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iPhone XS switching from se to xs

nathansz

nathansz

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jul 24, 2017
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i just switched from se to xs

it looks very nice, i love the display and the smaller bezels and it seems really zippy but i pretty much always use my phone one handed and it feels way too big

so much so that i’m already considering returning it.

i also kind of hate the camera bump

wondering if others who have switched from se to the newer phones have gotten used to it
 
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nathansz said:
i just switched from se to xs

it looks very nice, i love the display and the smaller bezels and it seems really zippy but i pretty much always use my phone one handed and it feels way too big

so much so that i’m already considering returning it.

i also kind of hate the camera bump

wondering if others who have switched from se to the newer phones have gotten used to it
Click to expand...
A few months ago I put my SE aside as I wanted to try Android. Like you, I found the new phones too big but was pleased to find that the Samsung S10e was a fairly reasonable size. Like any new phone would, at first it seemed very big after being used to the SE but I am now ok with it. While you may not want to go Android you may wish to handled the S10e in the store to see if the size bothers you and then see which iPhone may have similar measurements.

Good luck.
 
The SE is still a great device.

If you personally aren’t happy with the XS, return it. Keep using the SE until later this year when the rumoured smaller 12 is released, and then you can decide what route you want to go...

Keep the SE if it gets iOS 14 support,
Buy the new “budget” iPhone due for release next month that by then will be well tested and reviewed,
Get the smaller iPhone 12 if it exists...

If your doubting yourself already, it’s never likely to go away so while you have the option to return the XS, personally, that’s what I’d do.
 
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I have the 11 pro 5.8 and if they put the same main camera to the “9” (portrait and night mode) I will go for it.

I can’t stand the weight, I understand you... but as they said try the 8, is a great size and weight balance
 
After one year with 8 plus, I find the XS size perfect for me (pocket size overall). One hand use is possible for me and I haven’t got big hand ;) give it time 👍
 
I went from iPhone 11 Pro back to my SE and this is truly the only one handed iPhone out there. I have had it since launch and unfortunately the battery is pretty bad nowadays with the latest iOS 13.3.1. I get about 1 hour and 45 minutes screen on time with 75% brightness and 91% battery health.

I will be upgrading to the new iPhone SE2 or whatever it’s called when it releases, however I already know it won’t be as good as a one handed phone as the SE, because of the larger size...
 
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The iPhone 11 Pro is actually smaller than the iPhone 11 and just slightly longer than the iPhone 8. Might be worth it for you with your preference for size of iPhone and yet keep up to date with iphone
 
thanks for all the replies

my wife had the 8 and it is to me the worst of both worlds

it’s almost as large as the xs and with a protruding camera, and also still has the giant bezels, is slower and battery doesn’t last as l

do we have an idea of what the dimensions of this smaller 12 might be? i love the x series form factor and the oled and the ui, but they are all just too big
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njpryan said:
The iPhone 11 Pro is actually smaller than the iPhone 11 and just slightly longer than the iPhone 8. Might be worth it for you with your preference for size of iPhone and yet keep up to date with iphone
Click to expand...

the 11 pro is actually slightly larger than the xs and with a more ridiculous camera
 
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nathansz said:
do we have an idea of what the dimensions of this smaller 12 might be? i love the x series form factor and the oled and the ui, but they are all just too big
Click to expand...

Not sure about the exact dimensions, but it will definitely be smaller than your current XS. The visual guess is here:

www.macrumors.com

Kuo: Apple to Launch Five iPhones in 2020, Including 5.4-Inch, Two 6.1-Inch, and 6.7-Inch Models With 5G

Apple plans to release five new iPhone models in 2020, according to the latest prediction from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a research note with TF...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com
 
nathansz said:
i just switched from se to xs

it looks very nice, i love the display and the smaller bezels and it seems really zippy but i pretty much always use my phone one handed and it feels way too big

so much so that i’m already considering returning it.

i also kind of hate the camera bump

wondering if others who have switched from se to the newer phones have gotten used to it
Click to expand...
I don't notice the bump, but I keep my phones in cases.
 
I came from an SE to a regular 11, and have had it since launch.

Love the phone itself...don't really care about the camera since I already have a dedicated shooter, but this phone just feels too big and just like you TC, I was so used to using the phone with 1 hand.

I'll be switching to the SE2 once that releases. Just another month's wait...cannot wait.
 
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i think it's a big change going from a SE to an XS ... both in terms of size of the phone (dimensions/footprint) as well as weight. the XS is actually only a hair bigger than the 7 and 8, but significantly heavier. for me, with my large hands, i could comfortably use the 7 one handed and reach both corners of the screen with ease. i now have the XS and it's ok weight-wise for me, but i am at the edge of my comfort zone using the phone corner to corner one handed. my wife has an 11, and while i can strain to use that phone one handed corner to corner, that's extra 0.3" is enough to make it very uncomfortable.

so bottom line: it's a personal thing but the SE to an XS is a huge jump in both size and weight. i don't think the 8 will solve your problem unless the XS is only marginally uncomfortable because it is only slightly smaller although a fair bit lighter.

i think you best bet is to go back to the SE (if you can return the XS) and hope that the rumor of a 5.4" 12 model coming out becomes reality. yet, i'm sure that phone will be fairly heavy weight wise if that's what you are noticing in your struggle to use the XS one handed.
 
Derek87 said:
i think it's a big change going from a SE to an XS ... both in terms of size of the phone (dimensions/footprint) as well as weight. the XS is actually only a hair bigger than the 7 and 8, but significantly heavier. for me, with my large hands, i could comfortably use the 7 one handed and reach both corners of the screen with ease. i now have the XS and it's ok weight-wise for me, but i am at the edge of my comfort zone using the phone corner to corner one handed. my wife has an 11, and while i can strain to use that phone one handed corner to corner, that's extra 0.3" is enough to make it very uncomfortable.

so bottom line: it's a personal thing but the SE to an XS is a huge jump in both size and weight. i don't think the 8 will solve your problem unless the XS is only marginally uncomfortable because it is only slightly smaller although a fair bit lighter.

i think you best bet is to go back to the SE (if you can return the XS) and hope that the rumor of a 5.4" 12 model coming out becomes reality. yet, i'm sure that phone will be fairly heavy weight wise if that's what you are noticing in your struggle to use the XS one handed.
Click to expand...

i think this is what i’ll do

the weight doesn’t bother me

i just can’t get to the top corners without shifting the phone in my hand
 
What I specifically used to do, was when I owned the iPhone SE, I would switch my Sim card between my iPhone Plus model back to my iPhone SE whenever I wanted to have a smaller form factor. It was convenient enough where it actually gave me the best of ‘both worlds’ whenever I wanted a larger display or a compact form factor.
 
my wife had the 8 and the 11 pro is actually slightly larger than the xs and with a more ridiculous camera
Click to expand...
The 11pro is slightly thicker than the X, Xs but the screen length and width are identical.
 
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nathansz said:
i think this is what i’ll do

the weight doesn’t bother me

i just can’t get to the top corners without shifting the phone in my hand
Click to expand...

if weight isn't the issue, then i would actually recommend checking out the "iPhone 9"/SE2 that will come out supposedly this Spring. while it may have a similar footprint to the 5.8" iPhones, the screen won't go corner to corner, so you may be able to reach all areas of the screen one-handed. you could also go to the store to check out the iPhone 8, but i would certainly wait until the 9/SE2 comes out since that is rumored to have much better internal hardware at a lower price (except for 3D touch)
 
I went from the 4 to the 6 - that's a similar jump in size as SE to just about anything from iPhone 6 through 11 Pro (not counting the Plus/Max models). I wanted the larger size, and my hands are big enough that one-handed operation isn't a major issue for me. I do find the Plus/Max to be a bit large for my taste - my eyes like them, but my hands and pockets don't.

If you love the size of the SE, it's going to be tough learning to love anything larger. Love is a hard thing to overcome - you'll likely keep having regrets that you "broke up."

If size/one-hand operation isn't as important, most folks seem happy moving to the larger screen (which is likely why it's the dominant size for today's iPhones). I have a friend who recently went from SE to 11 and is delighted with it, but her primary reason for getting the SE was the smaller price tag.
 
I have an SE. Last year I got a XR (didn't want the OLED flicker issue in the XS) and returned it after a day of use. Still using my SE. I'm waiting for the SE 2 or whatever it will be called. If I had to get a new phone today, it would be the 8.
 
nathansz said:
wondering if others who have switched from se to the newer phones have gotten used to it
Click to expand...
I've been using an iPhone SE for the last three years and will be switching to an XS tomorrow. Part of the reason I'm doing so is to reduce the amount of time I spend using my phone; my hope is that the increase in weight and bulk will make it so much less pleasant to use compared to the SE that I'll just leave it in my bag most of the time. At the very least I hope the folio case will make it more frustrating to use.
 
smoothbit said:
I've been using an iPhone SE for the last three years and will be switching to an XS tomorrow. Part of the reason I'm doing so is to reduce the amount of time I spend using my phone; my hope is that the increase in weight and bulk will make it so much less pleasant to use compared to the SE that I'll just leave it in my bag most of the time. At the very least I hope the folio case will make it more frustrating to use.
Click to expand...

Good luck, hope it works out! Such tactics don't work for me. They only increase my frustration.
 
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