Apple iPhone SE Review: Anti-Consumer Phone


Apple’s one new, cheaper iPhone It arrives in stores on Friday, covering the least of what we need in a smartphone. The latest iPhone SE has a bright screen, fast processor, quality camera and solid battery life. He also makes phone calls.

For most of us, though, that won’t be enough.

Over the years, the majority of customers are turning to more expensive iPhones that cost between $700 and $1,100. A phone is more than just a phone for most of us, even though we have unnecessary features that we rarely use. Rather, it is an investment in how we hope to work, have fun, and connect with those we love. Some of us even willing to go into debt for what has become a status symbol.

That’s all to say Apple’s budget iPhone SE for a specific type of client: anti-consumer. You’ll probably want this $430 phone if you meet any of the following criteria:

• You don’t care about outstanding features like ultra-fast cellular speed.

• You know correctly that smartphone technology has been around for so long that you have to pay less for it today.

• You don’t care what the number of camera lenses or pixels on a screen tells your friends and colleagues about your wealth.

• Just you upgrade to a new phone when you really need it.

In short, the latest iPhone is for those who want a simple phone that works well at a reasonable price. If it’s you, here’s what you need to know about it.

For this budget iPhone, Apple took the best parts of their more expensive iPhone and crammed it into the shell of an older iPhone with a home button and smaller screen.

Let’s start with the highlights.

Like fancier iPhones, the new iPhone SE includes links to: 5G, the latest cellular network. In my device tests in the San Francisco Bay Area, 5G data rates were up to 20 percent faster than 4G. This isn’t mind-blowing, but it’s a nice feature to have as 5G networks become more common.

The new iPhone also has the same computing processor as the more expensive iPhone 13 models. According to speed test app Geekbench, the computing power of the cheaper phone was on par with the iPhone 13s. This meant that apps and games were up and running in a jiffy.

The iPhone SE’s battery was another strength. The generation of the phone prior to 2020 had a low battery that was depleted around 7pm every day. I found that the new model has enough battery life until bedtime.

Just as important to know is what the new iPhone lacks compared to enthusiast models. Here’s some good news: The trade-offs were small in my testing.

One of the most notable shortcomings of the iPhone SE was compatibility with an ultra-fast variant of 5G known as the “millimeter wave.” Overrated by carriers like Verizon and AT&T, this data connection can offer speeds so fast that a feature film can be downloaded in seconds.

The problem is that 5G millimeter wave technology travels short distances and has trouble penetrating walls and obstacles. As a result, even finding a link is rare. People who buy an iPhone SE probably won’t even know it’s missing.

The more obvious downside of the latest iPhone is the camera. The fancy camera system on more expensive iPhones has multiple lenses that can capture more light.

In my testing, the iPhone SE took clear and crisp photos in daylight, but didn’t do so well in harsher lighting conditions. In a photo of my dogs taken on a shaded path, the iPhone SE produced an image with less detail and unnatural colors compared to the $700 iPhone 13 Mini. The iPhone SE camera also lacks the special night mode found on fancier iPhones for taking pictures in the dark. Using flash is always an option though.

The most obvious difference was the screen. The iPhone SE’s 4.7-inch display looked constrained and dimmer compared to more expensive iPhones with 5.4- to 6.7-inch screens. This was probably the most distinguishing factor – if your eyesight isn’t good or you spend a lot of time streaming video, you’ll probably prefer a larger screen.

While there are some compromises when you spend less on a smartphone, the new iPhone offers more than satisfactory results. The $700 iPhones are better, but not 60 percent better.

It’s worth remembering that the iPhone SE has other strong phone competitors in its price range. These include Google’s $400 Pixel 5A, which has different pros and cons. In my testing, the Google phone’s screen is slightly larger and takes better low-light photos. However, the Pixel phone wasn’t as fast as the iPhone SE, and it might not last long as Google warrants it. software updates for the device only until 2024.

In the end, though, both phones excelled at doing what we needed, like connecting to the internet, making phone calls, and taking pictures, for a price well below the price of their higher-end counterparts. In an age where the cost of almost everything is skyrocketing, this is something to celebrate.



Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *