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Top 15 new iPhone SE features + 5 not-so-good features [Video]

Today is the official release day for the iPhone SE, and I was fortunate enough to be able to pick up my unit early this morning. For those of you who will likewise acquire an iPhone SE in the near future, or for those of you who are still unsure about a purchase, have a look at our hands-on video that touches on the top 15 iPhone SE features. We also have a brief look at some of the downsides of the iPhone SE for those wanting a balanced look at the latest new iPhone.

Top 15 iPhone SE features

Form factor

This is hands-down one of the biggest “features” of the new 4-inch iPhone SE. In fact, it’s the main driving force behind its creation. The bottom line is that a lot of people don’t want a big smartphone. For some, such as my wife, even the 4.7″ iPhone 6s is deemed impractical. Apple said that it sold 30 million 4-inch iPhones last year, so my wife certainly isn’t alone in her sentiments.

A9 Processor

If the A7-equipped iPhone 5s was your last iPhone, you’re going to be blown away by the speed of the iPhone SE’s A9 system on a chip. This device, from a pure processor performance perspective, is essentially an iPhone 6s in a smaller form-factor. Considering that the iPhone 6s is Apple’s current flagship device, that’s kind of a big deal. The iPhone SE features some definite downsides when compared to its big brothers, but chip performance isn’t one of them.

Video walkthrough

M9 motion coprocessor with untethered “Hey Siri”

The aforementioned A9 chip features an M9 motion coprocessor embedded on the same die. The iPhone 5s, with its A7/M7 combo was the first device to feature the embedded motion coprocessor, which collects, processes, and stores sensor data even when the iPhone is asleep. The latest M9 motion coprocessor brings always-on “Hey Siri” functionality that can be used even when the iPhone is disconnected from a power source.

Rose gold

The iPhone 5s was the first iPhone to be made available in a gold color, so it’s only right that a device that shares many of the same physical characteristics ships with a rose gold color.

See also:

Inset Apple logo

Instead of a stamped on Apple logo like the iPhone 5s, the new iPhone SE features a color-matched stainless steel inset Apple logo for a more premium look and feel.

Redesigned chamfered edges

The iPhone 5s, to me, is the best iPhone design of all time. I was a bit worried that the newly redesigned chamfered edges, which are now more of a matte variety, would compromise the look. Thankfully, I wouldn’t say that the new edges look bad at all — just different. Apple describes the new edges as being refined, and I’d say that’s a fair description. The edges on the old iPhone 5s were easy to knick and scratch as well, so I’m hoping that the new edges will hold up better from a wear and tear perspective.

2GB RAM

Apple never advertises the amount RAM it includes in its mobile devices, but benchmarks show that the new iPhone SE features double the RAM of the iPhone 5s. It’s a well known fact that 2GB of RAM in an iOS device seems to be the sweet spot with recent versions of iOS. It’s not enough for a modern iOS device to ship with 1GB of RAM, as this results in slow performance, and Safari pages that often force-refresh. The fact that the iPhone SE ships with 2GB of RAM is alone enough to warrant an upgrade over a lesser device.

12-megapixel iSight Camera

In its heyday, the iPhone 5s’ 8-megapixel iSight camera was pretty good, but the camera featured in the iPhone SE is straight out of the iPhone 6s, which many consider to be among the best smartphone cameras available right now. Like the iPhone 6s, the iPhone SE iSight camera is rated at 12-megapixels and an ƒ/2.2 aperture.

No camera bump

Despite the improved camera, there’s no camera bump to be found on the iPhone SE, and design purists will definitely appreciate this. The lack of a camera bump can likely be partly credited to the iPhone SE’s slightly thicker design.

4K Video

If you’re into shooting video, then the iPhone SE’s upgrade to 4K is a compelling one. Not only can the iPhone SE shoot 4K video, but it can also edit multiple streams of 4K video in iMovie. Even if you don’t own a 4K monitor or television, the benefits of such high resolution are multi-faceted. For instance, you can use 4K videos to perform artificial pans and zooms in your editing software of choice, while still maintaining enough resolution for 1080p output.

240fps Slo-mo

Again if video is your thing, then upgrading to an iPhone SE makes sense. Like the iPhone 6s, the SE can shoot super-smooth slow-motion video at 240fps (720p) and regular 120fps slow-motion (1080p) . The iPhone 5s was only capable of shooting 120fps at 720p.

Retina Flash

A feature that first appeared on the iPhone 6s, Retina Flash provides flash illumination for the front-facing FaceTime camera. Retina Flash uses your iPhone’s display and a custom display chip that allows the screen to flash three times brighter than it normally does. The tech uses a preflash to measure current lighting conditions, followed by a True Tone flash to match ambient light for a better-looking shot. Unfortunately, as we’ll discuss a bit later, your selfies won’t look as good as they do on an iPhone 6s, because the iPhone SE features the same front-facing FaceTime camera specs as the nearly three year old iPhone 5s.

Live Photos

The iPhone 5s already allows users to view Live Photos, but with the iPhone SE, you can both view and create Live Photos. The Live Photos feature first debuted with the iPhone 6s, and it lets you capture movement and sound just before and right after a photo is taken. The result is a photo that comes to life with a long-press on the screen, and Live Photos briefly animate as you swipe through your photo library.

Apple Pay

The iPhone 5s shipped before Apple Pay was a thing, so the only way to use Apple Pay on the iPhone 5s is when it’s paired with an Apple Watch. With the iPhone SE, though, Apple Pay can be used natively on device thanks to its NFC chip and secure enclave

Faster network speed

The iPhone SE is hands-down faster when it comes to both Wi-Fi and cellular coverage when compared to the iPhone 5s. The SE supports 802.11ac for Wi-Fi and features 19 LTE bands with a maximum speed of up to 150 Mbps. The SE also sports the latest in Bluetooth, version 4.2. True, your theoretical speeds won’t be as fast as they are on the iPhone 6s, but it’s still an upgrade over the iPhone 5s.

Better battery life for Internet usage and video playback

The display is usually the most power-hungry component on a smartphone or tablet, and the iPhone SE is no different. But thanks to the device’s diminutive screen, it can still hang with, and at times surpass the bigger iPhone models, even though there is less physical space for batteries.

The iPhone SE gets 13 hours of video playback, and 13 hours of Internet use on LTE and Wi-Fi.

The iPhone 6s gets 11 hours of video playback, 10 hours of Internet use on LTE, and 11 hours of use on Wi-Fi.

5 Not-so-good iPhone SE features

1.2-megapixel FaceTime Camera with ƒ/2.4 aperture

For the iPhone SE, Apple is using the same FaceTime camera specs found in the iPhone 5s. To me, this is the iPhone SE’s most disappointing feature. It’s disappointing in part because the iSight camera got such a massive upgrade, while the FaceTime camera is left to lag behind with only 1.2-megapixels and a smaller aperture.

It’s even more disappointing when you consider that Apple implemented its new Retina Flash technology in the SE, which significantly improves the quality of selfies taken in less than ideal lightning. Yes, selfies will look better in dark places, but the inferior quality of the FaceTime camera is still a major bottleneck to taking a good photo.

Contrast ratio

The contrast ratio on the iPhone SE is the same as the iPhone 5s: 800:1. If you’re coming from an iPhone 5s, this isn’t a big deal. But if you’re coming from a larger iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus — phones that feature 1400:1 and 1300:1 contrast ratios — you’ll likely notice. If you’re coming from one of Apple’s bigger iPhones, you may also miss the Dual-domain pixels, which improve viewing angles.

1st generation Touch ID

For those who consider the iPhone 6s’ second-generation Touch ID sensor to be too fast, this could be a good thing. For the rest of us who love the instantaneous response of the second-generation sensor, it’s a downgrade, but certainly not a deal-breaker.

No 3D Touch

3D Touch, the flagship feature of the iPhone 6s, is nowhere to be found on the iPhone SE because the iPhone SE is using the same display tech as the original iPhone 5s. Although I use 3D Touch on my 6s, not having it isn’t something that would automatically disqualify a purchase of the iPhone SE in my eyes. Of course, I’d be happy if 3D Touch was included in the iPhone SE, but like the 2nd-gen Touch ID sensor, it’s not a make or break feature.

Smaller screen

As someone upgrading from an iPhone 5s, this isn’t a big deal at all, since the screen size is the same. But maybe you’re thinking of upgrading from an iPhone 6, or are considering transitioning from an iPhone 6s to an iPhone SE?

The form factor may be more ideal, but the amount of screen real estate you lose is beyond noticeable. You’re giving up a lot of space by switching from a larger iPhone to the smaller 4″ iPhone SE. Although it’s definitely doable, it’ll take some time to get used to such a smaller screen area.

Conclusion

If you’re an iPhone 5s owner who’s been holding out for an iPhone with a similar form factor, then this is the iPhone you’ve been waiting for. Outside of a few areas, this isn’t last years tech jammed into an iPhone 5s. No, this is almost like taking an iPhone 6s, Apple’s latest and greatest iPhone, and stuffing into the body of a refined iPhone 5s.

Yes, there are a few disappointments to be found, headlined by the lack of an improved FaceTime camera, but for an entry-level price of $399 for the 16GB model, it’s hard to find fault. The iPhone SE is hands-down the best 4″ smartphone ever, and in many ways, it can go toe-to-toe with Apple’s much pricier flagship offerings.

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Comments

  1. Christopher Armenia - 8 years ago

    The reason it has the same 1.2mp front camera, gen 1 Touch ID, and contrast ratio as the 5s is because the entire front panel is literally the same part. iFixit confirmed you can swap a 5s and SE display. The only new piece is the rose gold ring around the Touch ID.

    • Jeff Benjamin - 8 years ago

      Yeah, which is unfortunate. The FF cam is the only thing holding the phone back IMO. It’s not a huge deal, but it’s certainly noticeable. That and contrast ratio.

    • applegetridofsimandjack - 8 years ago

      You really think the generation of the Touch ID button is an issue? I don’t care one bit personally.
      There are 2 huge benefits compared to other iPhones: battery life and price.

      • Jeff Benjamin - 8 years ago

        It’s going to be an issue for some. Personally, it doesn’t bother me much at all, but I know for a fact that some will hate how “slow” it is after using the 6s regularly.

      • applegetridofsimandjack - 8 years ago

        Certainly think it’s good you mentioned it. I don’t think you missed one difference compared to the other iPhones in your video. But I think Apple put in the first gen Touch ID without even worrying about it because they expect people to upgrade from older iPhones like iPhone 5S or later, or even iPhone 6 which also has the first gen Touch ID. And so nobody will notice except people coming from iPhone 6S / 6S Plus or people switching from Android, Windows Phone or BlackBerry.

      • carmenia83 - 8 years ago

        I don’t personally find it an issue. I have a 6 for work and a 6s as my personal phone, and it’s definitely noticeable but still not a big deal. I think the SE is a great deal for the money.

    • srgmac - 8 years ago

      Good post / information — thanks!

  2. applegetridofsimandjack - 8 years ago

    OMG the battery lasts this long?

    I always imagine that when Apple are ready with an iPhone prototype and show it off during their weekly directors’ meetings and say ‘it has 13 hours of battery life’ that Jony takes his aluminium chainsaw with chamfered edges and cuts off all the thickness which allows it to last this long.

  3. Nicolas Martin - 8 years ago

    Apple fans are so well house-trained that they no longer whimper about the lack of expandable memory or Apple’s insane cost to go from 16 to 64 GB. I’ve owned dozens of Macs since 1984, but I’ll never buy one of these vanity devices with insufficient memory.

    • srgmac - 8 years ago

      I agree wholeheartedly, and I don’t understand how any Android user would want to switch, given the fact that Apple is dead set on screwing people over with their lack of expandable storage AND the cost per GB on their internal storage.

      • Apple isn’t screwing anybody over. They are not including a card port, because there isn’t enough demand for one.

        They support third party storage, you can buy third party lighting connected flash drives. You can use Apple’s adapter to access flash cars and cameras and such.

        But hey, don’t let facts get in the way of your anti-apple rant. Confirmation bias much?

      • srgmac - 8 years ago

        “They support third party storage, you can buy third party lighting connected flash drives. You can use Apple’s adapter to access flash cars and cameras and such.”

        Actually, they don’t. Those adapters and such can only be used to import TO the iOS device; you still can not transfer files FROM the iOS device to the external storage. Kind of useless IMHO.

        But you probably already knew this, since you are so keen to point others out online for not knowing things…Right?

    • suchkunt - 8 years ago

      My friend has a Samsung galaxy and has been very smug regarding the expandable memory. He laughed at me when he learned I went for the 128gb 6s.

      Then one day his Microsoft cord got corrupted and he lost all his stuff.

      The fact of the matter is, with Apple you pay to play, and that’s about all there is to it. Those who can’t or won’t… There’s an army of cheap phones rolled out every 6 months.

      • suchkunt - 8 years ago

        That’s micro sd card. Lol

      • srgmac - 8 years ago

        He didn’t back up his MicroSD card? Sounds kind of suspect…

    • dcperin - 8 years ago

      Just like the very well trained Samsung fans that bought plastic for years at a premium price and even bought the GS6 when it didn’t offer a removable battery or a Micro SD slot. Both sides will buy what they like, bc BOTH SIDES think theirs is better.. Let’s not pretend like Apple fans are the only ones that do this.

      On a side not, yeah ditch the 16gb. Should have done that in September 2014.

  4. srgmac - 8 years ago

    The biggest disappointment should be the lack of a MicroSD slot along with the fact that in 2016 they are STILL selling a 16GB phone, as well as charging a $100 up-charge ($2.08 per GB…obscene!!!) for an only extra 48GB of storage.
    To put that in perspective, a 128GB MicroSD card can be had for around $40.00.
    I realize the rest of the features of the phone along with iOS itself and the ecosystem offsets this, but I still don’t understand why they would want to do this to their customers.

    • One difference in price-per-gb when comparing microSD to Apple’s internal memory is the fact that internal memory runs much much MUCH faster than microSD.

      • dcperin - 8 years ago

        Not to mention external memory isn’t nearly as reliable. Of course, as someone that likes all different phone, Apple needs to drop the 16gb. Should have done that with the iP6. The only people I know that 16gb works for is older people that don’t live on their iPhones. I say older bc every younger person stocks their phone with as much as possible. Whether it be movies or songs or work documents. I’d be good if they did 32,64,128 as options. Other than that, the memory you get out of an SD card will never compare to the internal memory.

      • srgmac - 8 years ago

        That’s great and all, but honestly, what do you need that speed for in a mobile? Not to mention it’s not really even that fast…9to5Mac has run several articles benchmarking the adapters and transferring pictures and such, and it’s nowhere near as fast as it should be for that price!

      • srgmac - 8 years ago

        Also, forgot to mention, price per GB for Storage that can do speeds way faster (ie. NVMe is up to what, like 2000 MB/s now?) is still less than what Apple charges for their mobile devices; and their storage is nowhere near that fast. They are overcharging for it, and I think everyone knows it at this point, besides the Apple fanboys…I’m an Apple fanboy myself, I have a 13″ retina Mac, iPhone 5S…I’ve never used an Android phone in my life! But the lack of an SD slot is total bullshit. Ofc SD memory is slow and unreliable, but who cares? I’m at 200 MB free right now, I can’t even shoot a video longer than a few minutes, and every time I do take pics and vids, I have to offload them to my laptop within a few days or I get the dreaded “Storage almost full” popup.
        This was fine back in the iPhone 4/4S days…Apps weren’t these ridiculous sizes that they are now. 100MB for Facebook alone…Unreal.

    • Jay Viper (@mrjayviper) - 8 years ago

      not many Android flagships have microSD these days. Samsung S/Note series have none. Google Nexus certainly don’t have it. I know LG has continued the using microSD slots. but they could be the only one left? not really an Android advatange anymore :)

      • dcperin - 8 years ago

        Samsung brough back the SD slot for the GS7.

      • Murat Kiymaz - 8 years ago

        As a Galaxy Note Edge user, I can confirm that it does have a micro SD slot in the battery compartment.

    • Why are there Android phones with 4gb of memory, bundled full of crapware that you cannot remove without rooting? Because there is a market for them, so mo people can enter the market..

      Your internal storage is not needed..

      http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A541966%2Ck%3Alightning%20flash%20drive

  5. dcj001 - 8 years ago

    Jeff. At about 1:57 in your video, you said, “even when your iPhone is sleep.”

  6. Dbolander - 8 years ago

    Other minor niggles with the iPhone 5SE—No LTE Advanced, No MIMO Wi-Fi, no Auto-HDR for Videos, and no Barometer.

  7. I already sold my iPhone 6s & have my iPhone SE on its way. I purchased the iPhone 6 & 6s on day one. I’ve had plenty of time on the 4.7″ screen and I still don’t like it. Getting the iPhone SE is a no brainer, especially since I sold my iPhone 6s for $715 and am purchasing the iPhone SE for $499+tax.

    • cdm283813 - 8 years ago

      I’m sorry but I don’t consider going from a 128GB iPhone 6S to a 64GB SE a upgrade. And normally when you buy a $849 128GB iPhone there is a reason behind it. I know you didn’t say 128GB but who in their right mind would buy a 64GB 6S for $715?

  8. stevelawrence - 8 years ago

    You missed 60fps @ 1080p video capture (this is a big plus over the 5S for me) and “Hey Siri”

    • Jeff Benjamin - 8 years ago

      True, I left off a few items, because _most_ would put 4K over 1080p60, but yes, for some, it’s definitely a big plus.

  9. jonathanjk - 8 years ago

    No optical stabilization.

  10. Man , what a great and honest video. Thank you for all the great specs. I will stay with my 6s plus ,but its nice to know the specs of the little phone they have come up with. Its not bad but maybe the will improve it as time goes on. Its a bummer about the FaceTime camera that is a deal breaker for me.

  11. Top power button. My work on-call phone is a 6 and I HATE the side power button. and about everything else about the size.

  12. Inaba-kun (@Inaba_kun) - 8 years ago

    Wish they’d make a 4.7″ or 5″ version of this. Would be the phone the 6 should have been from a design and comfort stand point.

  13. Kirill Polyak - 8 years ago

    Everyone misses the fact that you can charge it faster with 12w power brick.

  14. cydianerd - 8 years ago

    Ouch. These five bad sides of iPhone SE truly trumps the good sides. I am now more confused about getting an iPhone SE or not. Although, really loved the smaller size of iPhone.

  15. Stephen Ellerington - 8 years ago

    The sleep/wake button is in the correct position on iPhone SE. Placing the sleep/wake button on the side opposite the volume button that triggers the camera was a big design mistake in iPhone 6 that makes taking photographs awkward.

    • dcperin - 8 years ago

      Putting the power button on top of a 4.7 inch iPhone wouldn’t work either. It’s too tall and doesn’t feel right trying to hit a button you can’t reach while holding the phone naturally. At least with the iPhone 6 you can hit volume down to snap a picture. I agree that the button on top on the 5/5c/5s/SE is right tho. It’s not so tall that it doesn’t feel right.

      • Stephen Ellerington - 8 years ago

        As a keen photographer I find the sleep/wake button positioning awkward. For the rare occasions when I do need to use the sleep/wake button then I’d be happy to use iPhone two handed as I do my iPad. I am seriously considering switching to iPhone SE from my iPhone 6. Much as I like looking at a larger screen I don’t find the phone comfortable for one handed use.

  16. The SE is not for me as I am perfectly happy with my 6s plus but God I miss the form factor and I can only imagine with that little bit of extra thickness and being squared off would do for battery life and keeping a grip on the phone. Next to the iPad Pros I think it’s time to let 16GB storage go and let’s just jump past 32BG and on to 64/128/256. With 4K video, you really have to have it, even with iCloud Photo Library.

  17. lepolero - 8 years ago

    Only thing, that really disappoints me is that 1st gen Touch ID, apart from that, its an ideal form factor for me. Price is right, and performance, in some apps, can only the same or slightly better than with 6S, since SE has a lower screen resolution and less pixels to draw.

  18. Stephen Ellerington - 8 years ago

    The new 9.7″iPad Pro gets the 1st generation Touch ID too? I don’t know why this is and I believe my iPhone 6 has the 1st generation too which I find works fine.

  19. Doug Aalseth - 8 years ago

    Up front let me say I like the SE. I like the small screen, (I had a 6 for two weeks before I traded for my wife’s 5C, trading performance for a phone that was not uncomfortably huge). I noted the SE when it came out but saw no reason to trade in my 5C. But now I may have a reason. First looking down your list:

    Form Factor: Much prefer it.
    A9: I’m using an A6. This is huge.
    Hands Free Hey Siri: Very Good. I may start using Siri more.
    Rose Gold: Ewwwwwwww. But Silver is available.
    Inset Logo/Chamfered edges. I use a thin case so irrelevant.
    No camera bump: Never understood all the gnashing of teeth over the bump. Don’t really care if it’s there or not as long as it works.
    2GB RAM: Huge
    12MP Camera: Huge. I take a lot of pictures with the 5C and this will be really nice.
    4K video: Interesting but I don’t really see the need for it. It will let me record video and then downsample it to something I can use on other devices and services. It will push me to go for the 64GB model though.
    240FPS Slo-Mo: Might be fun to play with.
    Retina Flash: I don’t take selfies.
    Live Photos: Nice!
    Apple-Pay: It’s finally in Canada! I can finally use it (Don’t have and never had an AmEx card). THIS IS WHY I NOW WANT TO UPGRADE.
    Faster Internet Speed: Nice but haven’t had a problem with the 5C
    Better battery life: Good, but my 5C lasts days.

    Not So Good Features:
    1.2MP FaceTime Camera. Don’t take selfies so not really relevant.
    Contrast Ratio: Probably more significant but not a deal breaker.
    1st Gen Touch ID: Not ideal but then I’ve not used it anyway. My wife has gone back to the password entry on her 6.
    No 3D Touch: So far few developers have taken advantage of it. Would be nice but don’t think I’ll miss it.
    Smaller Screen: That’s kinda the point.

  20. Nicolle Ng - 8 years ago

    Thank you so much for this video! It was super helpful!

  21. Sam Fuchs - 8 years ago

    Why are the photos on 2 mp when its rated at 12 mp, the camera sucks big time for a 12 mp camera.

  22. End Ruuh - 7 years ago

    One thing that bothers me is the constant unavoidable(?) “upgrade” in MP for the cameras… Isn’t there an option to select a smaller picture file size to use? On my old digital cameras this was a standard feature. With the camera now creating 12MP pictures instead of the perfectly adequate 8MP on the iP5, there goes a significant amount of practical storage on my upgrade from 16GB to 32GB.

Author

Avatar for Jeff Benjamin Jeff Benjamin

Jeff is the head of video content production for 9to5. He initially joined 9to5Mac in 2016, producing videos, walkthroughs, how-tos, written tutorials, and reviews. He takes pride in explaining things simply, clearly, and concisely. Jeff’s videos have been watched hundreds of millions of times by people seeking to learn more about today’s tech. Subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube to catch Jeff’s latest videos.