$399 iPhone SE Vs. $699 iPhone 11: Best Cheaper Apple Phone To Buy
With a $300 difference in starting price, how well does the tiny 2020 iPhone SE compare with Apple's larger and more feature-rich iPhone 11?
Priced at $399, Apple's new iPhone SE offers seriously good value. An interesting challenge will be to compare the smallest of 2020's iPhone models with the iPhone 11, one of Apple's newest full size phones. The iPhone 11 starts at $699, so that adds $300 to the cost and is there enough added value to make it worth the extra expense?
Apple introduced the first iPhone SE in 2016 as an alternative to the ever-increasing phone sizes. In 2020, Apple finally updated the iPhone SE again. Its full size phones are updated every year, but the 2020 models have not been announced yet. 2019 included the iPhone 11, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. In total, that's 4 new phones to choose from, all sharing several features and specifications. Price is often a prime factor in deciding which new device to purchase, so a useful comparison will be between Apple's two lowest-priced iPhone models.
The 2020 iPhone SE compares well with the entry-level iPhone 11, but lacks some of its larger sibling's most impressive features. Whether this adds enough value to balance the additional $300 in cost is debatable. Here are the relevant facts. The iPhone 11 screen is much bigger at 6.1 inches, compared to the iPhone SE's 4.7-inch screen. A huge screen is usually a good thing, but it also means a bigger device overall and consumers with smaller hands may find the iPhone 11 too large for comfortable use. For those that are not put off by the jumbo size, the iPhone 11's screen makes text larger and more readable and keyboard entry easier. Both use LCD technology with plenty of contrast and brightness. Apple makes nice displays so it will be difficult to identify a difference in screen quality other than one being larger. Color choice is limited to black, white and red with the iPhone SE while purple, yellow and green colors are added to the palette when buying the iPhone 11 - the most choices of any iPhone.
Beyond size, there are several differences in important specifications. The iPhone 11 features Face ID and it is very fast. With a swipe up, Face ID scans the user's face with 3D accuracy for added security, then unlocks the phone nearly instantaneously upon finding a match. Given the pandemic, Apple has built in face mask detection and presents the PIN code login instead. Face ID is also used for authenticating purchases and allows quicker logins on various websites and apps. This compares to the iPhone SE's reliance on Touch ID, which might feel like a more dated technology compared to Face ID. Both work, but Touch ID is fussy sometimes, while Face ID just works. For those that log in to various websites and apps regularly, this could be a big factor in choosing one iPhone over another. The iPhone 11 is also IP68-rated for dust and water protection, versus the IP67 rating included with the budget iPhone.
Nowadays, cameras play a major role in picking a phone and the iPhone 11 adds a secondary ultra-wide camera that makes a dramatic impact. Videos shot with the ultra-wide lens have a movie-like quality that can't be achieved with the standard iPhone lens. The front-facing camera on the iPhone 11 can record in 4K resolution and has the option of slow-motion selfies as well. For social media fans, this offers two new options for sharing interesting videos. If inexpensive phone cameras are the most important feature, Google's Pixel 4a is worth a look. It's less expensive than the iPhone SE and wins in many camera comparisons.
Another important detail is the battery life. Larger phones have room for greater capacity batteries and the iPhone 11 outlasts the iPhone SE by several hours. Apple estimates up to seventeen hours of video playback on the iPhone 11 compared with thirteen hours on the smaller iPhone. However, both have fast charging capability, reaching an estimated 50-percent charge in thirty minutes with an 18-watt adapter (not included). Overall, with differences in the camera experience, battery life, Face ID, and durability, the iPhone 11 is the better Apple phone purchase, as long as the extra $300 is worth all of those extra improvements.