iPhone 6(S)/Plus Considering moving on to SE 2 from 6S

[retta283]

Having just taken care of my month's end payments, I was pleasantly surprised that I have a bit of extra cash to spend, and a good bit in savings already. So I have been thinking of getting the new SE while this surplus is still present.

My 6S has been a great phone, but the battery is getting very weak, and there are some large scratches in the screen. 64GB will be plenty for me, as I have not fully filled my 16GB on the 6S. I keep a very minimalist setup on my phone, and battery is the most important motivator in this upgrade. I'm still on iOS 10.

I still feel that the 6S was the best iPhone, being more durable and keeping the headphone jack. I am not a fan of the glass back (I know it enables wireless charging, but that is useless to me) nor the lack of headphone jack, but they won't be deal-breakers.

 

[nordique]

any chance you can upgrade to iOS 13 or replace the battery and hold out until the new iPhones launch this fall?

the SE is a nice upgrade but it’s also a very minor upgrade over what you currently have. Some good videos on YouTube showing speed comparisons. Sounds like you don’t play any games on your phone, and the stock apps are almost identical in speed.

I can verify as I have been giving the SE a go this week, compared it an iPhone 6s (this one is running iOS 13 mind you)

My experience has mirrored those videos - Very similar/identical in speed for the stock apps and Touch ID, main difference is in third party apps and games. Even then it’s anywhere from 10-60 seconds behind most games (some like fortnite however take much longer) but games like GTA run flawlessly on the 6s. Both have the second gen Touch ID and they unlock identically.

My point being, you still have a very capable phone, you use it minimally (not making use of the chip/power hungry apps) and thus it will offer the same experience as the SE...your core experience will more similar than it will be different.

if you can hold out ~5 months you will get a much more notable upgrade given the fall phones will support 5G and a new design on top of the speed improvements

I should add, you’ll probably notice a more significant battery improvement in the fall too. The SE is an upgrade but it’s not much of an upgrade in battery either. The 6s I’ve compared with has 100% health mind you, but they both seem to tap out in late afternoon after a full days use.

 

[now i see it]

I'll disagree with part of the statements above. The 2020 SE is not going to be upgraded for a couple years and the next batch of iPhones in 2021 (iphone 12) won't have LCD screens or be cheap (or have Touch ID).

Currently with the pandemic unfolding as it is, wearing masks in public will likely be the new normal for a long time to come. FaceID (iPhone 12) doesn't work with a mask so it's back to entering your passcode anytime you're wearing a mask.

My advice- if you like the 2020 SE, buy it now. There's not going to be anything like it for several more years down the line. Great price too.

 

[TechLord]

I don't personally find the mask thing that relevant because many of us are wearing gloves at the same time, and it was way more difficult and strenuous for me to take a glove off each time for touch ID (and thus end up putting in the passcode once I realized the inconvenience) than it has been to simply pull my mask down below my mouth for face id which takes 1-second extra out of my day.

If you're happy with the current design of your Iphone and just want a better processor/camera, the SE 2020 is a fine choice. If you want something more modern I'd consider waiting for the rumoured 5.4 inch 12. The SE isn't going anywhere. You also cite battery life as a concern and the SE battery isn't exactly groundbreaking.

 

[Motionblurrr]

The 2020 SE is a little beast of a phone. From a 6S, all the new features will make it feel and look like a completely different phone. Don't forget they've updated the LCD screen with wide color gamut and Apple's awesome True Tone display.

If you loved your 6S, you're going to love the SE tbh. Minus the lack of headphone jack.

 

[macrumors newbie]

I don't personally find the mask thing that relevant because many of us are wearing gloves at the same time, and it was way more difficult and strenuous for me to take a glove off each time for touch ID (and thus end up putting in the passcode once I realized the inconvenience) than it has been to simply pull my mask down below my mouth for face id which takes 1-second extra out of my day.

If you think you may have contaminated your hands, you should not touch your mask at all. I'm not telling you what to do, but in my mind the ideal way is to have a touch unlock phone, wear no gloves, don't touch your mask after you've touched any public surface, and clean the phone and your hands upon arriving home.

Masks and cloth face coverings to fight COVID-19 | Health Focus San Antonio

As the public rushes to buy face masks to protect against the coronavirus, COVID-19, healthcare experts offer advice.

healthfocussa.net

 

[TechLord]

If you think you may have contaminated your hands, you should not touch your mask at all. I'm not telling you what to do, but in my mind the ideal way is to have a touch unlock phone, wear no gloves, don't touch your mask after you've touched any public surface, and clean the phone and your hands upon arriving home.

Masks and cloth face coverings to fight COVID-19 | Health Focus San Antonio

As the public rushes to buy face masks to protect against the coronavirus, COVID-19, healthcare experts offer advice.

healthfocussa.net

Personally, when I'm pulling down my facemask it is before I know I've touched any contaminated surfaces, once I know I have touched a contaminated surface I have I will just type the passcode in, which isn't really an issue for me. And then after a while you're at home/work and often not wearing a facemask anyway. I couldn't imagine choosing an SE 2 over say the upcoming 12 purely for touch ID vs passcode. I have quite sweaty hands so I ended up typing in my passcode half the time with touch ID anyway.

 

[tonybarnaby]

I'll disagree with part of the statements above. The 2020 SE is not going to be upgraded for a couple years and the next batch of iPhones in 2021 (iphone 12) won't have LCD screens or be cheap (or have Touch ID).

Currently with the pandemic unfolding as it is, wearing masks in public will likely be the new normal for a long time to come. FaceID (iPhone 12) doesn't work with a mask so it's back to entering your passcode anytime you're wearing a mask.

My advice- if you like the 2020 SE, buy it now. There's not going to be anything like it for several more years down the line. Great price too.

You’re usually the ppi patrol around here haha. Would you suggest an 8+ for the same price as a new se?

 

[tt061282]

I don't personally find the mask thing that relevant because many of us are wearing gloves at the same time, and it was way more difficult and strenuous for me to take a glove off each time for touch ID (and thus end up putting in the passcode once I realized the inconvenience) than it has been to simply pull my mask down below my mouth for face id which takes 1-second extra out of my day.

If you're happy with the current design of your Iphone and just want a better processor/camera, the SE 2020 is a fine choice. If you want something more modern I'd consider waiting for the rumoured 5.4 inch 12. The SE isn't going anywhere. You also cite battery life as a concern and the SE battery isn't exactly groundbreaking.

Personally I upgraded to the iPhone SE and will again upgrade at the end of the year when the 5.4” iPhone is released.

That way I have latest and greatest processing power now and will have it again with the A14. I believe the iPhone SE would be a great upgrade for the OP for the fact that it’s a phone they can keep for another 5 years. The processors of the iPhone are not jumping as much every 2 years like they did between the A8 and A10 Fusion in the iPhone 7. As a matter of fact most YouTube videos I’ve seen compared to the iPhone 7 has the SE very minimally winning Speedtests.

That said, I agree the OP could wait and get a more modern design that they can keep for 5-6 years or they can go ahead and upgrade and get a design they already know and be good for 5 years.

 

[TechLord]

Personally I upgraded to the iPhone SE and will again upgrade at the end of the year when the 5.4” iPhone is released.

That way I have latest and greatest processing power now and will have it again with the A14. I believe the iPhone SE would be a great upgrade for the OP for the fact that it’s a phone they can keep for another 5 years. The processors of the iPhone are not jumping as much every 2 years like they did between the A8 and A10 Fusion in the iPhone 7. As a matter of fact most YouTube videos I’ve seen compared to the iPhone 7 has the SE very minimally winning Speedtests.

That said, I agree the OP could wait and get a more modern design that they can keep for 5-6 years or they can go ahead and upgrade and get a design they already know and be good for 5 years.

It depends on what someone values in a phone, if the old design is preferable, touch ID, and pure processing power, the SE is a good choice. If someone wants a modern design then yes wait. Your plan works out fine because I doubt the SE will depreciate much in value from now till fall, you could sell it privately and regain most of what you paid. Apples processors do indeed age pretty well; when doing speed tests with my 11 compared to my sisters 6S it is not as big of a jump as one would expect, and the 6s actually matches the 11 in opening many apps. It's holding more apps open where the 11 is superior, and the ram is likely a factor here also.

 

[DJ1985]

Having just taken care of my month's end payments, I was pleasantly surprised that I have a bit of extra cash to spend, and a good bit in savings already. So I have been thinking of getting the new SE while this surplus is still present.

My 6S has been a great phone, but the battery is getting very weak, and there are some large scratches in the screen. 64GB will be plenty for me, as I have not fully filled my 16GB on the 6S. I keep a very minimalist setup on my phone, and battery is the most important motivator in this upgrade. I'm still on iOS 10.

I still feel that the 6S was the best iPhone, being more durable and keeping the headphone jack. I am not a fan of the glass back (I know it enables wireless charging, but that is useless to me) nor the lack of headphone jack, but they won't be deal-breakers.

I just ordered an SE 2020 in white with 256 GB, I’m coming from an iPhone 7, which was my first iPhone. I like buying my phones outright so the price tag was solid for me. I’m not spending a $1000+ for a phone again, that part of my life is over. Plus the chip in the SE 2020 is the same in the 11s so I’m good, one thing that made me switch to iPhone is the longevity of the IOS support. So therefore I will keep the SE 2020 for as long as I kept the 7. Can’t wait until it’s delivered next week.

 

[Reno Raines]

I have an old 6s I use as an iPod touch and just got the new SE and the new SE will be a big upgrade for you. Very fast and similar to the 6s in function.

 

[44267547]

If you can accept the 4.7 size, then I have Nothing negative to say about the SE2. Apple basically took four generations [6/6s/7/8] of iPhones before the SE2 and put some of their latest technology/maturity into this new device, that will exceedingly do well in terms of having very few issues hardware wise or anything of that nature. I expect this phone to be in their lineup for at least the next 2/maybe 2.5 years. (Pending sales.)

 

[retta283]

For how I use my phone, I really do not see any valid reasons to purchase a phone with the new X series design, especially when it will cost me a few hundred more. The rumored 5.4 iPhone might be of interest, but it would be entirely dependent on the price. If it's more than $800, then I won't go for it.

4.7 size is fine for me, I've found it to be much more usable than the 4" size I was using before my 6S, but still enough that I can use it competently with one hand, and fits nice in my pocket. I also prefer to have a screen without a notch (I could use one without it bothering me much, but still prefer it not be present) and a bit of room to hold the sides. Touch ID is also perfectly fine for me.

While certainly I could replace my 6S battery and probably get more life out of it, I don't like making stop-gap purchases, if I will already be spending money I might as well just get the new phone. With the way I use my phone, I could easily get 5-8 years out of it unless it breaks early. I have an iPad Pro and mini 5, so I don't really use much media on my phone, and the 6S has done everything I wanted it to.

The only concerns I have are related to removed features. Loss of headphone jack will be annoying, I will probably end up with a dongle. I also do not like the loss of 3D Touch, which I have come to appreciate and use more often. This would become an issue if I updated my 6S too, as I've heard they neutered the 3D Touch features on old phones too. These won't be deal-breakers though. Lastly, I think the new UI of iOS starting with 11 is dreadful, design peaked at 9 and was okay in 10. But again, this is something I am willing to face as no matter what I do I will be put on 13.

I will give it some more thought this week, but I think now is a good time to buy. This will be my first new iPhone since I bought a 5S in September 2013. I got my 6S used for less than $100, luckily, but it is showing its age, probably more from the previous owner's use. If the 5.4" iPhone ends up appealing to me, I can always sell the SE and fund a chunk of the purchase. Time will tell.

 

[ssledoux]

If you think you may have contaminated your hands, you should not touch your mask at all. I'm not telling you what to do, but in my mind the ideal way is to have a touch unlock phone, wear no gloves, don't touch your mask after you've touched any public surface, and clean the phone and your hands upon arriving home.

Masks and cloth face coverings to fight COVID-19 | Health Focus San Antonio

As the public rushes to buy face masks to protect against the coronavirus, COVID-19, healthcare experts offer advice.

healthfocussa.net

Precisely why masks are a fairly stupid idea for most of the population (people are constantly touching/adjusting them), but I guess that's for a different thread.

Best plan is probably to use your PIN code during times when a mask/gloves are being worn.

 

[parker5011]

Just received my SE 256g from Verizon. Got a great deal on it. Coming from a broken iPhone 10.