Between the Watch SE (2nd gen) and vívoactive 5, the Watch SE (2nd gen) comes out ahead in display size and cellular, while the vívoactive 5 wins on battery life and weight. Overall, the Watch SE (2nd gen) scores 56.1 and the vívoactive 5 scores 53.3 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (56.1 vs 53.3). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Watch SE (2nd gen) if you care most about display size and cellular. The biggest gaps in its favor are display size, cellular.
Pick the vívoactive 5 if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are battery life, weight, spo2.
Both ship with comparable ecg, water resistance, peak brightness, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Apple - Watch SE (2nd gen) wins
- ▲Display size — 48.33% more. 1.78 " vs 1.2 ".
- ▲Has Cellular.
Why Garmin - vívoactive 5 wins
- ▲Battery life — 1366.67% more. 264 h vs 18 h.
- ▲Weight — 7.00 g less. 26 vs 33.
- ▲Has SpO2.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - Watch SE (2nd gen) | Garmin - vívoactive 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Case size | 44 mmlead | 42 mm |
| Weight | 33 g | 26 glead |
| Case material | aluminum | polymer |
| Water resistanceⓘ | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
Display
| Spec | Apple - Watch SE (2nd gen) | Garmin - vívoactive 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 1.78 "lead | 1.2 " |
| Always-on display | false | truelead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1000 nits | 1000 nits |
Health & Fitness
| Spec | Apple - Watch SE (2nd gen) | Garmin - vívoactive 5 |
|---|---|---|
| ECG | false | false |
| SpO2 | false | truelead |
| Temperature sensor | false | false |
| Sleep tracking | true | true |
| Blood pressure | false | false |
Battery & Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - Watch SE (2nd gen) | Garmin - vívoactive 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 18 h | 264 hlead |
| GPS | true | true |
| Cellular | truelead | false |
| NFC | true | true |
| OS | watchOS | Garmin OSlead |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery life, Watch SE (2nd gen) or vívoactive 5?+
vívoactive 5 lasts 264h vs 18h.
Do Watch SE (2nd gen) or vívoactive 5 support ECG?+
Neither supports ECG.
Which has cellular, Watch SE (2nd gen) or vívoactive 5?+
Watch SE (2nd gen) offers a cellular variant; vívoactive 5 is Wi-Fi only.
Spec-level deep dives
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