The 2020 iPhone SE packs in a top-spec processor and flagship features at a bargain price, but dated design and bad battery hold it back

The new Apple iPhone SE is indeed one of the most compact smartphones not only within the iPhone ranks but among the Android phones as well. It is thin and lightweight, yet powerful and dependable, with great speakers and a high-quality screen, and impresses with camera performance even if it misses...

Compact and lightweight, water-resistant; Bright and high-contrast screen; Outstanding performance from the A13 chip; Loud stereo speakers; Touch ID is back and we love it; Excellent daylight photos and good low-light ones; Very good video recording capabilities with proficient stabilization.

The iPhone SE 2020 is the best cheap smartphone for most people – its camera, build quality and speed all match more expensive phones. Its smaller screen will also please those who feel left behind by ever-larger devices.

Premium build; Excellent processor; Very impressive camera; Great value; Waterproof

Average battery life; No haptic touch on lock screen; No Night Mode in camera

The iPhone SE (2020) comes in at a price tag that in Apple world has to count as a bargain; to be honest, if an Android offered this performance for £419/$399 we'd be calling it superb value for money.

Unmatched performance; Impressive image quality; industry-leading 4K video capture; Great price; Compact form factor; easy to use with one hand; iOS and the ecosystem (AirPods; Apple Watch; etc); Support for wireless charging

Mediocre battery life; Dated look on the front with big bezels; Only one small size that won’t fit everyone (no Plus model); Slow 5W charger in the box; No Night Mode; no telephoto camera; no ultra-wide camera

While it may lack the design clout of more recent iPhones and is missing creature comforts such as an OLED display and Face ID, the iPhone SE 2020 is world-class in almost every other regard, and the fact that it can be purchased for £400 is nothing less than amazing.

With the iPhone SE, Apple has released an attractive smartphone that shines with a fast processor, a great screen, fast Wi-Fi and a long update period. Additionally, it is waterproof and compatible with wireless charging.

bright; color-accurate display; snappy SoC; supports Wi-Fi 6 and a wide range of LTE frequencies; IP67 certification; wireless charging; lightweight and slim; good locating capabilities

weak power adapter; non-expandable storage; poor screen-to-body ratio; only a single-camera; mediocre call quality; only 12 months of warranty

This is the phone to get if you just want a new iPhone that will last you a few years, but don’t want to pay a lot for it. The iPhone SE 2020 offers ‘decent but not top-end’ performance: a good camera, enough power, a great App Store to plunder and a lighter iPhone than recent models.

Lightweight frame; Low price for iPhone; Powerful chipset

Battery life could be better; Old screen technology; No headphone jack

A perfectly fine iPhone which lacks a few flagship features, with serious performance capacity slightly hindered by poor battery

App store; Smooth operating

Battery life isn’t great

NEW DELHI: Is it the smaller iPhone? Is it the cheaper iPhone? We would argue it’s neither. The Apple iPhone SE is another iPhone, sure, but it’s small because other phones are too big and it’s cheap because other iPhones are too expensive.