Every time you decide to buy a new iPhone, the question arises, which one is better to buy? If the budget is limited, the choice is narrowed down to a few options. In this article we will compare two different, but at the same time similar devices: Iphone 6 vs Iphone SE. Since this is not a review, we will not touch on some aspects.
Considering that the iPhones came out not much time apart from each other, only two years, the design is radically different. Pre-orders for the 6 began to be accepted on September 12, 2014, and for the SE from March 21, 2016. It is not clear why the company decided to release our favorite copy of the 5S.
The SE is very similar to the 5S, only the hardware is different. The body is made of high-strength aluminum, like its competitor. The edges have the same shape as the 5S. On the front panel you can see a 4-inch diagonal screen, a home button, which has a built-in fingerprint sensor. Also an earpiece, proximity sensors and a front 1.2 megapixel camera. On the left side there are volume buttons and switching to silent mode, on the right side there is a SIM card tray. On top is the phone's power key, and on the bottom is the charging connector, speaker, microphone and 3.5 mm. headphone input. The thickness of the phone is 7.6 millimeters. Length 123.8 millimeters, width 58.6 mm. It fits perfectly in the hand, because it weighs only 113 grams.
Its competitor has a new design. Instead of smooth, slightly rectangular edges, they became curved and oval. Thanks to this, the smartphone fits perfectly in the hand. Instead of four inches, a screen with a diagonal of 4.7 inches was installed on the six. The connectors are the same as its predecessor. At the bottom there is a charging connector and a 3.5 mm headphone input. In addition, there is a conversational speaker. But the power button is now on the right. It has become much more convenient because it has grown in length and it is easier to reach with your finger to turn it off.
- small in size;
- 5S fans will love it.
- The size has become larger, which means the screen has increased;
- new feeling of use due to beveled edges;
- the back cover is aluminum, while the SE has solid plastic areas.
Device display
iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch Retina display with a resolution of 1334 by 750 pixels. Its competitor uses a four-inch screen with 1136 by 640 pixels. The six has priority, due to the fact that it has a large diagonal. If you like to read, then 6 is better for you than SE.
Camera
A lot of people buy smartphones because of it. Therefore, we will compare cameras in as much detail as possible.
The iPhone 6 has an 8 megapixel rear camera with an aperture of 2.2. It can record video in 1080p 30 or 60 fps HD quality. Front - 1.2 megapixels.
While the SE has a 12 megapixel rear camera but with an aperture of 2.4. Video recording can take place in 4K, but also 1080p with 60 frames in place. In almost all respects, the little brother's camera is better than the big one.
- new main 12 megapixel camera like the older model 6S;
- ability to record video in 4K;
- Aperture 2.2.
Software and hardware
Next, we will look at the technical characteristics of these devices, their similarities and differences between them. The iPhone 6 is equipped with an A8 chip and has one gigabyte of RAM. The smartphone has a battery with a capacity of 1810 milliampere hours. Built-in memory capacity is 16 or 64 gigabytes without expandability. If you decide to buy a six, save up and get the 64 GB version. The phone won't last a day with normal use, so have external batteries ready for recharging. However, having a power saving mode may solve this problem for a short time.
The iPhone SE has a new A9 chip, the same as the 6S. Two gigabytes of RAM will help you cope with heavy applications more easily than six. Battery for 1642 milliamp hours. This is 168 less than the competitor, but you won’t feel much of a difference. On the contrary, he does a great job for his money. The device's performance in tests is much better. The memory is the same, 16 and 64 gigabytes. Since its release year is 2016, it will no longer receive firmware support later. The latest iOS 11 works much more stable, while 6 is difficult or not at all.
- the battery capacity is larger;
- new processor;
- the firmware is more stable;
- performance is better.
Cost and trend
In online stores you can find completely different offers for purchase. In the middle price segment, iPhone 6 and SE cost 18,000 and 21,000 respectively, but when it gets cheaper, you can take the SE with 64 GB.
As for the trend, most people today like the so-called "shovels". It’s problematic to call the younger brother that because of his small screen. SE is good to give to a girl if you have one. Many people prefer the 6, because it is very similar to last year’s flagship, but then they don’t dare switch to the 7 or 7S, because the design is not new. If we judge objectively, both smartphones will be a good choice, because each has its own zest.
Conclusion
To sum up the comparison of two excellent smartphones 6 and se, we will mention the main points from our article in order to decide which is better. If you decide to choose between these models, pay attention to the main differences.
Firstly, the camera. The smaller one is better, because it has the ability to shoot 4K video and higher quality images. But it also has one drawback, namely a large aperture. This is not critical, but it will cause inconvenience for photographers.
Secondly, the screen. iPhone 6 and iPhone SE screens are almost identical. Differs in size 4.7 and 4 inches respectively.
Thirdly - iron. The base for the smaller one carried over from the older 6S model. The A9 chip in the old 5S body works perfectly. And comparing them, the six cannot boast of this. A modest A8 with one gigabyte of RAM versus two in the SE.
Finally, the big picture. An iPhone SE would be a great buy, not an iPhone 6. Why iPhone SE? It's about the camera and the best processor, but the screen size doesn't matter much.
Video
Like many Apple announcements over the past few years, the iPhone SE announcement was both expected and unexpected. Expected - in terms of the general idea: everyone was ready for Apple to release a cheaper smartphone with a small display diagonal. The surprise was that the body of the new product turned out to be exactly identical to the iPhone 5s, and the hardware characteristics, on the contrary, were inherited from the iPhone 6s, Apple’s current flagship.
Let's take a look at the characteristics of the new product.
Apple iPhone SE Specifications
- Apple A9 SoC 1.8 GHz (2 64-bit cores, ARMv8-A based architecture)
- Apple A9 GPU
- Apple M9 motion coprocessor including barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope and compass
- RAM 2 GB
- Flash memory 16 / 64 GB
- No memory card support
- Operating system iOS 9.3
- Touch display IPS, 4″, 1135×640 (324 ppi), capacitive, multi-touch
- Cameras: front (1.2 MP, 720p video) and rear (12 MP, 4K video)
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz; MIMO support)
- Cellular: UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41
- Bluetooth 4.2 A2DP LE
- Touch ID fingerprint scanner
- NFC (Apple Pay only)
- 3.5mm stereo headset jack, Lightning dock connector
- Li-polymer battery 1624 mAh, non-removable
- GPS / A-GPS, Glonass
- Dimensions 123.8×58.6×7.6 mm
- Weight 113 g (our measurement)
For clarity, let’s compare the characteristics of the new product with the iPhone 6s, iPhone 5s (since this is what the new product is replacing), as well as with the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact - this is perhaps the main competitor of the iPhone SE at the moment.
| Apple iPhone 6s | Apple iPhone 5s | Sony Xperia Z5 Compact | ||
| Screen | 4″, IPS, 1136×640, 324 ppi | 4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi | 4″, IPS, 1136×640, 324 ppi | 4.6″, 1280×720, 423 ppi |
| SoC (processor) | Apple A9 (2 cores @1.8 GHz, 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture) | Apple A7 @1.3 GHz 64 bit (2 cores, Cyclone architecture based on ARMv8) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 (8 Cortex-A57 @2.0 GHz + 4 Cortex-A53 @1.55 GHz) | |
| GPU | Apple A9 | Apple A9 | PowerVR SGX 6 Series | Adreno 430 |
| Flash memory | 16/64 GB | 16/64/128 GB | 16/32/64 GB | 32 GB |
| Connectors | Lightning dock connector, 3.5mm headset jack | Lightning dock connector, 3.5mm headset jack | Micro-USB with OTG and MHL 3 support, 3.5mm headset jack | |
| Memory card support | No | No | No | microSD (up to 200 GB) |
| RAM | 2 GB | 2 GB | 1 GB | 3 GB |
| Cameras | main (12 MP; video recording 4K 30 fps, 1080p 120 fps and 720p 240 fps) and front (1.2 MP; video recording and transmission 720p) | main (12 MP; video shooting 4K 30 fps, 1080p 120 fps and 720p 240 fps) and front (5 MP; shooting and transmitting Full HD video) | main (8 MP; video recording 1080p 30 fps and 720p 120 fps) and front (1.2 MP; video recording and transmission 720p) | main (23 MP, 4K video shooting) and front (5.1 MP, Full HD video) |
| Internet | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac MIMO (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), 3G / 4G LTE+ (LTE-Advanced) | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), 3G / 4G LTE | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac MIMO (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), 3G / 4G LTE+ (LTE-Advanced) | |
| Battery capacity (mAh) | 1624 | 1715 | 1570 | 2700 |
| operating system | Apple iOS 9.3 | Apple iOS 9 | Apple iOS 7 (upgrade to iOS 9.3 available) | Google Android 6.0 |
| Dimensions (mm)* | 124×59×7.6 | 138×67×7.1 | 124×59×7.6 | 127×65×8.9 |
| Weight (g)** | 113 | 143 | 112 | 138 |
| average price | T-13584121 | T-12858630 | T-10495456 | T-12840987 |
| Apple iPhone SE (16GB) offers | L-13584121-5 | |||
| Apple iPhone SE (64GB) offers | L-13584123-5 | |||
*according to manufacturer information
** our measurement
The table clearly shows that, with the exception of the screen, dimensions and battery capacity, the characteristics of the iPhone 6s and iPhone SE are identical. But there is no option with 128 GB of internal memory, which, of course, is a minus (especially considering the possibility of shooting in 4K). In turn, the dimensions and screen are similar to the iPhone 5s, but all other parameters have become much more advanced. Even the battery capacity has increased, although the body is the same.
As for comparison with Android competitors, things are not so simple here. Apple devices lag behind in almost all characteristics, but, as we have repeatedly seen, this may not directly affect real performance and other user qualities. So let's proceed directly to testing.
Packaging and accessories
The packaging of the iPhone SE is much closer to the iPhone 6s than the iPhone 5s. This is evidenced by both the overall light color scheme and the picture on the smartphone screen.
The packaging of Apple smartphones has not contained any surprises for a long time. The new product is no exception. Here are the EarPods, enclosed in a beautiful box, leaflets, a charger (5 V 1 A), a Lightning cable, stickers and a key for removing the SIM card cradle.
Design
Now let's look at the design of the iPhone SE itself. The first emotion when you take it out of the box: my God, how small and, at the same time, plump!
In fact, the dimensions of the new product exactly match the iPhone 5s. Down to the millimeter. However, in the two and a half years that have passed since the release of the iPhone 5s, we have already become accustomed to a smaller thickness and, of course, a significantly larger screen. It’s not for nothing that Sony’s Compact model has a diagonal of 4.6 inches. And the Chinese have already stopped producing fewer smartphones. So four inches looks like an outright atavism.
But this is exactly the case when the opinion of technologists does not coincide with the opinion of many ordinary users, among whom the iPhone 5s is still popular. And although for some of them this is due solely to financial reasons, others simply prefer compact models. The iPhone SE is aimed at them.
Strictly speaking, there are only three design differences from the iPhone 5s. The first is the new Rose Gold color. We have seen this color in all the latest generation of Apple mobile products, but now it is available on a compact smartphone. The girls will probably be happy. Not only is it beautiful in itself, but it also emphasizes that you don’t have some old iPhone 5s, but the very newest thing. However, three other color options (gold, dark gray and silver) are also available.
The second design element that has undergone changes compared to the iPhone 5s is the branded apple. Now it is not pressed into the metal surface, but is made of glossy metal as an independent block, inserted into the body and slightly recessed - like the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. It looks elegant, but, in essence, it is such a trifle that you can hardly catch it with your eyes unless you specifically look closely.
Finally, the last detail that helps not to confuse the iPhone SE with the iPhone 5s is the letters SE directly below the word iPhone on the back of the device. However, obviously, this does not in any way affect the perception of the design. Otherwise, the smartphones are absolutely identical: the material, the location and shape of the buttons, the connectors - everything is exactly like the iPhone 5s. As a plus, we note that although the camera here is significantly better, it does not protrude above the body at all (as is the case with all iPhones with a six in their name).
An interesting question is what version of the Touch ID fingerprint scanner is installed in the smartphone. As we remember, a new version of the scanner debuted in the iPhone 6s/6s Plus, which works faster and more accurately. Owners of these models know that they only need to quickly touch their finger and immediately pull it away for the smartphone to recognize the owner. Since Apple doesn't give details about the version of Touch ID in the iPhone SE, we tested it with a simple comparison - pressing the Home button on the iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone SE at the same time. The result is clear: the fingerprint scanner in the iPhone SE is slower. That is, apparently, it is the same here as in the iPhone 5s.
In general, the design of the iPhone SE can be called a time-tested classic (although it looks somewhat archaic compared to modern devices, even in the middle segment). Two cosmetic innovations - a new color and a differently designed logo - do not affect the overall impression. In terms of appearance, this is just an iPhone 5s. No more and no less, no better and no worse.
Screen
The screen parameters of the iPhone SE do not differ from those of the iPhone 5s: 4-inch diagonal, IPS matrix with a resolution of 1136×640. By modern standards - very little: both diagonal and resolution (less than 720p is difficult to find even in the mid-budget segment).
It is also important that the iPhone SE screen does not support 3D Touch technology.
However, technical characteristics and the presence or absence of additional technologies are just the tip of the iceberg. A comprehensive examination of the quality of the iPhone SE screen was carried out by the editor of the “Projectors and TV” section, Alexey Kudryavtsev.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photograph in which a white surface is reflected when the screens are turned off (on the left is Nexus 7, on the right is Apple iPhone SE, then they can be distinguished by size):
The screen of the Apple iPhone SE is slightly darker (brightness according to photographs is 104 versus 110 for the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the Apple iPhone SE screen is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of strong external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, but still no better than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a slower rate than with regular glass.
When manually controlling the brightness and displaying the white field in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 610 cd/m², the minimum was 6 cd/m². The maximum brightness is very high, and, given the excellent anti-glare properties, readability will be ensured even on a sunny day outdoors. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (located to the left of the front speaker). In automatic mode, as external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider - the user can use it to try to set the desired brightness level for the current conditions, but we cannot predict what the brightness will be in other conditions and simply when changing and returning the level of external illumination. If you don’t touch anything, then in complete darkness the automatic brightness adjustment function reduces the brightness to 6 cd/m² (too dark), in an office illuminated by artificial light (about 400 lux) the brightness increases to 100-140 cd/m² (normal), in in a very bright environment (corresponding to the lighting of a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) is set to 500 cd/m² (this is enough). We were more satisfied with the option obtained after several attempts at brightness correction in different conditions, and for the three conditions indicated above we received 8, 115 and 600 cd/m². It turns out that the auto-brightness function works more or less adequately, and there is some possibility of adjusting the nature of the brightness change to the user’s requirements, although there are some not obvious features in its operation. At any brightness level, there is no significant modulation of the backlight, so there is no flickering of the screen (or rather, at minimum brightness there are very narrow peaks with a frequency of 50 Hz, but flickering was still not noticeable even with great effort).
This smartphone uses an IPS matrix. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:
For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.
The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift even with large viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen and without inverting shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of the Apple iPhone SE and Nexus 7, while the brightness of the screens is initially set to approximately 200 cd/m² (across the white field across the entire screen, on the Apple iPhone SE this corresponds to a value of 60% brightness at using third-party programs), and the color balance on the camera is forcibly switched to 6500 K. There is a white field perpendicular to the screens:
Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field. And a test picture:
Color balance varies slightly, color saturation is normal. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:
It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens and the contrast remained at a high level. And a white field:
The brightness at an angle of the screens decreased (at least 5 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the Apple iPhone SE the drop in brightness is slightly less. When deviated diagonally, the black field is lightened weakly and acquires a light red-violet tint. The photographs below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is approximately the same!):
And from another angle:
When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is good:
The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is normal - about 760:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 20 ms (11 ms on + 9 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 25 ms. The gamma curve, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal any blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The power function fitting exponent is 1.93, which is lower than the standard value of 2.2, so the image is slightly brightened. In this case, the real gamma curve deviates little from the power-law dependence:
Color gamut is almost equal to sRGB:
Apparently, the matrix filters mix the components with each other to a moderate extent. The spectra confirm this:
As a result, visually the colors have a natural saturation. The balance of shades on the gray scale is good, since the color temperature is slightly higher than the standard 6500 K, and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered an acceptable indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, color temperature and ΔE change little from hue to hue - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
As in, the iPhone SE has a function Night Shift, which makes the picture warmer at night (the user specifies how much warmer). The graphs above show the values obtained at the middle position of the parameter slider Color temperature(by the way, the correct word is “color temperature”), when shifted all the way to Warmer and to Colder(graphs are signed in the appropriate way). Yes, the color temperature decreases, which is what is required. A description of why such a correction can be useful is given in the specified article about the iPad Pro 9.7. In any case, when having fun with a mobile device at night, it is better to reduce the screen brightness to a minimum, but still comfortable level, and only then, to calm your own paranoia, turn the screen yellow with the setting Night Shift.
Let's summarize. The screen has a very high maximum brightness and has excellent anti-glare properties, so the device can be used outdoors without any problems, even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. It is also possible to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works more or less adequately. The advantages of the screen include an effective oleophobic coating, the absence of an air gap in the layers of the screen and flicker, high black stability to deviation of the gaze from perpendicular to the screen plane, good uniformity of the black field, as well as the sRGB color gamut and good color balance. There are no significant shortcomings. Currently, this is perhaps the best display among small-screen smartphones.
Performance and Heat
The iPhone SE runs on the same Apple A9 SoC as the iPhone 6s. This means that there is also an Apple M9 coprocessor, which provides support for the voice unlocking function (with the “Hey Siri!” command).
It is important that the CPU frequency in the iPhone SE is not reduced. We outlined the details about the SoC in the article about the iPhone 6s, so we won’t repeat ourselves and go straight to testing. In addition to the main testing hero, we included the iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 5s in the table, since our main tasks are to understand whether there are any differences in the performance of the iPhone SE compared to other smartphones based on the Apple A9, and also how much faster the new product is than iPhone 5s. As for comparison with Android competitors, as we previously found out, the Apple A9 is still the leader, so there is simply no point in such a comparison in the case of the iPhone SE.
Let's start with browser tests: SunSpider 1.0.2, Octane Benchmark, Kraken Benchmark and JetStream. We used the Safari browser throughout.
The result is predictable: we see approximate parity between the iPhone SE and iPhone 6s Plus, as well as a huge superiority (three to four times) over the iPhone 5s. We emphasize that different versions of operating systems and browsers could have caused some error, so the slight difference between the two Apple A9 smartphones should not be confusing.
Now let's see how the iPhone SE performs in Geekbench 3 and AnTuTu 6 - multi-platform benchmarks. Unfortunately, we don't have results for the iPhone 5s, because at the time we tested it, AnTuTu did not support iOS at all, and Geekbench was available in a previous version. Therefore, you will have to be content with the results of the latest smartphones.
Here is a more strange result: the slight but still present superiority of the iPhone SE over the iPhone 6s Plus in Geekbench, as well as, on the contrary, the lag in AnTuTu, attracts attention.
The last group of benchmarks is dedicated to testing GPU performance. We used 3DMark, GFXBench Metal (in the case of the iPhone 5s, the results are from a simple GFXBench) and Basemark Metal.
Let us remind you that Offscreen tests involve displaying images in 1080p, regardless of the actual screen resolution. And Onscreen tests mean displaying a picture in the resolution that matches the device screen resolution. That is, Offscreen tests are indicative from the point of view of the abstract performance of the SoC, and Onscreen tests are indicative from the point of view of the comfort of the game on a specific device.
(Apple A9) |
Apple iPhone 6s Plus (Apple A9) |
Apple iPhone 5s (Apple A7) |
|
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.1 (Onscreen) | 58.0 fps | 27.9 fps | — |
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.1 (1080p Offscreen) | 25.9 fps | 28.0 fps | — |
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan (Onscreen) | 59.4 fps | 39.9 fps | — |
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan (1080p Offscreen) | 38.9 fps | 40.4 fps | — |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex (Onscreen) | 59.7 fps | 59.7 fps | 25 fps |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex (1080p Offscreen) | 74.1 fps | 81.0 fps | 27 fps |
As we can see, even the most resource-intensive 3D scenes do not cause any difficulties for the iPhone SE. Here, of course, the matter is not only in the SoC, but also in the low screen resolution. Hence the difference with the iPhone 6s Plus in Onscreen modes. Interestingly, in Offscreen mode, the larger model slightly outperforms the compact newcomer. But the user doesn't care about this. The main thing for him is that any games on the iPhone SE will simply fly.
Next test: 3DMark. Here we are interested in the Sling Shot Extreme and Ice Storm Unlimited subtests.
The significant superiority of the iPhone 6s Plus over the iPhone SE in the most difficult test, Sling Shot Extreme, looks rather strange. It would be logical to assume that the GPU of the cheaper iPhone operates at a reduced frequency. And this looks like a completely logical solution, since with a significantly lower screen resolution the load on the GPU becomes lower.
Finally - Basemark Metal.
And here is a similar picture, strengthening us in the assumption made above. But despite the slight loss to the iPhone 6s in points, the iPhone SE demonstrated a significantly higher number of frames per second during the test - from 38 to 45, while the iPhone 6s Plus barely jumped over the border of 30 fps. Therefore, even a game of this level will not be a problem for the iPhone SE.
One more thing to note: during testing in Basemark Metal, the iPhone SE got very hot. Below is a thermal image of the back surface obtained after two consecutive runs (about 10 minutes of work) of the Basemark Metal test:
It can be seen that the heating is localized in the upper right part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat chamber, the maximum heating was 44 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), this is already very noticeable.
In the same test, the iPhone 6s Plus showed significantly less heating (more precisely, it was localized in one place, so the smartphone can be held comfortably in your hands). Consequently, although the performance of the iPhone SE is more than enough for any games, and will last for another two years, playing really resource-intensive applications may not be entirely comfortable due to high heating.
Cameras
The main camera of the iPhone SE has the same parameters as the camera of the iPhone 6s. We decided to check whether the iPhone SE's photo capabilities are really as good as Apple's current flagship! The examination was carried out by Anton Soloviev.
Like the iPhone 6s, the iPhone SE can shoot 4K video. Moreover, the quality of daytime photography is very good. With night photography, things are, of course, worse, but still not completely terrible.
| Video | Sound | |
| Daytime shooting | 3840×2160, 29.97 fps, AVC MPEG-4 [email protected], 50.5 Mbit/s | AAC LC, 84 Kbps, mono |
| Night photography | 3840×2160, 29.97 fps, AVC MPEG-4 [email protected], 52.7 Mbit/s | AAC LC, 87 Kbps, mono |
Here is a still frame from the first video, shot during the day (a screenshot in original resolution is available by clicking). And you can even see the license plate number of a passing car, not to mention the details in the background!
As a minus, we note the lack of optical stabilization (it is still only available in the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6s Plus), as well as the fact that the front camera of the iPhone SE has a resolution of only 1.2 megapixels and is of the same quality as the similar camera of the iPhone 5s.
Autonomous operation
Although the iPhone SE has a more capacious battery than the iPhone 5s, it is still inferior to the iPhone 6s and, especially, 6s Plus.
However, since the iPhone SE has a lower screen resolution and a smaller screen area, the iPhone SE's battery life is roughly identical to the iPhone 6s. That is, with fairly active everyday use, the device will have to be recharged every day; with moderately active use, there is a chance that by the end of the day there will still be some charge left.
conclusions
The iPhone SE is perhaps Apple's most boring smartphone, in both a good and a bad way. There is no innovation here - neither in terms of design, nor in terms of capabilities and hardware platform. In addition, there is nothing new here at all: it is simply a hybrid of previously released devices - the iPhone 5s and iPhone 6s. From the first they took the design, screen, fingerprint sensor and front camera, from the second - SoC, RAM, communication capabilities and the main camera. Well, they added a new color - Rose Gold.
However, for those who are not buying innovations, but a device for everyday use, the iPhone SE may turn out to be the best choice, which is predictable in a good way. In the sense that when buying this smartphone, you know exactly what you will get in the end. There are no pitfalls here, no surprises. The only thing that upset us a little was the overheating of the device in the most difficult 3D tests, but, in fairness, we note that these tests, in principle, would not have gone well on the iPhone 5s. So if you don’t want overheating, don’t load your iPhone SE with games of this level (although they don’t exist yet, benchmark developers are ahead of game makers).
And the main question that you need to answer for yourself before purchasing is: are you ready to use a smartphone with a small (by today’s standards) screen? Some will say: definitely not - let it at least be a super-flagship inside. Obviously, the iPhone SE is not suitable for these users. And someone will say: yes, I always dreamed of a compact flagship! It is precisely for such people that the iPhone SE is made. Considering that the price of the iPhone SE is 37,990 rubles for the 16-gigabyte version, while the iPhone 6s with the same amount of memory will cost 19,000 more (one and a half times the difference!), this offer seems really attractive. For comparison, the official Sony store sells the Xperia Z5 Compact for the same 37,990 rubles, despite the fact that its performance is lower, the screen is worse (see our testing), the design is less attractive (the body is noticeably thicker, the material used is plastic, not metal). So lovers of compact smartphones, and anyone who, in principle, is not against a small screen, should pay close attention to the iPhone SE.
In conclusion, we suggest watching our video review of the Apple iPhone SE smartphone:
The range of iOS devices includes the iPhone SE, a compact smartphone with impressive specifications and a great camera.
Externally, the iPhone SE is very similar to the 2013 model, iPhone 5s. However, internally they have significant differences.
External differences
iPhone SE comes in four color options: Space Gray, Silver, Gold and Rose Gold. There is no iPhone 5s in rose gold.
iPhone SE has improved matte edges. Therefore, even with careless use, iPhone SE is less susceptible to minor scratches.
The iPhone SE features a brushed metal Apple logo and an “SE” branding on the bottom back of the phone.
Internal differences
Battery
Thanks to the updated hardware and larger battery (1624 mAh versus 1560 mAh for the iPhone 5s), the battery life of the iPhone SE allows you to use the smartphone 2-3 hours longer than the 5s.
iPhone SE can withstand 13 hours of active use on 4G LTE networks, Wi-Fi or watching videos and up to 50 hours of non-stop music playback. For comparison, the iPhone 5s could last up to 10 hours of talk time, 10 hours of video playback, or 40 hours of music playback.
RAM
The iPhone SE has 2 GB of RAM, while the iPhone 5s has 1 GB less.
Therefore, the performance of the iPhone SE is much higher - now you can open a dozen pages in Safari, minimize the browser, launch a resource-intensive game or other application, then open the browser again and not worry about pages reloading repeatedly, wasting traffic and time.
CPU
Inside the iPhone SE is installed the latest proprietary A9 chip, similar to that in the iPhone 6s.
The SE scores 4,421 points in performance tests. For comparison, the iPhone 5s, which has an A7 processor, scores 2555 points.
The A9 processor guarantees the high speed of the iPhone SE. Even when running resource-intensive applications and games, the system will not slow down.
M9 coprocessor
In addition to the main A9 processor, the iPhone SE has an M9 coprocessor, which directly interacts with the compass, gyroscope and accelerometer.
Therefore, the smartphone more accurately collects and analyzes statistics on physical activity, and also allows you to use the “Hey Siri” function, even if the iPhone SE is not connected to the network.
iPhone SE also supports the Raise to Wake feature in iOS 10, when in order to see notifications on the locked screen, you just need to lift the smartphone off the table.
Camera
The iPhone SE has one of the best cameras in smartphones, with a resolution of 12 megapixels.
When taking photographs with the front camera, the new Retina Flash feature for selfies is activated: the screen brightness increases several times compared to normal. At the beginning of the process, the screen lights up in cool white, after which it changes its hue to warm amber.
The result is a photograph with realistic color reproduction and natural skin tone.
The video recording function also pleasantly surprises with its quality: unlike the iPhone 5s, where the video recording resolution is 1920x1080 pixels and slow motion is possible at 120 fps, the iPhone SE records video with a resolution of 4K (3840x2160 pixels) at a frequency of 30 fps and slow motion at 240 fps.
While the iPhone 5s took good pictures with its 8 megapixel camera, the iPhone SE takes pictures just fine.
Live Photos
Like iPhone 6s and later, iPhone SE supports Live Photos when taking photos.
If you press your finger on a photo taken on the iPhone SE, the picture will literally “come to life.” You will see a few seconds before the snapshot is taken and a few seconds after.
This feature in iPhone SE enhances your photography experience and lets you relive unforgettable moments of nostalgia as your photos come to life under your fingers. iPhone 5s does not have this feature.
Conclusion
iPhone SE will appeal to those who want a modern smartphone, but in a compact body.
And although the iPhone SE and iPhone 5s are similar in appearance, the SE model has many undeniable advantages that will give you the joy of using Apple products.
In addition to the new iPhone 7, Apple is offering customers the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, as well as the 4-inch iPhone SE. Therefore, if you are not chasing the newest everything, more affordable devices will be a great option. As for the technical characteristics, they are almost identical - Touch ID, Apple Pay, Live Photos. However, there are also significant differences, such as 3D Touch, camera and dimensions. Understanding these differences will help you easily decide which smartphone to buy.
Dimensions
The iPhone SE is equipped with a 4-inch screen with a resolution of 1136 x 640 pixels, like the iPhone 5, which means that the devices are the same in size. Therefore, all content will look much smaller than on newer models.
The iPhone 6s has a 4.7-inch display with a resolution of 1336 x 750 pixels, and the iPhone 6s Plus has a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. With the iPhone 6s you get absolutely everything you need, and with the iPhone 6s Plus - even more, considering that in landscape mode you can open two applications at the same time, just like on the iPad.
The iPhone SE, in turn, can easily fit into a pocket or bag, and is more comfortable to hold in your hand.
If you are used to a large screen, which is much more convenient to work on, then it is obvious that you should look towards the iPhone 6s. If you like a compact form factor, you should take a closer look at the iPhone SE.
Ease of use
As mentioned above, the iPhone SE is quite small by modern standards, so any user will be able to reach the opposite corner of the screen with their thumb. In this regard, the iPhone 6s, and even more so the iPhone 6s Plus, are inferior to the 4-inch model.
The solution to the problem on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus is Reachability, which allows you to double-tap the Home button to move the interface down for easier reach. In any case, working with these gadgets with one hand is fraught with a number of difficulties.
If convenient one-handed operation is important to you, feel free to choose iPhone SE. If you're willing to put up with Reachability, then your choice is the iPhone 6s or 6s Plus.
Universal access
Some people don't need many pixels, just big pixels. iPhone allows for a larger interface for users with disabilities. Thus, a special mode on the iPhone 6s allows you to stretch the interface to fit the iPhone SE, and on the iPhone 6s Plus - to fit the iPhone 6s.
Productivity
The advantage of the iPhone 6s Plus is that it supports landscape interface mode, like on the iPad. For example, in Mail you will have two columns instead of one. Although this may not seem very productive, it actually helps with everyday tasks.
If you like the idea of using a larger iPhone in landscape mode, the iPhone 6s Plus is the best choice.
Camera
iPhone SE inherited the 12-megapixel iSight camera of the iPhone 6s and also received support for shooting in 4K. Both smartphones are equipped with an image signal processor, Focus Pixels for fast image processing and Live Photos. The iPhone 6s Plus has the advantage of optical image stabilization, which will be especially useful when shooting in low-light conditions.
With the front camera, the story is different - the iPhone 6s has a 5-megapixel module, the iPhone SE has only a 1.2-megapixel module.
If you want the best camera, then the iPhone 6s Plus is your choice. If selfies are important, then you can take both the Plus and the regular version. If you just need a small smartphone, then the iPhone SE will cope with this function perfectly.
3D Touch and Taptic Engine
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus have a pressure-sensitive screen. Apple called this technology 3D Touch. With its help, everyday tasks are completed much faster. For example, you can press hard on a link and see a preview. In the case of applications, a context menu opens. iPhone SE does not support 3D Touch.
Autonomy
The battery life of the iPhone SE is simply record-breaking - up to 14 hours of talk time, 10 days of standby time, 13 hours of web browsing and video playback and 50 hours of music listening.
The autonomy of the iPhone 6s is also high - up to 14 hours of talk time, 10 days of standby time, 11 hours of video surfing, and 40 hours of music listening.
The autonomy of the iPhone 6s Plus is incredible - up to 24 hours of talk time, 16 days of standby time, 12 hours of browsing, 14 hours of video playback and 80 hours of music listening.
If the deciding factor for you is time away from a power outlet, then without a doubt you should choose the iPhone 6s Plus.
Can't decide what to buy - iPhone 5S or iPhone SE? We've done an in-depth comparison of all the most important smartphone specs.
Apple's new iPhone SE will be good news for those who have been looking forward to the new 4-inch iPhone for so long. But what do we get if we compare it with the company's current 4-inch champion, the iPhone 5S? To help you make the right choice, we've directly compared each of these phones' specs, discovering how they differ and how they stack up against each other, including their design, performance, display, memory options, and camera. Once we have our own SE model in hand to review, we'll update this article with more detailed information—like test run scores, battery life, and test shots taken with the new model's camera.
iPhone 5S or iPhone SE: Design.
Materials. The iPhone SE is made of brushed aluminum and has matte and beveled edges, much like the iPhone 5S. The SE model even has the same "+" and "-" volume control buttons located on the side panel, and the same stainless steel Apple logo on the back panel to match. So, at first glance, it's very difficult to tell the difference between the two models - unless, of course, you buy the SE in rose gold, which wasn't previously available in the 5S's silver, gold and space gray color lineup.
iPhone SE looks identical to iPhone 5S
Dimensions. These phones also have exactly the same dimensions, namely 124 x 59 x 7.6 mm, so the SE feels no different in the hand than the previous model if you compare them directly. The only difference is that the SE is one gram heavier, weighing in at 113g, compared to the 5S's 112g. However, this is unlikely to have any impact on day-to-day use of the phone, so taking all this into account, we conclude that the SE is in many ways a revised 5S model in new, brighter colors.
iPhone 5S or iPhone SE: Display.
Screen size and resolution. The key characteristic of the iPhone SE is its 4-inch display. With over 30 million 4-inch iPhones sold in 2015 alone, it's clear that people really, really like tiny iPhones, hence the return of the SE model to the company's traditional 4-inch design parameters. The new model's screen is the same size as the 5S's and comes with the same proprietary “Retina” display with a resolution of 1,134 x 640 pixels.
As a result, we expect the quality of both screens to be largely identical, especially since company representatives barely said a word about the display during the presentation. This means the new model won't have the fancy Force Touch technology found on the iPhone 6S, but we'll still have to wait until we get our hands on that model to review it and see if that's the case.
iPhone 5S or iPhone SE: Specifications.
CPU. The SE model is a star in this area, as it has the same dual-core A9 processor as the iPhone 6S. On the other hand, the 5S model only comes with the A7 chip, which, at the moment, is really outdated compared to new developments. It's not at all surprising that Apple, at its launch presentation, sought to emphasize how much this chip speeds up the SE phone compared to the outgoing 5S. The company said that the CPU speed has increased by 50% compared to the 5S model, and the GPU has tripled speed.
| Name |
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| Our assessment |  |
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| Price from | $399 | $399 | $549 |
| operating system | iOS 9.3 | iOS 7, upgradable to iOS 9.3 | iOS 8, upgradable to iOS 9.3 |
| CPU | Apple A9 | Apple A7 | Apple A8 |
| Dimensions | 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm (LWG) | 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm (LWG) | 138.1 x 67 x 6.9 mm (LWG) |
| Weight | 113 g | 112 g | 129 g |
| Screen size | 4 inches | 4 inches | 4.7 inches |
| Screen type | LED-backlit IPS LCD | LED-backlit IPS LCD | LED-backlit IPS LCD |
| Screen resolution | 640 x 1136 pixels | 640 x 1136 pixels | 750 x 1334 pixels |
| Screen Pixel Density | 326 ppi | 326 ppi | 326 ppi |
| Camera resolution | 12 MP - rear; 1.2 MP - front | 8 MP - rear; 1.2 MP - front | |
| 802.11x/Standards | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth version | v4.2, A2DP, LE | v4.0, A2DP | v4.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes (Apple Pay only) | No | Yes (Apple Pay only) |
| Memory card slot | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| RAM | 2 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Inner memory | 16/64 GB | 16/32/64 GB | 16/64/128 GB |
| Battery | Non-removable Li-Po 1642 mAh | Non-removable Li-Po 1560 mAh | Non-removable Li-Po 1810 mAh |
This is essentially the same jump in performance that you get from going from a 5S to a 6S, so we expect that once we get our review samples in, we should see the same benchmark scores. run the same as the 6S model.