Well, hell just froze over; Apple announced a new iPhone and it costs less than a grand. The new iPhone SE starts at just $749, which is the cheapest Apple handset we've seen in years. Of course, a cheaper price always comes with some compromises. What exactly are you missing out on if you don’t spring for the pricier iPhone 11? To help, we're taking a look at how the two compare.
Before we start, here's a look at how the two stack up in terms of hardware:
iPhone SE specifications
| iPhone SE | iPhone 11 | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 4.7-inch LED | 6.1-inch LED |
| Resolution | Retina | Retina |
| Material | Aluminium | Aluminium |
| Rear-Facing Camera | 12MP | 12MP + 12MP |
| Processor | A13 | A13 |
| Storage | 64GB - 256GB | 64GB - 256GB |
| Water-Resistance | Up to 1 metre depth | Up to 2 metre depth |
| Price | From $749 | From $1,119 |
iPhone SE vs. iPhone 11 Price
As expected, price is easily the biggest difference between the iPhone SE and iPhone 11. The new iPhone SE starts at $749, which is a little more than half of the iPhone 11's $1,199 asking price. Even if you max out iPhone SE with 256GB of storage, you'll still pay less than a grand, albeit by a dollar.
Local outright pricing for the iPhone SE and iPhone 11 is as follows:
- iPhone SE (64GB): $749
- iPhone SE (128GB): $829
- iPhone SE (256GB): $999
- iPhone 11 (64GB): $1,199
- iPhone 11 (128GB): $1,279
- iPhone 11 (256GB): $1,449
When it comes to plans, the difference in outright plan prices will be reflected in the cost you'll pay per month. When you buy a phone on a plan, the outright price of the device is simply divided by 12, 24, or 36 (depending on how many months you'd like to pay your phone off over) and added on to the price of your base plan.
Here's a look at the cheapest iPhone SE plans here's a look at the cheapest iPhone 11 plans on a 24-month term:
iPhone SE vs. iPhone 11 Camera
Camera is another major differentiator between the iPhone SE and the iPhone 11. The iPhone SE has a single 12MP primary camera, whereas the iPhone 11 has a 12MP primary camera and a 12MP ultra-wide angle lens.
The iPhone SE's 12MP camera appears to be identical to that used in 2018's iPhone XR. However, the iPhone SE's A13 processor should provide the device with some camera quality improvements over the iPhone XR, thanks to its more advanced computational photography features.
The new iPhone SE still features portrait mode and Apple's studio lighting options, but night mode is absent.
For all intents and purposes, the iPhone SE camera should still be a reliable option for smartphone photography, but the iPhone 11 will take higher quality photos and offer a little bit more versatility thanks to the secondary lens and night mode. Of course, in terms of quality, we don't know exactly what the difference between the iPhone SE and iPhone 11 will be until we get a chance to go hands on.
iPhone SE vs. iPhone 11 Design
The iPhone SE is a throwback to the classic iPhone 8 design; it's a veritable blast from the past. Instead of featuring a notched 6.1-inch all-screen display and Face ID facial recognition like the iPhone 11, the iPhone SE touts a 4.7-inch display surrounded by sizeable bezels and a Touch ID fingerprint reader.
While the iPhone 11 is definitely the more modern of the pair, there's still plenty to like about the iPhone SE aesthetic, especially if you'd still prefer a smaller phone.
Even though the iPhone SE uses a comparatively old school form-factor, it's not without modern trimmings. As with the iPhone 11, you still get wireless charging, eSIM support, and water-resistance. The iPhone SE is however only resistant up to depths of 1m, while the iPhone 11 can go as deep as 2m. And of course, neither the iPhone SE or iPhone 11 have a headphone jack.
iPhone SE vs. iPhone 11 Performance
The iPhone SE and iPhone 11 should be identical in terms of performance, as they're both powered by the same A13 processor. No matter which phone you go for, you'll get a silky smooth experience.
iPhone SE vs. iPhone 11 Battery
It's hard to gauge battery performance without testing a phone, but according to Apple's spec sheets, the iPhone 11 looks like it will beat the iPhone SE in terms of longevity.
Apple says the iPhone SE battery life is roughly identical to what you'd get on an iPhone 8. This translates to up to 13 hours of video playback, 8 hours of streaming video, or 40 hours of audio playback. Our bet is this means you'll be charging every night.
For comparison, Apple rates the iPhone 11 battery for up to 17 hours of video playback, 10 hours of streaming video, and 65 hours of video playback. In our testing, we've found that translates to about a day-and-a-half and two days with standard usage.
Read more about iPhone battery life here.
Alex Choros
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