Apple iPhone SE (2020) is Here, but is it Worth It?

Staff Writer / 28-05-2020 / Reviews

Apple’s main goal with the release of the new iPhone SE in 2020 is to break into the mid-tier market, which has been dominated by other tech giants like Samsung and Huawei in recent years. Except for the previous SE, all Apple iPhones to date have been targeted to the high-end market who want the latest, flagship devices with all the bells and whistles. The iPhone SE is basically an iPhone 8 on steroids, but are the trade-offs worth the lower price tag?

OPERATING SYSTEM

The iPhone SE will ship with Apple’s iOS 13 operating system and will be upgradeable to newer versions of the OS for at least the next four to five years, giving the phone a longer lifespan.

DISPLAY

The new internals are encased in a familiar design of the iPhone 8, with a few marginal differences. You get a 4.7-inch Retina IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen at a resolution of 750 x 1334 pixels. It’s pretty small by today’s standards, but for people who long for the good old days of a phone you can operate with one hand, this is definitely going to scratch that itch.

HARDWARE

The iPhone SE is dust and water-resistant with a rating of IP67, giving it a maximum exposure of one metre for up to 30 minutes.

Under the hood is an A13 Bionic Chip and 3GB RAM, making it a pretty powerful device for the price. In fact, it’s basically the internals of the iPhone 11 crammed into a slightly improved iPhone 8 case.

BATTERY AND CHARGING

The iPhone SE features QI wireless charging, with up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with an 18W adapter or higher. However, don’t expect the 1821 mAh battery to last a full day with heavy use. In general, the iPhone SE delivers up to 14 hours of talk time, 12 hours of internet use, 13 hours of video playback and 40 hours of audio playback.

CAMERAS

The iPhone SE features a single lens 12MP wide rear camera with digital zoom up to 5x and portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control. The front “selfie” camera is a 7MP shooter with retina flash.

You also get 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps, and 720p HD video recording at 30 fps.

The extended dynamic range for video is up to 30 fps. It also offers optical image stabilisation, 3x digital zoom and slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps.

STORAGE AND SPACE

The SE comes with three storage options: 64GB, 128GB and 256GB without, of course, the capability to add more memory.

COMPARISON

Apple manufactured the iPhone SE 2020 as a follow-up to its popular 2016 version. For years, Android phone manufacturers enjoyed the benefits of the mid-tier smartphone category, with Apple largely uninterested in competing until now.

VERDICT

The bottom line is that Apple created the 2020 version of the iPhone SE to grab some of the lucrative mid-tier smartphone market share and allow people to join the Apple ecosystem at a fairly reasonable price, which is awesome.

If you’ve been wanting to get an iPhone but couldn’t justify the high price, this is your chance. Just keep in mind that the device is much smaller than current competitors on the market, but if that’s not an issue for you, the SE offers a high-quality iPhone experience.

RELEASE DATE

This nifty device from Apple is already available for sale to South Africans.

TECH NEWS

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Honor 200 Lite Review: The New Budget Hero?

If you like your smartphones lightweight but heavy on the camera specs, you should consider the Honor 200 Lite.Honor has been promoting the phone’s sleek design, impressive camera, and competitive pricing of its newest device, but does it deliver on its promises? In this Honor 200 Lite review, we’re taking a look at the Honor 200 Lite's features, performance, and overall value. From its display quality to battery life, we’re covering all the aspects you need to know before committing with your cash.  Is the Honor 200 Lite the perfect budget smartphone for you?Let’s find out!Design and Build QualityThe Honor 200 Lite sports a high-quality plastic body with a sparkly, shimmer-like finish that adds to its premium feel. Here in South Africa, the phone is only available in two colours –  Starry Blue and Midnight Black.It’s a sleek looking device on the outside and when you unlock it, you’ll find that the design features carry over to the inside as well.  At the back you get a well-placed rear camera module, and on-screen you have minimal bezels, giving you a bigger screen effect for all your streaming marathons.Weighing in at just 166 grams, including the battery, the Honor Lite 200 is one of the lightest, slimmest models on the market right now, making it easy to carry around in your pocket, handbag or in hand.DisplayThe phone boasts a 6.7-inch AMOLED Sunlight display with a resolution of 2412 x 1080 pixels.This means get you vibrant and clear visuals whether you’re scrolling from the comfort of your couch or out in the bright South African sunshine.Touch responsiveness on the Honor 200 Lite is pretty smooth, really enhancing the user experience. You also have the option of multi-touch gestures with up to 10 touch points supported on screen, so if you’re into gaming, this device is a budget winner.PerformanceProcessor: CPU Model, MediaTek Dimensity 6080CPU Type: Octa-core processorsOperating System: MagicOS 8.0 (Based on Android 14)Memory: 8GB+256GBBattery4500 mAh (typical value)Charging Speed: 35W HONOR SuperChargeWired Charging: Support up to 11V/3.2A super chargeConnectivity Network Support: Supports 5G and 4G networks, LTE-FDD/LTE-TDDOther Connectivity Options: Includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.1Ports and Slots: Features a USB-C port, headphone jack.Additional Features: Face Recognition/One-Handed mode/Dark mode/Device Clone/Multi-Window/App Lock/App Twin/Keyboard Type includes Gestures, Three-key navigation and Navigation dock.Price and Value for MoneyWhen compared to similar models in the R7000 – R8000 price range, the Honor 200 Lite stands out with its superior camera capabilities and impressive design.While it performs similarly to previous Honor devices, it has room for improvement in when it comes to high-end gaming performance and software bloatware.Considering its features, performance, and price, the Honor 200 Lite offers good value for money, making it a strong contender in the budget smartphone market.It shines in the camera department, actually shimmers when it comes to design, and gives users impressive battery life off one charge.Final verdict on the Honor 200 Lite:Overall, the Honor 200 Lite is a solid choice if what you’re looking for a budget-friendly smartphone with impressive features and performance.If you want a new smartphone that you won’t have to sacrifice essential features or compromise on your budget for, the Honor 200 Lite is definitely worth considering.Ready to switch to the value-packed Honor 200 Lite? Click here to apply today!FAQsDoes the Honor 200 Lite support 5G?Yes, the Honor 200 Lite supports 5G connectivity, ensuring fast and reliable network performance.What is the battery life of the Honor 200 Lite?The phone has a 4500 mAh battery, providing up to a full day of use under mixed conditions.Does the Honor 200 Lite have expandable storage?Yes, it includes a microSD card slot for expandable storage, supporting up to 512GB.References: https://www.honor.com/za/phones/honor-200-lite/ 

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