wellness and safety. The workout app is user-friendly and offers advanced metrics, which can motivate users to stay active.

In terms of connectivity, the watch allows you to stay in touch through calls, texts, and music streaming, which is ideal for those who want to remain connected without constantly checking their phones. Its compatibility extends seamlessly with other Apple devices, enhancing the user experience.

The design is another highlight—it's stylish, customizable, and water-resistant up to 50 meters, perfect for those who want a fashionable yet functional accessory. Additionally, the carbon-neutral aspect when paired with select bands showcases Apple's commitment to environmental sustainability. However, there are a few drawbacks to consider. While the watch offers a lot of features, it doesn't have some advanced capabilities found in more expensive models, such as an always-on display or the ability to take ECG readings. The 40mm size might also be small for some users, especially those who prefer larger watches. Battery life is decent but varies based on usage, so frequent heavy use may require more regular charging. Lastly, while it’s designed for compatibility with Apple devices, users who rely on Android might find it limiting. For anyone already invested in the Apple ecosystem looking for an affordable entry into smartwatches, the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) is a great choice, but it might not be the best fit for those outside that ecosystem or those seeking high-end features.

The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) GPS 44mm offers a solid package for anyone looking to get an Apple Watch without the high price tag of the latest models. Its 44mm size provides a clear, easy-to-read Retina display that’s stylish and comfortable to wear. Connectivity relies on built-in GPS and Bluetooth, allowing you to send texts, take calls, and stream music as long as it’s paired with your iPhone or Wi-Fi. This model does not have cellular capabilities, so it won’t work independently from your phone.

Health and fitness tracking is a major strength here. It includes heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and helpful safety features like Fall Detection and Crash Detection, which can alert someone in case of an emergency. The Workout app supports a variety of exercises and provides detailed insights to help you stay active. Battery life is decent for a smartwatch, generally lasting about a day on a full charge, which is typical for Apple Watches.

Compatibility is seamless with Apple devices, making it easy to use features like Apple Pay, unlocking your Mac, or tracking your activity across devices. The watch is swim-proof with water resistance up to 50 meters, making it suitable for swimming or showering. One nice touch is that it’s customizable with a wide range of bands and watch faces to match your style. Since it’s a more budget-friendly Apple Watch, it lacks some advanced sensors like an ECG or blood oxygen monitoring found in pricier models. Also, its GPS-only setup means you need your phone nearby for calls or data. If you want a reliable, stylish smartwatch to track fitness and stay connected in daily life without breaking the bank, the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) is a great choice.