iPhone SE (2016) So the SE been out a few weeks any regrets buying it?

[Ixon2001]

Got mine on launch and i have no regrets at all.

I've gotten use to the smaller screen size & the best thing for me at least is the screen isn't as easy to scratch as the 11 series, mine still perfect without a screen protector thou i do have one to put on it.... which i might put on today so not to tempt fate.

Battery life for me been superb I don't game & don't watch movies, maybe abit of youtube when i'm at work on a break.

Yesterday for example I charged it at 4am by time i went bed last night 9pm it was still on 78%, got up this morning still on 78% but I'm off work for rest of the week on a well deserved break after the hectic past couple of months, so not been using my phone as much as i would when at work which would still leave me with over 50% at the end of my working day.

I've not used the Camera much as I've haven't been out anywhere because of lockdown but once lockdown over with i'll test it better, but from what I've got from the garden it seems up there with the best of them, easily on par it not slightly better in daylight than the Pixel 3a.

For £419 starting price in the UK this to me at least is the best phone you can buy for under £450, as i'm not one to go spending £1000+ on a phone or getting stuck in 2 to 3 years contracts, as I rather save that money for a rainy day.

So any regrets on buying the SE?

 

[tonybarnaby]

Does the SE camera really match or exceed the 3a? I haven’t heard that yet.

 

[oVerboost]

Pre-ordered and mine arrived on release day.

Black 128GB.

Zero regrets, it’s everything I was hoping it would be. Everything is fast, responsive as you’d expect.

Call quality is good and signal reception is good.

Screen is sharp and clear, easy to read in bright sunlight or late at night without making my eyes feel tired or irritated.

Phone weight and size is perfect, can be used for an extended period without any issues.

Speakers are clear and go quite loud without distortion although full volume can make the screen vibrate.

Battery life has been fine for me... getting around 5.5hrs screen on time (average) and that’s off charge at 6:30am and back on charge around 11pm with around 15% left. It has improved since it was first stop with battery life which is to expected with a new device that you’ve just restored from a backup, which I think maybe some reviews testing battery life don’t take into consideration when they’re being tested the day they arrive.

Fast charging works well, I’ve got an 18w fast charger and if I needed a top up during the day that extra 50% for 30 minutes charge would definitely see me through the busiest of days. Obviously everyone’s usage pattern us different, so results will vary.

I bought mine with an Apple leather case, which fits perfectly and doesn’t add any weight or increase the size too much, just makes it a nicer experience.

But overall, very happy with the new SE and would highly recommend it if your not bothered about a larger OLED screen and extra camera lenses.

Does the SE camera really match or exceed the 3a? I haven’t heard that yet.

In everything but low light I would say it’s up there. Images are sharp, details are good and its colour accurate where as the Pixel makes everything a lot cooler. There’s a few videos on YouTube with examples.

 

[JSRinUK]

No regrets here. I can’t have any regrets because it’s the only iPhone that’s within even shouting distance of my budget. There's no other iPhone I would either prefer or be able to afford other than this one. It’s either this iPhone or no iPhone.

I’ve got used to the larger screen size, but I’ve not been able to get outside for a run so I still don’t know if that’s going to be an issue. I’m pretty sure it won’t fit in the pocket of my shorts, so there’ll be some concern there.

As expected, it’s ended up costing me more than the asking price. £419 sounds good but, given that the sensible thing is the £469 128GB option, then there’s the cost of wireless chargers and cases, etc, adding about £100 to that price, it’s not so budget-friendly.

No regrets for the iPhone itself, and there will be no regrets on any of it so long as it lasts the 4 years or so that I want it to last. I’d rather spend ~£500 for an iPhone that lasts 4 years than spend £100-£200 on some budget phone that needs replacing every year.

The battery on the new SE does seem to have improved recently. Over the first couple of days it didn't seem to be much improved over my old SE. Yesterday I took it off charge at 7am, used it as I normally use my phone (I’m not a heavy user and, on a typical day, it’ll get used more during my coffee breaks and the evening) and it still had over 50% battery life by bed time some 15 hours later. My old SE would have given up the ghost and be begging for a top up from the power bank probably before lunchtime, and definitely before evening.

I don’t have much to compare the camera to, only in comparison to my old SE. Whilst the new SE is clearly better - especially the front camera - it seems to me than for most “happy snappers” like me, you won’t find a bad camera on any relatively recent iPhone. Even the old SE didn’t exactly take shabby photos.

 

[heyyitssusan]

Pre-ordered and mine arrived on release day.

Black 128GB.

Zero regrets, it’s everything I was hoping it would be. Everything is fast, responsive as you’d expect.

Call quality is good and signal reception is good.

Screen is sharp and clear, easy to read in bright sunlight or late at night without making my eyes feel tired or irritated.

Phone weight and size is perfect, can be used for an extended period without any issues.

Speakers are clear and go quite loud without distortion although full volume can make the screen vibrate.

Battery life has been fine for me... getting around 5.5hrs screen on time (average) and that’s off charge at 6:30am and back on charge around 11pm with around 15% left. It has improved since it was first stop with battery life which is to expected with a new device that you’ve just restored from a backup, which I think maybe some reviews testing battery life don’t take into consideration when they’re being tested the day they arrive.

Fast charging works well, I’ve got an 18w fast charger and if I needed a top up during the day that extra 50% for 30 minutes charge would definitely see me through the busiest of days. Obviously everyone’s usage pattern us different, so results will vary.

I bought mine with an Apple leather case, which fits perfectly and doesn’t add any weight or increase the size too much, just makes it a nicer experience.

But overall, very happy with the new SE and would highly recommend it if your not bothered about a larger OLED screen and extra camera lenses.




In everything but low light I would say it’s up there. Images are sharp, details are good and its colour accurate where as the Pixel makes everything a lot cooler. There’s a few videos on YouTube with examples.

Man every time I see good reviews like this, the more I want to just make the plunge and get one. I have the 11 Pro now but the weight of it can be so annoying at times.

 

[lkalliance]

Another launch day purchase here, replacing my original SE. No regrets, similar experience to what other early purchasers have said here already. However, take my thoughts with a grain of salt: I’m coming up from the 4” size, not down from a larger and heavier phone, so your experience will start from a different baseline.

Fast charging works well, I’ve got an 18w fast charger and if I needed a top up during the day that extra 50% for 30 minutes charge would definitely see me through the busiest of days. Obviously everyone’s usage pattern us different, so results will vary.

At the risk of hijacking the thread (sorry, OP!) would an 18W charger also work with my old iPad Air 2? I don’t mean fast-charging, but am I risking its innards by plugging it into the more powerful charger?

 

[Fedsbackhand]

No regrets, courier picked up my return and I'm back with the old SE. I'm sticking with the 4" screen for now.

 

[macrumors newbie]

Coming from Galaxy S8 and prior to that S3, I feel the new SE is the perfect smartphone.

• OLED screens have that true black, but there is minor burn in on my S8, and the red has worn out more than the rest, making white more bluish. Meanwhile, this P3 screen is no slouch, and has brilliant color. I’d rather have LCD, which remains pristine longer.
• The screen size is the ideal compromise between reachability and viewing space. ‘Phableteers’ have long since forgotten that smaller can be desirable. 4” is ideal for reachability, while 5+ is ideal for media (larger is overkill). 4.7” is right in the middle between those.
• Triple cameras are a marketing gimmick, like curved glass.
• 1080 or 1440p on small screens offer diminishing returns, use more battery, and are slower. My S8 has 1440p, but I would set it to 720p anyway.
• Bezels allow for a clean, rectangular screen, and separate regions for the other gizmos. It’s not wasted space. The S8 was too large, and needed a case to add some “bezel”, otherwise there was no possible way to hold it without touching the screen.
• The home button and haptics take the experience to whole another level.

 

[rui no onna]

Coming from an iPhone 7 256GB which needs battery service and at $349 for the iPhone SE 256GB, absolutely no regrets here.

Frankly, I don't really notice any performance difference from my iPhone 7. I just bought it for dual SIM and to "future-proof". I expect the SE 2020 will be the last iPhone utilizing the classic home button design and perhaps even the last iPhone to use an LCD screen. If the 5.4" iPhone 12's display gives me migraines same as other OLED phones I've used, I have no choice but to stick to the SE 2020 for a long time.
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As expected, it’s ended up costing me more than the asking price. £419 sounds good but, given that the sensible thing is the £469 128GB option, then there’s the cost of wireless chargers and cases, etc, adding about £100 to that price, it’s not so budget-friendly.

My only extra expense is $40 for case. The wireless charger, we already had since we also have a XR and 11 in the household.
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At the risk of hijacking the thread (sorry, OP!) would an 18W charger also work with my old iPad Air 2? I don’t mean fast-charging, but am I risking its innards by plugging it into the more powerful charger?

Yes, you should be able to.

Iirc, the USB PD standard defaults to 5V (3A) if it doesn't get the correct signal for higher voltages. Your iPad Air 2 will just pull 5V (2.4A) from the charger.

 

[oVerboost]

At the risk of hijacking the thread (sorry, OP!) would an 18W charger also work with my old iPad Air 2? I don’t mean fast-charging, but am I risking its innards by plugging it into the more powerful charger?

No you’ll be fine using the 18w charger with it, it will only charge at the regulated amount for the device but I’m pretty sure the iPad Air 2 would benefit from the 18w charger over the 5v anyway.

 

[lkalliance]

Yes, you should be able to.

Iirc, the USB PD standard defaults to 5V (3A) if it doesn't get the correct signal for higher voltages. Your iPad Air 2 will just pull 5V (2.4A) from the charger.

Aha, thanks!

 

[NickName99]

Love my iPhone SE2, traded my iPhone XS in for it, no regrets. I got $420 for the trade in, and the SE2 cost $449 with 128GB, so it was practically free. Much better battery life, better camera, love having Touch ID, love having a full 16:9 display with no notch and no cropped corners. Screen looks great, even in low light. OLED is overhyped and has weird visual downsides sometimes, I don’t miss it.

 

[rui no onna]

OLED is overhyped and has weird visual downsides sometimes, I don’t miss it.

Curious, what visual downsides?

I might try the 5.4" iPhone 12 which is rumored to have OLED. I've had issues with PenTile Matrix OLED displays before (they just looked weird to me even at 300+ ppi) plus they're migraine triggers. I was kinda hoping I wouldn't encounter these problems with the OLED that Apple uses.

 

[kazmac]

My only regret, I wish it wasn’t my work phone.

 

[Tozovac]

It's so funny to hear "smaller" being used in the context it has been for the SE 2.

At one time the 8 could hardly be called small.

The original SE, to me, fits the "small" category.

Will this trend continue to where the 11 will be considered to be small? That's a fear of mine every time I hear Apple refer to the SE 2 as "small." Or is that just short-sighted marketing folk thinking too hard for something to grab onto, for advertising?

 

[gary77]

Got mine on launch day also no regrets the differences for me were minor since i upgraded from an iPhone 8.

The reason to upgrade was for the dual sim ability as well as further future proofing against future iOS updates

The only annoyance I've found is that screen protectors don't work correctly like they have done on the iPhone 8 but aside from that been happy with the device.

 

[NickName99]

Curious, what visual downsides?

I might try the 5.4" iPhone 12 which is rumored to have OLED. I've had issues with PenTile Matrix OLED displays before (they just looked weird to me even at 300+ ppi) plus they're migraine triggers. I was kinda hoping I wouldn't encounter these problems with the OLED that Apple uses.

For me the only downside was that the tiniest little tilt of the screen throws the color off more than with an LCD. If I tilted the screen even slightly, the difference in angles between my eyes made it seem like the screen was shimmering in a weird way. I see this on LCD iPhones a little bit, but it was much more noticeable on the OLED display.

 

[badatusernames]

Glad to see so many folks enjoying their devices. My mum recently got an iPhone 8 and I’m really liking the firm factor. I might swap my iPhone X with her.

 

[remington79]

I upgraded from a 6s. No regrets since I gave my daughter the 6s asa first phone. The only thing I hate is I can’t long hold and reply from a text on the notification screen like I used to. Sometimes it was preferable than going and logging in and having to open up messages.
This was more done in cases where I was going somewhere and was wondering when I was going to be there or replying to if I could pick something up. It was nice for quick answers not conversations. I miss having the option.

 

[fdanna]

I'm surprised no one is complaining here about the lack of haptic feedback on the lock and notification screens. Seems like such a silly omission.

 

[Edd70]

Coming from a 6 to the SE is a solid upgrade. Siri and CarPlay are much improved. I’ve got a lot less battery anxiety, also.

 

[cbreze]

It's so funny to hear "smaller" being used in the context here.

At one time the 8 could hardly be called small.

The original SE, to me, fits the "small" category.

Will this trend continue to where the 11 will be considered to be small? That's a fear of mine every time I hear Apple refer to the SE 2 as "small."

Small is a relative term and when everything else is bigger and some by a lot bigger, then a phone size once considered big is now “small”. 😁
I had a 3 inch screen HP windows pro many years ago and every time I had it out I got the wow , big screen on that thing. Then the Nokia communicators were ahead of their time also including size wise.
I was glad to see the SE 2 released and find it ticks all my boxes. I had an iPhone 7 that I gave to a friend in need and went back to my google pixel full time. So far I really appreciate the SE for its Touch ID, it’s awesome battery life, the fact it fits in a shirt pocket and allows said pocket to be snapped shut. Feels great in hand. I have the Apple leather case on it which is really thin and minimal and fits like a glove, a perfect compliment to the SE. The speakers sound great, better than my pixel and better than my old iPhone 7. I like to listen to white noise going to sleep and the speakers sound awesome. A very full, richer sound with ample volume when needed. I’m also running the latest beta so not sure how much that factors into it but seems tight, fast and very smooth. Really glad I decided to get it, the price was also nice. It’s a great device! No regrets

 

[aohus]

thinking of getting the samsung galaxy a71 over the se. bigger screen and good battery life and quality camera has me excited over the se

its also a little bit cheaper too. $365 on amazon

 

[profH]

No regrets given what's available, but I wish something else was available (eg. SE1 size-case with iPhone 11 Pro face/tech)

 

[jms-uk]

I'm surprised no one is complaining here about the lack of haptic feedback on the lock and notification screens. Seems like such a silly omission.

It was mentioned in the post immediately before yours?