Head-to-head · Best Beginner Telescopes

Celestron NexStar 5SE Computerized Telescope vs Sky-Watcher Heritage 150 Tabletop Dobsonian

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Sky-Watcher Heritage 150 Tabletop Dobsonian comes out ahead by a clear margin (3.8 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about casual stargazers — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Beginner Telescopes

Celestron NexStar 5SE Computerized Telescope

3.8

$899as of Jul 6

The Celestron NexStar 5SE is a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with a 5" aperture and 1250mm focal length, marketed as astrophotography-capable. Reviewers note its decent optics and sturdy mount but criticize its small aperture, limited eyepiece inclusion, and long setup time. While it offers some value for beginners, experts suggest alternatives like the NexStar 6SE or Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 150P provide better performance for the price. The telescope's large secondary mirror obstructs light and degrades contrast compared to other designs.

Strengths

— Decent optics with 5" aperture and 1250mm focal length
— Sturdy mount with Vixen-style dovetail for easy attachment
— Fairly low maintenance for a computerized telescope

Watch-outs

— Long setup time required for use
— Small aperture limits light-gathering ability and resolution
— Only includes one 25mm Plossl eyepiece

$899 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Beginner Telescopes

Sky-Watcher Heritage 150 Tabletop Dobsonian

4.5

$469as of Jul 6

The Sky-Watcher Heritage 150P is a portable, affordable 6-inch Dobsonian telescope that offers excellent value for beginners and budget-conscious stargazers. Reviewers praised its collapsible design, which makes it highly portable and easy to transport, and noted its good optics and ease of use. However, some reviewers criticized the helical focuser and mentioned stray light issues caused by an inadequate plastic baffle. It's best suited for users seeking a simple, reliable telescope for casual stargazing rather than serious astrophotography.

Strengths

— Great value for money
— Fairly large aperture (150mm)
— Collapsible tube design for portability

Watch-outs

— Helical focuser is subpar
— Stray light issues due to inadequate baffle

$469 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Celestron NexStar 5SE Computerized Telescope

The Celestron NexStar 5SE is more versatile than the Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ due to its larger aperture and computerized GoTo system, but it's less user-friendly than the Sky-Watcher Dobsonian telescopes, which offer simpler setup and better value. Compared to the ZWO Seestar S50, it lacks smart automation but provides better optics for serious stargazing.

Sky-Watcher Heritage 150 Tabletop Dobsonian

The Sky-Watcher Heritage 150P offers better value than the Celestron NexStar 5SE due to its larger aperture and simpler design, but it's less portable than the ZWO Seestar S50. While it's easier to use than the Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ, it's limited by its subpar focuser and stray light issues compared to the Sky-Watcher Classic Dobsonian Telescope (8-inch).

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Celestron NexStar 5SE Computerized Telescope	Sky-Watcher Heritage 150 Tabletop Dobsonian
Aperture	5 in	5.91 in
Focal Length	1250 mm	750mm
Focal Ratio	f/10	f/5
Optical Design	Schmidt-Cassegrain	Newtonian reflector
Mount Type	Computerized Alt-Azimuth	Dobsonian
Eyepiece Included	1 x 25mm Plossl	10mm eyepiece

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