Apple developers did not come up with a new design for the iPhone 5 SE. Instead, they reused the fifth model's exterior while outfitting it with new interior features. This is a strange step that could be observed for the first time.
One way to interpret this is to suggest that Apple is taking the easy way out and simply reworking an existing design to produce a low-cost smartphone. Another possible explanation is that they are revitalizing the iconic iPhone 5/5s design in an attempt to cater to a group of users who not only want a budget phone but also prefer a smaller form factor. After all, a third of Apple users still use older 4-inch smartphones.
What immediately attracts attention?
According to reviews of the iPhone 5 SE, the most important feature of the device is the rethinking of the specifications. The iPhone SE features the 4-inch Retina display introduced in the iPhone 5s with a first-generation touch sensor. The device has an identical body, but inside it is equipped with a new Apple A9 chip with 2 GB of RAM, a 12-megapixel main camera and a slightly larger battery.
The functionality limitations of Apple devices haven't changed for years, so they shouldn't surprise anyone - you can't have expandable storage, fast or wireless charging, FM radio, replaceable batteries, and the rest. The new 3D Touch technology is also missing for obvious reasons, although you can still use Live Photos. Reviews of the iPhone 5 SE usually do not classify the above as disadvantages of the device.
Apple iPhone SE review
As you'd expect, the iPhone 5 SE comes in a fairly compact box, filled with a Lightning cable, a 1A A/C plug, and a well-packaged pair of headphones.
The dimensions of the device are 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm, which is fully consistent with the size of the iPhone 5s. The gadget weighs 113 grams. Compared to the new 4.7-inch iPhone 6, the SE model is 1.5 cm shorter and 1 cm narrower.
Design and build quality
Keeping the old design means having the first-generation Touch ID and an older FaceTime camera model (1.2 MP). There's also the issue of bezels, which make the phone look dated by today's standards. This is repeatedly mentioned in reviews of iPhone 5 SE owners.
There's one more thing worth mentioning: the iPhone 6 comes with water resistance, which allows it to avoid damage if exposed to water for up to 40 minutes. In contrast, the iPhone SE will instantly “die” in such a situation, as confirmed by many online videos.
The front panel of the iPhone 5 SE is covered with ion-strengthened glass (this is the usual version of Gorilla Glass protection), complemented by an oleophobic coating to read fingerprints. The case frame is metal, as is most of the back.
The front of the SE is mostly taken up by the 4-inch Retina display. On top you can find a headphone slot, a FaceTime camera and a pair of sensors. At the bottom there is a Home/Touch ID button with a steel ring. The slide-out nano-SIM slot is located on the right. On the left side are the volume keys.
At the top of the iPhone 5 SE is the power/lock key, also made of metal. The audio jack, speaker grille, main microphone (also behind the grille) and charger port are at the bottom.
The back side of the SE is familiar to all fans of this brand of smartphones. As in previous models, there is a 12-megapixel camera, a dual LED flash with a second microphone and, of course, the Apple logo. The camera functionality is the same as on the iPhone 6, with the ability to record 4K video. This is happily noted by many reviews from iPhone 5 SE users.
Screen
There are many opinions that have been expressed by users about the old 4-inch Retina display. Skeptics will constantly mention the super small screen, large bezels, low resolution, while the opposite camp of consumers praise the abundance of colors and sunlight clarity, as well as high brightness. Thus, customer reviews of the iPhone 5 SE regarding the screen vary greatly.
The device's display uses a 4-inch IPS panel measuring 640 x 1136 pixels, offering a density of 326ppi - classic Retina specifications. The resulting contrast ratio of 1:804 isn't all that remarkable, mainly due to the low black levels. For comparison, the 4.7" screen in the iPhone 6s has the same 326ppi, but a less bright screen with higher contrast.
In terms of color rendering, the iPhone 5 SE scores excellent with an average DeltaE of 2.3, meaning the screen is almost fully calibrated. The maximum deviation - 5.2 - is in whites, which look a little bluish, but this is not noticeable without an external control point.
Battery life
The battery inside the iPhone 5 SE is slightly larger than previous models - 1,624 mAh. Apple's iOS 9 platform introduced a low-power mode that you'll be prompted to turn on when the charge drops below 20%.
According to reviews of the iPhone 5 SE, the battery shows very good results in all tests: it can withstand about 12 hours of 3G calls, 13 hours of web browsing or 14 hours of video playback on a single charge.
Connection
iPhone 5 SE comes with a lot of wireless features. The smartphone supports a fast LTE signal (up to 150 Mbps) with wide band coverage. Regular 2G and 3G connections are also reliably covered by a variety of supported network bands.
The device supports all existing Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac standards. AirPlay is the only way to accurately display your screen's content on an HDTV, but you'll need to have an Apple TV to do it.
Some apps will allow you to share your screen via Chromecast or Smart HDTV, but compatibility may vary. Additional local connectivity includes Bluetooth 4.2 LE. There is also NFC support, but its functionality is limited to Apple Pay only.
The iPhone 5 SE uses a proprietary Lightning connector for wired data transfer and charging. The device doesn't have USB On-the-go or USB host support, but you can pair a Bluetooth keyboard with your phone if you need such a peripheral.
To stream almost any content, you'll depend on syncing your smartphone with Apple's iTunes software on your computer. Reviews of the iPhone 5 SE 32 also vary in this regard. A good feature is that the device can connect wirelessly via Wi-Fi. The downside is that the paradigm for syncing content between a computer and a phone is quite old - the same as the first iPod. It requires you to first add your content to your iTunes library.
Apple iOS 9.3
The iPhone 5 SE, which has had mixed reviews, runs on pre-installed iOS 9.3, although a firmware update to 9.3.1 is already available. The new phone doesn't have 3D Touch hardware, so some core features are missing from the OS. However, this functionality is still nothing more than a gimmick, without any real value to the user. Reviews about the characteristics of the iPhone 5 SE do not indicate this circumstance as a drawback.
Apple's iOS 9.3 introduced a new night view mode and an expanded notes app, while iOS 9 only introduced a new news app and support for public transit timetables using maps. Mail and messages have received an update, and a new system font has appeared. The Siri assistant has become more expandable, and the Spotlight Search service has expanded its range.
Screen Interface
As usual, all applications are located on the desktop, you can group them into folders. There is the familiar docking station that can accept up to four shortcuts. System icons, color scheme and transparency - everything looks the same as in iOS 8. Photos of the iPhone 5 SE, reviews of which are discussed in this article, allow you to verify the above.
The lock screen hasn't changed either - it has a camera shortcut and shows all your notifications.
The Control Center, which extends from the bottom of the screen, retains the same layout of switches, shortcuts, and media controls. Notification Center launches from the top and has the same tabs as before - Today and Notifications. There are no new widgets or notification options in this version.
New task manager
Search in Spotlight was improved back in iOS 9. You can bring it up by scrolling down from anywhere on the desktop or go to the leftmost window. According to reviews of the iPhone 5 SE 32 GB, this service has been updated even further, and can now perform simple calculations and conversions. It also supports sports score search and weather forecast information. Finally, you get shortcuts to make a call or send a message to any of the contact results in Spotlight search.
Voice assistant
Siri has also been improved. In addition to all the cool stuff a smart assistant could do, it can now view your photos and videos based on dates, locations, and album names. It supports custom reminders from requests you've made in Safari, Mail, Notes and Messages, and has also gained support for navigating public transport.
iOS 9 offers new active assistance available system-wide, which is more or less dependent on Apple's Google Now. DND mode has been available on iOS for a long time, but now there is a new feature provided by iOS 9.3 called Night Shift. It changes the display temperature at night to reduce eye strain. Reviews of the iPhone 5 SE note this as a positive feature of the device.
Hardware capacity
The iPhone SE has a dated look, but its hardware is updated. It is powered by the latest Apple A9 chipset, which is equipped with a 1.84GHz dual-core Twister processor, six-core PowerVR GT7600 graphics and 2GB RAM. According to user reviews, the A9, combined with a lower resolution (than the iPhone 6), makes the device very powerful. Separately, it is worth noting the graphics performance. SE uses a six-core PowerVR GT7600 GPU, which allows you to run even intensive games on the screen.
Telephony and messaging
The Phone app remains largely unchanged—it doesn't support smart dialing, but it does offer social media integration. Blacklist is also available for those who need this feature. FaceTime is, of course, available for all compatible iOS devices, allowing the user to make free voice and video calls to any other device that supports the service.
Apple also offers Wi-Fi calling on this device. If both subscribers support this service and it is turned on, the call will not occur through the cellular network, but the connection will be made via the Internet. This improves sound quality and also saves money.
The same goes for iMessage - once enabled, the user can send free text and multimedia content, including voice messages, to any other Apple gadget.
Than we would like, many are still probably already planning to buy this device in a familiar, beloved case with new powerful hardware. We won’t be able to get to know the smartphone better yet, but this won’t stop us from learning everything about the device. Want to know everything? Check out the most detailed iPhone SE specs yet.
iPhone SE will be sold in an aluminum case made of the same material that is used in all modern Apple products. The smartphone will be available in four colors, like the iPhone 6s: Silver, Space Grey, Gold and Rose Gold. The same parameters are hidden in cases of different colors. Here they are:
Memory
- 16 gigabytes
- 64 gigabytes
- 113 grams
Size
- Length: 123.8 mm
- Width: 58.6 mm
- Thickness: 7.6 mm
Display options
- Retina display
- Diagonal: 4 inches
- LED backlight
- Widescreen format
- Multi-touch support
- Resolution: 1136 x 640, 326 PPI
- Contrast: 800:1
- Maximum brightness: 500 cd/m2
- Full sRGB standard
- Oleophobic coating
- Supports displaying multiple languages and characters simultaneously
CPU
- 64-bit A9 chip
- M9 Motion Coprocessor
iSight Camera
- 12 MP iSight camera with 1.22µ pixel size
- Live Photos
- Autofocus and Focus Pixels technology
- True Tone Flash
- Panoramic shooting (up to 63 megapixels)
- Exposure control
- Continuous shooting
- Timer mode
- Aperture ƒ/2.2
- Five-element lens
- Hybrid IR cut filter
- Sapphire crystal lens protection
- Automatic image stabilization
- Face recognition
- Linking photos to the shooting location
Video recording
- 4K video recording (3840 x 2160 pixels) at 30 fps
- 1080p HD video recording at 30 or 60 fps
- 720p HD video recording at 30fps
- True Tone Flash
- Supports slow-motion video recording at 1080p at 120fps or at 720p at 240fps
- Time-lapse mode with image stabilization
- Cinematic video stabilization (1080p and 720p)
- Tracking autofocus
- Improved Noise Canceling Technology
- Ability to shoot 8-megapixel photos while recording 4K video
- Playback Zoom
- 3x magnification
- Face recognition
- Linking video to the shooting location
FaceTime HD camera
- Photos with a resolution of 1.2 MP
- HD video recording at 720p resolution
- Retina Flash
- Aperture ƒ/2.4
- Automatically enable HDR when taking photos
- Light sensor on the rear panel
- Exposure control
- Advanced tone mapping system
- Face recognition
- Timer mode
- Continuous shooting
Touch ID
- First generation Touch ID fingerprint scanner
Cellular and Wireless
Model A1662
- LTE (bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29)
Model A1723
- LTE (bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28)
- TD‑LTE (bands 38, 39, 40, 41)
- TD-SCDMA 1900(F), 2000(A)
- CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
- UMTS/ HSPA+/ DC‑HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
- GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
All models
- Wi‑Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac4
- Wireless technology 4.2
Geolocation
- Assisted GPS and GLONASS
- Digital compass
- Wi-Fi
- cellular
- iBeacon Precise Location Feature
Playing sound
- Supported audio formats: AAC (8 to 320 kbps), Protected AAC (for files from the iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF and WAV
- Ability to adjust maximum volume
TV and video
- AirPlay video replay; output photos, audio and video to Apple TV (2nd generation and later)
- Video replay and video output support: up to 1080p via Lightning Digital AV Adapter or Lightning to VGA Adapter (adapters sold separately)
- Supported video formats: H.264 video with resolution up to 4K and 30 fps, high profile level 4.2 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov formats; MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 x 480 pixels, 30 fps, simple profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 kbps per channel, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and. mov; Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 x 720 pixels, 30 fps, ulaw audio, PCM stereo audio in .avi format
- Send messages, create reminders, and more using your voice
- Active offers
- Using a headset
- Listening to and recognizing songs
External buttons and connectors
- Touch ID sensor
- Volume controls
- Silent mode switch
- On/Off button Sleep/Wake Mode
- 3.5mm headphone output
- Lightning connector
- Microphone
- Built-in speaker
Power and battery
- Talk time: up to 14 hours on 3G network
- When browsing the Internet: up to 12 hours on a 3G network, up to 13 hours on a 4G LTE network, up to 13 hours on a Wi-Fi network
- Video playback: up to 13 hours
- Audio playback: up to 50 hours
- Standby time: up to 10 days
- Built-in lithium-ion battery
- Charging via USB from a computer or power adapter
Sensors
- Touch ID fingerprint sensor
- Three-axis gyroscope
- Accelerometer
- Distance sensor
- Ambient light sensor
SIM card
- Nano-SIM
- iPhone SE does not support existing micro-SIM cards
Hearing Aid Compatible
- Model A1662, A1723: M3, T4
Mail attachment support
- Supports viewing of the following types of documents:
.jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key(Keynote); .numbers(Numbers); .pages(Pages); .pdf (View and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt(text); .rtf (rich text); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel); .zip; .ics
System requirements
- Apple ID (required for some features)
- Internet access
To sync with iTunes on Mac or PC you need:
- Mac: OS X version 10.8.5 or later
- PC: Windows 7 or later
- iTunes 12.3.3 or later
Operating environment requirements
- Operating temperature: 0 to 35 °C
- Storage temperature: –20 to 45 °C
- Relative Humidity: 5 to 95% non-condensing
- Operating altitude: tested up to 3000 m
Contents of delivery
- iPhone with iOS 9
- Apple EarPods headphones with remote control and microphone
- Lightning to USB cable
- USB power adapter
- Documentation
Many people love iPhones, but in our country, fans of these products cannot even imagine what an explosion in the gadget market occurs after the release of a new model of mobile phones. True, this concerned mainly the fourth series, after which the passions gradually began to subside (which cannot be said about sales abroad). In this case, too, the presentation did not cause a storm of emotions in the news environment: at the presentation Apple iPhone SE about three hundred people gathered, and the event took literally an hour. Of course, users will be interested in what's special about the new iPhone.
Well forgotten old
There have long been jokes in the user community about the difficult work of Apple designers. Indeed, the company has always been conservative in the design of its devices, while technical improvement has been fairly even. But there were changes. First, the Apple iPhone 5 stretched out in length, trying to preserve all the design features of previous generations. Then the Apple iPhone 6 smartphone completely broke the tradition of diagonals and side edges. As soon as they became rounded, most conservative consumers became indignant.
And so, without coming up with anything new, the manufacturer again decided to return not only straight edges, but also the diagonal. The decision is controversial: on the one hand, it was possible to jump on the nostalgic feelings of Yabloko, but on the other hand, those who had already begun to get used to the rounded frame were indignant.
What's new in the specifications
It is important to understand that the new product is not a flagship and certainly not a new generation. Offered by the company Apple iPhone X is the device that users who can't get enough of the design of the Apple iPhone 4s will want. At the same time, the characteristics were adopted from the current sixth model. The same A9 or M9 processor, the same 12-megapixel camera module, the same Touch ID, stated operating time, and everything is about the same. As for memory, two versions are available to users: with 16 and 64 gigabytes.
Thus, the series is designed for mass consumption, although few could have dreamed of such characteristics just a few years ago. Even the camera shoots 4K video, and only some flagships can cope with this difficult indicator. So you can be sure that everyone who lacked the new characteristics in the same design and with the same familiar diagonal will want the device. After all, despite the marketing, the good old competitors in the form of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S are still in the hands of inexperienced users.
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 equipment
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 a small 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:
Congratulations to all fans of small screens and 4-inch iPhones! On March 21, 2016, Apple updated its line of 4-inch iPhones with the new iPhone SE. This means we have a choice. We may not buy large iPhones with 4.7″ or 5.5″ screens just because they are the latest models. If you like a small screen and the good old “five” has always suited you, then today you can buy a new, fresh 4-inch iPhone SE with modern and up-to-date hardware inside.
The most important thing is that people who were using the iPhone 5 have already encountered problems related to the software. For example, the “night mode” function from iOS 9.3 is no longer supported by the “five” and, apparently, it is not a fact that the iPhone 5 will support all functions. Those. Apple is gradually stopping support for the five, and by purchasing the iPhone SE we get the most current device with the current processor, which will support all the functions of all new versions of iOS for the next 5 years. Yes, we will even sell or destroy it sooner :)
Colors and body
The first thing I immediately want to draw your attention to is the presence of a new color in the Apple iPhone line and, also, in the 4-inch iPhone line - Rose Gold. At one time, Apple introduced this color and has now decided to equip the next version of the iPhone. The new color is popular and already three devices from all Apple products have it. I'm really sure that we'll see it soon.
The shape of the iPhone SE is identical to the shape of the iPhone 5S, so all the cases will roll off your fives. They simply took our any 4-inch iPhone and stuffed it with modern, up-to-date stuffing. Updated, in other words. Well, that’s right, because the iPhone 5S has a fairly beautiful, convenient, comfortable, overall optimal shape and all that it lacks is the relevance of the filling.
Iron
What processor is in the iPhone SE
The iPhone SE processor is the current A9 chip, which is currently in the iPhone 6S. Also, the A9 chip has an M9 coprocessor, which provides contactless access to Siri - now you can simply say “Hey Siri” and it will be activated. No need to hold down the Home button anymore.
How much RAM does iPhone SE have?
Fortunately, the iPhone SE received 2 GB of RAM, just like the iPhone 6S. So no lags. The phone works quickly and without lag. he definitely won't. Even faster than the iPhone 5S and even a little better than the latest 6S. Although at the presentation, Apple showed that the new iPhone SE is on par with the iPhone 6S in terms of performance and is 2 times faster than the iPhone 5S. And the graphics chip is 3 times faster than the iPhone 5S.
How much memory does the iPhone SE have?
The iPhone SE received 16 GB and 64 GB of its own memory. Yes, only two models will be available. However, this topic with 16 GB is already infuriating. In 2016, it’s not interesting to put so much, and even with the support of shooting 4K video. Well, it’s clear that this is a marketing ploy and that they follow the concept of the iPhone 6S. Maybe everything will change with the release.
What OS does the iPhone SE run on?
iPhone SE comes with iOS 9.3 on board. And accordingly, it will support iOS 10 and subsequent new ones, up to iOS 13.
Battery
iPhone SE price, iPhone SE release date, start of sales
The iPhone SE release date is scheduled for March 31st. Although pre-orders can be made starting March 24th. iPhone SE will be released on March 31 in the first wave countries, which will include:
- Australia
- Canada
- China
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Puerto Rico
- Singapore
- England
iPhone SE release date in Ukraine and Russia is May. The new iPhone SE will be released in Ukraine and Russia in May because Apple plans to launch it in 110 more countries in May. I think that we are included in this list anyway. And the iPhone SE will be sold at a price of 400 bucks for 16 GB and 500 bucks for 64 GB. If the official price of iPhone SE in the US:
- $399 dollars for 16 Gb
- $499 USD for 64 GB
then in Ukraine it will be much more expensive. As usual, there is an additional payment for delivery and, plus, stores mark up crazy prices. Therefore, the approximate price of the iPhone SE in Ukraine is 14,000 UAH and 16,000 UAH dollars for the 16 and 64 GB models, respectively.
Video reviews of iPhone SE
Apple official video:
Video review of the black iPhone SE - The Verge:
Video review of the gold iPhone SE – Slash Gear
Video review - iPhone 5S cases will go to iPhone SE
That's all for the iPhone SE review. Overall a good device. Especially for those who don't like large displays on phones. A worthy replacement for iPhone 5, iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. And I was very pleased with the price. This is the most affordable iPhone in the world today. Modern filling, in the form of an awesome camera, like the iPhone 6S, a powerful and fast processor, a beautiful rose gold color - makes this iPhone the best among 4-inch iPhones, modern and relevant.