Amid the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, Apple, without any fancy event, launched the long rumoured iPhone SE (2nd generation) with just a press note in mid-April 2020.
And now, it is finally available in India. The miniature Apple mobile shares A13 Bionic chipset and several other attributes of the top-end iPhone 11 and 11 Pro series models, but costs less than half the price of the latter.
I have been using the iPhone SE (2020) for a little over a week and here're my thoughts.
Design, build quality and display:
Designwise, the iPhone SE (2020) is identical to the iPhone 8. Even the crafting process and the materials used for the latest model is the same. "It is made using a seven-layer colour process for precise hue and opacity, delivering a rich depth of colour with a colour-matched aluminium band," says Apple.
Our review unit looks gorgeous in the milky white shade, which beautifully blends with premium silver-hued aeroplane-grade aluminium chassis. It has antenna stripes on the frames and on the front, Apple has incorporated contrasting thick black bezels, which further enhances the visual appeal. It is curvaceous and has a smooth texture all around, but the small body is easy to grip even for people with butterfingers.
It features power-button to the right and on the opposite side, there are volume rockers and above that, you will find the trademark ring/silent mode slider. On top, the iPhone SE (2020) has no buttons, whereas, at the bottom, it features two speakers with a lightning port in the middle for charging and transfer files via a cable.
Less than a decade ago, the 4.7-inch screen was a standard and some believed it was big too, but as years passed by, phones have gotten bigger ranging between 5.5-inch and 6.9-inch.
With the new iPhone SE, Apple has brought back the nostalgia. I, having a small hand, can wrap my fingers without any fuss. It felt so satisfyingly good to operate the phone single-handedly with such ease.
However, over the years, I have gotten so used to watching multimedia content on big mobile screens and I couldn't help but try pinch-zoom on the new iPhone SE's display for the fullscreen mode. It happened to me several times before realising that the fact the thick black bezel is not going anywhere.
On the bright side, the iPhone SE has one of the best IPS LCD for a phone in the market. The 4.7-inch Retina HD (1334x750p) display (326 ppi) offer a near-accurate range of colours and despite the small screen, I still had a good time playing games and also, never faced any pressing issues while viewing contents be it SMS, emails or watching videos even under the sunlight.
It boasts True Tone display feature, which can adjust the white balance to match the ambient light for a more natural, paper-like viewing experience. It also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 playback.
I also loved the Haptic Touch feedback on the screen. It offers Quick Actions — such as animating Live Photos, previewing messages, rearranging apps and more — as well as contextual menus.
A few years ago, while reviewing the iPhone 8 Plus, I had a sad realisation that the latter would be the last iPhone to ever feature a Touch ID. Also, there were conflicting rumours before the iPhone SE (2020) launch that the new phone may feature Face ID. To everyone's surprise, Apple has brought back the ever-reliable fingerprint sensor.
With the COVID-19 pandemic still continuing its mayhem around the world, facemask has become mandatory to wear for every person to curb the spread. However, it has become a hard task to remove the mask every time to watch a message or unlock the screen of an iPhone X and later Apple mobile models.
[Note: Apple has released iOS 13.5 update that fast tracks the FaceID security for screen unlock]
Well, the Apple iPhone SE (2020) has come at a timely interval and owners won't be facing any such issue anytime soon.
Another noticeable aspect of the Apple mobile is its loudspeaker. They are really powerful. I have an anecdote to share. Just a few days before I began writing this product review, I was playing the Forest Sounds on Apple Music to do Yoga and it was on full volume.
I had kept it on the table near the window and the sound of the water stream played via iPhone SE was so loud and clear that my neighbour thought there was a water leak in the building and asked my mother to check if the over-head tank is over-flowing.
Speaking of water, Apple iPhone SE(2020) comes with an IP67 rating, meaning it can survive not only accidental water and coffee spills, but also rains as well. You can even take it for a dip in the swimming pool. It can sustain water pressure up to 1.5 metres (around five feet) for close to 30 minutes.
Performance:
Inside the dainty mobile, Apple has incorporated proprietary A13 Bionic (with 3rd Gen Neural Engine), which is touted to be the most powerful chipset in the industry.
As expected, the iPhone SE is blazingly fast in terms of opening apps, loading camera and even when playing graphics-rich games.
I played the Need For Speed: No Limits, the iPhone SE (2020) never showed any sign of lag-ness nor overheating. Even when using the Augmented Reality (AR) app such as Night Sky, the new Apple mobile worked without any fuss.
On AnTuTu performance benchmarking app, it scored an impressive 411,005 points. Whereas on 3DMark Sling Shot Benchmark, it got 3,847 points.
Another noteworthy aspect of the A13 Bionic-powered iPhone SE (2020) is that it assured to get major iOS updates till 2024 and even get security patches beyond that. This is a big thing for a phone owner, as the every new firmware iterations bring new features, visually appealing interface changes, even boost performance and battery life.
With COVID-19 pandemic having a huge impact on the financial prospects of consumers, many are unlikely to buy phones for a short-term period, instead, look for a long-term purpose. Here, the iPhone SE comes into the picture.
It can be noted that the Apple iPhone 6, which was launched in 2014 received a security firmware in March 2020. Even the iPhone SE (2020) will get the same treatment. However, for Android phones, there is no guarantee of getting any major update after 18 months.
Besides the software, the iPhone is known for its ironclad security. Apple has the most rigorous screening process for a developer to submit a utility application or a game in to App Store. So, there is very less chance of a malware-ridden app entering your iPhone.
Also, the risk of getting infected with a virus or ransomware while browsing shady websites on an iPhone is almost impossible compared to Android phones.
Battery:
Apple never reveals the battery capacity of its iPhone, but give us the lab-tested data like how many hours the device can offer in terms of video playback, talk-time and other aspects.
Apple claims iPhone SE can offer up to 13 hours of video playback (already downloaded content) and if you are streaming, it can last close to eight hours.
In terms of practicality, iPhone SE (2020) was able to last a whole day under normal usage. In my active hours (9:00 am to 11:30 pm), I browsed the web, took photos, played a session of gaming, watched some videos on YouTubes and other day-to-day chores.
However, the battery drains faster if you are playing a game such as Need For Speed: No Limits on mobile data. That's the only pain point. If you are on a Wi-Fi connection, it lasts longer.
And yes, the iPhone SE (2020) supports 18W fast charging same as the iPhone 11. But, the retail package comes with a 5W charger, which takes close to two hours to charge from zero to 100%.
If you happen to have Apple authorised 18W charger, you get the iPhone SE powered up from zero to 50% in flat 30 minutes.
Camera:
Apple iPhone SE houses single-lens 12MP wide-angle camera with f/1.8 aperture, LED True Tone flash with Slow Sync and boasts Smart HDR, Portrait modes with all six lighting effects and Depth Control features same as we see in the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 11 Pro.
In the bright sunlight conditions and even during the twilight, the iPhone SE takes crisp images with details and near-natural colours. It also boasts OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation), which comes handy for those having shaky hands while taking photos.
Apple iPhone SE (2020) comes with QuickTake video feature, that allows users to swiftly start video recording without switching out of Photo mode. Both the front and rear-side cameras support this.
Like all the previous iPhones, the stability of the video recording in the new Apple mobile is top-notch. It can take 4K videos with up to 60fps, and extended dynamic range for more highlight details up to 30fps. I am also impressed with full HD (1080p) slow-mo video recording capability. It offers two options-- 240 fps (frames per second) and 120 fps.
The only qualm I have is that it doesn't support Night Mode. The flash-assisted night-time images are not as great as the ones captured by iPhone 11 series, but they are decent. The credit has to go the software optimisation of camera hardware.
On the front, it boasts 7MP FaceTime camera with f/2.2 aperture, Retina flash, full HD video recording, Auto HDR, Auto Image Stabilisation, Cinematic Video Stabilisation (1080p & 720p) and more.
It takes really good selfies and also the portrait pictures are of decent quality. Both front and the back cameras support six-light effects-- Natural Light, Studio Light, Contour Light, Stage Light, Stage Light Mono and High-Key Light Mono.
Final thoughts (3.5/5)
Though Apple iPhone SE(2020) has a small compact form factor, it is on par and even outranks some of the most powerful and smoothest Android handsets in terms of performance.
As said before, the company usually offers software support for iPhones anywhere between four and five years, compared to a maximum of two-year support for Android flagships. For instance, iPhone 6S, launched in 2015, received the latest iOS 13 updates in 2019 and continue to get incremental firmware even to this day.
Consider this, iPhone 6S owners can now enjoy system-wide dark mode, but most of the Android phones launched two years later in 2017 are struggling to even get a security update let alone Android 10 released in 2019.
Most of the consumers miss this crucial aspect while making a purchase decision, as the companies churn out fancy spec-sheet of their phone for comparison with rival brands.
With the latest iPhone SE (2020), you can be assured to experience the annual major software update and incremental firmware patches in between for at least till 2024.
Must read | iPhone 11 review: The go-to Apple mobile of 2019
Who should buy Apple iPhone SE (2020)?
If you have never owned an iPhone before and craving for long to scale the high walled iOS ecosystem, get the Apple's miniature mobile-- iPhone SE(2020).
It is also a good option for aspiring salaried class who intend to use the phone for four to five years.
The new iPhone SE comes in black, white and special (PRODUCT) RED edition. It is available in three storages-- 64GB, 128GB and 256GB-- for 42,500, Rs 47,800 and Rs 58,300, respectively in India.
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