IPhone SE: detailed specifications and everything you need to know. Review, pros and cons of Apple iPhone SE iPhone 5 se characteristics connected

If you ask me about the coolest iPhone Apple has ever made, without a doubt I will say iPhone 5S. But what about the iPhone SE, which came out not so long ago.

So let's compare these two devices and I will try to tell you everything I know about these smartphones. Of course, let's talk about the differences.

Before the release of the iPhone SE, everyone assumed that a completely new device would appear that would resemble the iPhone 6. So to speak, a smaller copy of it.

But the presentation shocked everyone enough, because essentially we received the same iPhone 5S. And you will probably agree with me that only Apple can present the same phone twice.

As the first stage of comparison, I would like to clearly show you their characteristics in the following table:

Here is a small table comparing the most basic characteristics of these two smartphones. This is just the beginning, so let's look into it in more detail.

Today there are quite a lot of people who feel very comfortable with a 4-inch phone and don’t even think about a shovel.


And why not, it’s quite convenient to use, because the phone is very compact. If we talk about the iPhone 5S, the only thing it lacked was power. Please, Apple released SE for such a consumer.

But what is the difference between them? Let's go through each point one by one.

Appearance. The very first question of people who are interested in the SE model arises precisely about the appearance and how exactly it differs from the 5S.


Everything here is banally simple:

• the letters SE appeared on the back of the cover;
• there is a new color Rose Gold.

That's all, comrades. In all other respects, these are completely identical phones. So if you also buy a case, then everyone will definitely think that you have a 5S in your hands.

Power. Here everything is much more interesting, because who else but Apple loves to serve a dish with different fillings. We see this process almost every year when the S line comes out.


The processor in SE is two generations younger; the old A7 is replaced by the A9. Both are dual-core, but the second one has a more interesting frequency.

Instead of 1 GB, which is so lacking today, 2 GB comes. This makes the SE still usable for at least two years, if you count from 2016.

As you can see, the conclusion suggests itself. The SE is many times better and is comparable in power to the 6S. And as we know, this model is still very new.

Camera and battery. The front camera is generally identical. On both smartphones, 1.2 MP is undoubtedly not enough, because the period of selfies, which values ​​every MP so much, is not yet over.


The rear one in the SE will be more fun. But the downside is that all the juice of good quality at 4 inches will be very difficult to see. The 8 MP iPhone SE still takes good photos, but the step up in image quality is already quite large.

The battery will be a little better, but not significantly. If you take one of the two smartphones from scratch, then the difference in performance is not significant at all.

Now the question arises, what is better to buy for yourself if you really want a 4-inch iPhone. I will say right away that the iPhone 5S and iPhone SE are very good.


But we know that time does not spare even the most legendary smartphones that people want to buy at any time of the year. After all, the design still looks very decent today.

I will divide my answer into just two parts and you can decide what exactly you should choose:

• We buy an iPhone SE. We do these steps if you haven’t had an iPhone at all and you want a compact smartphone with very tasty characteristics and price.

  If they have financial stability, 5S owners can upgrade to SE. But I recommend waiting until the spring of 2017, because Apple promises to release a model with the same screen size.

• We buy an iPhone 5S. The prices for these smartphones are the most favorable if you look at the entire line of iPhones. If money is tight, then we take the 5S and don’t think twice about it.

  But keep in mind the detail that in just another year or two he will slowly turn into an old man. It will be the same story as with the 4S today, when new software lags and new games are not installed at all.

The last point is always the most difficult to understand. Each person has their own situation and many factors that are simply impossible to describe in one article.

conclusions

Now you know all the differences between the future old iPhone 5S and the still fairly young iPhone SE. I seem to have mentioned all the main details, it seems I haven’t forgotten anything.

Well, in the tradition of previous articles, I want to say this thing: you don’t need to save up for smartphones for a long time. I like the phone, don’t wait for anything and go buy it.

First of all, look at your capabilities and you don’t have to constantly wait for a new one to come out and buy. You need to enjoy your new phone right here and right now.

Any announcement from Apple causes a storm of discussion, from very positive to sharply negative. And the release of the iPhone SE completely caused a resonance on the Internet: someone predicted huge sales for it and rejoiced at the appearance of an updated compact smartphone, while others, on the contrary, were perplexed as to how they dared to release such an old model with a new filling and who could it even be for? needed? The truth traditionally lies between two extremes, and now we move directly to the review itself.

Characteristics

Equipment

• Smartphone
• Charger
• PC cable (also part of the charger)
• Wired headset
• Clip
• Documentation

The smartphone comes in a traditional Apple compact box, the equipment is standard, only the headset has changed over the years. Separately, I would like to note that unpacking Apple equipment is always an aesthetic pleasure: everything is neatly folded, there are no stupid blisters, each part of the kit is easily removed and is immediately ready for use.

Appearance, materials, control elements, assembly

The design of the iPhone SE has remained virtually unchanged compared to the 5s, except for the addition of an additional pink color. This is exactly what I had on the test. No matter what anyone says, Apple has no problems with the design of its smartphones, so all of their devices starting with the iPhone 4 look really cool.

Pleasantly cooling aluminum, glass inserts on the sides, glass on the front side, neat power and volume buttons. The 5 had an excellent design, and I don’t think it’s a downside to keep it for the SE version. Remember how many years Apple has been using the good appearance of its MacBooks.

Let's briefly go through the control elements, fortunately they have not changed compared to the original five.

Front side. The upper part is the earpiece mesh, front camera, light and proximity sensors

Below the screen is a fingerprint scanner

Left end. Volume buttons and mute switch

Top end. Power button

Bottom end. Speaker, 3.5 mm headphone jack and Lightning connector

nanoSIM tray

Several important clarifications. It is not indicated anywhere exactly which generation of Touch ID is used in the iPhone SE, as far as I know, it works slower than in the 6s/6s Plus, but much faster than in my iPhone 6, this is such a paradox. The speaker has excellent sound quality and volume reserve; the smartphone can be used perfectly as a portable speaker. And the edges in the iPhone SE have become matte, they are more resistant to scratches; let me remind you that in the original “fives” this element was glossy. And a little fact about the assembly: I was the owner of an iPhone 5s, its power button was a little loose, unfortunately, the SE also inherited this problem.

Dimensions

The dimensions of the new iPhone SE are perhaps one of the most interesting parts to discuss. To be honest, I’m already unaccustomed to such compact smartphones; I don’t even remember when I tested something of similar size (probably it was the iPhone 5s). You can safely write about this smartphone that it is convenient to use with one hand, and it is also much lighter than most of the five-inch models we are used to.

Compared to iPhone 6

Screen

Let's start with the positives. The display has excellent viewing angles, brightness range and excellent behavior in the sun. I also really like how automatic brightness adjustment works, however, this is a virtue of all iPhones. Of course, there are better screens, but the capabilities of the iPhone SE display are enough for most users.

Among the shortcomings, I will note some yellowness of the screen. If you compare it directly with the iPhone 6, you can see that the SE is noticeably yellow, but if there is no example for comparison, then you will not even notice it.

Is it convenient to use a device with a 4-inch screen in 2016? On the one hand, Apple has done everything to improve the owner’s interaction with the display: icons are arranged as tightly as possible, the scale of the application interface is slightly reduced in comparison with Android to accommodate more information, etc. And with SE you can easily type text with one hand.

But it was still not possible to avoid the shortcomings with its size; they are especially noticeable when reading articles through a browser (without a separate mode, sites can only be read in horizontal orientation) and when typing. One of the reasons I didn’t like the iPhone 5s was that the display width was too small; when typing with two hands (and I prefer it this way), your thumbs almost become intertwined in a tight knot.

operating system

The device runs iOS 9.3 and is regularly updated to the latest software versions. You can find a detailed review of iOS 9 at the link below.

I would like to note that recently iOS works worse on devices older than a year (take my iPhone 6, for example), but on the new iPhone SE there were no problems with speed and stability.

Performance

And although the iPhone SE looks like a complete copy of the 5s, inside it has the same chipset as the latest iPhone 6s, and the same 2 GB of RAM. And this, of course, has a significant impact on performance. In addition to the fact that the SE works much faster than the 5s in the interface, it copes much better with any, even the most productive games. However, when working with the latter, the SE gets pretty hot, so you won’t be able to play for a long time, however, the small display is not conducive to this.

Autonomous operation

One of my first iPhones was the same iPhone 5s, whose successor is the SE. There were exactly two things that irritated me about it: the small screen, which caused me to periodically miss the letters and write with typos, and the short battery life, which caused the smartphone to run out of charge by the middle of the day.

In the case of the SE, I was pleasantly surprised by its operating time; in my opinion, it lasts even longer than the iPhone 6, the difference is 10%. You can safely count on three hours of screen activity at maximum brightness with a mobile connection and synchronization enabled.

Camera

From the iPhone 6s, the smartphone inherited not only performance, but also the same camera, which, I can’t help but notice, does not protrude from the body! The quality of the images is comparable to the same 6s, this is a very good level, although inferior to the top-end Galaxy S7 or LG G4, but for most users the camera’s capabilities are enough for the eyes. iPhone cameras have another nice feature - their simplicity. You don't have to try hard to get a good shot, you just point the camera, hit "shoot" and you're done. But the front camera remains 1.2 MP, which for some will be a disadvantage. But it supports Retina Flash, when the screen acts as a flash. Below are examples of photos and videos taken on an iPhone SE and the same shots taken on a regular iPhone 6 for comparison.

iPhone 6	iPhone SE

Wireless interfaces

The interfaces in the smartphone are a complete gentleman's set; all new Wi-Fi standards and most LTE bands are supported, so even when roaming you can use fast Internet.

Conclusion

There are no complaints about the quality of speech transmission, you and your interlocutor can hear each other perfectly, there is no interference if the network is stable.

At retail, the iPhone SE 16 GB costs 38,000 rubles, the 64 GB version will cost you 48,000 rubles. For this money you get an external copy of the iPhone 5s, but with the internals of the iPhone 6s. In fact, this is the very option that some users, including a number of our commentators, dream about. If you are also one of them, then I can safely recommend you to buy an iPhone SE.

I remember very well how inconvenient it was for me to use the iPhone 5s due to the small diagonal of the screen, however, I was surprised to find that I got used to the SE much faster. Honestly, I didn’t experience any particular discomfort when using this small smartphone. But after returning to the iPhone 6, I realized that I had no particular desire to use a device with a four-inch display in 2016, everything was too small, and I had never typed text with one hand.

And now a question for you, dear readers: would you buy an iPhone SE? And to be more honest, I’ll clarify: what if a similar device on Android came out, for example, a four-inch Galaxy S7 Mini with the filling of a full-fledged flagship, or a small compact Nexus/Xiaomi/Meizu?

The Apple iPhone 5S, released in 2013, is probably the oldest smartphone that is still in production and, what is even more surprising, is readily purchased. Only the 16 GB modification is available for sale, but in two versions - completely new and factory restored (Refurbished). The second version is about a quarter cheaper than the first.

Time Machine

The technical characteristics of the iPhone 5S four years after the announcement are not impressive at all: a 4-inch screen with a resolution of 1136x640 pixels, a dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM and a 1540 mAh battery. But the 8-megapixel camera still takes good pictures and makes it possible to screw in the 13 and 16-megapixel cameras of many Android smartphones.

Small spool but precious

The old 5S still receives software updates regularly. The latest iOS 10 installs on it without any problems, although it does not work as smoothly and quickly as on more modern iPhone models. Who can I recommend buying an iPhone 5S in 2017? First of all, those who need a very compact smartphone, but do not have the opportunity or desire to pay extra for the iPhone SE.

A funny video is already circulating on the Internet, in which one comedian gives two iPhone 5S to ordinary people on the streets and says that one of them is the new iPhone SE. They immediately find a bunch of advantages in one of the devices, without even realizing that they are actually the same. After iPhone SE sales begin, the experiment can be repeated, and it is unlikely that anything will change.

And why all? Because Apple simply took the “filling” from the iPhone 6S and packed it into a body from a smartphone that was three years old. Saving is saving, but the move is still not the most beautiful. The new model should still be new in terms of design.

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2. The iPhone SE does not have the coolest specifications

Let's face it: Apple developers do a solid job with system and hardware optimization. But this does not change the fact that 2 GB of memory in a modern smartphone is not nearly as much as we would like.

Well, the memory capacity limited to 16 gigabytes is like voluntary consent to pain and suffering. How many movies, games, music and photos can you save on those 12-13 gigabytes that Apple actually left you? Yes, there is a model with 64 GB of memory, but cunning Americans will ask you to fork out extra for it and pay an extra 10,000 rubles on top.

3. For the same money you can buy a very good Android smartphone

Let us remind you that the Apple iPhone SE in Russia costs 38,000 rubles. That's how much potential buyers will be asked for the younger version with 16 GB of memory, which, as we all know, is impossible to expand.

What else can you buy for this money? Almost any flagship from last year at the official price! For example, Samsung Galaxy S6 for 39,000 rubles, LG G4 for 40,000 rubles, Sony Xperia Z5 Compact for 36,000 rubles, or even the very fresh and very powerful Huawei Mate 8 for 40,000 rubles. These devices can be found even cheaper from “gray” sellers.

4. A 4-inch screen is very small

Try to find at least one more or less modern Android smartphone with a screen whose diagonal will not exceed 4 inches. They simply don’t exist, because the bulk of the market has long been made up of models with display diagonals from 4.7 to 5.5 inches. Even the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact, which everyone considers a very small smartphone, is equipped with a 4.6-inch screen!

Another criticism of Apple for pixels: the iPhone SE screen resolution is 1136x640 pixels and does not even reach regular HD (1280x720 pixels). Well, the current standard for a decent “strong average” on Android today is Full HD (1920x1080 pixels). By the way, it is largely because of the low-resolution screen that iPhones last longer and require less computing resources to perform various tasks.

To put it quite simply, Full HD is good today, it’s just that HD is not enough, but still okay, less than HD (like Apple) - actually a thing of the past.

5. Do you really want a non-top iPhone?

New iPhones are often bought contrary to common sense: simply for the sake of prestige. If we consider the iPhone SE from this point of view, then it is worth seriously thinking about how friends and colleagues will perceive the appearance of the gadget in your hands. Most likely, they will simply assume that you still have an old iPhone 5S. But even if you can convince them, you won’t be able to get +5 to respect and esteem. To do this, you will have to wait until September and take out the iPhone 7 on credit.

By the way, if you suddenly missed the presentation of the iPhone SE, we saved it especially for you. Well, be sure to read about it too - we are still for an objective approach: the new gadget has both disadvantages and advantages.

. “In a nutshell,” the difference between them is usually described as follows: externally, the new product is exactly like the old gadget, but inside it has already powerful hardware from the iPhone 6s. But is it? After all, the devil, as we know, is in the details...

Dimensions and weight

The dimensions and weight of the 5s and SE are the same - 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm, but the weight... the new Apple smartphone has one gram more :). 113 versus 112. An “extra” gram in real life, of course, is more of a joke than a disadvantage - hardly anyone will seriously notice it.

Video review:

Design and available colors

Externally, the 4-inch iPhone SE is a complete copy of the iPhone 5s. Moreover, iFixit experts came to the conclusion that many components of the iPhone SE are completely identical to those of the iPhone 5s.

Experts installed a display from the iPhone 5s in the iPhone SE and found that the old display not only fit seamlessly into the body of the new device, but also worked perfectly in conjunction with the other components.

Initially, the iPhone 5s was available in three colors: space gray, gold and silver (with the release of the iPhone 6s, the “gold” version of the 5s disappeared from retail).

In the iPhone SE, Apple retained the previous 3 colors and added one new one - “rose gold”.

CPU

iPhone SE received the Apple A9 chip, which is also installed in the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. According to Apple itself, it is 2 times more productive than the A7 chip installed in the iPhone 5s, and 3 times faster than its predecessor in processing graphics. The M9 coprocessor is also much more powerful than the M7 - thanks to interaction with sensors (compass, gyroscope and accelerometer), it allows you to collect more fitness data (steps, kilometers, etc.). iPhone SE's Hey Siri feature works without being connected to a power source.

RAM

The iPhone SE has 2 gigabytes of RAM, while the iPhone 5s has only one. You feel the difference very quickly - for example, an “extra” gigabyte of RAM allows you to instantly access long-forgotten tabs in Safari, without first loading them via the Internet.

Storage device

iPhone SE comes in only two versions - with 16 and 64 GB storage. iPhone 5s, in turn, was produced in three versions - 16, 32 and 64 GB.

Cameras

iPhone SE received a 12 megapixel iSight camera with an f/2.2 aperture. For comparison, the iPhone 5s was equipped with a photo module of only 8 megapixels (the aperture is the same). The old iPhone seriously lags behind the new one in terms of functionality - unlike the SE, 5s

• does not record video in 4K resolution or at 240 frames per second (slow motion);
• does not take panoramic photos in resolutions up to 63 megapixels;
• Does not take Live Photos.

But the front camera of FaceTime on both smartphones is equally “antediluvian” - only 1.2 megapixels. And if in the case of the iPhone 5s this can somehow be explained, then the iPhone SE has nothing to cover - it is obvious that Apple (apparently in pursuit of a low price) saved money here. True, even on this “front” the SE has one advantage - Apple engineers equipped it with the Retina Flash function (when taking a selfie in poor lighting conditions, the screen acts as a flash).

LTE (4G)

iPhone SE offers 50% faster Internet access (if technically possible) - up to 150 Mbps versus 100 Mbps for iPhone 5s. Unfortunately, these capabilities of the iPhone SE cannot be called an advantage in Russian realities.

By the way, it’s worth paying attention: according to official data, the SE is offered in two models, the first of which, A1662, does not support the 7th LTE band, popular in Russia. The version with number A1723 does not have such problems.

Working hours

Thanks to the energy-efficient 3rd generation 64-bit processor and small screen, the iPhone SE lasts noticeably longer than the 5s. Apple notes that when browsing the Internet via 4G or Wi-Fi, the battery of the new iPhone will last 13 hours, while playing music – up to 50 hours. Under the same conditions, the iPhone 5s will only last 10 and 40 hours, respectively. As you can see, the “survivability” of the battery has increased by 25-30%. Impressive!