Iphone Se Vs Iphone 5s Difference

iPhone 5S vs iPhone SE: small, skillful-looking, powerful – finally, a true iPhone 5S update.

One of Apple's all-time-loved phones ever has received a spiritual successor. The iPhone SE looks and handles only similar the iPhone 5S and it's available to buy right now.

But, should y'all exist upgrading your iPhone 5S for this new model?

Two-and-a-half years is a long time in tech, so but how does the the small, yet powerful iPhone SE stack up confronting its older brother? Let's accept a look.

Video – iPhone SE in ninety seconds: All you need to know

iPhone SE vs iPhone 5S: Design

iPhone SE: Brushed aluminium casing with matte chamfered edges, 113g, 7.6mm thick, Space Gray/Argent/Gold/Rose Gold
iPhone 5S: Brushed aluminium casing with shiny chamfered edges, 112g, seven.6mm thick, Space Grayness/Silver/Golden

The iPhone 5S (and the iPhone five earlier information technology) was, and still is, a blueprint icon. It'due south easily the nearly beautiful handset Apple tree has ever produced, and it's aged surprisingly well.

While nosotros're big fans of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S, they're nowhere about as iconic equally the previous generation.

In particular, those chamfered edges continue to influence devices today, and the all-metal body yet feels smashing (if a little abrasive) in the hand. Many will exist thrilled to larn that although the iPhone 5S is being discontinued, its legacy will alive on.

Related: iPhone SE features and specs – 10 things you demand to know

The iPhone SE looks virtually duplicate from its parting blood brother; with the flat back, matte sides and lock-switch on the top.

In fact, just nearly the only difference is a switch from shiny chamfered edges to matte chamfered edges in the newer handset, and the introduction of a Rose Gold colour option. Oh, and the iPhone SE is a gram heavier, but that's really not noticeable.

Would a new design take been welcome? Of grade. Just these remain two of the near handsome phones out there.

iPhone SE vs iPhone 5S: Screen

iPhone SE: iv-inch IPS LCD, 1,136 x 640 resolution, 326ppi
iPhone 5S: four-inch IPS LCD, 1,136 x 640 resolution, 326ppi

If yous're one of the many folk who continued to cradle that trusty iPhone 5S because of its manageable iv-inch display, y'all're in for a treat with the iPhone SE.

Apple tree's latest handset retains the iPhone 5S's small grade, which sits below just well-nigh every other device on the market.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 has a 5.ane-inch display, the iPhone 6S sits at 4.7 inches, and Google'southward Nexus 6P looks seriously massive in comparing at 5.vii inches.

Related: iPhone 7 release date

The iPhone SE has the exact aforementioned Retina brandish seen on the iPhone 5 and 5S. That means that it has a 1,136 x 640 resolution.

This also means that the iPhone SE's screen is far from the best on the market. Indeed, it's arguably the third-best display in Apple tree'due south smartphone range (fifth if you count the iPhone 6 and 6S families as separate here).

Nonetheless, nosotros described this faithful old screen as "perfectly acceptable" in our iPhone SE review. At this size, you won't find a ameliorate 1.

iPhone SE vs iPhone 5S: Ability

iPhone SE: Apple A9 1.84GHz Dual-cadre 'Twister' CPU, PowerVR GT7600 six-core GPU, 2GB RAM, 16GB/64GB storage
iPhone 5S: Apple A7 1.3GHz Dual-cadre 'Cyclone' CPU, PowerVR G6430 quad-cadre GPU, 1GB RAM, 16GB/32GB/64GB storage

The insides of the SE take much more than in mutual with the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus than the iPhone 5S. It'due south quite the feat of engineering.

Keeping everything ticking along is an A9 processor, as opposed to the older A7 from the iPhone 5S. There'southward besides the M9 co-processor, upwardly from the M7, which handles motion sensing for fitness and navigation apps.

The performance upgrade from the iPhone 5S to the iPhone SE is noticeable throughout, but peculiarly when playing processor-intensive games. In fact, our gaming benchmark tests revealed the iPhone SE to perform slightly better than the iPhone 6S, cheers to the fact that information technology has fewer pixels to push effectually on its smaller brandish.

Related: Best iPhone 5S Deals

Just like the processor, the iPhone SE has the same 2GB RAM equally the iPhone 6S, doubling that of the 5S. Again, this helps heave operation considerably, and you'll find that far more than apps stay agile in the background set up to be pulled up in an instant.

Particularly annoying virtually the iPhone SE is that it still has a base storage of 16GB – exactly the same as the 5S when it came out in 2013. Apps, games and media in general are far more sizeable these days and 16GB only isn't enough.

However, Apple will sell you a 64GB version of the iPhone SE, which we'd thoroughly recommend. Upon release the iPhone 5S was also available in a 32GB diverseness, merely Apple has since done abroad with such an selection.

iPhone SE vs iPhone 5S: Camera

iPhone SE: 12MP, f/two.two aperture lens, 1/3″ sensor, one.22 µm pixel size, Alive photos; 4K video, 240fps @ 720p slo-mo
iPhone 5S: 8MP, f/2.2 discontinuity lens, 1/3″ sensor, 1.5 µm pixel size, 1080p video, 120fps @ 720p slo-mo

Similarities are rife on the exterior, but below its glossy frame numerous changes brand the iPhone SE a rather unique prospect.

Just as it does with the CPU, Apple tree has stuck with the same fantastic camera tech in the iPhone SE that information technology used in the iPhone 6S, including a 12-megapixel sensor capable of capturing 4K and 240fps slo-motion video. The iPhone 5S has a lower 8-megapixel sensor and maxes out at 1080p video, as well as a less impressive 120fps slo-mo selection.

The f/2.2 aperture is the same, merely the iPhone 5S technically employs larger pixels. You lot wouldn't notice this by comparing low-low-cal results, all the same, with the iPhone SE'south camera performing a little better. Yous'll also exist able to capture moving Live Photos in the SE, which is another feature not available on the iPhone 5S.

Both phones use a dual-tone LED wink for supposedly softer and natural peel tones. Information technology works, as well, creating more natural (if far from perfect) results that lack the same level of artificial glare equally in rival efforts.

One area that hasn't seen an upgrade is the forepart-facing selfie camera. On the 5S information technology was 1.2MP and it'due south still the aforementioned on the SE, though the improved digital processing that comes with the A9 processor should give you slightly better photos.

iPhone SE vs iPhone 5S: Battery & features

iPhone SE: 1624 mAh battery, Apple Pay, Touch ID
iPhone 5S: 1560 mAh battery, Touch ID

Smaller phones have far less space to house more generous batteries. Just, as is axiomatic from the figures higher up, the iPhone SE sees some meaning improvements in the bombardment section. It gains x extra hours of Audio, three more hours of video and three more for Wi-Fi and LTE browsing.

Part of this is downwardly to the fact that Apple tree has somehow managed to squeeze in a physically larger bombardment than the iPhone 5S. Another reason is the more efficient A9 CPU in the newer telephone.

Apple claims that the iPhone SE's battery life is 50 pct amend than on the iPhone 5S, and nosotros plant that this is pretty much true in general usage. The newer telephone has impressive stamina.

Aside from the obvious improvements to the camera and internals of the handset, another new feature that could prove to be worth the price of upgrade is Apple Pay.

The mobile wallet we first saw with the iPhone 6 is easily the slickest virtual payment solution yet, and its convenience and wide support hateful its inclusion hither is corking.

Both phones accept a Affect ID fingerprint sensor built into the home button, although the iPhone SE version doesn't employ the same lightning-fast second-generation sensor equally the iPhone 6S. That'due south a shame, just the A9 CPU does speed things up noticeably compared to the iPhone 5S.

Verdict

These ii phones may look and feel nearly identical, but the iPhone SE is a meaning upgrade over the iPhone 5S in near of the ways that matter.

Thanks to some iPhone 6S-flavoured internal magic, the iPhone SE is significantly faster than its 4-inch predecessor. It likewise has much better bombardment life, and it takes noticeably better pictures.

If all that wasn't enough, the SE also benefits from Apple Pay support, so you tin stroll into a store and make payments from the new meaty telephone.

While we would have liked a new design from Apple, the iPhone SE is the best small telephone on the market by quite a considerable margin. If Apple's switch to a larger form factor has left you common cold in recent years, it's a worthy upgrade.

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