Design and Build

The iPhone SE comes with a small-sized, easily recognizable design that includes an aerospace-grade aluminum frame, a glass front, and a glass back, which is the same as in the iPhone 8. Measuring 5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 inches (138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm) and weighing 5.22 ounces (148g), the phone is light and one-handed use is very convenient. It is available in three colors Black, White, and Red and operates using only the Home button with a Touch ID, it does not have Face ID. Also, it uses a Lightning port and in most regions, it works with a physical nano-SIM and eSIM at the same time.

• Aerospace-grade aluminum frame
• Glass front and back
• IP67 rating (water and dust resistance up to 1 meter for 30 minutes)
• Home button with Touch ID (no Face ID)
• Lightning port for charging and data transfer
• Physical nano-SIM + eSIM

iPhone SE Display

The iPhone SE has a 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD screen with a 1334 x 750 pixels resolution (326 PPI), HDR10 support. A main aspect of the display is that it does not have OLED, and the 60 Hz refresh rate is not up to date anymore. It can go as high as 625 nits typical brightness, which is enough for indoors and dark environments but is not so bright outdoors. The whole design also maintains thick bezels plus no ProMotion or Always-On Display, which are modern phone features, are found on the phone.

• 4.7-inch LCD (Retina HD)
• 1334 x 750 resolution, 326 PPI
• HDR10 support
• 625 nits (typical)
• Glass protection
• 60Hz refresh rate (no ProMotion or Always-On Display)

Performance and Software

The iPhone SE masterfully blends a classic, user-friendly design with modern internal power. Its compact and lightweight body, featuring an aerospace-grade aluminum frame with glass on the front and back, is perfectly sized for comfortable one-handed use. Available in Black, White, and (PRODUCT)RED, it retains the beloved Home button with Touch ID for security instead of Face ID and uses a Lightning port for charging. Under the hood, it's equipped with the capable A13 Bionic chip, which ensures smooth performance for everyday tasks like calls, messaging, and apps, though it lags behind the latest models. It comes with 3GB of RAM and your choice of 64GB (£399), 128GB (£449), or 256GB (£549) of storage. While its LCD screen means it lacks advanced display features like ProMotion or an Always-On Display, it maintains strong software support, having launched on iOS 13 and being upgradeable to the latest iOS 18. For connectivity, it supports both a physical nano-SIM and an eSIM in most regions.

• A13 Bionic chip with 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, 8-core Neural Engine
• 3GB LPDDR4X RAM
• Storage: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
• iOS 13 (upgradable to iOS 18)
• Optimized for everyday tasks and photography

The A13 Bionic offers excellent performance for its price, matching the iPhone 11, but the 3GB RAM and base 64GB storage limit its appeal for heavy users. Reviewers praise its speed for budget users, but the dated design hampers its competitiveness.

Camera System

The iPhone SE is equipped with a single 12MP Main camera (f/1.8, 28mm, OIS), and it does not have any ultra-wide or telephoto lenses. It uses computational photography for decent shots but lacks advanced modes like Cinematic Mode.

• Rear: 12MP Main (28mm, f/1.8, OIS)
• Front: 7MP (f/2.2)
• Video: 4K 60 fps
• Modes: Portrait, Smart HDR
• LED flash

Battery and Charging

The iPhone SE includes a 1821mAh battery that can last for about 13 hours of video playback. Without a doubt, the real use scenario of about 9-11 hours. The phone can be charged at 18W (50% in 30 minutes) with a cable and at 7.5W on a Qi wireless charger, but it doesn’t support MagSafe. A charger is not given, only a Lightning cable. The battery life is mediocre because the phone’s size is small, so for heavy users, it would be a daily charge.

• 1821mAh battery
• Up to 13 hours video playback, ~9–11 hours real-world
• 18W wired charging (50% in 30 min)
• 7.5W Qi wireless charging (no MagSafe)
• No charger included (Lightning cable only)

Connectivity

The iPhone SE has a 4G LTE modem, which means this device cannot connect to 5G networks, limiting its speed compared to newer models. It supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.0. NanoSIM comes in a physical slot, while the embedded SIM (eSIM) is also there. The U1 chip is omitted, therefore, the locator can't cover the vast empty areas to hunt down AirTag, which still works as a regular item finder with sound. If overtaken by urgent situations, the Emergency SOS feature can't use the satellite connection to send a text message. GPS then is as versatile as before with the support of multiple systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS).

• 4G LTE modem (no 5G)
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
• Bluetooth 5.0
• Physical nano-SIM + eSIM
• No U1 ultra-wideband chip
• No satellite connectivity
• GPS: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS