Apple iPhone SE - 2020

Overview

The iPhone SE represents the most value for your dollar of any phone Apple sells. It has an attractive price, fantastic battery life, great rear camera, A13 SoC, water resistance and wireless charging. The SE is not only a wonderful iPhone, but one of the best budget phones you can currently buy.

-- As reviewed by cnet

There is a new version available:

Apple iPhone SE - 2022

Check out the reviews, price history, pros/cons and more.

Price: $430

Best Phones 2020

Chosen by our editors as one of the best products in its category.

TechSpot Metascore

Based on 15 expert reviews

Excellent:

9
Good:

5
Average:

1
Bad:

0

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Last revision on February 26, 2024

Reviewers Liked

A13 chipset gives iOS room to grow
Good battery life
Software updates for years
Supports fast LTE and Wi-Fi 6
Wireless charging is a nice touch
Great Touch ID sensor is back
Low price for iPhone
Water-resistant design

Reviewers Didn't Like

Small screen compared to every other phone
Camera underperforms in certain settings
Tired design with big bezels
Older screen technology

Competitors and Related Products

Our editors hand-pick related products using a variety of criteria: direct competitors targeting the same market segment, or devices that are similar in size, performance, or feature sets.

Expert reviews and ratings

This is the phone to get if you just want a new iPhone that will last you a few years, but don’t want to pay a lot for it. The iPhone SE 2020 offers ‘decent but not top-end’ performance: a good camera, enough power, a great App Store to plunder and a lighter iPhone than most recent models. Battery life and screen tech could be better, the headphone jack is a miss, but - for the price - this is one of the best iPhones Apple has ever made.

By TechRadar on February 18, 2021

In terms of value, the iPhone SE is the greatest smartphone Apple has ever made. It features one of the fastest mobile processors on the market paired with a great looking screen and a very capable camera. Sure it doesn’t push the envelope on design or has ample battery life, but if you’re looking for an affordable handset that does everything you need a smartphone too this is a fantastic choice.

By IGN on July 01, 2020

The iPhone SE gets an upgrade at last and it’s now as powerful as the iPhone 11.

By ExpertReviews on May 05, 2020

A top-tier processor and solid camera performance make the iPhone SE undeniably good value, especially when you factor in luxuries like wireless charging and waterproofing. Bad battery life, dated design, and a low resolution display hold the SE back though, so in most cases you can still get a lot more for less by resisting the Apple allure and opting for Android.

By TechAdvisor on May 01, 2020

The new Apple iPhone SE is indeed one of the most compact smartphones not only within the iPhone ranks but among the Android phones as well. It is thin and lightweight, yet powerful and dependable, with great speakers and a high-quality screen, and impresses with camera performance even if it misses a feature or two.

By GSMArena on May 01, 2020

The iPhone SE (2020) features Apple's latest processor, an excellent camera, Touch ID, plus all-day battery life, and all for an attractive budget price. Still, it's not for everyone.

By Mashable on April 29, 2020

The 2020 Apple iPhone SE is a petite powerhouse with no-compromise performance for hundreds of dollars less than other recent iPhones.

By PCMag on April 27, 2020

If I were buying the iPhone SE, I’d seriously consider spending the extra $50 to upgrade the storage to 128GB, just in case I’d want it three or five years down the road. That timespan is the reason the iPhone SE is a big deal. No other phone that costs less than $500 can claim to be this good, nor last that long. The iPhone SE is not just a good deal. It’s also a really good smartphone.

By The Verge on April 22, 2020

For some portion of the population, that decision is easily iPhone. And if you happen to need a new iPhone, and think spending $1,000 on one is ludicrous, well, the iPhone SE might be a tiny slab of good news for you right now.

By Wired on April 22, 2020

Building a $400 phone is an exercise in compromise, and the iPhone SE certainly has its share. Despite that, Apple's smallest, cheapest smartphone offers tremendous performance for the price. It won't make sense for everyone, but people who value power and practicality over everything else won't find this kind of bang for the buck anywhere else.

By Engadget on April 22, 2020

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Apple iPhone SE - 2020

Overview

Pros & Cons

Reviews

Similar To

Price: $399

Apple iPhone SE - 2022

TechSpot Metascore

Reviewers Liked

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Competitors and Related Products

Google Pixel 4a

Apple iPhone 11

Samsung Galaxy A71

OnePlus 7T

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OnePlus Nord

Expert reviews and ratings