Four years after the launch of the first iPhone SE, Apple renewed its lineup of compact and affordable phones with the new iPhone SE 2020. But the fact it is affordable does not necessarily mean that the new handset is the best value for money phone by Apple. There are a few other interesting choices you can do if you are looking for an iPhone but you do not want to spend a huge amount of money. We are talking about purchasing iPhones from previous generations. Apple still has the 2019 iPhone XR and the iPhone Xs in stock, and you can get them at interesting prices. Here is a specs comparison between iPhone SE 2020, iPhone XR, and iPhone Xs in order to let you better understand which one fits your needs the most.
Apple iPhone SE 2020 vs Apple iPhone XR vs Apple iPhone Xs
| Apple iPhone SE 2020 | Apple iPhone XR | Apple iPhone Xs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm, 148 grams | 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm, 194 g | 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm, 177 g |
| DISPLAY | 4.7 inches, 750 x 1334p (Retina HD), Retina IPS LCD | 6.1 inches, 828 x 1792p (HD+), IPS LCD | 5.8 inches, 1125 x 2436p (Full HD+), Super Retina OLED |
| PROCESSOR | Apple A13 Bionic, hexa-core 2.65 GHz | Apple A12 Bionic, hexa-core 2.5 GHz | Apple A12 Bionic, hexa-core 2.5 GHz |
| MEMORY | 3 GB RAM, 128 GB – 3 GB RAM, 64 GB – 3 GB RAM 256 GB | 3 GB RAM, 128 GB – 3 GB RAM, 64 GB – 3 GB RAM, 256 GB | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 256 GB – 4 GB RAM, 512 GB |
| SOFTWARE | iOS 13 | iOS 12 | iOS 12 |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | Single 12 MP f/1.8 7 MP f/2.2 front camera |
12 MP, f/1.8 7 MP f/2.2 front camera |
Dual 12 + 12 MP, f/1.8 and f/2.4 7 MP f/2.2 front camera |
| BATTERY | 1821 mAh, fast charging 18W, wireless charging Qi | 2942 mAh, fast charging 15W, Qi wireless charging | 2658 mAh, fast charging, Qi wireless charging |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | IP67 water resistant, eSIM | Dual SIM slot, water resistant IP67 | eSIM, IP68 waterproof |
Design
The iPhone SE series is famous for its incredibly compact designs. The iPhone SE 2020 is definitely the most compact last-generation flagship. But it comes with outdated aesthetics: it has the same design as the iPhone 8 released in 2017 (just small differences such as the position of the Apple logo). The most beautiful handset is undoubtedly the iPhone Xs packing the most narrow bezels around the display, a glass back and a frame made of stainless steel. The handset is even the only with the IP68 certification for water resistance (up to 2m deep). Despite it has a much bigger display than iPhone SE, the iPhone Xs is still one of the most compact last-generation flagships.
Display
It has the best design and even the best display panel. We are naturally talking about the iPhone Xs, which, unlike its two opponents of this comparison, boasts an OLED display. The display of the iPhone Xs supports wide color gamut, it is HDR10-compliant and it even supports the Dolby Vision technology. Among the other features making it an outstanding panel we got a 120 Hz touch-sampling rate, 3D Touch, and True Tone technology, as well as a high peak brightness. Right after we got the iPhone XR which comes with a wider display but provides an inferior image quality to the iPhone Xs.
Hardware/Software
The iPhone SE 2020 is equipped with the best and most recent chipset by Apple: the A13 Bionic. iPhone Xs and XR ship with the older and less powerful Apple A12 Bionic. The iPhone Xs offers 1 gig RAM more than iPhone SE 2020, but I prefer having a better chipset than more RAM on a phone. So, the iPhone SE 2020 wins the hardware comparison. It ships with iOS 13, while iPhone Xs and XR have iOS 12 out of the box.
Camera
The most advanced camera department belongs to the iPhone Xs which is the only with a dual rear camera including a telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. But the iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone XR are still amazing camera phones.
Battery
The battery of the iPhone SE 2020 is a bit disappointing compared to all the other iPhones. With an 1821 mAh capacity, it can only guarantee one day of moderate usage at max. The iPhone XR wins the battery comparison with a bigger 2942 mAh unit, but even though it wins this comparison, it is not among the best battery phones out there. With all of these phones, you can only get an average battery life at max. If you want an Apple device with long battery life, you should go for the iPhone 11 Pro Max boasting a 3969 mAh battery.
Price
iPhone SE 2020 has a starting price tag of $399/€499, iPhone XR sells starting from $599, and iPhone Xs had a $999 starting price, but you can easily find it for less than $700/€700 thanks to online street prices. The iPhone Xs is naturally the best phone of this comparison, but iPhone SE 2020 offers the highest value for money. You should go for the iPhone XR only if you are not satisfied with the battery of the iPhone SE 2020.
Apple iPhone SE 2020 vs Apple iPhone XR vs Apple iPhone Xs: PRO and CONS
iPhone SE 2020
PROS
- More compact
- Better chipset
- Very affordable
- Touch ID
CONS
- Smaller battery
iPhone XR
PROS
- Great battery life
- Wider display
- Good price
- Face ID
CONS
- Inferior hardware
Apple iPhone Xs
PROS
- Best design
- Best display
- Amazing cameras
- IP68
- Face ID
CONS
- Costlier
