Apple watch - SE or Series 8 please?

[Dayatatime208]

Hello!
My DP has said he's getting me an apple watch for Christmas. Very excited. The latest model is super expensive, but he's suggesting I look at one of the earlier ones and decide.
I will use for heart rate, monitor steps, pool swimming, and sleep tracking - and would like to use it to listen to music/podcasts without having to take my phone running. Also contactless payments.
Is the SE or series 8 more suitable for what I need, please?
Thank you :)

An SE will do all of that. It's what I have. AFAIK what it doesn't do is ecg and fall alert thingy. I think you can listen to music with it, I don't actually use mine for that so never tried

I have the 45mm series 7, no difference really between that and the 8. I’d go for the 7

I just tried via Spotify and it said if I want to play via my watch I just need to connect bluetooth earphones so yes you can.

I'd probably go for an SE price wise, I'm about to change my series 5 for a 9 (probably after Christmas) because I'd really like to have temperature tracking. But unless you really want ECG, temperature or blood oxygen then the SE should do what you need.

If you are running without your phone then it might be worth thinking about whether you're likely to want cellular connection so you can use it without your phone to send messages or make calls? If so, that adds another £70 to the cost.

I've had a series 2 and now a series 5 and whilst they aren't perfect everytime I consider swapping to something else I end up staying.

Oh bear in mind you will have to charge it daily, which if you want it for sleep tracking will be while you are awake

Both seem to have fall tracking - I'm a geek and popped on to the site to check because I thought it would be useful if running alone without a phone

Thanks all! I'm a bit frustrated that you have to charge overnight as love my sleep tracking - how do people get round tihs side, and is cellular worth it and can you get this with the SE? Thanks!

I've got an SE and I charge it whilst I'm in the shower and getting ready in the morning. It does need charging every day but it doesn't need to be on charge all night.

You need cellular if you want to be without your phone. It's an extra £5 per month on my 02 contract.

I've an SE, if I go for a run I can connect my ear phones to my watch and have Spotify on my watch. I'll also still be able to make and receive calls, although I feel weird talking into my watch like a secret service agent!

I have an SE, got it in October and does everything you're asking. It does do fall alerts. I also have a charger at work and I pop it on charge when I'm sat at my desk. It charges pretty quickly.

Just pop it on whilst you are doing something else, I like the shower and getting ready idea, its not too bad really.

And the cellular is only if you want it for calls / texts when you aren't with your phone. My thinking was if you are running reasonable distance without your phone you might want the facility but it's not a game changer. I haven't got it but when I used to trail run I carried my phone with me as well but at that point I lived alone and ran with my dog in some rural areas so it was a safety thing rather than a must have

They are great watches and the most recent snoopy faces make my day...its the small things!