Apple’s most affordable iPhone SE (2020) is a device which would be loved by those who have a strong inclination towards a good software phone. If you are one of those who buys a phone for its hardware, then it’s just a “blast from the past”.
LOOKS & DESIGN
The new iPhone SE 2020 looks identical to iPhone 8 and is slick and does carry Apple’s typical attention to detail. Even if you are someone who gets disappointed by size, you can’t complain about this phone’s build quality: 148 gm in weight and just 7.3 mm thick, this is a small phone, and it’s very easy to use with just one hand. The front and rear are all glass with an aluminium frame. The product does have an IP67 rating for water resistance.
The device comes with a 4.7-inch screen with a large bezel top; and with conventional looks, this phone can be dissatisfying for a few. Available in 3 colours (black, white and red), but after looking at the red iPhone which we were offered for a review, our first reaction was that when you looked at the phone it appeared the build and the design quality weren’t negotiated at all.
CAMERA
You get only one 12-megapixel f/1.8 rear camera and 7-megapixel f/2.2 front camera, which might leave a bit disappointed. The device comprises good and new software and an old hardware, the sensor and specs are the same as that of the iPhone 8. The A13 Bionic SoC helps you get that zing in the camera department. You get all the modes, from portrait mode with manually variable depth and studio lighting effects using software, smart HDR, extended dynamic range in video, to selfie video stabilisation.
The daytime photography is a delight to the eye and would astonish many what a single 12MP is capable of. Unfortunately, quality wasn’t as good at night. What won my heart was the video quality. The recording goes up to 4K at 60fps, video quality was excellent, with smooth stabilisation even when we were moving around, the video at night was far more delightful than the pictures. For the front camera you get portrait lighting and variable aperture effects, and no beauty mode (I like that).
The camera setup wouldn’t be a personal pick for a lot of buyers who look for a higher sensor and love beauty mode. But all those people who appreciate a good software and hardware mix and disapprove of beauty mode (like myself) would give a thumbs up to the camera section.
THE USP
The USP of the iPhone SE (2020) is Apple’s current-gen A13 Bionic processor which is capable of on-device machine learning. This is the same chip that has been used in the far more expensive iPhone 11 Pro. This clearly shows that Apple is looking at giving a certain level of performance and feature to this product. There is simply no doubt about how powerful this processor is. When you glide through some apps on the device you will understand how well the processor is mated with the device.
PRICE
This is Apple’s most affordable iPhone starting from Rs 41,000. Well for many it is the most affordable iPhone which comes with a smartest chipset. For others it is still too steep and looks like an old iPhone 8.
FINAL VERDICT
So is the iPhone SE (2020) for everyone? Maybe not! It is a device for those who look for an iPhone which is small and handy, matted to an excellent software and even if it is old school it is still modern in the ways it is needed to be. For all those people who want a big screen to view content and play games and the hardware is the real character for what you judge a smartphone, then the iPhone SE (2020) is not for you. For someone who wants an Apple device and doesn’t want to spend a lot, this is the device for you and it wouldn’t disappoint you at all.
