Picking the Right Apple Handset: iPhone SE or an iPhone 6s

Choosing between Apple’s new iPhone SE and iPhone 6s or even iPhone 6s Plus isn’t as simple as one might think. Here are the pros and cons of each.

Apple made the somewhat surprising decision to make the iPhone SE look nearly identical to the iPhone 5s. The device, therefore, has a metal plate on the back, side buttons and, as expected, a 4-inch screen. The iPhone 6s line has a revamped design featuring a fully metallic chassis and antenna lines on the back. The iPhone 6s also has a curvier design than the iPhone SE, which may be more or less appealing, depending on the customer.

The obvious difference between the iPhone SE and the iPhone 6s is screen size. The iPhone SE has a 4-inch screen featuring 326 pixels per inch and an 800:1 contrast ratio. The iPhone 6s, meanwhile, comes with a 4.7-inch screen, while the iPhone 6s Plus boasts a 5.5-inch display. The devices range from 326 to 401 pixels per inch. The bigger handsets also come with another important feature—dual-domain pixels, which allow for wider-angle views. In other words, it’ll be easier to see what’s on-screen when not viewing the iPhone 6s display head-on.

When deciding between the two phones, customers will need to ask themselves how important storage is. Both phones come with 16GB and 64GB storage capacities, but Apple offers a third option with the iPhone 6s line: 128GB. If extra storage matters, then the iPhone 6s is the obvious winner.

Apple’s 3D Touch feature that is found in the iPhone 6s models enables new app experiences by pressing a little more firmly on the phone’s screen. It’s more than a gimmick and can actually enhance productivity. Unfortunately, it’s not available in the iPhone SE.

If it’s mobility a customer is after, the iPhone SE is the right choice. The device is less than 5 inches tall and 2.3 inches wide, fitting nicely in a pocket or purse. It weighs just under 4 ounces. The iPhone 6s devices, on the other hand, range in height from 5.4 inches to 6.2 inches. Their width ranges from 2.6 inches to 3 inches. The iPhone 6s weighs 5 ounces, and the iPhone 6s Plus is nearly 7 ounces. One thing to note, however: Both the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are slightly thinner than the iPhone SE.

On the processor front, there’s no winner. Apple’s iPhone SE runs the same A9 processor as the iPhone 6s models. In addition, both device types come with the M9 motion coprocessor. As of this writing, the iPhone SE hasn’t been benchmarked against the iPhone 6s, but it’ll likely have similar performance.

With security on the top of everyone’s mind, it’s nice to see that both the iPhone SE and the iPhone 6s line support Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor. As a result, users can use biometrics not only to secure their devices, but also to make payments though Apple Pay. Since they’re both iPhones, the devices will support in-store and in-app purchases via Apple Pay.

All the phones come with a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera with support for noise reduction, burst mode and more. Only the iPhone 6s Plus, however, has optical image stabilization. On the front, the iPhone 6s wins handily, sporting a 5MP front-facing camera to top the 1.2MP shooter in the iPhone SE.

If battery life is a concern, one model stands above the others. While the iPhone SE’s talk time (up to 14 hours on 3G) and standby time (up to 10 days) are identical to the iPhone 6s, the iPhone 6s Plus is by far the winner here. The iPhone 6s Plus offers up to 24 hours of talk time on 3G and 16 days on standby. It also delivers up to 80 hours of audio playback, topping the 50 hours offered by the iPhone SE and iPhone 6s.

Arguably the iPhone SE’s greatest strength is its price. The 16GB model starts at $399, while the 64GB version will cost customers $499. The iPhone 6s, meanwhile, starts at $649, and the iPhone 6s Plus starts at $749. Customers who want the top-end iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus will need to pay $849 or $949, respectively.