Apple iPhone SE 2nd generation Black 64GB

The iPhone SE 2nd gen is a fast chip trapped in an outdated body. The A13 processor still holds up, but the tiny LCD screen and weak battery feel ancient. At around $120, it's a cheap ticket into iOS, but real owners report enough frustration that we'd suggest saving up for something newer.

The A13 Bionic chip is the star here. It's the same processor from the iPhone 11 series, so apps open fast and iOS runs smoothly. We're talking about a chip that lands in the 48th percentile overall, which is solid for a budget phone. But the 3GB of RAM is a bottleneck, and some owners report the phone feeling slow over time, especially with newer iOS versions. The real weak spot is the display, sitting at the 19th percentile. It's a 1334 x 750 LCD that looks fine indoors but washes out in sunlight. You'll notice the lower resolution if you're coming from any modern OLED phone.

Stacked against modern budget phones like the Motorola Edge 2024 or even a used Pixel 7 Pro, the SE feels ancient. The Pixel gives you a stunning OLED display, a vastly better camera system, and modern 5G connectivity. The Motorola offers a bigger, smoother screen and better battery life. Even the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G brings a unique glare-free display and 5G to the table. The SE's only real win is its compact size and Apple's ecosystem. If you don't absolutely need a tiny iPhone, the competition runs circles around it in display and camera quality.

At $110 to $129, the value proposition is tricky. You're getting an iPhone with a great processor and years of software support for the price of a dinner out. That's compelling if you just need a basic, reliable phone. But the user sentiment score is a brutal 7th percentile, which tells us real owners are frustrated. The screen, battery, and occasional performance hiccups make it feel dated fast. It's a good deal on paper, but you might outgrow it quicker than you think.

The iPhone SE 2nd gen is Apple's throwback phone. It stuffs a legitimately fast A13 Bionic chip into the old iPhone 8 body, complete with a home button and chunky bezels. If you want a small, simple iPhone that still gets iOS updates, this is basically your only option under $130.

But that old-school design comes with serious trade-offs. The 4.7-inch LCD screen feels cramped and dim by modern standards, and the single 12MP camera can't keep up with night shots or zoom. It's a phone for people who value pocketability and Touch ID over everything else.

Skip this if you care about screen quality or battery life at all. The display is a dealbreaker for watching videos or reading outdoors, and the 1821mAh battery will have you hunting for an outlet by dinner. If you need a modern camera with Night mode or a smooth high-refresh-rate screen, look at a used Pixel or a newer iPhone instead.

Buy this if you want the smallest, cheapest iPhone that still runs the latest iOS. It's perfect as a first phone for a kid, a secondary work device, or for anyone who refuses to give up the home button. Just know you're sacrificing screen quality, battery life, and camera performance to get it. For everyone else, a used iPhone 11 or a recent Android budget phone will feel like a massive upgrade.