If you’re looking for a new iPhone on a small budget, check out the iPhone SE or iPhone 11. A few years ago, Apple released only one version of the iPhone. Today, there is a whole range of products to choose from. If you’re on a tight budget but want a phone that can handle the latest version of iOS, you can choose between the iPhone SE and the iPhone 11.
Both phones have the same 64GB of storage, have a fast processor, and both cost under $500. We bring you a simple comparison of the two, if you decide to buy the iPhone SE or iPhone 11, please read on:
How big a screen do you want?
The iPhone SE’s design can be traced all the way back to the iPhone 6. Just like that phone, the iPhone SE’s screen doesn’t extend to the edges of the phone. Instead, there’s a large bezel on both the top and bottom. Because of those bezels taking up space, the iPhone SE only sports a 4.7-inch screen. Although the iPhone SE has a small display for a modern smartphone, it’s more pocketable and easier to use one-handed than the iPhone 11.
The iPhone 11 has an almost bezel-less, 6.1-inch, edge-to-edge display. Having a bigger screen makes the iPhone 11 a much better experience any time you’re consuming content. Whether that’s movies, games, or just scrolling through social media, having that bigger screen is going to give you a much more immersive viewing experience. Even if there is a notch at the top.
Do you need the fastest processor?
While neither phone is inferior in terms of power, the iPhone SE outperforms the older iPhone 11 in terms of original speed and performance.
The iPhone SE comes with Apple’s latest and most advanced A15 Bionic chip. That means you’ll get the same chips inside the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro series.
The iPhone SE has a retro design, but it has a modern chip with plenty of horsepower under the hood. The iPhone SE comes with the A15 Bionic chip, which means it can easily accomplish the most demanding tasks. Whether it’s multitasking, playing graphics-intensive games, or anything else you’re using your phone for, iPhone SE can keep up.
At the heart of the iPhone 11 is the A13 Bionic processor. The A13 Bionic processor was a beast in its time, but it’s now a few years old. While the A13 bionic processor isn’t as powerful as Apple’s latest mobile chipset, it still has enough power for most smartphone tasks, such as web browsing and watching videos.
The A13 Bionic can also still handle most mobile games, but if you want to play the most demanding titles, like Genshin Impact, you might experience some slowdown depending on what’s going on on-screen.
5G vs. 4G LTE
Choosing the iPhone SE means you’ll get the latest technology when it comes to speed and connectivity. The iPhone SE is fully 5G-capable, which means you’ll be able to take advantage of the global 5G network, which is now built and will only get bigger.
When you’re in a place where there’s no 5G signal, you always have the option to connect to a 4G network instead. Having 5G support means you can also access services like cloud gaming, whereas 4G doesn’t have that speed.
Since the iPhone 11 was a product from a few years ago, it is limited to 4G LTE. While 4G data isn’t inferior, and the needs of most users are met, it’s still an old technology with much slower data speeds than 5G.
The speed of 4G LTE is more than enough for watching HD videos or browsing social media, but when it comes to downloading large apps and files, you’ll notice the difference. Apps and software updates are only going to get bigger, and is limited to 4G on the iPhone 11 means you’ll spend more time waiting.
Face ID or Touch ID?
Like most of Apple’s iPhone products, the iPhone 11 has Face ID capabilities, but if you miss the days of unlocking your phone with your finger, the iPhone SE will meet your requirements.
If you like Touch ID, you’ll be happy to know that the iPhone SE has a good old-fashioned fingerprint scanner. While Apple has now phased out this feature on its flagship phones, there are still a large number of people who prefer to unlock their phones with their fingers instead of their faces. While Face ID has gotten better since it debuted on the iPhone X, most of the time, Touch ID is still faster and more reliable. This means you can get into your phone with less hassle.
The iPhone 11 is equipped with a Face ID scanner at the top of its display. Face ID is still Apple’s flagship unlocking technology, and it’s featured on all of Apple’s Pro series phones. Although it had its doubters, Face ID has proven itself to be fast and secure. Software updates even mean that Face ID has gotten even better at recognizing faces, even if they’re partially covered, making it easier than ever to unlock your phone.
Which iPhone Is More Future Proof?
The iPhone SE is designed with the latest features of iOS 15 in mind, which means you can use the full suite of features without any slowdowns. Since the iPhone SE has a newer processor, it will be able to handle future iOS versions in the coming years. And, since it’s a newer phone, it’s likely to last longer than the iPhone 11.
Although the iPhone 11 was launched back in 2019, it still has the ability to run iOS 15. That said, since it’s a few years older than the iPhone SE, it probably won’t last that long. While you can get iOS 15 to run on older phones like the iPhone 6S, its performance will feel sluggish on those devices. The iPhone 11 may be in the middle of its life cycle, but after a few years, it may age.
How should you choose?
Although they are priced similarly, the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE are two very different phones.
If you want a big-screen experience like Face ID and are willing to embrace an older processor, the iPhone 11 is for you. However, if you want a device that’s better suited to the future, and like the classic iPhone design with a physical Home key and Touch ID, the iPhone SE is exactly what you’ve been looking for.
