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iPhone SE Reviews: High-End Performance With Budget-Friendly Price

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First impressions and reviews of the new iPhone SE are now out, with many praising the device's flagship performance at a budget-friendly price.

The second-generation iPhone SE has a similar design as the iPhone 8, including a 4.7-inch display and a Touch ID home button, but it takes a big leap forward in performance. Despite starting at just $399, the device is powered by the latest-and-greatest A13 Bionic chip, the same processor found inside the high-end iPhone 11 Pro.

iphone-se-2020-red.jpg

The Verge's Dieter Bohn:
If I were buying the iPhone SE, I'd seriously consider spending the extra $50 to upgrade the storage to 128GB, just in case I'd want it three or five years down the road. That timespan is the reason the iPhone SE is a big deal. No other phone that costs less than $500 can claim to be this good, nor last that long.

The iPhone SE is not just a good deal. It's also a really good smartphone.
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The new iPhone SE can be pre-ordered on Apple.com in the United States and more than 40 other countries and regions. Pricing starts at $399 for 64GB of storage, with 128GB and 256GB options available for $449 and $549 respectively. The first deliveries to customers and in-store availability at select resellers will begin Friday, April 24.

Reviews

Video Reviews and Unboxings









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With the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus now discontinued, the lower end of Apple's smartphone lineup now includes the new iPhone SE and the iPhone XR, released in October 2018. Thinking about upgrading? Read our comparison of the devices.

Article Link: iPhone SE Reviews: High-End Performance With Budget-Friendly Price
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/04/22/iphone-se-reviews-unboxing-videos/
Last edited:
“More to follow...”?

There are more people out there giving this phone a review? Please arrogate and link them all for me here.
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maflynn said:
I'm impressed by the SE and its going to be the top choice for me when I'm ready to drop the hated and vile ATT and switch to VZW
Click to expand...

The grass is a little greener on this side.
 
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Once again Dieter Bohn from The Verge comes through with a great initial review. I want a red SE to swap back and forth with my 11 Pro. Classic iPhone experience to new iPhone experience.
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dubar said:
I think I might be able to convince the wife to get rid of her Android. She's only slightly jealous of me being able to control the Apple TV from my phone.

Crosses fingers
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Keep us posted 😂
 
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GuruZac said:
Once again Dieter Bohn from The Verge comes through with a great initial review. I want a red SE to swap back and forth with my 11 Pro. Classic iPhone experience to new iPhone experience.
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Dieter provided one bit that really was a blind spot for me in the lead-up: not how the camera compares to the 11 or XR, but how it compares to my current SE. Looks good.
 
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I really thought my mum would have wanted this as her iPhone 6S is slowly dying and she never really wanted to get rid of it for so long.

I told her I'll upgrade her to the new SE and she told me she didn't want the same boring looking phone again haha she wanted the newer fancy looking iPhone 11 Pro. So I upgraded her to the iPhone 11 Pro today.
 
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lkalliance said:
Dieter provided one bit that really was a blind spot for me in the lead-up: not how the camera compares to the 11 or XR, but how it compares to my current SE. Looks good.
Click to expand...

That definitely helps. A lot of people are fixated on which sensor was used and how it compared to the XR or the 2019 iPhones.

The better question to ask: “Is this camera better than what I have on my own device now?” A lot of new SE purchasers would say that their new phone answers that one.
 
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Think this. Apple tried hard from iPhone 4-8 to keep iPhone look symmetrical especially front. Than Apple let go symmetry concept when introduced iPhone X with top notch and nothing similar at bottom.
So, Apple could have increased the screen towards top side giving more screen in the same iPhone 8 size frame by reducing thick top bezel like most android phones top part of screen. Bottom could not be reduced because of beloved Touch ID. This could have given 2020 SE new identity. Wasn't that difficult.
 
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Agit21 said:
Srs who will go with this old outdated huge bezel iPhone 6 design?!
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I would buy the “new” SE without a thought but I just can’t buy the same old thing again. I’ve been an iPhone user since 2010 but I’m slowly getting tired of it. My only hope is that the 12 will get that rumored iPhone 4/5 design.
 
wood1208 said:
Think this. Apple tried hard from iPhone 4-8 to keep iPhone look symmetrical especially front. Than Apple let go symmetry concept when introduced iPhone X with top notch and nothing similar at bottom.
So, Apple could have increased the screen towards top side giving more screen in the same iPhone 8 size frame by reducing thick top bezel like most android phones top part of screen. Bottom could not be reduced because of beloved Touch ID. This could have given 2020 SE new identity. Wasn't that difficult.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but what you're suggesting would have added cost. The SE is a parts bin phone for a reason. It allowed Apple to bring out an updated budget friendly phone that will have a loooong lifespan since it utilizes the most recent chip. It brings more modern features like IP certification and wireless charging. This phone is better than it's predecessor, the OG SE, in every way ('cept maybe looks - subjective I know). It's also better than the 6, 7, and 8 (to a lesser extent on the 8 though imo).
 
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The reviewer at CNET posted a Geekbench multi core score way lower than iPhone 11, which is odd. I wonder if he had a background update running or something.
 
Agit21 said:
Srs who will go with this old outdated huge bezel iPhone 6 design?!
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It would definitely be cool if it changed up or stayed SE1 sized with a full screen display, but my original SE is dying and I need something new so I pre-ordered. Its the only smallish phone option so people will buy it.
 
The previous SE was at least a generation behind the current flagship. The fact that this one is the same speed as the current flagship is really, really impressive.

I'm surprised by the recommendation to buy the higher-capacity one. With iCloud now able to offload photos and apps I'm not using, I see little reason to have a phone with massive capacity. I would buy the 64 GB version and it would do just fine.

Incidentally, I had my old SE replaced in December, and as part of the troubleshooting with my old phone, I set up the new one manually, instead of automatically porting all my apps over. The resulting digital minimalism has been amazing. I only load up stuff on my phone that I really need. I went from four screens packed full of apps to fewer than two.
 
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