The iPhone XR and the iPhone SE are the least expensive iPhones that are produced by Apple right now. And in this article, I wanted to help you to decide which one would be best for you, in both price and features like the overall camera performance and battery life as well and some other things.
Well, if you want to skip to any specific point in this article, where you want to see the camera comparison between both the phone. However, we have discussed each and every pint briefly.
So the very first thing is the iPhone XR comes in a variety of colors, and so is the iPhone SE. The iPhone XR is available in white, black, coral yellow, blue, and red, whereas the iPhone SE comes in three colors white, black, and product red.
Thus, the product red colors help donate to different causes around the world to help, such as fight disease and many more benefits. But, at last, the question here arises is, should I buy new iPhone SE 2020 this year or iPhone XR? Don’t worry,
Table of Contents
Should I Buy New iPhone SE 2020 This Year or iPhone XR
Overall overview: iPhone SE 2020 vs iPhone XR
The iPhone XR ranges from $5.99 and goes up to $649, whereas the iPhone SE ranges at $399, and IT goes up to $549. Well, you will get some storage options as well the iPhone SE is less expensive but comes in 64, 128, or 256 gigabytes. Whereas the iPhone XR only available in two storage sizes that are 64 and 128 GB, so there is a little bit less storage as compare to the iPhone SE. Now, these options have changed since they were initially introduced. Since the new iPhone SE is fairly new at this point within a month or so depending.
Well, when you’re watching this video, it will come in three different options and has a larger storage size. Now, if we talk about the overall build and construction, both are made out of aluminum; in fact, the iPhone SE is an iPhone 8 as far as it’s the design and overall features seem similar.
It has aluminum on the sides, and on the left-hand side, you will get the same layout. Moreover, you will have your silent switch on the top, followed by your two volume buttons, and then on the right side, you have your power sleep/wake button and your SIM card trays. Although the SIMcard tray only holds one SIM card, it does support through the actual SIM inside the phone so that you can use dual Sims.
Apple iPhone SE (2020) key specs
- Display: 4.7 inches Retina IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
- Resolution: 750 x 1334 pixels, 16:9 ratio (326 ppi density)
- Protection: Ion-strengthened glass, oleophobic coating
- OS: iOS 13
- Chipset: Apple A13 Bionic (7nm+)
- CPU: Hexa-core (2×2.65 GHz Lightning + 4×1.8 GHz Thunder)
- GPU: Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
- Internal: 64GB 3GB RAM, 128GB 3GB RAM, 256GB 3GB RAM
- Card slot: No
- Back Camera: 12 MP
- Front Camera: 7 MP
- Bluetooth: 5.0
- Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometer, Siri natural language commands, and dictation
- Battery: Non-removable Li-Ion 1821 mAh battery
Apple iPhone XR key specs
- Display: 6.1 inches Liquid Retina IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
- Resolution: 828 x 1792 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (326 ppi density)
- Protection: Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating
- OS: iOS 12, upgradable to iOS 13.5
- Chipset: Apple A12 Bionic (7 nm)
- CPU: Hexa-core (2×2.5 GHz Vortex + 4×1.6 GHz Tempest)
- GPU: Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
- Internal: 64GB 3GB RAM, 128GB 3GB RAM, 256GB 3GB RAM
- Card slot: No
- Back Camera: 12 MP
- Front Camera: 7 MP
- Bluetooth: 5.0
- Sensors: Face ID, accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometer, Siri natural language commands, and dictation
- Battery: Non-removable Li-Ion 2942 mAh battery
Speaker: iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone XR
Now, if we talk about the speaker, microphone, and your lightning connector or your lightning port, well both support wireless charging. Well, that implies taht they have front glass and back, and they also have both singular cameras which we’ll talk about it later.
Well, the size difference between both of these phones is going to be the deciding factor for a lot of people, so the iPhone SE is a very small phone it fits in your hand very easily, especially if you have small hands. But the iPhone XR offers a little bit bigger display a little bit bigger feel it’s a little bit thicker as far as its overall size and it’s just a larger phone in general.
Now, if you’ve ever seen an iPhone 6 to an iPhone 8 that’s the same size as this phone, for the most part, the iPhone SE and the iPhone XR and the iPhone 11 are the same sizes. Well, a lot of people like this size the iPhone 11 pro max or XS Max was just too big, so the iPhone SE is really for those who prefer a smaller phone.
Both the phones have IP67 certification, so that makes them water and dust resistant up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. But that does not mean that they are waterproof, and more importantly, Apple will not cover damage if it’s caused by water.
So, if you are planning to take this in the swimming or the shower, you really should be putting it in a fully waterproof case. Where Apple will guarantee, but they will not guarantee a replacement of water damage even with Apple care. You’ll still have to pay a bit to replace the phone.
Display: iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone XR
Now, if we talk about the displays, then both phones are fairly similar to their LCDs, and they have a lot of similarities as far as their overall construction. Now obviously, there is a size difference, so with the iPhone XR, we have a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display its 1792 by 828 with 326 pixels per inch.
And the iPhone SE also has 326pixels per inch but is 1334 by 750 at 4.7 inches across, and you can also see it’s squared-off whereas the iPhone XR has the rounded corners and face ID. Both of them have a haptic touch. There is no 3d touch on either phone so, if you long press on the displays, you’ll get the same sort of thing on both the devices.
Moreover, you don’t have 3D touch anymore. It’s all just done by the press and hold they also have similar brightnesses at 625 nits, but they have the same brightness level on both of them.
And both displays look good despite what some people say the actual pixel density is high enough that you can’t see the pixels and they have good viewing angles as well they go nice and bright indoors and outdoors, and you shouldn’t have any issues seeing them at all, so they both look really good they have great viewing angles, and you can’t see the pixels.
Well, the only difference is with the higher-end iPhones that have OLED displays that have deeper blacks, but overall, these are the best LCDs on the market.
Now both the phones, even though they are not technically as high as 1080p as far as their resolution is concerned, we’ll both support 1080p YouTube videos, so what happens is the scale of the phone that resolution to fit the display.
Where the iPhone SE is closer to 720p, the iPhone XR is in between 720p and 1080p, so you’ll get the option for 1080p on either display. It will look just fine on a smaller display the resolutions are less important than if you’re on a huge television in your living room, so 720p is just fine on this display.
Well, you can’t see the pixels and, in fact, iPad pro and all the iPads have lower pixel densities, and these displays look a little bit nicer when they’re held up close.
Now both phones have stereo speakers, and they go about equally loud so you have a speaker up at the top and then you also have one on the bottom, and both of these speakers like I said are identical, As you’ve got wide stereo sound and they’re great for watching videos.
Processor & Touch ID: iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone XR
The iPhone XR has a face ID where the iPhone SE has a touch ID. It’s an iPhone 8 with an iPhone 11 internals, but you do have the second-gen touch ID where it’s nice and fast to unlock.
It’s very easy, and the iPhone XR you just raise it and swipe up as you’re raising the phone and it unlocks, both are about the same speed some people are going to prefer touch ID some people are going top refer face ID, but you have the option of either or and they both work well so it just really comes down to whatever you choose to use.
Now, if we come to the internal parts, internally, both of them have very fast processors, the iPhone XR has a 12 Bionic CPU. Whereas the iPhone SE has the newer a 13 Bionic and they’re surprisingly close as far as their speeds that a 13 has a newer knurl engine so that it should help it with cameras and photos and things like that and video.
And we’ll discuss that in a moment, but as far as the overall speed, it should be the same, so if you were to open apps. We’ll take a closer look at the speed a little bit later, but just things like opening music are going to be the same, scrolling should be the same doing intensive tasks will be the same.
It comes down to when you’re doing things with the camera, where you’ll see some of the difference. Both have front-facing cameras at 7mega pixels. They both have F 2.2 apertures, and both can record in 1080p at 30 frames per second.
However with the iPhone XR, you have face ID you also have a true depth sensor, but you can do portrait mode on either, so if we go into the camera here flip the camera around we do have portrait mode on both of them it took a second on both of them, but you’ll see they’re both responding the same.
Now, as far as the rear-facing cameras you do have a little bit of a difference there in that the iPhone SE actually carries over the sensor from the iPhone 8 but adds the 13 bionics processing to help make the pictures a little bit better here as the iPhone XR has a very similar camera as well we both have 12-megapixel sensors with F 1.8 apertures, and both can work at 4k 60.
However, we can’t change the actual frame rate in real-time. Whereas on the iPhone XR just by tapping on the upper right-hand side corner, so you’ll see it’s stuck at 4k 35 do the same thing on the iPhone SE, and you’ll see that it’s able to change between all the different frame rates. So that’s kind of interesting, there’s no reason the iPhone XR couldn’t do it they just didn’t add it, so that’s kind of strange, but it’s something you’ll have to deal with.
Well, now, the point is that both of them look pretty good to me. Now, the cameras are great for taking portraits of people and things like that, but they won’t do object portrait mode.
Thus, you’ll see both of them say no person detectives so they’re equal in that, right now the forward-facing camera on the iPhone XR because it has the true depth sensor you can do things like momochi so if we’re in messages here you’ll see we have the option for an emoji and momochi, you’ll see it will face track and do an emoji and Memoji and things like that, so if you want to use it it’s in the XR it is not in the iPhone SE.
Battery: iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone XR
Battery life on both phones is quite a bit different from the iPhone SE because it’s fairly small. We have an 1821 milliamp-hour battery that’s going to get you about four to five hours of regular use, but with the iPhone XR, it has a 2942 milliamp-hour battery.
Well, some people are getting up to seven hours of screen on time, so it just depends on what you’re doing with your phone. Well, how you’re using it expect to charge it a little bit more, but both will support fast charging.
If you have the fast charging adapter and both support wireless charging, you can set your phone on a wireless charger, and it will charge. There will be no problem. Both of them support wireless charging, so you have that built-in for both so it can be charged.
However, you’d like to know that it works great either way, but with the iPhone SE, the batteries are smaller expected to charge a little bit faster. Now, internally we have the A13 in the iPhone SE and the a12 in the iPhone XR. There are some different wireless standards; for example, with the iPhone XR, it supports Wi-Fi a b/g/n and AC along with Bluetooth 5.0.
But with the iPhone SE, it supports Wi-Fi ABG and a CA x, which is Wi-Fi 6 and then Bluetooth 5.0, so you do get Wi-Fi 6 in the new iPhone SE. So that really shouldn’t help you to determine which one to get, but you do get the advantage of a little bit faster speeds if you have a Wi-Fi 6 router at home or you’re out about using it.
Now you can see the speed between both of them is fairly similar even though they have a little bit of a difference when it comes to the CPU so if you’re just doing something like browsing the internet or you’re on a webpage, and you’re going to see the same sort of scrolling speeds the same sort of experience.
Performance: iPhone SE 2020 and iPhone XR
However, you may want to load the page on iPhone SE you’ll see sometimes it’s going to vary, as it depends on what you’re doing, but overall, they’re going to be the same depending on how you’re using them.
Now there’s a couple of other ways to show you, AS this one way is to actually show you the Geekbench scores or the benchmarks of what the actual CPU can perform and when it gives a specific task. So if you go the Geekbench scores, you can see that it run the CPU Geekbench scores, it’ll hit-run benchmark, and it’ll let them run.
When the benchmarks have completed, and you can see on the iPhone XR, we have 1117, whereas, on the iPhone SE for a single-core score, we have 1319.
Thus, for a multi-core, we have a little bit faster on the iPhone SE, as well at 2565 verse 2443, now this should give you a general idea of what the CPU is capable of and the compute score will show you the graphic capability. Now in the graphics department, the iPhone SE is quite a bit faster, as we have 6337 first the iPhone XR offered 4486.
Now, if you see the gaming option, then as far as opening a game, you shouldn’t see much difference between these, so you should go tho the Minecraft. Open Minecraft then hit continue, next hit play create a new world.
Now, this isn’t necessarily representative of the overall horsepower of the processor, but it gives you an idea of what it’s like when you’re loading a video game, and you should see the frame rates are the same in both.
Thus, in our 6 DP displays, you really shouldn’t expect more than that, so in general, they’re going to be equally smooth between both of them. Now one final way is that what it can do is export a 4k video since computers need a lot of power to do the same thing in iOS or iPhones, and iPads, in general, are very good at this.
Move into iMovie we’ll close out Minecraft just to be fair, and close everything now go over to iMovie, and then go into it on this phone, and what you’ll see is this is the same video on both so you can shrink the timeline or make it a little bit bigger.
And let’s shrink it here to make it even, and what you’ll see is it’s the same video on both if you scroll to the end. Now you can export this in 4k and see what it takes as far as its time to do so. Hence, go ahead and slide these over and bring in a different iPhone as a stopwatch here and you can see what we can do so you can hit done on both of them, and then you hit share, then save the video and then select 4k.
However, you can see when you do this that the export is incredibly fast for both of the phones, they’re very similar as far as export times. As it is faster than many MacBooks that I’ve seen so in general, that’s very impressive.
Now both phones are quite impressive as far as speed, and they keep up well with the latest iPhone 11 Pro Max, and so you really shouldn’t have an issue there, and we think the determination of which one you should buy comes down to a couple of different things.
The first one being price $399 for an iPhone SE is pretty hard to beat and then just a little bit more if you want some more storage, but the iPhone XR can be pretty reasonable. However, the size of the course is the other determination, so not only price but size also matters.
Well, we may have an iPhone SE Plus later this year. As they’re both equally fast, they both take great video and photos and, I think either one is the right choice depending on what works best for you. Thus, we hope that you liked this article, and it may help you to know the difference between both smartphones.
In case, if you have any questions regarding the, should I buy new iPhone SE 2020 this year or iPhone XR then feel free to ask your questions in the comment section below, or you can also send your query via the contact us page.