When comparing phones, you usually need them to be in the identical league. These days which may imply there’s just a few hundred {dollars} separating the fashions—just like the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, or the Galaxy S20+ and the OnePlus 8 Pro—nevertheless it’s mainly a waste of time to pit the $1,400 Galaxy S20 Ultra towards the $400 Galaxy A51.
Update 5//23: Added new exams to the Battery and Charging part.
But Apple’s new iPhone SE is a horse of a special coloration. Yes, it’s Apple’s funds cellphone and prices greater than a thousand {dollars} lower than the highest-end Galaxy S20, nevertheless it additionally has a bunch of Apple’s newest tech. And, you already know, it’s an iPhone.
I did the unthinkable and in contrast it to the three of the highest Android telephones accessible in the present day: Galaxy S20 Ultra ($1,400), Google Pixel 4 ($900) and OnePlus 7T ($600). Add all of it up and also you’ve bought $3,000 in Android telephones towards one lowly $399 iPhone. But what ought to have been a ridiculously one-sided battle was surprisingly shut.
iPhone SE vs Android: Design
The iPhone SE seems to be and seems like an older cellphone. Like the iPhone 8, the SE is extraordinarily much like the {hardware} launched with the iPhone 6 in 2014 and you may really feel each little bit of its six-year-old design. The display screen is small, the bezels are monstrous, and the house button is bodily. It’s been a very long time since an Android cellphone of any reputation had a house button, and the SE seems to be and feels downright antiquated compared to the opposite telephones right here.
The iPhone SE (proper) has extraordinarily comparable dimensions to the iPhone 6s.
I’m not going to debate the designs of the opposite telephones, however I’ll say this: Despite its historical seems to be, the iPhone SE is an especially engaging cellphone with a stable construct high quality and retro allure. Even Apple’s previous designs are higher than a few of in the present day’s Android telephones, and the glass again, aluminum sides, and thoroughly curved chamfers are satisfyingly symmetrical and ergonomically nice. The S20 and 7T are undoubtedly a step forward within the seems to be division—the Pixel 4 is a toss-up—however for a cellphone that hasn’t been in fashion for years, the SE actually isn’t so dangerous.
Granted, its not a cellphone for everybody, however those that like or can get previous its outdated Home button will respect is craftsmanship. The easy glass again and polished aluminum edges bely its $399 price ticket, and the entire package deal seems like a premium handset. Its bezels are method too huge to compete with the opposite telephones right here, however there’s a sure allure to the iPhone SE—and it’s good to not have to fret about palm rejection. There’s additionally one thing to be stated for a cellphone that matches in any pocket.
iPhone SE vs Android: Display
Right off the bat, the iPhone SE is at an obstacle. While the Android telephones right here all have high-refresh-rate OLED shows, the iPhone SE makes use of an LCD display screen that pales compared to the opposite telephones right here:
Galaxy S20 Ultra: 6.9-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz, 3200×1440, 511 ppi
Pixel 4 XL: 6.3-inch Quad HD+ P-OLED, 90Hz, 3040×1440, 537ppi
OnePlus 7T: 6.55-inch Full HD+ AMOLED, 90Hz, 2400×1080, 402ppi
iPhone SE: 4.7-inch HD IPS LCD, 60Hz, 1334×750, 326 ppi
Michael Simon/IDGThere’s a 2.2-inch distinction between the iPhone SE’s display screen and the Galaxy S20 Ultra’s.
Apple labels the iPhone SE a Retina HD show fairly than Liquid Retina, nevertheless it’s basically the identical show because the iPhone 11 with sq. corners as an alternative of rounded ones. But for an LCD that’s already a number of years previous, the iPhone SE’s display screen is surprisingly good. Text is crisp and it’s very brilliant, rivaling the height guide brightness I used to be in a position to obtain on the opposite shows utilizing the identical all-white picture.
Galaxy S20 Ultra: 610 nits
Pixel 4 XL: 745 nits
OnePlus 7T: 870 nits
iPhone SE: 740 nits
However, with adaptive brightness turned on and a direct supply of brilliant mild utilized, the outcomes have been dramatically completely different.
Galaxy S20 Ultra: 1275 nits
Pixel 4 XL: 1075 nits
OnePlus 7T: 1275 nits
iPhone SE: 840 nits
With adaptive brightness turned on, the OLED shows can leverage superior algorithms and better distinction ratio to ship fuller colours and spectacular brightness. And they’re far superior on the decrease finish too, with extremely deep blacks that put the SE’s LCS to disgrace.
Michael Simon/IDGThe iPhone is the thinnest cellphone right here however not by a lot.
Then there’s the difficulty of measurement. The iPhone SE isn’t simply small for 2020, it seems to be comically small in comparison with the Galaxy S20 Ultra and is greater than an inch and a half smaller than the common Android flagship. Even the 5.8-inch display screen on the iPhone 11 Pro seems to be monstrous by comparability, and movies and web sites really feel very cramped by comparability. With Apple rumored to be switching to an all-OLED lineup for the iPhone 12, the SE’s LCD goes to shortly turn into out of date, however all in all it’s an honest show.
iPhone SE vs Android: Performance
Quite frankly, the iPhone SE wouldn’t be price its salt (or evaluating to the telephones right here) if not for its processor. Apple has put the iPhone 11 Pro’s A13 processor contained in the iPhone SE, making it one of many speediest telephones ever made and definitely the quickest for lower than $400.
I picked the three telephones I did as a result of they signify the cream of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon crop. The S20 Ultra makes use of the 865, the perfect system-on-chip accessible, the OnePlus 7T is powered by the Snapdragon 855+, and the Pixel 4 runs the Snapdragon 855. Simply put, you gained’t discover a trio of sooner processors in any Android cellphone. But pitted towards the lowly iPhone SE, the three telephones merely can’t stack up:
Geekbench 5 (CPU)
Galaxy S20 Ultra
Single-core: 901
Multi-core: 3245
Pixel 4 XL
Single-core: 724
Multi-core: 2529
OnePlus 7T
Single-core: 772
Multi-core: 2883
iPhone SE
Single-core: 1331
Multi-core: 3310
Before you ask, these outcomes are with all the newest patches and updates put in and following contemporary restarts. I carried out them a number of instances and took the perfect outcomes. In brief, there’s no contest. The iPhone SE not solely handles the perfect Android telephones, it handily beats telephones costing twice and thrice as a lot. And in terms of graphics, the iPhone SE is a beast.
Geekbench 5 (Compute)
Galaxy S20 Ultra: 3085
Pixel 4 XL: 2149
OnePlus 7T: 2675
iPhone SE: 6413
That’s to not say any of the telephones listed here are gradual. Far from it. The Galaxy S20 Ultra and OnePlus 7T each have UFS 3.0 storage together with 12GB and 8GB of RAM, respectively, in comparison with the iPhone SE’s 3GB. The Pixel 4, just like the iPhone SE, has the advantage of being engineered alongside the identical staff that makes the Android working system. But even with these benefits, the iPhone SE is mainly sooner in each method.
IDGThe iPhone SE merely trounced the perfect Android telephones in terms of processing speeds and graphics energy.
And when you have been to match the iPhone SE to a $399 Android cellphone, the outcomes could be lopsided to the purpose of being absurb. Don’t consider me? Take a have a look at the Geekbench 5 scores for the Pixel 3a, which is extensively thought to be the perfect funds Android cellphone you should buy:
Single-core: 351
Multi-core: 1244
Compute: 639
And these are good numbers in comparison with the Exynos-powered Galaxy telephones in that worth vary. But actually, even when the upcoming Pixel 4a have been to share the identical Snapdragon 855 processor because the Pixel 4, the iPhone SE would nonetheless run circles round it. It’s even bought Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), which you will solely discover on the S20 right here. Apple may have made sacrifices with the SE’s velocity with an A12 chip and even the A10 Fusion that powers the 9.7-inch iPad and nobody would have minded. Instead it delivered the quickest cellphone you should buy at a ridiculously inexpensive worth.
iPhone SE vs Android: Battery and charging
Granted, the Android telephones I checked out are a lot greater, so they’ll have greater batteries. Apple doesn’t expose the battery capability of its telephones, however by means of teardowns it’s been revealed that it has the identical 1,821mAh battery because the iPhone 8. By any metric that’s extremely small, nevertheless it’s downright puny compares to the others right here.
Galaxy S20 Ultra: 5,000mAh
Pixel 4 XL: 3,700mAh
OnePlus 7T: 3,800mAh
It’s additionally small in comparison with Apple’s different choices. The iPhone XR has a 2,942 mAh battery, the iPhone 11 has a 3,110 mAh battery, the iPhone 11 Pro has a 3,046 mAh battery, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 3,969 mAh battery. And on this case, measurement undoubtedly issues. The iPhone SE’s battery life is appropriate in that it’ll most likely get most individuals by means of a day of regular use, nevertheless it’s not going to blow anybody away. And when you plan on utilizing it do to a great quantity of streaming or navigation, you’re going to need to have a charger close by.
Michael Simon/IDGIf you’re going to be utilizing the iPhone SE’s Lightning port for charging, you’ll need to put money into a greater adapter.
In my testing, I performed a two-hour film on the brightest settings with automated brightness turned off after which the identical film with automated brightness turned on. Here’s how a lot battery life every cellphone used:
Galaxy S20 Ultra: 23 %
Pixel 4 XL: 35 %
OnePlus 7T: 29 %
iPhone SE: 46 %
Even with far fewer pixels to push, you’ll have to fill the SE up way more usually than the opposite telephones right here. When that point arrives, iPhone SE helps wi-fi charging, which is one thing of a rarity for a cellphone this low cost. (Case in level: The OnePlus 7T and the newer OnePlus 8 don’t.) Charging speeds are acceptable however the SE continues to be the slowest of this bunch, topping out at 7.5W, half what the Galaxy S20 gives (15W) and slower than the Pixel 4’s 11W max speeds.
For wired charging, the iPhone SE comes with a lame 5W adapter within the field, which is able to take a painfully lengthy two-plus hours to completely cost your iPhone SE. That’s positive when you’re plugging it in earlier than bedtime, however when you’re in search of a fast cost earlier than heading out for the night time, you’re going to need to plan forward.
All of the opposite telephones assist fast-charging out of the field they usually every destroy the SE’s out-of-the-box charging speeds. The OnePlus 7T can attain 30W, the S20 hits 25W, and the Pixel 4 will get 18W, however the distinction between them is fairly minimal, with all them filling up between 40-50 % of the battery in a half hour so long as you’re utilizing the charger and cable. In a good combat, the SE truly does OK.
That’s as a result of the iPhone SE does helps 18W quick charging. But you’ll want to purchase a charger able to 18-watt speeds and a USB-C-to-Lightning cable. You can purchase each at Apple.com for $48 however you’re higher off checking Amazon for a high-rated third-party choice.
To maintain issues honest, I examined every cellphone utilizing a 65W GaN Aukey PD charger with the identical USB-C cable and an Apple USB-C-to-Lightning cable for the iPhone SE. All of the telephones had lower than 40 % energy to make sure that they charged as quick as potential. Here’s what I noticed utilizing an influence meter for 15 minutes of charging:
Galaxy S20 Ultra: 16% cost, 9V, 15W
OnePlus 7T: 13% cost, 5V, 10W
Pixel 4 XL: 24% cost, 9V, 19W
iPhone SE: 28% cost, 9V, 12W
Granted, the iPhone SE is graded on one thing of a curve since its battery is so small, however there’s no denying that these telephones love their proprietary charging methods. With a normal charger and cable, which many individuals will use, you’ll get stable charging speeds for all of those telephones, together with the iPhone SE, however nowhere close to the said claims that the OnePlus 7T and S20 boast.
iPhone SE vs Android: Biometrics
The iPhone SE is the one cellphone right here (and actually, wherever) to make use of a bodily fingerprint scanner. I don’t assume Apple is able to making a $399 iPhone with Face ID, so till the following iteration of the SE, it is a positive tradeoff. The Pixel 4 makes use of 3D face unlock and it’s practically as quick as it’s on the iPhone 11. It’s barely much less handy than a fingerprint sensor in that it’s good to be trying instantly at your cellphone, nevertheless it’s safer.
Michael Simon/IDGYup, that’s an honest-to-goodness house button.
Even funds telephones have begun to undertake in-display fingerprint scanners just like the Galaxy S20 Ultra and the OnePlus 7T, so the expertise ought to be mature by now. But whereas in-display scanners look good and allow near-edge-to-edge designs, they’re not practically as quick as bodily fingerprint scanners. My iPhone SE unlocked in a split-second each time I tried it whereas the 2 telephones with in-display sensors typically struggled. As an admittedly unscientific take a look at, I set a stopwatch for a minute and timed what number of instances I may lock and unlock every cellphone with he identical finger:
Galaxy S20 Ultra: 29
Pixel 4 XL: 33
OnePlus 7T: 28
iPhone SE: 42
Apple’s Touch ID sensor won’t be as cool or fairly as an in-display scanner, however bodily scanners are merely superior to digital ones. You can discover it with out trying, you don’t have to attend for the display screen to activate, they usually’re extra dependable. The iPhone SE’s bodily scanner won’t be fairly, nevertheless it’s nonetheless the speediest strategy to implement biometric unlocking on a cellphone.
iPhone SE vs Android: OS updates
The deserves of iOS versus Android will probably be debated perpetually, so I’ll go away that argument for an additional day, But one factor is obvious: You’ll nonetheless be getting updates to your iPhone SE in 2024. And you’ll most likely be capable of set up iOS 18 on it too. That Galaxy S20 Ultra persons are spending $1,400 on is fortunate to get Android 12 in two years.
Michael Simon/IDGThe iPhone SE will nonetheless be getting updates lengthy after the S20 is EOL’d.
There’s no contest right here. I’ll admit that Android cellphone makers have gotten method higher at pushing updates in a well timed trend and speaking to prospects what they’re going to be getting, however even the perfect Android cellphone within the iPhone SE’s worth vary, the Pixel 3a, solely ensures two years of model updates and three years of month-to-month safety updates. And Samsung’s low-cost choices solely get quarterly updates.
iPhone SE vs Android: Camera
The latest iPhone is at all times at or close to the highest of the smartphone heap in terms of taking footage, however the SE is a brand new iPhone in identify solely. That’s to not say it has a nasty digital camera, nevertheless it’s far cry from the multi-camera modules within the iPhone 11 Pro and the Android telephones right here. You’re getting a succesful digital camera, however I don’t assume we’ll be seeing any iPhone SE pics in Apple’s subsequent Shot on iPhone marketing campaign.
Michael Simon/IDGCan one digital camera tackle 9?
The largest hole between the iPhone SE and the opposite telephones right here is with low-light pictures. Apple made a giant deal of Night Mode on the iPhone 11, and rightfully so—the iPhone 11’s algorithms do a exceptional job of extending the seize time and amping up the publicity to cut back noise and up the brightness in difficult mild.
Without Night Mode, the SE struggles like Apple’s telephones used to, and the outcomes are darkish and grainy. They’re satisfactory usually, however in comparison with the telephones right here, particularly the Pixel 4 XL, there’s no contest. Night Mode is the principle factor I miss with the SE, and it’s irritating that Apple left it out, because the digital camera and chip appear to be technically able to dealing with it.
Michael Simon/IDGWhen the sunshine goes down, the iPhone SE’s deficiencies come out.
Even with a single lens, the iPhone SE can take portraits, however just like the iPhone XR, it solely works with individuals. It’s one other bizarre limitation that different single-camera funds telephones don’t have, however the SE takes implausible bokeh photographs of people. Even in comparison with the S20 Ultra, which has 4 cameras together with a devoted depth sensor, the iPhone SE carried out impressively. In the pictures beneath, the iPhone SE dealt with the intense background with out a hitch and even did a greater job with my son’s pores and skin tones, notably his rosy cheeks.
Michael Simon/IDGThe iPhone SE (left) is pretty much as good of a portrait taker because the S20 Ultra even with a single digital camera.
The iPhone has at all times had an inclination to tamp down the colour in pictures in favor of real-world accuracy, and the iPhone SE doesn’t stray from that lane. In the photograph beneath, the OnePlus 7T oversaturated the inexperienced a bit and added a cool tint to the wall whereas the SE maintained coloration accuracy and correct white steadiness.
Michael Simon/IDGThe iPhone SE (left) did a greater job than the OnePlus 7T with dealing with the colour on this shot.
The outcomes see considerably subjective, however the SE does its greatest to correctly seize the scene. And in the best mild, it’s pretty much as good of a point-and-shoot as the opposite cameras right here.
iPhone SE vs Android: Conclusion
I can’t think about anybody with a thousand bucks to spend on a brand new smartphone would truly go for an iPhone SE over the iPhone 11 Pro or one of many Android telephones right here, but when they do, they’ll be getting a cellphone that’s sooner, extra pocketable, and many able to taking excellent footage. More importantly, when you’re on a funds, it’s an especially engaging choice regardless of which platform flag you fly below.
Michael Simon/IDGThe iPhone SE prices lots of lower than the OnePlus 7T, Galaxy S20 Ultra, and Pixel 4 XL.
The velocity of the iPhone SE is just mind-blowing. With the identical design as my previous iPhone 6s, I count on it to be pokey, however the SE flies by means of duties and apps with ease. I didn’t count on it to stack as much as the opposite telephones right here in each class, however its large efficiency is eye-opening and compensates for a few of the areas the place it falls somewhat brief, particularly the show and battery.
In brief, the compromises Apple made with the SE are good. Yes, it’s an previous design and lacks a few of the latest iPhone tech, nevertheless it’s a $399 cellphone that gained’t really feel sluggish after a yr or two or 4, which is greater than you’ll be able to say for any Android worth in that worth vary—and even just a few which can be rather more costly.
This story, “iPhone SE vs Android’s best: A $399 iPhone stands up to $3,000 in Android phones” was initially printed by