iPhone SE (2016) SE, 7/8, or XR?

[nungesser]

I'm on my second iPhone SE; I love the size and simplicity of it but my new (used) one is so faulty and glitchy that I'm getting a refund.

So the question becomes: what to replace it with? Another used SE, a used 7 or 8, or should I make the jump to the XR?

Friends love their XRs but I'm not a fan of how large they are, and well, it's an investment.

Anyone go from the SE to another mid-range model or the X series and have an opinion? I don't play many games and mostly use it for email, text, phone, social media, and -- quite a lot -- as my camera.

 

[Freakonomics101]

I would say a 7 or 8 is a median of the two. The body size of the X is the same size of the iPhone 7 or 8 so if you want the features of the Xʀ, the X is a good device to consider as well.

 

[44267547]

I'm on my second iPhone SE; I love the size and simplicity of it but my new (used) one is so faulty and glitchy that I'm getting a refund.

So the question becomes: what to replace it with? Another used SE, a used 7 or 8, or should I make the jump to the XR?

Friends love their XRs but I'm not a fan of how large they are, and well, it's an investment.

Anyone go from the SE to another mid-range model or the X series and have an opinion? I don't play many games and mostly use it for email, text, phone, social media, and -- quite a lot -- as my camera.

If you’re not fond of the XR size, then you already made your decision with that phone. That said, then I would consider the iPhone 7 at the very minimum, or even iPhone 8 which is discounted, and by far is one of Apples most ‘mature’ devices in their lineup.

 

[nordique]

Based on your preferences, the 8 is a Great device to get

Fantastic innards and the A11 should be a performer for another half decade yet

You also get an upgrade to Bluetooth, wireless charging, and LTE speed, to name a few key updates, should you take advantage of any of those features in the future (I.e. if you buy the new airpods, which work very well with Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity and distance)

If $ is a concern then the 7 suffices too. I still think it's a great device for a prospective buyer on a budget.

 

[uzubairu]

I recently got an iPhone 7 128gb after moving from my much loved SE.
I still hope for a smaller phone, but it cost me £175 to upgrade from my SE to a brand new and sealed iPhone 7 128gb.

I chose the 7 over the 8 and X due to its lighter weight too.

I’m still getting used to the increased size, but appreciate the improvements over the SE.
At least if nothing new from Apple floats my boat in the near future, my 7 will be alright for a while.

I’d try and get new instead of used if possible.

 

[ghanwani]

I have an SE right now. I bought an XR and returned it after a day. I found it too big and heavy.

I would strongly recommend a new or refurb'ed from Apple phone. With a used phone, you really never know what it has been through and what issues it might already have. If you're good at reading people, perhaps you know who to trust and who not to.

If you're going with the larger form factor it would be much better to go with the latest within that form factor. The 7 is barely faster than the SE. But the 8 is almost 2.5x faster.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/iphon...flagships-speed-tests-say-its-not-even-close/

The 7's main advantage is that it doesn't have a glass back so without a case, it is likely to be more resistant to breakage.

Unfortunately, boxed SEs are pretty limited.
https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/clearance/iphone

 

[austyn23]

I would say a 7 or 8 is a median of the two. The body size of the X is the same size of the iPhone 7 or 8 so if you want the features of the Xʀ, the X is a good device to consider as well.

The body size of the X is not the same of the 7/8; in paper is similar but in use it´s not. Is heavier and thicker, plus you have to consider that you need to stretch your finger to reach the top of the screen that now is the top of the phone, pretty different compared to the 7/8 experience.

IMO the 8 is the best option, great camera, great size and weight and better price.

(I owned 2 XR and sold both of them because of size and weight).

 

[one more]

I was on iPhone SE before moving up to a brand new iPhone 7 straight after iPhone 8 came out. I deliberately chose 7 over 8 for its lighter weight, more solid back and brighter screen than 8. If price is a consideration, 7 is more affordable too. If you want to try X series, getting a refurbished original X from Apple might be your best bet for the price and size. XS is way more expensive, XR is very big and heavy compared to SE. If you have a chance, stop by the Apple Store and physically try them all to see what works best for you.

 

[uzubairu]

I was on iPhone SE before moving up to a brand new iPhone 7 straight after iPhone 8 came out. I deliberately chose 7 over 8 for its lighter weight, more solid back and brighter screen than 8. If price is a consideration, 7 is more affordable too. If you want to try X series, getting a refurbished original X from Apple might be your best bet for the price and size. XS is way more expensive, XR is very big and heavy compared to SE. If you have a chance, stop by the Apple Store and physically try them all to see what works best for you.

I was also offered a good deal to upgrade to the iPhone 8 but chose the 7 for all the reasons that you give.
I use my phone naked.

 

[nungesser]

Thanks for all the fantastic opinions, this has been super helpful to me. I played with the 8 and XR, and the XR was simply too large and heavy for me.

I ended up picking up one of the clearance SEs from Apple for now, but think the 8 will be my best bet. With the continued popularity of the SE, my hope is that Apple releases a smaller form-factor X model before long-- a next-generation SE, basically -- for those of us who want something less cumbersome. If not, the 8 will be my step-up from the SE, which isn't a fabulous phone, but at $250 is a great budget option for now.

 

[ghanwani]

Thanks for the follow up. I just got the battery replaced on my SE (it previously reported an issue with voltage and was applying performance management) and I find performance to be a bit better.

 

[cableguy84]

8 plus