With a knocked down price and a ramped up spec, is the new iPhone SE a true contender for one of the best budget phones around? Or, is it too similar to the old iPhone 8 to truly compete with similarly-priced Android sets? The iPhone SE will be available for preorder on April 17, and ships on April 24. Here’s what to know about its specs and value. Which iPhone Should I Get? See our guide to Apple’s range The home button itself, and Touch ID rather than Face ID, mark our some fo the main differences between this model and the iPhone 11 / 11 Pro range. While those top-end models aim to be “all-screen”, with no button at all, the new SE retains a “button at the bottom” style that’s gone largely unchanged since the iPhone 6. Under the hood, though, things have had an upgrade. The device comes with an impressive A13 Bionic chip – that’s the same as you’ll get on an iPhone 11. And, for $400, the camera is great, and should be an improvement on the iPhone 8’s. It could well be the best single-camera system Apple has shipped to date. The phone is also water resistant for up to one meter for 30 minutes, includes built-in privacy features, and qualifies customers for one free year of Apple TV Plus regardless of whether they want it or not. Like the sound of a splash-proof smartphone? See our guide to the Best Waterproof Phones
iPhone SE 2020 Specs
Here’s the full list of specs:
Display: 4.7-in LCD, 625 nits brightnessSize: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mmWeight: 148gProcessor: A13 Bionic chipStorage: 64GB/128GB/256GBRear-facing camera: 12Mp, includes flash, portrait mode, and 4K videoFront-facing camera: 7Mp, includes portrait modeColors: Black, white, and redSecurity: Touch ID
The 64GB phone will retail for a tidy $399, while the model with 128GB of storage will cost $449 and the 256GB one will cost $549. Preorders start this Friday, and, again, it ships on April 24.
Should you get the iPhone SE?
There are plenty of great phones out in 2020. Does the iPhone SE rise to the top? As always, it depends on your needs. For those who love having the latest and greatest features, the iPhone SE won’t be appealing. If your budget can stretch to it, then go for the iPhone 11 Pro if you want to stay bezel-free, have Night Mode, keep the OLED display, and get the best possible camera quality and flexibility. But, there are two types of Apple-lovers in the world: those who get the most expensive iPhone available, and those who get the cheapest. For anyone in the latter group, the iPhone SE is a godsend. It’ll deliver the same general feel of an iPhone 8, with a lot of the internal power of an iPhone 11, but for a lower price, making it the best possible value for budget-conscious smartphone shoppers who still want to stay within the sleek Apple ecosystem. Apple knows that the price tag is iPhone SE’s big selling point, too. Tim Cook has already dubbed it their “most affordable” iPhone. If that’s what you’re after, you won’t do better than the iPhone SE.
