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Phones · Apple iPhone SE

Apple iPhone SE 3rd gen

17owners with an opinion
60%of verdicts positive
9/5positive/negative since 2024
2 yrslongest happy owner
0happy after 3+ years

Praised for portability and reliability; criticized for performance and battery.

What owners wrote

Likes itOwned 2 yearsStill going
To offer an alternative data point, I don't really want any of the above. Just make it cheaper, smaller, and with guaranteed security updates for as long as possible. The only wired headphones I own are high-impedance """audiophile""" headphones, that a phone couldn't really drive in the first place. As for storage, I don't do a whole lot on my phone except for messaging and looking things up on-the-go, none of which needs much in terms of storage space. I've had my current phone (iPhone SE3, 128GB) for over 2 years, and I've never even had to delete anything (and when the day comes, I'll transfer the contents of the photo gallery over to external storage).
Likes it
I love my iPhone SE 3rd gen. Perfect form factor. Neither too big nor too small to be able to do useful things on it. My hands and arms hurt using large phones. I am so used to using one hand to operate phones. My previous was iPhone SE 1st gen. Why do people need such a large phone in day to day life usage? Carry an iPad/tablet if you really need one.
Neutral
Why? My wife and travel a lot and we spend extended periods of time away from home. I can’t imagine wanting to work from just an iPad. My travel and home setup is a Roost laptop stand, an Apple BT keyboard and mouse and a portable USB C monitor with a stand Portable Monitor, InnoView 15.8... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095GG31KX?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_shar... Metal Tablet Stand, a Portable... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4KH2GH3?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_shar... I have an iPad Air 3rd gen and my wife has a 13 inch iPad Air that she uses exclusively
Neutral
I've had an LG tv for a couple years. I was previously able to use LG's THINQ app on my phone like a remote to operate the tv. A couple days ago I went in the app to use the remote and the feature had been totally locked behind the "access local networks & devices" permission... This permission was never needed in the past 3 years yet now it's necessary for the same functionality. So, I disconnected the TV from the internet, uninstalled the app, and bought an Apple TV 3rd gen. LG TV quality is great but their software is unbearable.
Doesn’t like it
I'm certainly regretting updating my iPhone SE (3rd gen) to iOS 26. It doesn't feel much slower, but the battery life seems to be a lot less than it was last week. And I had to turn off my accessibility customizations (reduce transparency, etc.) so the interface didn't look completely terrible.
Likes it
I am on an iPhone SE 3rd gen. due to the small form factor. It is already annoying to surf the web even with an adblocker, lots of cookie banners, notes, requests to install app/signup etc. take so much screen space that you can see no content. Clearly developers do not test or care for small screens anymore.
Doesn’t like it
> When was the last time you felt your smartphone really couldn’t cope? A couple of weeks ago using Obsidian in an iPhone SE (3rd gen). And I've switched to an iPhone 16 and it's definitely way more fluid (even for browsing). There is clearly some kind of rat race: more raw power available, less time spent by devs in optimizations (and I guess the PRO to that CON would be less time to market). I'm not sure how to feel about all this, but there are definitely situations of phones that can't keep up.
Likes it
- kept an iPhone 6S for nearly 7 years (2 battery replacements), now using an SE 3rd Gen (to keep old tech I like - touch ID and LCD rather than OLED - still a bit suspicious about headaches, given I use it phone low brightness) - used a 2012 Mac Mini for nearly 11 years, now upgraded (same product line) - philosophy has always been migrating operating systems is a massive pain (for anyone who uses package management or occasionally has to compile things, anyway). Was annoyed to lose the infra-red receiver as well as having to use an external SDXC reader. Also Apple don't seem to deliver quite as much power to the USB ports anymore? - still have an iPod Touch I use occasionally (so light - 88g or 3.1oz - and so comfortable to hold) - refuse to buy AirPods etc (costly, wasteful, extra complexity, latency...) - refuse to buy a Smart Speaker because really, whatever is the point? I can listen to radio streams on my computer with PyRadio, I can type the address of the Met Office website and if I want an alarm I can use my phone or my watch. (sidenote: have had Siri turned off for years) - keen on quality, single purpose items - e.g. torch, head torch, FM radio, desk lamp, GPS unit, USB microphone. - watches: a Timex with a button you press to light up the face, a solar Casio G-shock and a solar Citizen eco-Drive for "smarter" occasions) - trying to do things in Vim (nvim) - first proper mechanical keyboard being delivered today - very excited! - signed up to HN a few days ago for
Doesn’t like it
yes, i get particularly pissed by so-called counter-culture hipsters pissing all over the unwashed masses yet slavishly dedicated to the hypocrisy of crass consumerism when they think its "cool". the appletards go miles beyond any shopping-zombie i can think of in their pursuit of buying shit. and yes, it is shit. its stunning that there are morons buying the new macbooks for $2k!!!...i mean, you have to be braindead. but the icing on the cake was when i bought the 3rd gen ipod nano. previous ipods were recognized by linux and various tools. but oh no, steve had to encrypt the firmware, thus pointlessly complicating what should be a trivial task - mounting a usb device. WHY???? what do you FUCKING CARE steve that i am trying to plug this into a linux box??? is it a problem that i don't buy into your end-end slavery? i replaced it with a cowon...at least they aren't going out of their way to fuck over users who don't goose-step a certain way