iPhone SE - best budget phone to upgrade from iPhone 4?

[EWarren]

Hi all,

I stretched my iPhone 4's lfie to the max, and it is now dying (sometimes wifi would stop working, and other times the phone would randomly switch off even with full battery). I am a student with small budget, and I am thinking iPhone SE would be a good upgrade option.

Should I go for it ($400) or some refurbished iPhone? I was surprised to find that it is still $400 even after the release of iPhone 7 - would SE's price go down only after iPhone 8 is out?

Thanks!

 

[sdwaltz]

I'd say the earliest the SE's price will go down is spring - and that's only if they introduce a successor (the SE is on a different cycle than the flagship).

To answer your question, yes. The SE will be a magnificent and worthwhile upgrade for you, particularly since you're still on a 3.5" screen.

 

[44267547]

I'd say the earliest the SE's price will go down is spring - and that's only if they introduce a successor (the SE is on a different cycle than the flagship).

To answer your question, yes. The SE will be a magnificent and worthwhile upgrade for you, particularly since you're still on a 3.5" screen.

The SE is a great buy and will last for years to come. I doubt the SE will be upgraded though. If it is, it would be on a longer cycle than the iPhone 7.

 

[EWarren]

Great, thank you both for the information!

 

[se1000]

If you like the smaller form factor, SE is a wonderful phone. The 5s is also still excellent

 

[Thor_1]

The SE is very similar to the 6s, (internal wise identical) and the 6s is just a hair below the 7. So, IMO it is a great phone to move to. Just get the 64GB version, 16 is way to small.

 

[Sunny1990]

i am using iPhone SE from three months now and i am happy with the overall performance,it's still a good budget smartphone to buy today,I am sure it will last you longer than any other phone in its price range

 

[Mrbobb]

Is already gone down $50 since the launch of 7. There are no huge discounts on Apple products. The other thread says TARGET has a $200 gift card offer.

If this is your original 4 battery, probably all it needs is a new battery if ur on a tight budget.

 

[andreyush]

Take the SE! Best phone ever and cheap!

I am just a little annoyed with the camera. It rattles a little bit and the sound frustrates me when I put the phone on the table.xD. But overall is the best phone for me .

 

[Rigby]

Take the SE! Best phone ever and cheap!

I am just a little annoyed with the camera. It rattles a little bit and the sound frustrates me when I put the phone on the table.xD. But overall is the best phone for me .

It's probably not the camera but the power button.

But I agree. I like the SE better than any other current iPhone (because I prefer the compact size, it has a better grip than the 6/7 models, and the specs are still up to date and more than good enough).

 

[DcGamer05]

The SE is a great phone with great internals. For a cheaper more budget like iPhone Apple sure didn't skimp on the internals. The A9 combined with 2GB of RAM and a slight screen upgrade (since you're coming from a 4) it's a great upgrade. The phone will fly and apps will load quicker and stay loaded in memory longer. Also you'll be able to have many more tabs open in safari without a reload.

You might be able to get a used 6s for the retail price of the SE (it's possible shop around). But if you have your heart set on the SE I'd say go for it you will be impressed.

 

[Tthomas612]

I just went back to the 6s Plus from the SE after trying the 7 for a few days and the returning it...

The SE is a great phone and it's Specs are very very good too.

 

[andreyush]

It's probably not the camera but the power button.
.

Nope it's the camera for sure .

 

[cdmoore74]

From a iPhone 4 that is a nice upgrade. I haven't seen any deals lately but I got my SE with $400 in Target gift cards. A week later Best Buy had another deal. But this was 6 weeks ago.
Because I'm rocking a 7 Plus I haven't used it much so I may sale it. Or it would just be a nice back up phone for emergencies.

 

[marty1980]

The SE is equivalent to a 6S minus 3D Touch (and obvious size difference). the 5S will likely be supported still by iOS 11, but may not make it to 12. The SE will likely not be replaced until 2018-2019 due to its low-cost target and now-unique 4" size. It's not one they need to update every year. Plus, right now, the SE still has one of the faster processors and powerful graphics in a smartphone.

iPhones are not cheap, but if you use AT&T Next (or competitor equivalent programs), you can just pay taxes up-front and then pay $15-20/month until the phone is paid off. If you want cheap, you could still be happy with a 5 or 5S coming from a 4. Or try out Android.

 

[iKnowMr.Jobs]

Coming from a 4, the SE will drastically faster. I upgraded to one from a 6 and the only thing I miss about my old 6 is the display quality, not size. The duel domain pixels on the larger models really do have a noticeable effect to my eye as well as increased color saturation. Compared to the 7, it makes my heart weep because of how much of sucker I am for display quality. Since you're coming from a 4, you shouldn't experience any of that.