Apple launched the iPhone SE 2020 which is the most affordable iPhone ever. It boasts the most powerful Apple A13 Bionic chip from the iPhone 11 and has a whole new camera setup.
Specifications
The iPhone SE is targeted at Android users who might be looking to switch to Apple ecosystem. The price has been kept lower than some of the flagship android phones available in the market. Apple has cut cost by adopting the same design as the iPhone 8 but stuffing it with more recent and superior interiors.
| Key Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Display | 4.7-inch LCD display |
| Camera | 12MP primary camera with f1/8 aperture 7MP selfie camera with f2/2 aperture |
| Processor | A13 Bionic |
| RAM | Unspecified |
| Storage | 64GB |
| Operating System | Apple IOS 13 |
The iPhone SE is powered by the latest and the greatest chip that Apple builds at the current times. It has the same A13 bionic chip that the much costlier iPhone 11 has. The A13 chip is actually an over qualified chip for the display and camera specs of the SE, hence it performs very well. The UI is smooth and snappy and Apps perform impressively. The navigation between Apps is smooth. RAM management is as good as it has always been with Apple products.
Although its not specified but the iPhone SE has a battery less than 2000mAh which is the weakest link of this product. The A13 chip is quite power efficient and the non-HD display saves some power but still the small battery is a big downside. The SE doesn’t last for the entire day with moderate usage and requires a top-up at least once during the day.
Design and Form Factor
iPhone SE is basically new internal stuff in the body of an iPhone 8. Its very different from the current flagships both in terms of design and size. iPhone SE has a 4.7-inch display which is much smaller than other flagships and mid rangers that usually have more than 6-inch display. Although many people might find it convenient and refreshing to have a smaller phone for a change that fits in the hand perfectly but its advisable to visit a store and try it before actually ordering it. The iPhone SE is a metal glass sandwich which is IP-67 water and dust resistant. It has glass back that allows wireless charging. We also have a single camera at the top left corner and the very famous Apple Logo in the centre. On the front side, it has both a big chin and a big forehead just like the iPhone 8 and it brings back the Touch ID which many users prefer over Face ID. Speaker grills and USB lightening port rest at the bottom. The iPhone SE is available in 3 colours – Red, Black and White. All 3 have the front side in black colour with black bezels around the screen.
Display
The display is a 4.7-inch 720p LCD panel that has a refresh rate of 60Hz. It also has thick bezels around it. The display doesn’t have double tap to wake that most other phones have nowadays and also the maximum brightness is not very high so viewing under direct sunlight will be difficult. There is nothing much fancy about the display as it’s a very ordinary display that will be sufficient for daily usage and casual gaming.
Camera
The iPhone SE has a single 12MP camera at the back with f/1.8 aperture. The camera lens and sensors are the same as iPhone 8 but with the new A13 Bionic chip, the camera is capable of more tricks. Portrait mode, studio lighting, extended HDR and dynamic range are some of the capabilities that the iPhone SE is able to achieve through this single camera setup. It also has a time lapse and Pano mode but no Night Mode like iPhone 11. Although we don’t have a telephoto or macro lens but the main camera is quite capable for general usage.
Pictures from the iPhone SE are typical iPhone pictures that gives detailed crisp looking daylight shots with good color balance and exposure. Auto focus was not as accurate as the iPhone 11 but its works. Portrait mode works well with human subjects where it can detect a face. Unfortunately, night shots were not very good. Most pictures had motion blur and looked somewhat murky.
Front camera is a 7MP f/2.2 aperture lens. It has portrait lighting and variable aperture effects. Edge detection is quite accurate and you can even edit the lighting effects after saving the picture.
The iPhone SE supports videos up to 4K 60fps but the default setting is 1080p at 30fps. Videos have excellent stabilization, punchy colors and look smooth.
Overall Experience
Although the iPhone SE does nothing wrong as such. It gives the complete Apple experience and does not cut corners where it matters most. It has a powerful chip and a capable camera. The sound and haptics on the SE are excellent. But still at this price, it does not provide value for money to its target customers segment (the mid-range segment). Many of the android phones at this price have a much more impressive design and specifications and most users will prefer that. Apple accessories and services are on the costlier side which won’t look shiny to the average mid-range phone buyer. However, the Apple experience will certainly make a difference here. You are guaranteed many years of software (the iPhone 6 released in 2015 still gets updates) updates and good customer service and this might be preferred by many users.
Also, the smaller battery capacity means you will end up being that person who is constantly looking for iPhone chargers (which are not very common in India yet). So, unless you have a very strong desire to own an Apple product or if the good camera is what you care about, you can certainly give this one a miss.
Image Credits : Apple Inc.