4-inch true flagship! iPhone SE review: 3288 yuan is worth it

Apple showed us a brand new iPhone at its Cupertino headquarters, and the phone was soon launched on the market soon after its announcement. But unlike previous iPhone launches that were met with crazy sales, this phone's launch was quite low-key, with no overwhelming promotional advertisements, no cheering crowds outside the flagship store, and no crazy sales figures.

Yes, this is the long-rumored iPhone SE. This small iPhone does not look like an iPhone 6 as rumored, but is a one-to-one replica of the 2013 iPhone 5s.

But don't be fooled by the small launch event and old design, Apple has a very clear idea for this $399 device (China price starts at 3288 yuan). Its target group is those who have never experienced iPhone before and those who don't have high requirements for mobile phones. This group of people yearns for Apple products, but because of the price, they had to choose Android phones before. Now, the price of $400 gives them enough confidence.

Indeed, from today's perspective, the iPhone SE is indeed a little small, but in terms of performance, it is not weak at all, and its battery life is also unexpectedly good. Of course, if you are a fan of large-screen mobile phones, the iPhone SE is definitely not your cup of tea, but for those users who value hand feel and portability, the iPhone SE is very attractive.

Design

From the appearance point of view, the iPhone SE and 5s are cut from the same mold. In the past few days, I have been using these two devices alternately. If it weren't for the new rose gold color, I'm afraid I would often pick up the wrong one.

The SE completely follows the 5s's design, the screen is still the same as a few years ago, and even the side buttons are exactly the same. If you want to tell the two machines apart, you can only rely on the new rose gold color and the unpolished edges. Of course, enthusiasts can also find that the materials used for the Apple logo on the new machine are different.

Although I am not a die-hard fan of small-screen phones, I have to admit that the back design of the 5s is still not outdated. When you hold it in your hand, the delicate touch of aluminum alloy will slowly spread to your palm. Although the SE is small, you will never feel it is light and fluttery. On the contrary, it gives people a very solid feeling (probably because it is slightly thicker than the 6s).

The appearance of SE was actually a little unexpected. Before the release, people generally believed that it would inherit the appearance of iPhone 6. Maybe Apple felt that the appearance of 5s was classic enough, or they wanted to save some development costs. However, the confidentiality measures were well taken this time, and people's imagination of SE was not completely ruined before the release conference.

Aside from screen size, what's the difference between the SE and the 6s?

There is still a certain gap between iPhone SE and 6s in terms of functions. Both 6s and 6s Plus support the latest 3D Touch, and their front cameras have higher pixels, while SE not only does not support 3D Touch, but its front camera has only 1.2 million pixels, which is really outdated.

In addition, the iPhone SE does not have a built-in barometer, so mountaineering enthusiasts may not be interested in it. Most importantly, the Touch ID on the SE does not use the second-generation technology of the 6s, so the speed is not as fast as the flagship level.

Although the fingerprint recognition speed is not superior, you will be shocked by its running speed after the screen is unlocked. For many manufacturers, small-screen mid-range phones always compromise on performance, but iPhone SE will not. Due to its low resolution, its running speed can even surpass its big brother. Many people who have used SE think that this guy is a super small steel cannon. Although the appearance lacks creativity, it will definitely not disappoint.

Performance and battery life

The old iPhone 5s is equipped with an A7 processor and 1GB RAM, but the SE uses the latest A9 processor, and the RAM has also been upgraded to 2GB. In addition, it supports the latest WiFi standards, and the 4G standard has also been improved. Actual measurements show that the SE has significantly improved the speed of opening applications, loading web pages, and switching programs. It can be said that it is not its speed that affects the multitasking experience of the SE, but its petite size.

In addition, the phone is pre-installed with the latest iOS 9.3. In addition to the newly added Night Shift function (adjusting the warm and cool tones of the screen to protect the user's eyesight and promote sleep), it also left me with another deep impression, that is, on such a small screen, the ease of use of its applications is still superb, which is simply unimaginable on the severely fragmented Android platform, because the different screen sizes will make the various buttons look very strange, and on a small screen you need to swipe a few more times to find the function you want.

The battery life of iPhone SE is also very commendable. With the latest processor and software optimization, its battery life is more than 50% higher than that of iPhone 5s. In the few days I used it closely, I found that SE can easily last through a day.

To be honest, I feel that this thing has better battery life than the 6s. After fully charging it and starting to use it at 5:30 pm, 12 hours later, there was still 44% remaining battery, which is really strong. You know, during this time, I used most of the common functions, such as checking emails, making calls, browsing social websites, watching videos, navigation, and wireless hotspots, etc., and the screen brightness was kept at 50% throughout the whole process.

Photo capability

The 12-megapixel camera of the same level as the 6s also makes the iPhone SE very attractive. It ranks among the top in the industry in terms of focus, capture and image quality, and is much more powerful than the 5s.

After testing the SE's camera, I found it to be on par with the 6s, with accurate color reproduction and good preservation of subject details, which makes it easy to edit later. However, it still lags behind Samsung's flagship in night photography. However, due to its ultra-portable size, the SE's image quality already puts it among the best pocket-sized devices.

And at the $400 price point, the SE's camera is unrivaled. It also supports 4K video recording and Live Photos, making it very playable. Apple Pay and Hey, Siri are also available, but they are a bit useless in daily use.

Summarize

People always have various expectations for the new iPhone, but the iPhone SE cannot meet everyone's expectations. It is not Apple's innovation engine, but a hodgepodge under existing technological conditions. Its price and positioning determine that it cannot be placed on the altar and worshipped by everyone.

However, it can be a sales booster for the iPhone, helping Apple develop users with special needs. If you like small screens, are price-sensitive, and are unwilling to compromise on performance, the iPhone SE is definitely your best choice.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.