tbh if you have an iPhone then I wouldn’t bother with anything other than an Apple Watch. It’s a good watch, but the main issue is that other watches don’t play well with iOS. I had a Garmin paired with an iPhone m and the notifications were a bit of a mess and they can’t be customized

More choices if you have Android (though obviously Apple Watch doesn’t work)

The watch is an accessory that is used in place of the phone for tasks such as checking the time, asking Siri a quick thing, tracking workouts, reading notifications, etc all without taking the heavy phone out of the pocket and taking much focus. If you keep it for 3 years how much will it cost per month? It’s a value add that’s simply an extension of your phone

for my iPhone

That should tell you everything you need to know. If you use an iPhone, nothing even comes close to an Apple Watch regardless of your use case. Seriously. Everything just works so well together in the ecosystem.

The only real point of consideration is battery.

“But XYZ watch has three weeks of battery life.” I regularly train for and run marathons. That’s why I have an Ultra 2. For most people, the SE/mainline series is more than capable to get you through the day.

If you are considering a smartwatch, as you say, my best advice for you is not to consider anything other than an Apple Watch. Why eat hamburger when you can have steak?

I just got the SE a few days ago and really like it. I got mine on Amazon for $215(new). It tracks my workouts and sleep. I love how it’s connected to my iPhone so I can leave my phone in the other room and my watch gets all the notifications. I use my phone a little less. The only thing I dislike is wearing it to bed. It’s a bit bulky for me but I think after a while it’ll be ok.

SE is good for your first one. If you love it and want more you can upgrade and get a decent trade as long as it isn’t damaged. If you don’t love it, it isn’t a big loss.