Here, we intend to discuss the answer to the ever present question in our minds; “Is the iPhone SE 2 the best budget iPhone of 2020.” To answer this, we must review its specifications and its price to see how it stacks up against other similar devices.
Let’s take a look at what the 2020 SE has to offer.
Design
This is unmistakably Apple to anyone who’s been using an iPhone recently. A familiar frame, the SE 2 is one of the smaller phones from the brand with a lightweight and easily pocketable design. It’s water resistant, which is always a useful feature, especially to those of us who precariously balance our phones on the side of the bathtub or near the sink when washing up. One irksome issue is the lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack port, given that wired headphones are still a mainstay. Taking that away so that the buyer is forced to source a charging port adapter or buy and use air pods is somewhat frustrating.
Coming in 3 colours of red, black, and white, it does share the more archaic design of the iPhone 8. However, it features a new haptic button that doesn’t actually press in when you push it which updates the overall feel of the phone by a few degrees.
Battery Life
The battery life leaves something to be desired. Even though this is a budget phone, it would have been appreciated if there was an all-day battery life, but unless you’re a very casual user of your phone, you likely won’t comfortably make it to early evening before needing a quick recharge.
Frustratingly, the new and improved chipset does not improve the phone’s battery efficiency. The battery is slightly dependent on how many Bluetooth gadgets you have linked – the more you have, the less your battery lasts.
In regards to the charge, even if you’re sporting a fast charger you may still be looking at nearly 2 hours for a dead to 100% recharge. On the plus side, the 2020 SE is wireless charger ready. Wireless chargers have recently become sufficiently mainstream that they are fairly inexpensive so that every time you rest your phone down, your battery worries can easily fade away.
Display
Coming from the iPhone 8, the 4.7 inch LCD screen could be better. That may seem like a moot point given it’s supposed to be a budget option but given the phone has a pretty noticeable issue in direct sunlight and trying to watch videos or write messages when outside can prove difficult. It’s an older technology issue which a 2020 release phone probably shouldn’t have.
The resolution may not be of the highest quality, especially not with some of the screens we are seeing these days, but unless that is something you are specifically looking for, you’ll barely notice.
Chipset and Performance
One thing that can always be appreciated about the SE models is the improved tech in the older, more size efficient shell. This model sports the new A13 Bionic chipset, which provides a much higher performance speed in comparison to the older models of the same size. Apps open faster and moving between multiple apps and editing videos and pictures is a much smoother and a quick experience. The 2020 SE happily downloads large-sized files and videos with no noticeable loss of speed in comparison to smaller files. Additionally, playing some of the more demanding mobile games available also didn’t slow it down by any noticeable degree.
Camera
Let’s talk about the camera. The 2020 SE has a single 12 megapixel six element lens with a sapphire glass cover. Sounds fancy but it’s really just the same camera from the iPhone 8. Still, the photos are of pretty good quality. Sharp, with more accurate colour reproduction, this offers better photo quality from its predecessor. Perhaps not the most visually appealing pictures to ever be taken but there is an unmistakable clarity present in them all.
Of course, with a budget model, you won’t be able to use functions like Night mode and even the depth of field capabilities are somewhat lackluster. One noticeable issue is that in comparison to the vibrant and rich pictures taken from the more modern iPhone 11, the 2020 SE’s seemed somewhat muted and washed out. The grass isn’t as verdant; the sky wasn’t as deep and blue. This wasn’t present in every picture but it was in most.
All that said, there was still a satisfactory quality to all the pictures we took, and that factor shouldn’t be overlooked.
Price
Considering its price, the 2020 SE does provide enough high-quality features to be a good value for money especially if you go for a refurbished one. The price of a refurbished iPhone SE 2 starts at $519 AUD at Phonebot, it’s hard to say this phone isn’t a surprising bargain, especially with all of its functionality.
Verdict
So this is what it comes down to in the end. Is the iPhone SE 2 the best budget iPhone of 2020? And the answer is…Yes. Fast, responsive, and packing a punch in multiple departments from the camera to the internal tech, this phone offers great value. Lightweight but still stylish, if you can’t stand having what feels like a laptop screen in your pocket, this is for you.
There are complaints, of course. It wouldn’t be a proper review if we didn’t talk about what could be improved. If you’re after a battery life that comfortably lasts you the day, this phone cannot hold your confidence. There will be no watching movies on the train to work. And if you’re looking to take world-class pictures, then maybe give this one a miss and pick up one of the higher-end models like the iPhone 11 and you’ll have a much better time with it.
On the other hand, if what you’re looking for is a straightforward smartphone with simple but powerful chipset, which also provides a cheaper alternative to high-end iPhones, the SE 2 is the budget phone for you.
