I have been using the 2020 SE and X over the course of the last four days, and I wanted to do a little write up on my experience. I won’t really focus on pros/cons or specs because that is all information that can be found online. I want to really focus on my usage and what I found to be beneficial. I know there are a few people on the fence, and I hope this helps.
Size: I have always preferred a smaller phone. I was actually using the OG SE until the X was released. Fast forward to the 2020 SE, and I still much prefer the smaller size compared to the X. It is not the physical form factor as much as it is the weight. I am a gym shorts machine, and I forgot just how nice it is to have a light phone in my pocket. One handed usage is better, and I actually can type faster on the smaller display.
Screen: This wasn’t as stark of a difference as I was expecting. In my head, this was going to be the deal breaker. I thought I wouldn’t be able to deal with the inferior LCD screen. To my surprise, even side by side, I have zero issues with the SE screen. I actually prefer the cool tone to the warmer X display. I know this is less accurate, but whenever I see a warm/cool display side by side I prefer the cool blue look to yellow.
Connectivity: Obviously on paper the SE has better LTE/Wifi capabilities, but the difference is massive in my case. Areas where I previously had little to no wifi signal, I now have a perfect wifi connection. I felt like once a week I would restart my X because the wifi would annoy me or hang up. I had 3 different iphone X’s over the last 2.5 years and they all had this issue. I was never happy with the antennas.
Battery: My usage is light to medium, and I charge whenever I am in my car because of Carplay. I have never had a problem getting through a day with any iphone. On Saturday I unplugged my phone at 8:37am, and I charged it on Sunday around noon because it was at 13%. Overnight it drained 6%. I was off the charger at 6:30am (EST), and I am still sitting at 80%.
Camera: I do not take a ton of photos, and when I do it is just point and shoot. I would get a lot of blurry photos with the X, and I have not had that issue with the SE. I will also throw in that I personally find it a benefit to not have the camera bulge on the back.
The biggest edge the X has is tap to wake. I did not realize just how important this feature was. More specifically, tap to wake when paired with faceID. I keep my message on private and you just tap, phone recognizes your face, and boom you can see the message. With the SE you have to press the home/side button, rest your finger on the home button, and then the message displays. This may not sound like a big deal, but it definitely is not as fast or convenient. It’s easier to just press the home button so it unlocks the phone and jump to your messages. Lock screen notifications are less important IMO with a home button. I find myself unlocking the phone and just pulling down the notification center.
All-in-all nearly everything about the SE is better for me personally. While the A13 isn’t being used to its full potentially, it still loads apps faster in side by side comparisons. Websites or apps that are graphic intensive noticeably load faster. I am sure the A13 benefits will be more noticeable with future versions of IOS. This wasn't a decision based on finances, but truly wanting a smaller phone. I wish tap to wake could be software enabled because it really is the best way to see notifications.
Size: I have always preferred a smaller phone. I was actually using the OG SE until the X was released. Fast forward to the 2020 SE, and I still much prefer the smaller size compared to the X. It is not the physical form factor as much as it is the weight. I am a gym shorts machine, and I forgot just how nice it is to have a light phone in my pocket. One handed usage is better, and I actually can type faster on the smaller display.
Screen: This wasn’t as stark of a difference as I was expecting. In my head, this was going to be the deal breaker. I thought I wouldn’t be able to deal with the inferior LCD screen. To my surprise, even side by side, I have zero issues with the SE screen. I actually prefer the cool tone to the warmer X display. I know this is less accurate, but whenever I see a warm/cool display side by side I prefer the cool blue look to yellow.
Connectivity: Obviously on paper the SE has better LTE/Wifi capabilities, but the difference is massive in my case. Areas where I previously had little to no wifi signal, I now have a perfect wifi connection. I felt like once a week I would restart my X because the wifi would annoy me or hang up. I had 3 different iphone X’s over the last 2.5 years and they all had this issue. I was never happy with the antennas.
Battery: My usage is light to medium, and I charge whenever I am in my car because of Carplay. I have never had a problem getting through a day with any iphone. On Saturday I unplugged my phone at 8:37am, and I charged it on Sunday around noon because it was at 13%. Overnight it drained 6%. I was off the charger at 6:30am (EST), and I am still sitting at 80%.
Camera: I do not take a ton of photos, and when I do it is just point and shoot. I would get a lot of blurry photos with the X, and I have not had that issue with the SE. I will also throw in that I personally find it a benefit to not have the camera bulge on the back.
The biggest edge the X has is tap to wake. I did not realize just how important this feature was. More specifically, tap to wake when paired with faceID. I keep my message on private and you just tap, phone recognizes your face, and boom you can see the message. With the SE you have to press the home/side button, rest your finger on the home button, and then the message displays. This may not sound like a big deal, but it definitely is not as fast or convenient. It’s easier to just press the home button so it unlocks the phone and jump to your messages. Lock screen notifications are less important IMO with a home button. I find myself unlocking the phone and just pulling down the notification center.
All-in-all nearly everything about the SE is better for me personally. While the A13 isn’t being used to its full potentially, it still loads apps faster in side by side comparisons. Websites or apps that are graphic intensive noticeably load faster. I am sure the A13 benefits will be more noticeable with future versions of IOS. This wasn't a decision based on finances, but truly wanting a smaller phone. I wish tap to wake could be software enabled because it really is the best way to see notifications.
