Apple recently announced the second-generation iPhone SE is available for pre-orders. With Apple’s newest model, you get all the best features of an iPhone 11 in a smaller package for a lot less money. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2020 iPhone SE, including the price, release date, specs, and more.
iPhone SE Design
Over the years, Apple has been making iPhones bigger and bigger. In fact, this is the first time the company has released a smaller model since the first iPhone SE was released in 2016. The new iPhone SE has a 4.7-inch display, which is much smaller than the 6.1-inch iPhone 11 or the huge 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max.
The iPhone SE has the exact same dimensions and weight as the iPhone 8, which was released in 2017. But, while the iPhone SE might look like an older iPhone on the outside, it has more in common with Apple’s newest and most expensive iPhone where it counts.
Faster CPU
The new iPhone SE has an A13 Bionic chip, which is the same chip Apple designed for the iPhone 11. According to Apple, this is “the fastest chip ever in a smartphone.”
The A13 Bionic chip has eight cores, and it is capable of handling 5 trillion operations per second, which means it can handle anything you throw at it. In fact, this CPU is 1.4 times faster than the one found in the iPhone 8.
Faster WiFi
Along with the new CPU, Apple also upgraded the WiFi capabilities in the new iPhone SE. This new model comes with WiFi 6 and Gigabit-class LTE. That means it has WiFi speeds 38% faster than the iPhone 8.
And, when you’re not connected to a WiFi network, the iPhone SE will have cellular speeds up to 60% faster than the iPhone 8 Plus.
Water Resistance
The new iPhone SE has a water- and dust-resistant rating of IP67. This means you can submerge your iPhone in 1 meter (just over three feet) of water for up to 30 minutes.
This is the same water-resistance rating as the iPhone 8, but not as high as the new iPhone 11 Pro Max. Apple’s most expensive iPhone can withstand being submerged in up to 4 meters of water for up to 30 minutes.
Camera
Unlike the iPhone 11 Pro, which has three rear-facing cameras, the second-generation iPhone SE only has one rear-facing camera. However, Apple claims that it is the “best-ever single-camera system” of any iPhone ever made.
This 12-megapixel (MP) wide-angle camera is the same primary rear-facing camera found on the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 11. However, it also has the same machine learning features of the iPhone 11, which give your photos the best lighting and color possible.
The iPhone SE also has the same 7MP front-facing camera as the iPhone 8, which pales in comparison to the 12MP front-facing camera of the iPhone 11.
Also, the iPhone SE doesn’t have the Night Mode feature, which lets you take better pictures in low-light conditions on an iPhone 11. For more information about this new feature, check out our article on the winners of Apple’s Night Mode Photo Challenge here.
Display
The iPhone SE has a Retina HD display with True Tone, which means it adjusts the brightness and colors to match the ambient light for a more natural viewing experience.
While it has a lower pixel count than the iPhone 11 (because it is smaller), the iPhone SE has the same pixels density of 326 pixels per inch (ppi). On the other hand, because the iPhone SE doesn’t have FaceID, you won’t get that annoying notch at the top of your display.
iPhone SE Release Date
You can pre-order the new iPhone SE here (Buy iPhone SE – Apple) starting now, but it won’t be available until the official release date on April 24.
iPhone SE Price
You can get the 64GB base model of the iPhone SE for a starting price of $399, or you could upgrade it up to a 256GB model for up to $549. Compare that to the iPhone 11, which starts at $649 or the iPhone 11 Pro Max, which can cost up to $1,499.
However, you won’t even have to pay that much if you have an old iPhone to trade in. For example, if you are trading in an iPhone 8 in good, working condition, you could save up to $170. That means you would only pay $229 for a brand-new iPhone.
To find out how much you could get for your old iPhone or Apple devices, check out our article about Apple’s Trade-In program here.
You can get the new iPhone SE in black, white, and red finishes. If you decide to purchase the new iPhone SE in (PRODUCT)RED, Apple will make a contribution to the Global Fund to combat COVID-19.
If you want to find out more about how Apple is helping to combat COVID-19, check out our list of the best coronavirus apps here.