The release of the second-generation iPhone SE was highly anticipated and attracted traditionally a lot of attention, even despite the difficult situation in the world. On the other hand, the device received quite a few skeptical reviews: they say, it has only one camera, an outdated design, and a high price. We decided to study the novelty as thoroughly as possible and figure out who and why it might be needed in 2020.
To begin with – general information. The second-generation iPhone SE replaced the outdated iPhone 8 in Apple's lineup. However, it is clear that the iPhone 8 and even the iPhone 7 can still be purchased from official resellers.
Let's first examine the specifications of the iPhone SE.
Technical specifications of the Apple iPhone SE second generation (2020)
SoC Apple A13 Bionic (6 cores: 2 high-performance + 4 energy-efficient) + third-generation Neural Engine
Apple M13 motion coprocessor, which includes a barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass
4.7″ touch display, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi, capacitive, multi-touch
RAM 2.88 GB (according to Geekbench 5)
Flash memory 64/128/256 GB
No support for memory cards
Cellular communication: UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, support for Gigabit LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac/ac/ax (2.4 and 5 GHz; MIMO support)
Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC (only for Apple Pay)
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS
Universal Lightning connector
Cameras: front (7 MP, video with cinematic image stabilization 1080p 30 fps) and rear with one lens (12 MP, 4K video recording 60 fps with optical image stabilization)
TouchID fingerprint scanner
Non-removable lithium polymer battery (capacity not specified, but stated to be identical to iPhone 8)
Support for Qi wireless charging
Dimensions 138×67×7.3 mm
Weight 148 g
IP67 protection
Operating system iOS 13
And here is the traditional comparison of the new device's specifications with other Apple smartphones – iPhone 7, 8, and XR. We will not consider the first SE since it has long been out of sale.
| Apple iPhone SE second generation | Apple iPhone 8 | Apple iPhone 7 | Apple iPhone XR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi | 4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi | 4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi | 6.1″, IPS, 1792×828, 326 ppi |
| SoC (processor) | Apple A13 Bionic (6 cores) + third-generation Neural Engine | Apple A11 Bionic (6 cores) + first-generation Neural Engine | Apple A10 Fusion (4 cores) | Apple A12 Bionic (6 cores) + second-generation Neural Engine |
| Flash memory | 64/128/256 GB | 64/256 GB | 32/128 | 64/128/256 GB |
| Communication | Gigabit LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) | LTE Advanced, Wi-Fi 802.11ac | LTE Advanced, Wi-Fi 802.11ac | Gigabit LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac |
| Rear cameras | 12 MP; 4K video 60 fps | 12 MP; 4K video 60 fps | 12 MP; 4K video 30 fps | 12 MP; 4K video 60 fps |
| Front camera | 7 MP; 1080p video 30 fps | 7 MP; 1080p video 30 fps | 7 MP; 1080p video 30 fps | 7 MP; 1080p video 30 fps, FaceID recognition |
| Body protection | IP67 (water and dust resistant) | IP67 (water and dust resistant) | IP67 (water and dust resistant) | IP68 (enhanced water and dust protection) |
| Battery capacity (mAh) | 1821 | 1821 | 1960 | 2716 |
| Fast charging / Qi wireless charging | yes / yes | no / yes | no / no | yes / yes |
| Dimensions (mm) | 138×67×7.3 | 138×67×7.3 | 138×67×7.1 | 151×76×8.3 |
| Weight (g) | 188 / 226 | 174 / 208 | 194 | 194 |
So, what can be said about this comparison? The advantages of the iPhone SE are the latest SoC and support for Wi-Fi 6, while the strengths of the iPhone XR are the screen and battery capacity (however, the latter does not necessarily mean longer usage, as it is "consumed" by the larger screen). Additionally, both devices support Qi wireless charging and fast charging technology; the iPhone 7 and 8 fall short in these parameters compared to newer devices, and they differ primarily in SoC and memory capacity. But regarding cameras, all four devices are practically the same. Moreover, all of them support iOS 13.
Packaging and Completeness
The iPhone SE box is designed in the same style as other current Apple smartphones: the device is depicted "facing" the user. In contrast, the iPhone 7 and 8 boxes show the rear sides.
The iPhone SE package is no different from other current iPhones: a 5V 1A power adapter, a Lightning cable, EarPods with a Lightning connector, and a set of leaflets. Since we had the red variant – from the (Product)Red series, we found a red card in the packaging that informs about the meaning of this charitable initiative.
As with the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR, Apple did not provide a high-power charger in the package; it is only available in Pro models, although the iPhone SE also supports fast charging. But this was not expected. However, a headphone adapter from a 3.5 mm mini-jack, which was included with the iPhone 8, could have been included.
Design
If the body of the first iPhone SE was practically identical to the iPhone 5, the new model borrows its design from the iPhone 8, which, in turn, was previously featured in the iPhone 6/6s/7. By today's standards, it looks somewhat outdated. On the other hand, it can be called "classic." After all, many still prefer a fingerprint scanner to facial recognition.
Glass on the front and back, rounded edges, a "virtual" Home button with Taptic Engine haptic feedback, absence of a headphone jack, and a protruding rear camera – all as in the iPhone 8.
The dimensions have not changed by a millimeter. Overall, it is the same body, so we will not describe it in detail. We will only note that today a 4.7″ screen is, of course, very small. However, again, some people missed exactly this form factor.
We will not describe the design in detail, as there is nothing new here. We will only note that the new model is available in different colors than the iPhone 8: black, white, and red (Product) Red. The latter we could appreciate live, and it makes a very pleasant impression. The color is rich, moderately bright (not screaming, not acidic), and is indeed red, not raspberry or some other shade.
Screen
The iPhone SE has a 4.7″ IPS screen with a resolution of 1334×750, which gives a pixel density of only 326 ppi. By today's standards, both the resolution and the diagonal are very low. However, as we know, the quality of a display is determined by far more than just these parameters. We decided to test the display of the novelty with all the rigor of our methodology.
The front surface of the screen is made of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, we provide a photograph where a white surface is reflected in the turned-off screens (on the left – Nexus 7, on the right – Apple iPhone SE, which can be distinguished by size):
The screen on the Apple iPhone SE is noticeably darker (brightness in the photos 100 against 110 in the Nexus 7). The two reflected objects on the Apple iPhone SE screen are very faint, indicating that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (specifically between the outer glass and the matrix surface). As a result of fewer boundaries (type glass/air) with significantly different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of intense external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked outer glass is much more expensive, as the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (oil-repellent) coating (approximately as effective as in the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a slower rate than with regular glass.
With manual brightness control and displaying a white field across the entire screen, the maximum brightness value was about 670 cd/m², the minimum – 2.7 cd/m². The maximum brightness is very high, and considering the excellent anti-glare properties, reading the screen even on a sunny day outdoors will be at a good level. In the dark, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. Automatic brightness adjustment is available via a light sensor (located above the front speaker grille), which is enabled by default. In automatic mode, when external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider: the user sets the desired brightness level for the current conditions. If nothing is changed, in complete darkness, the brightness decreases to 2.8 cd/m² (a bit dim), in conditions of illuminated artificial light in the office (about 550 lx) the screen brightness is set to 130-200 cd/m² (normal), and in very bright surroundings (corresponding to the illumination of a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20000 lx or a little more) it rises to 670 cd/m² (to the maximum, as it should). The result did not completely satisfy us, so in the dark we slightly moved the brightness slider up (in the quick access menu) and for the three mentioned conditions received 12, 170-200, and 670 cd/m² (perfect). It turns out that the auto-brightness adjustment function works adequately, and the brightness change characteristics can be adjusted to the user's requirements. At any brightness level, significant modulation of the backlight is absent, so there is no flickering of the screen.
