The iPhone SE is dead

06 January 2023
According to a reputable source, the next generation isn't coming.

Sort by:

Small
2G: 115 x 61 x 11.6 mm, 135 g
3G: 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3 mm, 133 g
3GS: 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3 mm, 135 g
4: 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm, 137 g
4S: 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm, 140 g
5: 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm, 112 g
5S: 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm, 112 g
5C: 124.4 x 59.2 x 9 mm, 132 g

Medium
6: 138.1 x 67 x 6.9 mm, 129 g
6S: 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm, 143 g
7: 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm, 138 g
8: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm, 148 g
SE2: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm, 148 g
SE3: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm, 144 g

Large
X: 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm, 174 g
XS: 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm, 177 g
11 Pro: 144 x 71.4 x 8.1 mm, 188 g
12: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm, 164 g
12 Pro: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm, 189 g
13: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7 mm, 174 g
13 Pro: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7 mm, 204 g
14: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm, 172 g
14 Pro: 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.9 mm, 206 g

XR: 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm, 194 g
11: 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm, 194 g

iPhone Plus and Max models are excluded because I detest their XL size.

I buy cheap iPhones from OfferUp.

January 19, 2021 (Glendale, CA)
32 GB space gray iPhone SE 2016: $80
Sealed/brand new. 99% battery health

October 30, 2022 (Riverside, CA)
64 GB red iPhone SE 2022: $150
10/10 condition. 100% battery health.

December 3, 2022 (Santa Ana, CA)
32 GB matte black iPhone 7: $60
9.9/10 condition. 97% battery health.

December 26, 2022 (Costa Mesa, CA)
64 GB silver iPhone X: $125
9.9 condition. 82% (now at 80%) battery health.

My Favorite Phones I Currently Own
1. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 (2021)
2. Motorola Razr 5G (2020)
3. Google Pixel 3 (2018)
4. Apple iPhone SE (2022)
5. Apple iPhone X (2017)
6. Essential Phone (2017)
7. Apple iPhone 7 (2016)
8. Apple iPhone SE (2016)
9. LG G5 (2016)
10. Xiaomi Mi 3 (2013)
11. Google/LG Nexus 5 (2013)
12. BlackBerry Bold 9900 (2011)

I'm aware that SE1 is beloved by many vocal compact phone fans online and it was my favorite iPhone for years. Decided to keep it over my black 12 mini since it still felt more comfortable to put in my pocket and to hold. But iOS15 destroyed its battery life. If my 7 with 97% health can give me 4 hour SOT from browsing, SE1 at 88% health is only half that. I could get the battery replaced before the price hike in March but I'm not sure it will make a difference if my 7 with better battery health is already pretty bad on iOS15. My X will definitely get its battery replaced next month.

The reason I dropped it down my favorite rankings is because my X's audio output is really bad. Check Reddit. Too much treble. No depth. Callers sounds tinny in low volume. They sound louder on speaker but the speaker is terrible for playing music. People paid $1000 for an iPhone X over 5 years ago without mentioning the crappy speakers and earpiece? I tested it with another person on the other line last night and the X was definitely the worst one with call quality. Like the caller was talking from a tin can and a string. And people from Reddit mentioned they never dipped it in water. Got another X and same problem.

iPhone X = Overrated

But still an S-Tier iPhone and the greatest, most popular, and important iPhone since the original in 2007. I'll probably still keep mines but will never use it as a phone. So I'm throwing away lots of money on old iPhones I'll use as iPod touches when I can get an iPod touch for $20 used. Heck , people buy iPhone 2G for $40,000 or broken down Jordans for more, so I'm not the only one who is an idiot with money. Part of collecting. Overpaying for old junk.

    • G
    • George-a-k
    • 3As
    • 07 Jan 2023

    It depends on what you want to do with an iPhone (and of course with any smartphone).
    If someone relies on its smartphone all the tasks to do and doesn’t have pc at home, tablet, laptop etc..,, then obviously a pro max model or a plus model it’s the way to go.
    However I had iPhone 6s for more than 3 years and I was completely satisfied
    It wouldn’t bother me to get the se 2022 model brand new for a couple of years, maybe more.

      Anonymous, 07 Jan 2023But that wouldn't make sense for apple because it woul... moreOkay, why are you repeating what i already said in the first comment? I already said it wouldn't make sense to have it.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • 3SI
        • 07 Jan 2023

        UltraHD, 07 Jan 2023I don't want, it was a suggestion what could save SE s... moreBut that wouldn't make sense for apple because it would just be iPhone 15.

          OMG !!! Will you guys stop this iPhone SE nonsense already.?

          iPhone SE was long gone, dead & buried!!!!!!!!!! Nobody wanted a small display, weak battery, poor cameras (just for A15 chip).
          That's why Apple killed it.

          Dunno why GSM arena is fixating on this device which has been a failure and only failure.
          Stop writing about iPhone SE.!!!!

            Anonymous, 07 Jan 2023If course you want a phone better than the iPhone 14 at hal... moreI don't want, it was a suggestion what could save SE series.

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • 3SI
              • 07 Jan 2023

              UltraHD, 07 Jan 2023Honestly, i saw it coming. The SE lines aren't popular... moreIf course you want a phone better than the iPhone 14 at half the price. But that won’t happen

                Max CPU Clock Speed
                A9: 1.85 GHz
                A10 Fusion: 2.34 GHz (+490 MHz)
                A11 Bionic: 2.38 GHz (+40 MHz)
                A12 Bionic: 2.49 GHz (+110 MHz)
                A13 Bionic: 2.65 GHz (+160 MHz)
                A14 Bionic: 3.1 GHz (+450 MHz)
                A15 Bionic: 3.24 GHz (+114 MHz)
                A16 Bionic: 3.46 GHz (+220 MHz)

                Greatest gains
                A9 (2015) to A10 (2016): +490 MHz
                A13 (2019) to A14 (2020): +450 MHz
                A15 (2021) to A16 (2022): +220 MHz

                CPU tends to be more important than GPU for emulators especially in single-core performance. Too bad Apple makes it hard to install emulators. The A15 still outperforms the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 in single-core.

                Seems like you should only get from A14 (iPhone 12 series) and up but I hate those flat sides and prefer the stainless steel and rounded sides from X/XS/11. Put a 13 mini next to the X and it's not as classy. The X/XS/11 Pro felt premium. The improvements from A9 to A10 was quite a leap. The A9 GPU had a clock speed of 650 MHz. It went to 900 MHz with the A10 Fusion. And CPU clock speed improved by nearly 500 MHz. Going from A10 to A11 was the smallest upgrade at least based from CPU max clock speed.

                Even based from Geek Bench 5 tests, A10 got a 46% gain over the A9 in single-core. A11 got 18% gain. A12 got 22%, A13 got 19%, A14 got 20%, A15 only got 8%, and A16 got 9%. The last two SoCs had the worst gains from single-core. Hence, Life Is Strange looks way better on my iPhone 7 than SE1. Better textures. Longer battery life. Doesn't overheat like crazy like my SE1 does. Gain was a massive 490 MHz in CPU, 250 MHz in GPU, and 46% in single-core.

                But my $60 mint condition 7 is still quite a challenge to use on a daily basis with 97% battery health. It lags at times when typing and battery depletes fast on iOS15. After about 4 years, almost every iPhone declines fast with performance. Stops getting support. Apple wants you to buy the newest iPhone once the updates ruins your battery life.

                  Bury it. Consider this mercy.

                    Ranking My FAVORITE iPhone Designs
                    1. 5S/SE1 (space gray)
                    2. 5 (slate)
                    3. 4/4S (black)
                    4. 2G
                    5. 11 Pro (any color)
                    6. X/XS (silver)
                    7. 7 (matte black)
                    8. 8/SE2/SE3 (Product Red)
                    9. 12 mini/13 mini (black)
                    10. 3G/3GS (black)

                    S-Tier iPhones are the ones I own. The only iPhones worth owning...
                    2G
                    4S (best of the 4 design)
                    SE1 (best of the 5/5S design)
                    7 (matte black 7 is the best of the 6 design)
                    SE3 (best of the 8 design)
                    X (anniversary iPhone and arguably the G.O.A.T/most popular)

                    The slate 5 looks cooler than the space gray 5S/SE1. But I hated Scuffgate on them. The paint would flake off. The 5S space gray is darker than the SE1 while the SE1 lacks the chamfered edges of the 5/5S but has the stainless steel Apple logo, tiny SE branding, and the aluminum band tends to match the colors of the rears.

                    I think 11 Pro looks slightly better than X/XS due to the frosted glass backs although it got quite heavy. Apple copied what Google used on their Pixel 3s and 4s. You can still have a matte finish with a glass back. But I love that silver X/XS/11 Pro because of the stainless steel around them. Chrome finish reminds me of the 2G/3G/3GS. Makes the X/XS/11 Pros look so classy.

                    I probably won't get another new iPhone again until iPhone 20 and only upgrade an iPhone every 10 years if smartphones are still a thing when I'm a senior citizen by the 2040s.

                      • Q
                      • Quetzalcoatlus
                      • nDZ
                      • 07 Jan 2023

                      Daemon Targaryen, 07 Jan 2023iPhone 5 (2012) -> iPhone 5S (2013) -> iPhone SE (201... moreYou're wrong.

                      iPhone 8 wasn't the first with that body, it's the iPhone 7 from 2016, so they used the same design 4 times, last SE has a 6 year old design.

                      Also, The differences between 5s and 7 are so fucking minor that you can barely call it a new design.

                        Honestly, i saw it coming. The SE lines aren't popular, at least here where i live.
                        I don't see the point of SE, its tech is very old even tho it has the newest chipset on the market.
                        Make it with oled, 90hz refresh rate, display size as iPhone 14, notch (not that outdated home button). Of course this won't happen like ever, it would be too close to non pro series then the non pro series would lost its meaning (like they have one but sure...)

                          Anonymous, 07 Jan 2023Right. That means from now on, the cheapest iPhone I can ge... moreHave you ever considered buying a phone with a better value proposition?

                            Ok, 07 Jan 2023Apple ruined the se line when they again took the IPhone 8 ... moreiPhone 5 (2012) -> iPhone 5S (2013) -> iPhone SE (2016)
                            iPhone 8 (2017) -> iPhone SE (2020) -> iPhone SE (2022)

                            Apple uses the 8 design three times, people bash the SE3 and Apple for it. When Apple did it for the 5 design and want another one like it, nobody bashes them and praises a design from nearly 10-11 years ago. And if the SE4 came out looking like the XR, isn't that an outdated design already dating back to 2018 and re-used again as an iPhone 11?

                            I think the 4 and 5 series had the best ever design for all iPhones but the 6 through 11 are more comfy to hold due to the rounded sides. I personally can't stand the flat sides that came back from the iPhone 12 and up. It was fine when the flat sides came with the 4 and 5 because they were smaller and lighter. Not in the 2020s when the Pros weigh nearly 200 g and over 20 mm taller.

                            The SE2 is the worst SE. Not the SE3 which has superior battery life than the 2020 model with the same exact SoC as the iPhone 13s and non-Pro 14s. Genshin Impact runs cool on the SE3 and no lag. A15 blows away Tensor 1 but people are saying Pixel 6a is better than the SE3? Okay.

                            Is the SE3 worth $479? Hell no. But find them for $150 like I did on OfferUp and it's practically stealing. But YouTubers think they know everything and will try to influence their followers full of nonsense.

                            Look , I own the SE3 , SE1, X, and 7. I had a 12 mini. I know all their flaws. The SE3 is my personal favorite. I just realized that my iPhone X yesterday has terrible reception and external speakers. Sounds tinny, too much treble, and no depth. It's a common issue.

                            So influencers will try to sway us in different directions when it's better to actually OWN all these devices and judge them for yourself. Not listen to some random guy or girl on YouTube wanting views, likes, and subs from us. Not reading from random comments. Judge them by actually owning them.

                              • u
                              • user
                              • 3bk
                              • 07 Jan 2023

                              Daemon Targaryen, 07 Jan 2023Apple has too many iPhones already. Should only have 4 mode... moreI just looked at the price of the 14 plus, and I have to say that it is terrible. Being an Apple-fan is unreasonably expensive

                                Se isn't profitable like regular iPhone.
                                Apple is greedy company

                                  Apple has too many iPhones already. Should only have 4 models.

                                  15
                                  15 Pro
                                  15 Pro Max
                                  15 Ultra

                                  Then when the iPhone 16s come out, they lower the regular 15 to $499 which closely matches the price of the SE3's $479. The minis did not sell well enough no matter how vocal people are online about owning them. It would sell like 5% or less among all iPhones of that series and Apple is about making money. Not catering to a vocal minority. The 14 Plus is selling worse.

                                  The 15 Ultra will probably be even bigger than the Pro Max or matches the size. So the smallest iPhones will be the 15 and 15 Pro since the regular 12 finally matched the size of the 12 Pro back in 2020. Wasn't the case between 11 vs. 11 Pro in which the latter was smaller.

                                    • O
                                    • Ok
                                    • mgK
                                    • 07 Jan 2023

                                    Apple ruined the se line when they again took the IPhone 8 body with the same screen as the IPhone 6 than in the place of an IPhone XR body. Also that they excluded features that should’ve been added like the night mode, raised the prices from the second gen se and they hiked the prices in fall.I’m sad to see the se line be destroyed by Apple. In my opinion was the se1 the best IPhone ever and the se 3 the worst phone of the year and the worst IPhone ever.And yes, also worse than the 5c.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • U{g
                                      • 07 Jan 2023

                                      Anonymous, 07 Jan 2023Releases 10 year old phone for the price of new, wonders wh... moreIf they release the first generation SE again, even with mid-range specs, then I will rush to buy it

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • nDg
                                        • 07 Jan 2023

                                        Releases 10 year old phone for the price of new, wonders why isn't it selling like water in desert. Hmm. What I've gathered from, and myself included, people rather have the original SE remade than this garbage anyway.

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