iPhone SE 2nd Generation vs iPhone 6s: Which Should I Buy?

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By Okedigba Dorcas

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Are you cut between buying the iPhone 6s or SE 2nd Generation? Read my detailed guide to help you decide based on data-driven performance comparison.

iPhone SE 2nd Gen vs iPhone 6s: At First Glance

Apple is a reputable brand that offers great premium devices, little wonder they are one of the tech giants in the world. Design and performance are of great importance to Apple and these have been the driving forces behind its success.

This comparison review is all about two portable smartphones from Apple – the iPhone SE 2nd generation and the iPhone 6s. The iPhone 6s is the oldest release of the two options, Apple released it in September 2015.

Although the iPhone 6s was discontinued in September 2016, it is still a good buy even in 2021. You will not be able to purchase it directly from the Apple store however, you can purchase it from resellers.

Matter of fact, you can buy the iPhone 6s from Amazon. As of December 2021, the iPhone 6s starts at $109.00.

The iPhone SE on the other hand is a more recent release than the iPhone 6s. It was released in April 2020.

Currently, the 256 GB models have been discontinued and cannot be bought directly from Apple. However, you will still be able to buy its 64 GB and 128 GB models from the Apple store.

Meanwhile, you can get the iPhone SE on Amazon where it currently sells for $324.95.

With that being said, let us move on with the comparison which is the main purpose of this review. This will enable you to make up your mind on which model is your best bet.

iPhone SE 2nd Gen vs iPhone 6s: Design

As I hinted earlier, when it comes to Apple smartphones, design is never compromised, they are built with premium quality. Hence, both the iPhone 6 and SE 2nd generation are solidly and aesthetically built.

The iPhone 6S is built from a glass front, aluminum frame, and backplate just like its predecessor – iPhone 6. The iPhone SE, on the other hand, is built with a glass front and back with a metallic frame just like the iPhone 8.

Both models are premium phones however, the aluminum build of the iPhone 6S is more durable than the glass build of the iPhone SE.

Hence, users who want a very tough and resilient phone might have made their pick by now. Nonetheless, let us move on to the available color options.

The iPhone 6S is available in four color options namely Gold, Silver, Rose Gold, and Space Gray. These colors reflect the color of the backplate.

However, you will still have to decide on the front color (i.e the color of the front bezels) you want. The front bezel colors are available in black and white.

To enable you to make the best color choice, I will be specific about each color combination you will be getting.

The Gold color options of the iPhone 6s are made from a champagne-gold metal plate on its back and edges. There are also white antenna lines running across its back and edges.

The Gold models are then nicely complemented by white front bezels.

Likewise, the Rose Gold option has a pinkish tone to its metallic backplate with white antenna lines. It is also complemented by white front bezels.

Meanwhile, the Silver color options have light Gray antenna lines and a white front plate as well.

In contrast, the Space Gray color options are made of a Gray metallic backplate with dark Gray antenna lines. Unlike the previous three color options, it does not have white front bezels instead, its bezels are black.

Now, let us talk about the available color options of the iPhone SE, it is available in three color options. Speaking of which, there are White, Product Red or Black colors to choose from.

However, all the color options of the iPhone SE are available in black front bezels including the white color option. Yes, you read that right.

Therefore, if you are a white color lover, Apple is sorry for disappointing you on this front (pun intended).

Furthermore, the red color models of the iPhone SE have a ‘(PRODUCT) RED’ insignia at the bottom of the backplate. Speaking of Product RED, this is a trademark that symbolizes the awareness of AIDs.

Hence, proceeds made from products tagged as RED are used to fund AIDs awareness campaigns and other pandemics.

Moving on to the front views of the iPhone 6s and SE, it is difficult to tell both phones apart. They are both dominated by a 4.7-inch display with thick top and bottom frames.

The top bezel of both phones houses a front camera, an earpiece, as well as a proximity and light sensor. Meanwhile, the bottom bezel houses the combo fingerprint sensor and home button.

Flipping both phones to the back, you will be able to differentiate between the iPhone 6s and SE 2nd Gen. The iPhone 6s transitions from its aluminum edges to its back with subtle curves.

Whereas, the iPhone SE transitions from its aluminum edges to this glass back with more angles

Also, the back view of the iPhone 6s hosts a series of antenna lines running across its top and bottom. However, these antenna lines are missing on the iPhone SE.

Another difference is that on the iPhone 6s, the Apple logo is positioned closer to the top. On the other hand, you will find the Apple logo on the iPhone SE right at the middle of the backplate.

However, both the iPhone 6s and SE have one thing in common with their back view. Specifically, their camera layout and placement are similar.

Speaking of which Apple equipped both models with a single rear camera that sits at the top-left corner. Next to the cameras on both models, there is a rear-facing microphone and an LED flash.

Meanwhile, close to the bottom of the backplate, the iPhone 6s has a branding that says ‘iPhone s’. Whereas, the iPhone SE has no insignia except the red models which I discussed earlier.

Now that we have discussed the back and front views of our comparison models, let’s move on to their edges. Both iPhone 6S and SE are slightly and nicely curved by the corners.

The top edge of both models is blank while the bottom edge houses some essential features.

For the iPhone 6s, the bottom houses a 3.5 mm headphone jack, more microphones, lightning connector, and speaker grilles. Meanwhile, the bottom of the iPhone SE houses microphones, speaker grilles, and a lightning connector.

Sadly, the iPhone SE lacks a headphone jack, a painful exclusion that started with the iPhone 7. However, you can still use a headphone jack with a lightning connector adapter.

Better still you can use a Bluetooth earpiece or EarPods for enjoying your music.

For the right edges, there is the usual side button, antenna lines, and SIM tray on both models. A light press on the side button will put the screen to sleep or wake it from sleep.

Meanwhile, a longer press is used to switch the phone on or off. On the other hand, the SIM tray houses a single SIM and can be ejected with a pin-like ejector tool.

Furthermore, the left side houses two antenna lines, the ring and silent switch as well as the volume rockers. The ring and silent switch is useful for toggling between silent mode and ring mode.

Let us move on to the size and dimensions of the iPhone 6s and iPhone SE 2nd Gen. This is another aspect where both models are quite similar.

The iPhone 6s measures 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm while the iPhone SE measures 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm. Their weights are also not so different.

Precisely, the iPhone 6s weighs 143 g while the iPhone SE weighs 148 g. Thankfully, both models fall within the range of smartphone sizes preferred by most users.

Research shows that most users prefer phones that weigh between 140 g to 170 g. Hence, both the iPhone 6s and SE are comfortable to hold in one hand.

On the water-resistance front, the iPhone 6s has no IP rating nor waterproofing capability whatsoever. Hence, you might want to protect your iPhone 6s (if you already have one) from all forms of liquid.

However, if you don’t have an iPhone 6s already and the water-resistance feature is important to you, don’t be bothered. Thankfully, you are in luck as the iPhone SE 2nd Gen has maintained the water-resistance feature of the iPhone 8.

The iPhone SE 2nd generation has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. This implies that your iPhone SE will survive submersion in 1meter of water for up to 30 minutes.

In summary, both models have a beautiful and premium build quality however, the iPhone 6s is more durable. The iPhone 6s also has a headphone jack which is missing on the iPhone SE.

However, the iPhone 6s lacks a water-resistance feature while the iPhone SE is IP67 compliant. Finally, considering these factors, my top pick for this design section is the iPhone 6s.

Therefore, I will rate the iPhone 6s a ten. On the other hand, I will rate the iPhone SE 2nd Gen, an eight in this design and dimension review section.

iPhone SE 2nd Gen vs iPhone 6s: Display

Up next is the display features comparison between the iPhone 6s and SE. The display features of both the iPhone 6s are similar theoretically.

However, that does not imply that they both have the same display quality. We will see how they both fare as we proceed in this section.

Starting with the screen sizes, both models have a 4.7-inch display. The screens are framed by thin bezels by its side but prominent bezels at the top and bottom.

Sadly, the screen sizes fall outside the range preferred by most smartphone users. Research shows that most users prefer screen sizes between 5 to 5.5-inch.

Consequently, this might make your movies and gaming sessions less enjoyable than bigger screen phones. However, lovers of the iPhone SE and 6s are the category of people that wants their phone as portable as possible.

Hence, the small screen sizes may not pose a problem for some.

In addition to the screen size, another factor that determines how enjoyable your video moment will be is the aspect ratio. The iPhone SE and 6s both have a 16:9 aspect ratio.

This is the standard aspect ratio and it is also known as widescreen. It enables you to watch your movies by utilizing all the available screen spaces.

For the display technology, both the iPhone 6s and SE use a Retina IPS LCD. However, the iPhone SE uses a newer generation of IPS LCD which translates to a better quality than the 6s.

When it comes to display resolution, both models have an HD resolution of 750 x 1334 pixels. Although there are better display resolutions out there like FHD, QHD, and UHD, they consume more battery power.

However, considering the small screen size of both models, the HD resolution display is sufficiently detailed and vibrant. Thanks to the 326 PPI pixel density of both the iPhone 6s and SE 2nd generation, contents are acceptably sharp.

The standard pixel density is 300 PPI. Hence, with a 326 PPI, the display performance is respectable.

Moving on, the iPhone 6s has a good black value of 0.39 cd/m² (lower is better). Likewise, the iPhone 6s has a contrast ratio of 1415:1 (higher is better)

However, the iPhone SE has a  better black value of 0.28 cd/m² and a contrast ratio of 2457:1. This implies that black colors are produced as deep blacks on the iPhone SE than the 6s.

Another difference between the iPhone SE and 6s displays is their touch technology. The 6s has a 3D touch that enables you to press down on the screen to display hidden menus.

Meanwhile, the iPhone SE uses haptic touch which works similarly to the 3D touch. However, you won’t be getting the same level of pressure sensitivity.

Another advancement of the iPhone SE over the iPhone 6s is its True Tone display technology. The True Tone technology allows the color temperature of the screen to adjust to the surrounding environment.

For screen brightness, the iPhone SE has a maximum of 688 nits while the 6s has a maximum of 586 nits. This makes the iPhone SE a more ideal choice to use outdoors.

When it comes to color reproduction, the iPhone 6s uses the full sRBG color gamut. The iPhone 6s covers about 95.93% (higher is better) of the sRGB color space.

On the other hand, the iPhone SE uses a better wide color (P3) palette. Moreover, it covers about 99.9% of the color space.

Meanwhile, for color accuracy, the iPhone 6s has a deltaE score of 3.4 (lower is better). Meanwhile, the iPhone SE has a deltaE score of 1

Additionally, the viewing angles on both the iPhone 6s and SE are decent. When you view the screens from acute angles, you will notice only a slight loss of brightness and minimal contrast reduction.

Also, Apple equipped both the iPhone 6s and SE 2nd generation screens with ion-strengthened glass which protects them from cracks. However, the protection is just to an extent, it does not imply that your screen is totally crack-proof.

Therefore, it is advisable to use a tempered screen protector to add another layer of protection to the screen.

In addition to being ion-strengthened, the screens also have an oleophobic coating which makes them resistant to fingerprints.

Finally, there are lots of similarities between the display features of both models. However, the iPhone SE’s display has a better overall performance.

Hence, I will rate the iPhone 6s a seven. Meanwhile, I will rate the iPhone SE an eight in this display features comparison section.

iPhone SE 2nd Gen vs iPhone 6s: Camera

The next stop in this iPhone SE 2nd generation vs iPhone 6s comparison is the camera features.

The iPhone 6s has a front camera of 5 MP with an aperture size of f/2.2. Whereas, the iPhone SE has a front camera of 7 MP with an aperture size of f/2.2.

The front cameras of both models lack a beauty mode for smoothening the face and getting rid of blemishes. However, it is capable of taking decent Instagram-worthy selfies.

Thankfully, both models have front-facing retina flash to help with night selfies.

Similar to its rear camera, the iPhone SE’s front camera supports portrait mode, portrait lighting effect, and depth control. Sadly, these features are not available on the iPhone 6s.

For video recording, the iPhone 6s’ front camera is capable of recording 720p resolution videos at 30fps. However, the iPhone 6s lacks image stabilization hence, you will want to keep a steady hand when recording your videos.

Meanwhile, the iPhone SE’s front camera is capable of recording 1080p resolution videos at 30 fps. It uses a combination of gyroscope and Electronic Image Stabilization to prevent jitters and motion shakes in videos.

Moving on to the rear cameras, the iPhone 6s has a 12 MP camera. The iPhone 6s’ rear camera has an aperture size of f/2.2 and a pixel size of 1.22-micron pixel.

Meanwhile, the iPhone SE has a 12 MP rear camera as well but with a larger aperture size of f/1.8. This translates to better-exposed pictures on the iPhone SE than its counterpart.

Although both models have the same rear camera resolution, this does not imply that their picture quality is the same.  

Nonetheless, both the iPhone 6s and SE are capable of taking decent pictures, especially in good lights. You might only notice a slight loss of details around the picture edges when you zoom in.

Night-time photos are also decent as well but the performance is not as good as the more expensive iPhone models.

Furthermore, the iPhone 6S uses Electronic Image Stabilization while the SE uses Optical Image Stabilization. Both the EIS and OIS are useful for reducing blurs that occur from shaky photos and videos.

However, the Optical Image Stabilization does this better which implies that the iPhone SE is the top contender here.

Moving on, both the iPhone 6s and SE do not have optical zoom. However, they both have a 5x digital zoom.

As for portrait mode, the iPhone 6s does not support portrait mode. However, the iPhone SE takes crisp portraits with five lighting effects to choose from.

Speaking of portraits, these are the kind of shots where the background is artistically blurred out. This allows you to create more emphasis on the subject, this effect is also known as the bokeh effect.

Additionally, the iPhone SE also supports depth control which gives you total control over how blurry the background gets. You also have the flexibility of controlling the blur before or after taking the shot.

Another camera feature that is common to the iPhone 6s and iPhone SE is Live Photos. Live photos allow you to make a short record of what happens before and after you take a picture.

Furthermore, the iPhone 6s uses an auto HDR which enables it to record Full HD videos. On the other hand, the iPhone SE uses a newer technology known as Smart HDR.

Hence, the range of visible colors on the iPhone SE. It also translates to better highlight and shadow details in your shots.

In conclusion, both the iPhone 6s and SE take excellent pictures and videos.

However, the performance of the iPhone SE 2nd generation outshines that of its counterpart, the iPhone 6s.

Therefore, I will rate the iPhone SE a nine while I rate the iPhone 6s an eight in this camera features review section.

iPhone SE 2nd Gen vs iPhone 6s: Battery Life

The iPhone 6s has a 1,715 mAh Li-Ion non-removable battery while the iPhone SE has a larger battery capacity of 1,821 mAh.

Since both phones have the same screen sizes, resolution, and technology, we can easily guess who the winner is already.

However, we will not jump to a conclusion without considering some practical real-life battery tests. Hence, we will look at some tests carried out by notebookcheck.com to depict the different ways people use their phones.

The first test we are looking at is an idle test, where the phones were subjected to very minimal load. The WiFi is turned off, at the same time phone brightness is at a minimum.

Consequently, the iPhone SE 2nd generation lasted 32 hours 18 minutes. Meanwhile, the iPhone 6s lasted 25 hours 10 minutes in the same test.

Secondly, we will also look at a web surfing test. This test involves opening a new website every 30 seconds while screen brightness is at 150 nits and WiFi is on.

Consequently, the iPhone SE lasted 11 hours 34 minutes. Whereas, the iPhone 6s lasted 8 hours 12 minutes.

Next is the video playback test which involves continuously playing an HD video until the battery drains. Meanwhile, screen brightness is set to 150 nits while WiFi is turned off.

As a result of the video playback test, the iPhone SE lasted 11 hours 21 minutes. This is a bit below the 13 hours video playback endurance rate advertised by Apple.

Likewise, the iPhone 6s lasted 11 hours 34 minutes in the same test. Surprisingly, the iPhone 6s performed better than the iPhone SE and also better than the 11 hours advertised by Apple.

Finally, we will look at how both models fare under maximum load. This test uses a battery eater tool while screen brightness is at maximum with the Bluetooth and WiFi turned on.

Consequently, the iPhone 6s lasted 2 hours 17 minutes. On the other hand, the iPhone SE lasted 2 hours 23 minutes.

Overall, the iPhone SE has the longest battery life considering all the tests performed.

But before I make my final pick, I will also consider some other factors such as fast charging and wireless charging. Fast charging is a very handful feature that helps to top up your battery in no time.

This feature is particularly useful especially on days when you are in a hurry to head out.

The iPhone SE supports fast charging via an 18W charging adapter and USB Type-C cables. This will enable your iPhone SE to get as much as 50% in 30 minutes.

However, Apple did not ship the iPhone SE with an 18W charging adapter instead it ships with a slower 5W charger. Nonetheless, you can easily buy an 18W charging adapter.

On the contrary, the iPhone 6s does not support fast charging. Hence, it will take you longer to charge the iPhone 6s than the iPhone SE.

On the wireless charging front, the glass back builds of the iPhone SE supports wireless charging similar to the iPhone 8.

This implies that you can set your iPhone SE down to charge on any Qi wireless charger. You will not have to worry about an adapter or cable.

However, wireless charging works at a slower speed of 7.5W maximum charging speed compared to fast charging. Hence, it is not recommended for days when you need to power up faster.

On the contrary, the iPhone 6s once again loses out on the wireless charging feature.

In conclusion, having considered all the factors above, I will rate the iPhone SE a nine. Meanwhile, I will rate the iPhone 6s an eight in this battery features review section.

iPhone SE 2nd Gen vs iPhone 6s: Storage

When it comes to storage, it is important to buy a model with sufficient storage capacity for your needs. This is a very vital decision to make before purchasing because iPhones do not support external storage expansion.

Now, let us look at the storage options available for you to pick from. The iPhone 6s offers four storage options to choose from.

Specifically, the iPhone 6s comes with internal storage capacities of 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB.

Meanwhile, the iPhone SE comes with three internal storage capacities. There is 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB.

It is worthy of note that whatever storage option you choose will not come with the entire storage space at your disposal. That is because the operating system and system files occupy a portion of the storage space.

Therefore, light storage users can choose either the 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB depending on the model they are buying and their specific needs. Whereas, heavy storage users can go for the 128GB or 256GB capacities depending on the model you choose.

However, the higher the storage capacity, the higher the price.

In conclusion, my top pick for this section is the iPhone SE 2nd generation because it offers the largest storage capacity. Hence, I will rate the iPhone SE an eight while I rate the 6s a seven in this storage options review section.

iPhone SE 2nd Gen vs iPhone 6s: Security & Sensors

All smartphones are integrated with a collection of essential sensors and the iPhone 6s and SE are not an exception. Specifically, they both come loaded with the following sensors – touch ID fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, and three-axis gyro.

Additionally, there is the ambient light sensor, barometer, and proximity sensor.

For a start, the touch ID fingerprint sensor is an efficient means of protecting your phone against unauthorized users. It allows you to unlock your phone via your fingerprints and since no two people share the same fingerprints, it is difficult to compromise.

In addition to unlocking the phone, the touch ID is also useful for initiating app downloads, for contactless payment via platforms like Apple Pay, and for supplementing in-app passwords.

The other security options you can use on your iPhone 6s and SE are the passcode and PIN options. These are more conventional methods of protecting your phones against unauthorized users but they are efficient at the same time

The combo touch ID and home button on the iPhone 6s and SE look quite similar. However, the touch ID on the iPhone SE is more responsive than that of the iPhone 6s thanks to its haptic feedback.

The next sensor is the accelerometer, which is a motion detection sensor that senses changes in tilt, orientation, and displacement. It works by measuring the acceleration force around three axes. Meanwhile, the 3-axis gyroscope measures the speed of rotation of the device along the three axes.

Therefore, the accelerometer and gyroscope work together to automatically change the orientation of a phone by sensing the position of the user.

Moving on, the ambient light sensor is a photodetector sensor that is useful for measuring the light intensity around the device. Consequently, it resets the screen brightness accordingly.

For instance, in dark areas where the ambient light intensity is low, the screen brightness reduces. The reduction in screen brightness helps conserve battery power and prevent eye strain.

Likewise, when you are outdoors and the light intensity is high, the sensor increases the screen brightness for better legibility.

When the light sensor dims the screen’s brightness, it is advantageous in two ways. Firstly, it saves battery consumption and secondly, it prevents eye strain.

Next is the barometer, which is a sensitive sensor that measures the atmospheric pressure of the phone’s surroundings. It is useful for predicting weather conditions.

Additionally, the barometer can also measure the device’s altitude. Hence, it can provide you with information like the current floor you are on.

Furthermore, the proximity sensor is another important sensor that works for power management. Its function is to detect the proximity of the phone to the face during a call.

Consequently, the proximity sensor turns off the display which helps conserve battery power. In addition to that, switching off the display prevents unwanted screen presses that the face could make.

In conclusion, both the iPhone SE and 6s had a tie in this category. Hence, I will rate both the iPhone SE and 6s an eight in this security and sensors review section.

Our Rating Summary

Rating AreasiPhone SE 2nd GeniPhone 6sNotes/Comments
Design810Both models are portable and built with premium materials. However, the all-metallic build of the iPhone 6s is more durable than the glass backplate of the iPhone SE.
Display87By merely looking at the specs you will think both models have the same screen. However, the iPhone SE uses a more recent generation of IPS LCD which translates to better performance.
Camera98Although both models have the same rear camera resolution of 12 MP, the iPhone SE’s has been improved. The front camera of the iPhone SE also has a 7 MP resolution while the iPhone 6s has 5 MP.
Battery98The iPhone SE is my top pick here, it has a bigger battery and a longer endurance rating.
Storage87For this round, the iPhone SE is my top pick. The reason is that it has the highest storage capacity available which is 256 GB.
Security/Sensors88Both models have the same collection of sensors performing similar functions, hence, they are both a tie in this category.
Our Average Rating8.38On average, the iPhone SE 2nd generation is the better option.

Conclusion

Both the iPhone 6s And iPhone SE are good smartphone choices even in 2021, especially for lovers of portable phones. They both have a premium and classical build.

However, the iPhone 6s is more durable due to its all-metal backplate unlike the glass backplate of its counterpart. Hence, if toughness is what you need in a phone the iPhone 6s might be the better option.

Also, Apple equipped the iPhone SE with an A13 Bionic processor which is the same as the chip in the iPhone 11. In contrast, the iPhone 6s uses an older A11 chip.

Furthermore, since the iPhone 6s has gotten its last OS update to iOS 15 in 2021, its continuing relevance is not guaranteed.

The iPhone SE on the other hand will get support for the latest update at least up till 2024. Therefore, it offers a longer lifespan assurance than the iPhone 6s.

Additionally, the iPhone SE is the most recent release between the two options available. Hence, it comes with more modern features such as water resistance, wireless charging, etc.

In conclusion, considering all the factors above, the iPhone SE seems to be superior in most categories.

Hence, based on this comprehensive comparison of the iPhone SE 2nd generation vs iPhone 6s, we recommend iPhone SE 2nd generation.

Otherwise, go for the iPhone 6s if you want a toughly built phone and don’t mind its lack of consequent iOS updates.

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About the Author

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Okedigba Dorcas

Okedigba Dorcas is a technical writer at Itechguides.com. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. She is a web development enthusiast. When she isn’t writing tech guides, she reads or codes web applications. Dorcas writes laptops, smartphones and desktops reviews for Itechguides.com.

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1 thought on “iPhone SE 2nd Generation vs iPhone 6s: Which Should I Buy?”

  1. Hi there.Thanks for your opinions.I had a small question
    On the latest ios which one will give me a better battery between these two and is the front facing camera a major deciding factor for these 2 or is the difference negligeble (Considering se has 1.2 & 6s has 5)

    Reply

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