What are the pros of Apple iPhone SE (2020) Review: Compact A13 Performance?

Compact and lightweight , Reliable A13 Bionic performance , Touch ID Home button , Good daylight camera , 4K video recording , Qi wireless charging , IP67 water resistance , Current iOS compatibility

What are the cons of Apple iPhone SE (2020) Review: Compact A13 Performance?

Weak battery life , Small 4.7-inch 60Hz LCD , Large bezels , No 5G , No Night mode , No ultra-wide or telephoto camera , No Apple Intelligence support , Discontinued

How much does Apple iPhone SE (2020) Review: Compact A13 Performance cost?

The Apple iPhone SE (2020) Review: Compact A13 Performance is priced at $399 – $549.

Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation) product image

Primary

Apple 2020

iPhone SE (2nd generation)

Apple iPhone SE (2020) Review: Compact A13 Performance

Display 750 × 1334 pixels

Camera 1080p @30fps gyro-EIS

Performance Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+)

Size 4.7 inches

Expert Score

7.7

95% Confidence

Community Score

6.5

0% Confidence

AI Score

7.6

91% Confidence

Final Score

7.4

93% Confidence

Storage

RAM

Color

Regional

Carrier

In Stock

$0 – $549 $399

Lowest $399 Save $399

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Category Scores

A compact and still responsive iPhone with good software support, but dated battery life, display technology and connectivity.

Performance Great

The A13 Bionic remains responsive for everyday t...

Display Good

The 4.7-inch LCD is accurate and sharp enough, b...

Camera Great

The single 12MP camera performs well in daylight...

Battery Good

Battery life is one of the phone’s weakest areas...

Gaming Good

The A13 chip can run many games, but the small d...

AI Fair

The phone supports older machine-learning featur...

Security Great

Touch ID, Secure Enclave and current iOS securit...

Value for Money Good

It can be worthwhile only at a low refurbished p...

Design Great

The compact glass-and-aluminum body is comfortab...

Repairability Good

Its older design is easier to service than newer...

Software Support Excellent

Apple continues to support the iPhone SE 2nd gen...

Connectivity Good

4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC and Lightnin...

Audio Great

Stereo speakers provide clear sound, though ther...

Durability Great

The aluminum frame and IP67 rating offer reasona...

Charging Great

Fast charging and Qi wireless charging are usefu...

Specifications

Display 7

Size 4.7 inches

Type Retina IPS LCD

Resolution 750 × 1334 pixels

Pixel Density 326 PPI

Refresh Rate 60 Hz

Brightness 625 nits (advertised)

Protection Ion-strengthened glass, oleophobic coating

Processor 3

Chipset Key Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+)

CPU Hexa-core (2×2.65 GHz Lightning + 4×1.8 GHz Thunder)

Process 7 nm+

GPU 1

Graphics Apple GPU (4-core graphics)

Memory 3

RAM Key 3 GB

Virtual RAM Key No

Type LPDDR4X

Storage 4

Internal 64 GB / 128 GB / 256 GB

Type NVMe

Expandable No

Card Slot No

Battery 3

Capacity 1821 mAh

Type Lithium-Ion (non-removable)

Endurance Up to 13 hours video playback (advertised)

Charging 4

Wired 18W wired charging support (50% in 30 mins; ships with 5W adapter)

Bypass No

Wireless 7.5W Qi wireless charging

Reverse Wired No

Camera 4

Main 12 MP wide, f/1.8, 28mm, PDAF, OIS

Telephoto No

Ultra Wide No

Features Quad-LED dual-tone flash, Smart HDR, Portrait Mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control

Front Camera 3

Sensor 7 MP wide, f/2.2

Aperture f/2.2

Video 1080p @30fps, gyro-EIS

Video 2

Max Resolution 4K @24/30/60fps, 1080p @30/60/120/240fps

Features Optical image stabilization (OIS), stereo sound recording, cinematic video stabilization

Connectivity 7

Network 4G LTE, HSPA, GSM, CDMA

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), dual-band, hotspot

Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE

NFC Yes (Apple Pay only)

Infrared No

USB Lightning, USB 2.0

Positioning GPS, GLONASS

SIM 2

Type Nano-SIM + eSIM dual standby

eSIM Yes

Sensors 3

Fingerprint Touch ID front-mounted fingerprint sensor (haptic Home button)

Haptics Taptic Engine x-axis linear haptic motor

Other Sensors Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, compass, barometer

Dimensions 3

Height 138.4 mm

Width 67.3 mm

Depth 7.3 mm

Weight 1

Weight 148 g

Materials 4

Frame Key Aerospace-grade 7000-series aluminum frame

Front Glass

Back Glass with glossy finish

Water Resistance IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 mins)

Colors 1

Options Black, White, (PRODUCT)RED

Operating System 2

OS iOS 13

Updates Broad long-term software upgrade support lifecycle (confirmed up to iOS 20/27 compatible updates)

AI Features 2

Photography A13 computational photography pipelines, advanced portrait mapping, Smart HDR lighting adjustments

NPU Third-generation 8-core Neural Engine for local machine learning acceleration

Security 2

Biometrics Touch ID fingerprint recognition

Platform Secure Enclave hardware protection security core

Audio 2

Speakers Built-in stereo speakers

Headphone Jack No (Supports Lightning or Bluetooth audio alternatives)

Benchmarks 3

AnTuTu v8 ~462,253

Geekbench 5 Multi ~3,130

Geekbench 5 Single ~1,332

Release 3

Announced April 15, 2020

Released April 24, 2020

Status Discontinued / Legacy product lifecycle

Expert Review

By Mutwassim

Design

The iPhone SE (2020) reuses the familiar iPhone 8 design with thick top and bottom bezels, a physical Home button and Touch ID. Its compact 138.4 mm height and 148 g weight make it much easier to use one-handed than most modern phones.

Display

The 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD has a 1334 x 750 resolution, 326 ppi density, True Tone and wide-color support. It is accurate and readable, but the small size, large bezels and 60Hz refresh rate feel dated.

Performance

The A13 Bionic chip remains capable of messaging, browsing, social media, navigation and light editing. Newer games and demanding applications expose its age, but everyday responsiveness is still acceptable.

Gaming

The A13 GPU can run many popular games, but the small screen, limited battery capacity and heat buildup make it unsuitable for long gaming sessions.

Camera

The single 12MP rear camera includes optical image stabilization, Smart HDR, Portrait mode and 4K video recording up to 60 fps. Daylight results remain good, but there is no Night mode, ultra-wide lens or optical zoom camera.

Battery

Apple rated the phone for up to 13 hours of video playback when new. In 2026, battery condition matters more than the original rating, and many used units may require a battery replacement.

Software

The iPhone SE (2020) launched with iOS 13 and remains compatible with current iOS releases. It receives security updates and modern app support, although some newer features require more recent hardware.

Ai

The A13 Neural Engine supports computational photography, Siri and on-device machine-learning features. It does not support Apple Intelligence, which requires newer Apple silicon.

Connectivity

The device supports Gigabit-class LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS, dual SIM through nano-SIM and eSIM, and a Lightning connector. It does not support 5G.

Pros

Compact and lightweight
Reliable A13 Bionic performance
Touch ID Home button
Good daylight camera
4K video recording
Qi wireless charging
IP67 water resistance
Current iOS compatibility

Cons

Weak battery life
Small 4.7-inch 60Hz LCD
Large bezels
No 5G
No Night mode
No ultra-wide or telephoto camera
No Apple Intelligence support
Discontinued

The iPhone SE (2020) was designed for buyers who wanted a smaller and more affordable iPhone without giving up strong processing power. Apple paired the familiar iPhone 8 chassis with the A13 Bionic chip used in the iPhone 11 series. The phone has a 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD with True Tone, a 1334 x 750 resolution and wide-color support. Its single 12MP rear camera includes optical image stabilization, Portrait mode, Smart HDR and 4K video recording up to 60 fps. The 7MP front camera supports Portrait mode and 1080p video. Touch ID is integrated into the Home button, while the glass-and-aluminum body supports IP67 water resistance, Qi wireless charging and fast charging with an appropriate adapter. The phone launched with iOS 13 and remains compatible with current iOS releases, although its A13 chip does not support Apple Intelligence.

Verdict

The iPhone SE (2020) remains usable because of its A13 chip, compact size, Touch ID and ongoing iOS compatibility. However, poor battery endurance, large bezels, a small LCD, no 5G and no Apple Intelligence make it difficult to recommend except as a very inexpensive refurbished phone.

Final: 7.4/10 Best for: General users Segment: Unknown

Product Intelligence

Compact 4.7-inch body Apple A13 Bionic chip Touch ID Home button 12MP camera with OIS 4K video up to 60 fps IP67 water resistance Qi wireless charging Current iOS compatibility

Who Should Buy

Buyers who specifically want a very compact iPhone with Touch ID, basic daily performance and current iOS compatibility at a low refurbished price.

Who Should Avoid

Users who need long battery life, 5G, a modern edge-to-edge display, multiple cameras, Apple Intelligence or strong gaming endurance.

Key Takeaways

The compact size and Touch ID remain distinctive
The A13 chip is still usable for everyday tasks
Battery life is weak by modern standards
There is no 5G or Apple Intelligence support
A refurbished unit should only be purchased with verified battery health

Buying Recommendation

Consider it only when compact size and Touch ID are essential and the price is very low. A newer iPhone SE, iPhone 13 mini or iPhone 16e is a better long-term purchase.