Disclaimer
I am a bit of an Apple fanboy so I am bound to be biased.
I am not a nerd like others around these parts so don't expect technobabble.
I haven't got a clue how to download to YouTube, and or keep the quality as pictures are made smaller to allow uploads to O2.
I don't mince words so like it or lump it.
Oh yeah i'm colourblind so hues, saturation & all the camera related stuff is useless, maybe you can tell me in the comments?
Yes yes.. i'm getting there!
The phone market has always been.. 'bigger is better' but for oldies like me with dropsy syndrome (or spazzyhands as I call them) 'bigger isn't better' ... it's 'more expensive' (especially when you drop them). So I am always on the lookout for 'faster but smaller'
I was ecstatic when Apple released the original iPhone SE as the 6S Plus had just reached a whopping 5.5" (not big by today's standards but far too big for me)
With a 4" screen, the SE was perfect but as the years went by, with my music collection growing rapidly the 16gb onboard was a real pain, my waning eyesight meant i was looking out for something bigger. I didn't want to pay a fortune but desperately needed something bigger & that was a 6S Plus from GiffGaff.. and as expected the floor related hand disorder reared its ugly head.
So imagine my delight when this beauty was announced. Yay. no more gravity related excursions!
See, I do get there in the end!
Review day was a Wednesday when i was out and about on the bike & the phone was on 4G the whole day, connected to my Apple Watch via bluetooth. (no wifi at all)
I'd never had a red phone (not that it makes much difference to me) but the resale prices tend to be a bit higher & it means i've also contributed something to charity! (via Apple) which is a bonus.
The day starts here...
0903 & the phone is taken off charge (yes laziness. I got up at 9am.. sue me)
0945 perusing the O2 community forum (obvs) the news & Free Postcode Lottery to a name while chowing down on my porridge has left the battery at 97%
1113 the battery is showing 89%. I've just cycled 12 miles, with Madonna blasting down the airpods (yes I was off road) The Apple Watch is recording the journey & the iPhone is providing location services. (which has to be a battery drain)
1324 & i'm with my nephew & his mate at the skate park (all socially distancing of course) & it's time to test the camera. I'm a point & shoot kinda person.. if I capture something & it's not blurred.. it's a win!! I'm taking pictures & shooting 4k video sometimes in slow mo to see how it all works. I am no aficionado & I won't know how they come out till I get home!
Despite recording all the videos in 4k, YouTube doesn't want to process them. Comparing them to what's on my phone they look very drab.. which disappoints me as I don't think it shows off what the camera is capable of (or it could be that i'm doing something wrong in the upload process)
1330 the battery is at 75% and now for a ride home taking a few snaps along the way.
I did a few stabilisation tests but I thought me trying to ride & take a few road humps would be the best..
And to be fair.. it doesn't do a bad job
1413 i'm home & the battery is on 64%
1432 & i'm checking out the videos.. editing & deleting for your pleasure.. 62%
1454 the editing is done & the battery is at 54% & i start sending the 4K video to my nephew for him to look at!
1536 i'm looking at Snapchat & browsing the web. we're at 46%
For the next few hours i'm texting the olds, making a few calls but not much else.
2027 & i'm off to ASDA for a few bits, the battery is at 28%, music blasting in my ears.
You can see the same lamppost in both shots. I literally took 20 steps between shots. I don't think the camera does a bad job of pointing & shooting.. The sun off the road is bizarre colour (so I'm told)
2232 we're at 14%
And that's the day done..
Size & weight
4.7" is small enough for me to handle without fear of dropping & it also fits in a standard pocket (if there's such a thing) I found that the 6S Plus was always poking out, making a fallout or a take out inevitable (fortunately no one took it) And it's not to weighty either, again making it easy for me to keep a hold of.
Accessories
The phone is exactly the same size as the iphone 7/8 making it easy get hold of accessories. A new quad lock case for the SE 2020 retails at just under £23.. but I managed to get an iphone 7/8 version secondhand from Ebay for £15. (yay)
If you're upgrading from an iPhone 6 you'll have to order a new case.. the differences are tiny but the cases just don't fit no matter how you try.. & i'm talking less than millimetres here
- iPhone SE 2020 - 138.4mm x 67.3mm x 7.3mm
- iPhone 7 - 138.3mm x 67.1mm x 7.1mm
- iPhone 8 - 138.3mm x 67.1mm x 7.1mm
iPhone 6s - 138.3mm x 67.1mm x 7.1mmiPhone 6 - 138.1mm x 67mm x 6.9mm
Camera
I am no Bossgogg so the features mean very little. My previous phone cameras have been **** to say the least, but good enough to point & shoot. Sadly most of the features won't get used other than to produce this review. To know i've got a decent clicker is fab.. I see those videos of (supposed) UFO's and thought if I ever saw one & used my phone to record it.. that would be my video, but not any more.. with this camera I think I could cash in!
The downside.. portrait mode.. it works.. but i'm guessing with only one camera & Apple software not being up to the standard on some Android phones (NO that was not an Android compliment) it was bound to be less than wonderful. I haven't shown you a portrait pic as i don't want to subject you ladies to my awesome good looks (there isn't enough of me to go round) & gents.. I wouldn't want your wives banging down my door (There's only one woman for me & that's the Queen of Pop)
Looks
It's a phone.. it has a screen & a back.. erm.. what else can I say. Actually.. the bump.. it's tiny.. These new fangled things with 55 sticky out bits leave your phone wobbling when you plonk it down, it annoys me.. No such issues here (another yay in my book)
And I guess I best mention the bezels.. as big as older iPhone models it's based on. I'm not into all this under the screen sonic stuff. The tiny bit of feedback from the physical press is good enough for me.. but if you want massive full screen ratio.. you are so barking up the wrong tree here!
Sounds
With a forward facing speaker (earpiece) & the downward, sounds are better than the 1st gen SE but not as good as the bigger iPhones. (I'm guessing that's down to the size) Don't get me wrong the sound is acceptable just not what i'm used
Battery
To be honest i'm quite disappointed with 1,821 mAh battery. The day I did this review the battery seemed fine, but then there are other days & i wonder wth i did to make it drain.
I can't give you a good average screen on time because when i'm out the screen is off with Madge blaring either through the airpods or wirelessly through my cans.
Checking the last 10 days it says the average screen on time is 4h24 & off time is 1h42. The most screen on time is just under 7 hours & the least about 3h32. it's mind boggling because my days aren't that different but the battery usage often is!
Does it get me through the day? 99.5% of the time yes
Do i carry a battery pack with me just in case. yes
But i'm guessing the hardcore user wouldn't be able to make it through a full day. (my 6S Plus always had 20-30% spare)
Charging
I'm very impressed with the charging speed. It's capable of 18w apparently.. which means nothing to me. The faster the better is what I want but not at the expense of degrading the battery.
So as a test I ran the the phone until it turned off.
I charged the phone with my Anker battery pack &
after only 30 minutes it was at 59% which shocked me..
after an hour it was at 88%
and back to 100% after 1h21. I've never had a phone charge that quick... ever!
Storage
Apple have finally realised that 16/32gb is no good.. (not before time) So the SE starts with a minimum 64gb which is perfect for me and for most average users (if there is such a thing) I think it will be ideal!
Price
£420.. Apple are known for being overpriced but considering what's inside (the latest A13 chip & latest camera) I don't think this is overpriced for an Apple product. I know I know you can get Android phones with a lot, for a lot less.
But for me with an Apple watch & my olds on Apple devices too.. this was really my only option.. Yes i am an Apple fanboy (fanman sounds weird) and can't really think of a phone that has made me want to leave the Apple ecosystem. I tried a S9+ for a few months last year & the only thing i truly missed from that phone was the camera and with this phone I think that has been sorted, for me anyway.
Do I regret buying it? Nope, the screen size drop was only noticeable for the first few days
Would I recommend it? Yes, if you don't need a big screen or 55 cameras.
Value for money? I think so!
Does anyone else have one? Considering buying one? Be good to hear other opinions!
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