Apple ’s updatediPhone SEis the only iPhone Apple sells that has a home button . Just like the original iPhone SE , which was a rebooted iPhone 5s , the 2020 iPhone SE is fundamentally an iPhone 8 with new guts . But even if you may find a freshen up iPhone 8 for half the price of a $ 399 iPhone SE , here ’s why you should spend extra — or hunt for a deal — on an iPhone SE .
Design, display, and size
The iPhone SE and iPhone 8 are identical in size and shape ( 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm ) and both weigh 148 gram . They both have a undivided rear camera and vertically coordinate jiffy along with a methamphetamine hydrochloride back . The only difference is the situation of the Apple logo , which is slightly low-pitched on the SE to match the iPhone 11 . The SE also comes in a ( production ) crimson color , which exchange the iPhone 8 ’s amber hue .
The novel iPhone SE has basically the same show as the iPhone 8 , bringing a 4.7 - in Retina HD 1334×750 resolution at 326 ppi , along with True Tone , wide color , and 625 nit of max brightness . Below the display , you ’ll find a Touch ID sensing element on both . The only major remainder is 3D Touch : the iPhone 8 has it and the iPhone SE does n’t . In its place is Apple ’s newer tactual Touch organization that was inaugurate with the iPhone 11 . They ’re not quite identical system , but most users wo n’t detect the difference .
What you wo n’t find with the iPhone SE is a larger model . Where Apple offer a “ Plus ” variant to the iPhone 8 that bumped the presentation to 5.5 inch , the iPhone SE only comes in a single size . And you might be waiting a while for a larger role model to arrive . The latest rumors intimate thatan iPhone SE 3 wo n’t launch in 2021and we have n’t heard hide nor hair of a “ Plus ” model in months .
Performance, storage, and battery
Here ’s where the iPhone SE starts to set itself apart from the iPhone 8 . The SE has Apple ’s A13 Bionic crisp , while the iPhone 8 is powered by the A11 Bionic chip . That means the SE will be truehearted and smarter , thanks to its third - generation Neural Engine . Apple does n’t reveal the amount of RAM inside its phones , but we know from teardowns that the iPhone SE has the same 2 GB of RAM as the iPhone 8 .
Both phones are IP67 rated for water and detritus resistance , meaning you could dunk them in a measure of body of water for a half - hour . They also both have stereophonic speakers , Apple Pay support via NFC , and Bluetooth 5 . Both the iPhone SE and iPhone 8 are uncommitted in 64 GB and 128 GB varieties , while the SE sum a 256 GB tier . They also both have wireless charging capabilities , and tight charging with an 18W adaptor or higher , which you ’ll need to buy . Finally , the iPhone SE supports Wi - Fi 6 while the iPhone 8 has Wi - Fi 5 .
Apple say the SE , “ endure about the same as iPhone 8 , ” but even with the same capacity ( 1,821mAh ) , in our rundown test , the SE actually live on a routine longer ( 3 hours and 37 minute vs 3 hours and 17 minutes ) . Still , it ’s a far outcry from the near six - 60 minutes stamp battery life story in the iPhone 11 andiPhone 12 .
Camera
While the iPhone 8 and iPhone SE both have a single 12MP , f/1.8 wide camera with digital zoom up to 5x , the SE is far more advanced than the iPhone 8 . Apple VP Phil Schiller says it ’s Apple ’s “ best - ever undivided - photographic camera system for swell pic and video , ” mean it ’s similar but a trivial honorable than the one in the iPhone XR from last year .
Under the sapphire crystal genus Lens cover ( a feature film not on the iPhone 8) , you ’re getting Portrait Mode ( limited to people ) , Portrait Lighting , Smart HDR , and QuickTake video , all of which are not available on the iPhone 8 . to boot , you could also take portrait video recording with the 7MP , f/2.2 selfie camera . And like the iPhone 8 , you may put down 4 K video recording on the iPhone SE . So while it ’s not quite as well as the principal camera in Apple ’s newer flagship — most notably , it ’s missing night mode — the iPhone SE is one of the best camera phones for under $ 400 .
AppleCare+
Apple offers the same AppleCare+ reporting for the iPhone SE that it does for all of its iPhones , but it ’s cheaper for the new model . Where Apple charge $ 129 for reporting on the iPhone 8,AppleCare+ on the iPhone SE is just $ 79for two years of military service , a 40 percent decrease . Like the other models , it carries a deductible of $ 29 for screen door fix and $ 99 for all other fixture , with a limit of two instances . you could also get a Theft & Loss policy for $ 149 ( $ 50 flash than before ) , which allows you to get a full SE replacement for a $ 149 deductible , a full Mary Leontyne Price of at least $ 100 less than it would be to buy a unexampled one outright ( or more depending on mental ability ) .
Price and conclusion
Apple has undercut even the late iPhone 8 prices with the iPhone SE , making it Apple ’s cheapest iPhone since , well , the last iPhone SE :
iPhone 864GB:$449128GB:$499
iPhone SE 202064GB:$399128GB:$449256GB:$549
Apple has arrest selling the iPhone 8 on its site , but you could still find refurbished models . When available , Apple is sellingthe 64 GB mannikin is now $ 339andthe 256 GB role model is $ 469 , which offers some savings over the iPhone SE . But we ’d still recommend spending a few dollars more on the SE .
