Apple still supports the iPhone 6s but that device is well past its prime now. Even if you don’t use your phone heavily, you should consider upgrading to the 2020 iPhone SE for the massive improvements it brings to the table. Read this comparison to know why the iPhone SE is worth upgrading to from the iPhone 6s.
The iPhone SE brings noticeable improvements over the iPhone 6s in the display, camera, performance, battery life, and connectivity departments. These are improvements that you are going to immediately notice within a few hours of using the device.
iPhone 6s to 2020 iPhone SE – Upgrade or Not?
Design
- 2020 iPhone SE – 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm, 148gms, IP67 certified, 2nd gen. Touch ID
- iPhone 6s – 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm, 143gms, 2nd gen. Touch ID, 3.5mm headphone jack
The design of the 2020 iPhone SE is an evolution of the iPhone 6/6s. The front design of the devices is identical and you will struggle to find the differences there. It is the rear where things are really different. The 2020 iPhone SE features a glass back at the rear which gives it a better in-hand feel. The glass back also means the iPhone SE supports Qi wireless charging. However, the glass back also makes the iPhone SE more fragile and makes it necessary to use a case. Otherwise, if you drop the phone, there is always a chance that the rear glass panel could crack or shatter. On the plus side, the iPhone SE will not have any #bendgate issues which plagued the original iPhone 6 series.
Display
- 2020 iPhone SE – 4.7-inch Retina HD, 1334 x 750 resolution, 326 ppi, Haptic Touch, 625nits brightness
- iPhone 6s – 4.7-inch Retina display, 1334 x 750 resolution, 326 ppi, 500nits brightness, 3D Touch
Both iPhones come with the same 4.7-inch IPS LCD display. However, the panel on the iPhone SE is a newer generation one that offers higher brightness levels, better contrast, better and more accurate colors, and viewing angles. When upgrading from the iPhone 6s to the iPhone SE, you might not get any improvement in screen size, but the jump in display quality would be easily noticeable.
Chipset
- 2020 iPhone SE – A13 Bionic, Third-generation Neural engine
- iPhone 6s – A9 chip
The A9 chip inside the iPhone 6s was extremely fast for its time. That was a few years ago though. Now, it is likely that Apple could end up dropping support for the chipset entirely with iOS 14. In comparison, the A13 Bionic chip inside the 2020 iPhone SE is the fastest chipset on a mobile device right now. It packs more than enough power and grunt to run all heavy apps and games that you throw at it without any issues. The third-generation Neural engine will also make sure that the iPhone SE is able to quickly finish all AI tasks.
Storage and RAM
- 2020 iPhone SE – 3GB RAM | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB storage variants
- iPhone 6s – 2GB RAM | 32GB, 128GB storage variants
The iPhone SE offers more RAM and storage than the iPhone 6s. For its time, the iPhone 6s shipped with a respectable 2GB RAM but that’s not enough in this day and age. The iPhone SE features 3GB RAM which will make it count when one starts running multiple apps at once. The iPhone SE also comes with higher base storage and is available in more storage variants giving consumers plenty of choice in this regard.
Connectivity
- 2020 iPhone SE – Gigabit LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Dual-SIM, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC with reader mode, Express Cards with power reserve
- iPhone 6s – LTE-A, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, Express Cards
The iPhone SE features faster LTE, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity when compared to the iPhone 6s. The Gigabit modem inside the device will not only offer faster mobile data speeds, but it will also offer superior network reception especially in areas with poor connectivity. Additionally, the device has handy features like Dual-SIM connectivity with eSIM support which could be a boon for users who frequently travel abroad or have multiple phone lines. The NFC and Express Cards feature is also better on the iPhone SE as they can work even when your device has run out of battery.
Camera
- 2020 iPhone SE – 12MP, f/1.8 aperture, OIS, Portrait Lightning, Stereo recording, 4K 60fps video recording, 7MP f/2.2 FaceTime HD camera
- iPhone 6s – 12MP, f/2.2 aperture, 4K 30fps video recording, 5MP f/2.2 FaceTime HD camera
The iPhone SE and the iPhone 6s might have the same resolution rear camera but there’s a world of difference between the two in terms of quality. The iPhone SE’s 12MP sensor is not only bigger than that of the iPhone 6s, but it also has a wider aperture and OIS. Throw in the improved image processing and you get a notably improved camera performance over the iPhone 6s. The phone is also better at recording video as it can record 4K videos at 60fps with improved dynamic range and stabilization.
Battery Life and Charging
- 2020 iPhone SE – Up to 13 hours video playback, Fast wired charging, 7.5W Qi wireless charging, 5W power adapter bundled
- iPhone 6s – Up to 11 hours video playback, 10W wired charging, 5W power adapter bundled
Despite the same size as the iPhone 6s, the iPhone SE offers better and longer battery life than it. This is due to the iPhone SE using more power-efficient components. Even better, the iPhone SE 2020 supports 18W fast wired charging and Qi wireless charging. The former is a useful feature to have when your phone’s battery is running low and you have to go out, while the latter makes topping up the device’s battery convenient.
iPhone 6s vs 2020 iPhone SE – Why You Should Upgrade
Irrespective of how much you love your iPhone 6s, it is clear that it is due for an upgrade. The 2020 iPhone SE is the perfect choice for existing iPhone 6s owners who want a more powerful and competent device in the same package. What’s important is that you don’t just decide on upgrading to the iPhone SE based on the specs of both devices. The iPhone SE brings massive improvements in every major aspect and the differences are going to be easily noticeable in daily use.
For $399, the iPhone SE also offers a great amount of value for money that is really hard to beat, especially if you want to still stay in the Apple ecosystem and want a brand new iPhone.
If you decide to buy the new iPhone SE, then check out our post for the best iPhone SE deals. We would also love to know why did you decide to buy or not buy iPhone SE, so please also share your thoughts in the comments below.
