What it lacks are the extra camera lenses that add versatility to Apple’s iPhone 11 models, and Night mode for snapping clearer photos in low light. The selfie camera isn’t as good, and there’s also no headphone jack, but that’s a feature missing on all of Apple’s handsets for several years. You should also know that unlike the original SE, the new one is a glass sandwich, so you’ll still want to snag a case to keep it protected.
The iPhone SE is the phone for people who haven’t been impressed with (most) of the changes in Apple’s handsets since the iPhone X. It’s also a good, affordable option for everyone, not just those who have used iPhones before. If you’re an Android owner, it’s near impossible to find phones with specs like the SE at $400 in the US (without buying older or used flagship phones).
This is not the phone if you want the best possible camera experience, the biggest and best display, a modern design, or Face ID.
Buy It Unlocked
The best way to order the iPhone SE is through Apple. We always recommend buying phones unlocked because it’s much easier to take it to a new carrier if you end up switching. If you’re frequently running out of storage space on your current phone, it might be a good idea to spend $449 for the 128 GB model. You can also trade in an old iPhone if it’s in good condition to lower the price.
- iPhone SE for $399: Get the unlocked version. Apple offers up to $500 trade-in credit. You’ll get $500 if you’re trading in an iPhone XS Max, and the trade-in amount quickly slides down, if you’re phone is standard sized, or older.
iPhone SE Deals
If you don’t want to buy directly from Apple, here are a few other options.
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Walmart is offering up to $200 off: The offer only applies if you buy the phone on an installment plan and activate it through a carrier. It expires on July 17.
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Best Buy offers a $50 gift card: It’s a Best Buy gift card, and you’ll need to activate the phone at the time of purchase. The offer expires on May 3.
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Verizon: You can get it for $16.66 per month for 24 months or pay the full $400 price.
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AT&T: You can get the iPhone SE for $5 per month for 30 months if you buy it on a qualifying installment agreement and add a line to a new or existing account. Otherwise, it’s $13.34 per month for 30 months or you can buy it for $400.
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T-Mobile is offering free a iPhone SE when you add a line and trade in an eligible iPhone (any from the iPhone 7 or iPhone 8 range). You can get $300 off if you trade in an iPhone 6S or 6S Plus (it depends on the condition of your device). You’ll see the savings in bill credits.
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Sprint is selling the iPhone SE for $5 per month for 18 months when you lease the phone and add a new line of service or switch to Sprint. At the end of the lease, you can buy the phone or return it and upgrade to another model. You should know that Sprint is now a part of T-Mobile.
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Visible, the Verizon-owed prepaid brand, is offering the iPhone SE for $384. If you switch to Visible and buy the iPhone SE as well, you might be qualified to get a $200 prepaid Mastercard virtual account to spend wherever you want. You will need to pay for the first two months of service and port your current phone number from another carrier.
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US Cellular is offering the iPhone SE for free but you need to switch to the carrier, porting your old number in, adding a new postpaid line and service plan. The savings come in the form of bill credits.
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Amazon is only offering the SE through Cricket Wireless, and you need to subscribe to a plan.
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