iPhone XS vs iPhone SE (2020): A Head-to-Head Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The iPhone SE (2020) offers significantly better value thanks to its newer A13 Bionic chip and modern features, despite its smaller battery. While the iPhone XS boasts a larger display and arguably a more premium feel, the SE's performance and price make it the winner for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPhone XS | Apple iPhone SE (2020) |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - A2097 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2296 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat16 1024/150 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat16 1024/150 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - A1920, A2100 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2275, A2298 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2018, September 12. Released 2018, September 21 | 2020, April 15 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2020, April 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30 in) | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm (5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 177 g (6.24 oz) | 148 g (5.22 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 2m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Scratch-resistant glass | Ion-strengthened glass |
| Resolution | 1125 x 2436 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) | 750 x 1334 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~326 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.8 inches, 84.4 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 4.7 inches, 60.9 cm2 (~65.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super Retina OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM) | Retina IPS LCD, 625 nits (typ) |
| 3D Touch | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x2.5 GHz Vortex + 4x1.6 GHz Tempest) | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder) |
| Chipset | Apple A12 Bionic (7 nm) | Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | iOS 12, upgradable to iOS 18.7 | iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM | 64GB 3GB RAM, 128GB 3GB RAM, 256GB 3GB RAM |
| NVMe | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom | - |
| Features | Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 12 MP, f/1.8 (wide), PDAF, OIS |
| Video | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, OIS, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 7 MP, f/2.2, 32mm (standard) SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 7 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps; gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS |
| 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 | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 15W wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi) | 18W wired, 50% in 30 min 7.5W wireless (Qi) |
| Type | Li-Ion 2658 mAh, non-removable (10.13 Wh) | Li-Ion 1821 mAh (6.91 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Space Gray, Silver, Gold | Black, White, Red |
| Models | A2097, A1920, A2100, A2098, iPhone11,2 | A2275, A2296, A2298, iPhone12,8 |
| Price | About 190 EUR | $ 120.00 / C$ 165.75 / £ 99.95 / € 130.89 |
| SAR | 1.19 W/kg (head) 1.18 W/kg (body) | 1.17 W/kg (head) 1.16 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -93.7dB / Crosstalk -82.8dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 72h | Endurance rating 59h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 5.171 (sunlight) | Contrast ratio: 1544:1 (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 71dB / Noise 75dB / Ring 78dB | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 346379 (v7) GeekBench: 11472 (v4.4) GFXBench: 47fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 462253 (v8) GeekBench: 3237 (v5.1) |
Apple iPhone XS
- Larger display
- Premium design
- Dual-camera system (more versatile)
- Good build quality
- Older chipset
- Lower value for money
- Smaller battery compared to size
- No 5G
Apple iPhone SE (2020)
- Powerful A13 Bionic chip
- Compact and pocketable
- More affordable
- Modern iOS experience
- Improved image processing
- Smaller display
- Basic LCD display
- Single rear camera
- Slower wireless charging
Display Comparison
The iPhone XS features a 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED display with excellent color accuracy and contrast. The iPhone SE (2020) has a smaller 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD display. While the XS offers a more immersive experience, the SE's display is perfectly adequate and benefits from a higher measured brightness of 670 nits. The XS's 'Infinite' contrast ratio is a marketing term, while the SE's 1544:1 is a more concrete measurement.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature a single 12MP rear camera. The iPhone XS has a dual-camera system (wide and telephoto) offering more versatility. However, the A13 Bionic in the iPhone SE (2020) provides improved image processing, resulting in better photos, especially in low light. Both capture good quality video.
Performance
Here's where the iPhone SE (2020) truly shines. Its A13 Bionic chip is significantly faster than the iPhone XS's A12 Bionic. This translates to smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better performance in demanding games. While both phones handle everyday tasks with ease, the SE offers a noticeable performance edge.
Battery Life
The iPhone XS has a slightly larger battery, but the iPhone SE (2020)'s more efficient A13 chip helps it achieve comparable battery life. The endurance rating suggests the XS has a slight edge (72h vs 59h), but real-world usage may vary.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Apple iPhone XS? Users prioritizing a larger display, a more premium design, and don't mind an older chipset. Who should buy the Apple iPhone SE (2020)? Budget-conscious buyers who want a powerful, compact iPhone with a modern processor and iOS experience.