iPhone 6s Plus vs iPhone SE (2022): A Generational Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The iPhone SE (2022) is the clear winner. While the 6s Plus boasts impressive endurance, the SE's A15 Bionic chip, brighter display, faster charging, and modern features make it a significantly better choice for most users, despite the shorter battery life.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPhone 6s Plus | Apple iPhone SE (2022) |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30 - A1633 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2783, A2784, A2785 |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2783, A2784, A2785, A2782 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (2CA) Cat6 300/50 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41 - A1634 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2595 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2015, September 09. Released 2015, September 25 | 2022, March 08 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2022, March 18 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Corning-made glass), aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm (6.23 x 3.07 x 0.29 in) | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm (5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 192 g (6.77 oz) | 144 g (5.08 oz) |
| Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Ion-strengthened glass, oleophobic coating | Ion-strengthened glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~401 ppi density) | 750 x 1334 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~326 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~67.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 4.7 inches, 60.9 cm2 (~65.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Retina IPS LCD, 625 nits (typ) |
| 3D Touch display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Dual-core 1.84 GHz Twister | Hexa-core (2x3.22 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) |
| Chipset | Apple A9 (14/16 nm - maker dependant) | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | PowerVR GT7600 (six-core graphics) | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | iOS 9, upgradable to iOS 15.8.5 | iOS 15.4, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 16GB 2GB RAM, 32GB 2GB RAM, 64GB 2GB RAM, 128GB 2GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM |
| NVMe | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR | Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 29mm (standard), 1/3.0", 1.22µm, PDAF, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.8 (wide), PDAF, OIS |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 1080p@120fps, 720p@240fps | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, OIS, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Face detection, HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 5 MP, f/2.2, 31mm (standard) | 7 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 720p@30fps | 1080p@30/120fps; gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 16-bit/44.1kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes (Apple Pay only) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | - | 20W wired, 50% in 30 min 7.5W wireless (Qi) |
| Stand-by | Up to 384 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 24 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 2750 mAh, non-removable (10.45 Wh) | Li-Ion 2018 mAh (6.96 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Space Gray, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold | Midnight, Starlight, Red |
| Models | A1634, A1687, A1690, A1699, iPhone8,2 | A2783, A2595, A2785, A2782, A2784, iphone14,6 |
| Price | About 240 EUR | $ 119.84 / C$ 199.99 / £ 142.00 / € 173.00 |
| SAR | 1.12 W/kg (head) 1.14 W/kg (body) | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.93 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) | 1.20 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -93.4dB / Crosstalk -71.1dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 85h | Endurance rating 62h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: 1382:1 (nominal), 3.530 (sunlight) | Contrast ratio: 1424:1 (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 65dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 64dB | -25.2 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | Basemark OS II 2.0: 2261 | AnTuTu: 723486 (v9) GeekBench: 4629 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Apple iPhone 6s Plus
- Excellent battery life
- Large display
- Affordable price
- Outdated processor
- Lower camera quality
- Slow charging
- No 5G
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
- Powerful A15 Bionic chip
- Compact size
- Modern features (5G, wireless charging)
- Improved camera
- Shorter battery life than 6s Plus
- Smaller display
- Relatively expensive compared to 6s Plus
Display Comparison
The iPhone SE (2022) features a noticeably brighter display with 605 nits of peak brightness compared to the 6s Plus's unspecified brightness. Both offer a 1424:1 contrast ratio, but the SE's improved brightness makes it easier to view in sunlight. The 6s Plus has a larger 5.5-inch screen, while the SE has a 4.7-inch display.
Camera Comparison
While both phones offer 'Photo / Video' capabilities, the iPhone SE (2022) benefits from Apple's computational photography advancements. It delivers sharper images, better low-light performance, and more detailed videos. The 6s Plus camera is adequate for basic photography, but it lacks the sophistication of the SE.
Performance
The A15 Bionic chip in the iPhone SE (2022) is a generational leap over the A9 in the 6s Plus. Expect significantly faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance on the SE. The SE's hexa-core CPU also provides a substantial performance advantage.
Battery Life
The iPhone 6s Plus surprisingly holds a slight edge in endurance rating (85h vs 62h), but this is largely due to its older, less power-hungry components. The iPhone SE (2022) supports 20W wired charging and 7.5W wireless charging, offering significantly faster charging speeds than the 6s Plus's standard charging.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the iPhone 6s Plus? Those seeking a large-screen, budget-friendly iPhone with excellent battery life and are comfortable with older technology. Who should buy the iPhone SE (2022)? Users prioritizing performance, a compact size, and modern features like 5G, all within a relatively affordable price range.