The new iPhone SE finally makes a small phone feel powerful

The Verge ^ | March 21, 2016 | By Dieter Bohn

[Swordmaker]

Well, it's a small iPhone.

That's what I can tell you about the new iPhone SE, which essentially takes the powerful processor from the iPhone 6S and puts it into a 4-inch design. Apart from the new rose gold color, it's almost completely indistinguishable from the iPhone 5 or (now-discontinued) 5S. Same chamfers, same screen, same bezels. If there's any surprise, it's that Apple didn't skimp on anything here (except, of course, the storage). The camera is the same 12-megapixel shooter you'd get on an iPhone 6S, except here it's even better because it doesn't stick out at all.

New iPhone SE iPhone Hands On Video.

For two years now, Apple's top-of-the-line iPhone made people accept the trend of larger phones — but even though most people who made the switch felt fine with a 4.7-inch phone, there were bound to be some people that aren't. For those people, the iPhone SE offers a modern, powerful update.

Usually, getting a small phone has meant getting a phone that skimps on power or on the camera (or, most likely, both). That's absolutely not the case with the iPhone SE. It feels every bit as fast and modern as an iPhone 6S, able to move quickly through screens and web pages. Obviously we weren't able to test the camera very extensively, but we can say that it launches quickly and takes photos just as fast.

But seriously, you've all seen an iPhone 5 or 5S. You know what it looks like. That's both good and bad: there are certain aesthetics on this body that I don't think have aged very well — the glass bits on the back in particular. But then again, sticking with the same body (and the same thickness) has maybe given Apple an opportunity to push the other elements forward. The camera doesn't stick out, for example, and hopefully Apple has put in a large enough battery to make this thing last as long as its larger cousins.

I just keep saying it because there's not much more to say: this looks like an iPhone — and people who want that smaller size are going to really like it.

This is an excerpt, read more here.

[Swordmaker]

Short Review of the new iPhone SE with hands on Video and photos. — PING!

Apple iPhone SE Review
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[zeugma]

I have a 6. Hate the size. Too damned soon to change. with any luck, they’ll still have smaller models when I’m finally ready to swap this one out.

[ELS]

I had a 4S and the screen died (after warranty expired, naturally) and have been waiting to be able to upgrade. I am glad they have acknowledged that not everyone wants a phablet for a cell phone. I understand that they didn’t want that market audience to get away from them, but there is still a large audience that prefers the smaller size phones. I’ll definitely consider the SE.

[jdsteel]

I have a 5 that still works great, and I like the size better than the larger ones. I was hoping for a sapphire screen on the new smaller phone! Love it on my Apple Watch.

[Scutter]

Oh, snap. I was hoping it was going to be really really tiny. This doesn’t look all that small in the pics, but maybe the size is hard to judge in a photo.

[jdsteel]

I have a 5 that still works great, and I like the size better than the larger ones. I was hoping for a sapphire screen on the new smaller phone! Love it on my Apple Watch.