The iPhone SE vs. the competition: Small but strong
Apple's latest smartphone isn't the only compact handset out there.
In the ongoing march to larger screen sizes, the new iPhone SE might seem like a step backwards. But it's welcome relief to people who find large handsets unwieldy. However, even if few phones aren't as little as the new 4-inch iPhone, there are still plenty of options with smaller-than-average screens and prices to match. We've stacked up the SE against some of the more notable of these petite phones to see which could be worth buying.
Pricing | $399, $499 (off-contract) | $349, $399 (off-contract) | $180, $200 (off-contract) | $249 (off-contract) |
Known dimensions | 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm (4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 inches) | 147 x 72.6 x 7.9mm (5.79 x 2.86 x 0.31 inches) | 142.1 x 72.4 x 6.1mm (5.59 x 2.85 x 0.24 inches) | 140 x 69 x 6.9mm (5.51 x 2.72 x 0.27 inches) |
Weight | 113g (3.99 ounces) | 136g (4.8 ounces) | 155g (5.47 ounces) | 138 or 160g (4.86 or 5.64 ounces) |
Screen size | 4 inches (101.6mm) | 5.2 inches (132.08mm) | 5 inches (127mm) | 5 inches (127mm) |
Screen resolution | 1,136 x 640 (326ppi) | 1,920 x 1,080 (423 ppi) | 1,280 x 720 (294 ppi) | 1,920 x 1,080 (441 ppi) |
Screen type | IPS LCD, Retina HD | FHD LCD, Gorilla Glass 3 | HD LCD, Gorilla Glass 3 | FHD AMOLED, Gorilla Glass 3 |
Battery | N/A | 2,700mAh (non-removable) | 2,470mAh (non-removable) | 2,525mAh (non-removable) |
Internal storage | 16 / 64GB | 16 / 32GB | 16 / 32GB | 16GB |
External storage | None | None | microSD, up to 32GB | microSD, up to 128GB |
Rear camera | 12MP iSight, f/2.2, 1.22µm pixel size | 12.3MP, f/2.0, 1.55µm pixel size, dual LED flash, IR laser-assisted autofocus | 13MP, f/2.0, dual LED flash, autofocus | 13MP, f/2.2 |
Front-facing cam | 1.2MP FaceTime HD, f/2.4 | 5MP, f/2.0, 1.4µm pixel size | 5MP, f/2.2 | 8MP, f/2.4 |
Video capture | 4K at 30fps | 4K at 30fps | 1080p at 30fps | 1080p |
NFC | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Bluetooth | v4.2 | v4.2 | v4.0 LE | v4.0 |
SoC | Apple A9 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 |
CPU | 1.8Ghz dual-core | 1.8GHz hexa-core | 1.4GHz quad-core | 2.3GHz quad-core |
GPU | PowerVR GT7600 | Adreno 418 | Adreno 306 | Adreno 330 |
RAM | 2GB | 2GB | 1 / 2GB | 3GB |
WiFi | Dual band, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Dual band, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz) | 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz) |
Operating system | iOS 9 | Android 6.0 | Android 5.1.1 | Oxygen OS (Android 5.1.1) |
Standout features | Touch ID, Retina flash | Nexus Imprint, USB Type-C | IPX7 water resistance | FM radio, Ambient Display |
Get all the news from today's iPhone event right here.
