• Phones
• Phone Finder
• News
• Carriers
• Android
• iOS
• How To
• Glossary

• Advertising
• About
• Contact
• Privacy
• Terms of Use

Is It Your Type?

The iPhone SE is meant for those who want the best performance in a compact smartphone. This handset carries over many of the attractive features of the larger iPhone 6s and 6s Plus and puts them into a smaller, less-expensive (but maybe too-familiar) chassis.

Body

The iPhone SE is more or less identical to the iPhone 5/5s. In fact, I pulled the case off my 2012-era iPhone 5 and slipped it onto the SE. It fit perfectly. That tells you a few things.

Many view the iPhone 5 as the pinnacle of Apple's hardware design. It was an attractive phone when Apple released it in 2012 and it's an attractive phone now. I like the metal body, flat edges, and curved corners. The iPhone 6 and 6s, by way of comparison, have a bit less personality with their rounded side edges and slightly flatter profiles. The iPhone SE is every bit as aesthetically pleasing as the 5 and the 5s were before it.

It's also Apple at its laziest.

I fully understand why Apple wants to have a 4-inch device. The smaller form factor appeals to many consumers, and the lower $399 starting price doesn't hurt. Economically, the iPhone SE makes perfect sense for Apple. It probably has a fine-tuned manufacturing operation for the device in place and an abundant supply of core components, such as the chassis and front panel. Still, it wouldn't have killed Apple to offer iPhone buyers an all-new device and I truly wish Apple had come up with a fresh design. (Seriously, is the much-vaunted Jony Ive out of ideas or something?) That said, people who have invested in accessories or other accompanying products for their iPhone 5 or 5s can take comfort in knowing that the iPhone SE will drop right into place.

The SE is a really great size when it comes to usability. At 4.87 by 2.31 by 0.3 inches, it's a tiny device in a land filled with giganto-phones. My thumb can effortlessly reach the entire display. If you have small hands and have been avoiding the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus because of their size, the iPhone SE is for you. It's smaller than the majority of smartphones out there. Sticking it into your pocket won't be a problem.

You can't ask for a higher-quality piece of hardware. The metal and glass pieces are fitted together perfectly. It is assembled precisely.

I like the color selection, which Apple has homogenized across its iOS lineup. The phone is available in space gray, silver, gold, and pink. All of the finishes have a texture that's just barely visible to the eye. The space gray model has black glass panels and matching black lines embedded in the side edges, while the other three have white glass panels and white lines. The iPhone SE is all class and no flash.

Body  

The front of the phone is minimalistic. I prefer the look of the black glass to the white glass, as it does a better job of hiding the hideous large bezels. (Apple needs to get its bezel game under control on all its devices.) A slit in the glass above the screen makes room for the earpiece speaker. A sensor is next to the speaker and the user-facing camera is above it. The home button is set apart visually by a color-matched rim. The button's travel and feedback are good.

Apple placed the individual volume buttons on the left edge of the iPhone SE. They are round and etched with the appropriate "+" and "-" to let you know which is which. The buttons have great travel and feedback. The phone doesn't have a dedicated camera button, but the volume keys can be used to take pictures when the phone is in camera mode. Apple is one of a few phone makers that still includes a physical silent switch. Positioned above the volume toggles, the silencer lets you make the phone totally quiet, or put it in vibrate mode. The SIM card tray is buried in the right edge of the phone.

The screen lock button is on top. Most phones place this button on the right edge these days, but the iPhone SE is small enough that it can get away with placing the button along the top. Apple products use the company's proprietary Lightning connector instead of the industry-standard USB. Like the newer USB-C, Lightning is reversible; this makes it easy to use, but you're stuck buying Apple's pricey cables. The speakerphone and headphone jack join the Lightning port on the bottom.

Like nearly all Apple products, the iPhone SE's battery is sealed inside. It cannot be removed or replaced. This probably annoys some people, but not enough to stop hundreds of millions of consumers from buying iPhones since 2007.

The iPhone SE is not for me. I gladly use phones with large screens. Even so, the SE is a well-made product that is every bit an iPhone. It delivers a high-quality experience in a hand-friendly package.

Screen

It's hard to be super-impressed with the iPhone SE's screen. It measures 4 inches across the diagonal, which is at least 1 inch too small for my tastes. The resolution runs 1136 by 640 pixels, which puts the SE well below what's required to qualify as "high definition." Pixel density runs about 326ppi. It offers smooth enough text and sharp enough imagery, but there are better displays out there. Colors are accurate and brightness is good. I did notice a significant amount of brightness drop when the phone is tilted side to side. This is typical of LCDs, but it was somewhat more pronounced on the SE's screen than others I've tested lately. Even so, I was able to use the iPhone SE outdoors without issue.

Signal

I tested the SE on AT&T's network in the metro NYC region over the course of several days. It performed above average for an AT&T handset in maintaining a connection. The design may have been carried over from the iPhone 5/5s, but most of the inner components have been updated. The SE remained connected to AT&T's LTE 4G network the entirety of the time I tested the phone. (It didn't switch to 3G at all while I used it.) The SE connected most calls on the first dial even in areas with poor coverage. The phone maintained a call while traveling at highway speeds, and it didn't drop or miss any calls. Data speeds were solid. The SE was very quick to load web pages, and video-heavy apps like Facebook and Twitter ran smoothly.

Sound

The SE is one of the best iPhones I've used when it comes to voice calls. The earpiece produces clean audio that is easy to hear even in noisy environments. I was pleased with the clarity and warmth of voices, and those I spoke to through the SE said I sounded very good. I did tend to keep the volume set to the maximum, but you can keep it at about 50% or 60% most of the time with no trouble. The speakerphone produces good, clear calls. It works very well as a speakerphone around the house, the office, and in the car. It suffices for listening to music, but you're better off with headphones. Ringers are more than adequate and the vibrate alert never failed to get my attention.

Battery

The iPhone SE's battery has a maximum capacity of 1624 mAh, which is quite low for a smartphone these days. I found it to be more than adequate for the SE, though, as it easily delivered more than a full day of hard usage. I used the phone during a day-trip to Manhattan and it had plenty of power left when I got home. I used it for navigation, checking my calendar, listening to music, and of course staying on top of my social network feeds. I kept all the radios on at all times, and set the screen to about 50% brightness. If you do the same, you should see about the same mileage I did. Bottom line, the iPhone SE does better than the 5 or 5s did with respect to battery performance.

With the iOS 9.3 operating system on board, you can turn on low-power mode if you find yourself running low. Low-power mode limits background tasks, turns down the screen brightness, and silences some notifications. Apple says low-power mode adds a couple of hours to battery life.

Like the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, the iPhone SE lacks rapid charging and wireless charging. I don't mind the lack of wireless charging overmuch, but rapid charging would be helpful. After 30 minutes hooked up to an iPad charger (which can push a higher wattage), the iPhone SE's battery improved from 0% capacity to just 20% capacity. Today's high-end Android phones can charge much faster than that.

Radios

The SE's Bluetooth radio performed very well. I had no trouble connecting it to my car, headsets, and stereo speakers. The calls I took through my car's hands-free system were quite good in terms of clarity and volume. Music sounded OK through a Bluetooth speaker, but I've heard better.

The SE has NFC, but it only works with Apple Pay. You cannot use it to help pair with Bluetooth accessories, for example, which I did manually for each device. Apple tucked the NFC antenna somewhere on the back surface, probably under the glass panel near the top. It works fine with Apple Pay.

The GPS radio worked perfectly. The iPhone SE located me quickly in Apple Maps. Apple Maps now includes transit directions for select U.S. cities. It was effective in helping me plan a route around Manhattan using the subway, as well as when walking the city streets.

The WiFi radio didn't give me any trouble. It was very reliable.

Eric has been covering the mobile telecommunications industry for 17 years at various print and online publications. He studied at Rutgers Newark and University of Kentucky, and has a degree in writing. He likes playing guitar, attending concerts, listening to music, and driving sports cars.

This forum is closed.

This forum is closed.

Log In  or  Register

Forgot password

By registering, you agree to our Terms of Use.
We value your privacy and will never share your email address. (full privacy policy)