The original iPhone SE was one of the greatest affordable iPhones of its time, and it did live up to the expectations of the masses for a very long period. Needless to say, iPhone SE left a remarkable legacy in the world of Apple and smartphones. And so, Apple decided to reboot the SE lineup in 2020 and launched the successor, iPhone SE (2nd gen). I bought this phone (the reasons for which are laid out below in this article), and it has been more than 2 years now since I have been using it. It is interesting to look at how the iPhone SE (2nd gen) is doing today, after my consistent usage for 2 years.

I will refer to the iPhone SE (2nd gen) as “SE” simply because it is easy to say it that way.

Why iPhone SE (2nd gen)? 🤔

That’s a really valid question to ask. Thankfully, I have some reasons to provide.

• Iconic design: The iPhone SE (2nd gen) brought with it the classic design with the home button and Touch ID, which has been a legacy of iPhones. This formula worked so well that Apple didn’t change it for years until they launched the iPhone X lineup. I have always been a fan of this iconic hardware design and wanted to try it out before it became extinct. I honestly thought iPhone SE (2nd gen) would be the last phone to come with a home button, but clearly, I was wrong — there’s iPhone SE (3rd gen) out there today.
• Small size: Most phones I used previously were big. Not that I am complaining, but using a phone with two hands isn’t always comfortable. The SE fits perfectly in my hands, and one-handed usage is not a problem at all.
• Try out iOS: This was my first ever iPhone. I had been using Android phones for many years before I bought the SE and explored a lot. I wanted to venture into the Apple world and try out iOS. And I own a mac, so it added to my desire to get an iPhone.
• Affordable: Let’s admit it. iPhones are expensive. Apple is a luxury brand, sort of. SE gave me and many others an entry point to explore and try out what Apple has to offer.
• Perfect launch timing: My last phone had started giving up. It had served its time. For all the above reasons mentioned, I was about to go ahead and grab an iPhone 8 or 8 Plus. But when I heard the launch of SE was imminent, I waited a few months and got a much better phone, with everything I wanted.

2 years down the line: How is the iPhone SE (2nd gen) doing? 📱

• 💪 Overall build: Pretty solid. The SE has a great design and an overall tough body. Though some might argue that the glass back is fragile and subject to cracks, I defend my position by stating that most people use a phone case for protection. And with a decent phone case, the chances of something terrible happening are low, unless you seriously want to test out the durability.
• ☝️ Touch ID: Flawless. I don’t think I have encountered any issues with the functioning of the fingerprint sensor that is embedded in the home button. Of course, I have to clean it up slightly in case some dust or sweat settles on it. But otherwise, it works smoothly when unlocking the device or making payments.
• 🔘 The home button: Initially, I was a little concerned about the number of physical clicks the home button could survive over its lifetime. Just like any other company, Apple claims that the home button is extremely durable and supports the statement with certain experimental figures. In my experience, I use the home button extensively (which should not be a surprise since it is a part of the primary navigation), and it is still in perfectly good condition. I think the reason for this is that the button is not actually pressed physically; the sensor beneath the button gives you the feeling of a press — thanks to the fantastic vibration motors inside.
• 📷 Cameras: Well, well, well…this is a hotly debated area, especially when there are phones with 3 or 4 cameras and a huge number of megapixels. Here’s my take on it. The SE has only one rear camera. And it just works really good. I mostly use it to click pictures and upload them on social media, so it works fine for me. I have experienced blurriness and degradation of picture quality over time with my previous phones, but with the SE, the pictures are as neat as they were 2 years back.
• 🔋 Battery: The only thing I genuinely do not like about this damn phone is the battery. It sucks from day one. The small battery on the phone simply does not cut it. And after 2 years, it sucks more now because the maximum capacity of the battery has now reduced to 84% of what it originally was. I somehow manage to get a screen-on time of around 4–4.5 hours, and I almost always have the low-power mode turned on. I cannot think of stepping out without a power bank, so now you know it is that bad. Just a minor flex — I was lucky enough to get the charging adapter in the box. However, I ended up buying a fast charger anyway a few months later.
• 📱 Display: No issues whatsoever. The display on my SE is running absolutely fine to date. Now I know that the display is not top-notch as per the standards of 2022. Again, this might be a subject of debate and discussion, but it is a good display for a phone. Although the low resolution and small size of the display do give me FOMO sometimes.
• 💦 Water resistance: This is an area difficult to comment on. I highly doubt the IP ratings and numbers that companies provide because I have seen even the best flagship phones get damaged due to water, and some mid-range phones without any water resistance rating or certification survive a few splashes. So I always keep my phone away from water, or at least I try to. In the most recent incident, my SE got under a tap of water for a couple of seconds, and the speakers didn’t function properly for a few hours. The phone was good after I dried it up, and the speakers were back to normal.
• 🧠 Performance: Amazing! The phone is as smooth as it was on day one. I’m not into serious gaming, so I can’t vouch for that, but for most general purposes, it works the way I expect. I don’t even remember the last time I cleared all apps.
• 🦄 iOS: How can I not talk about this! As previously mentioned, trying out iOS and experiencing the Apple software on a mobile device was one of my key reasons for getting the SE. iOS works amazingly well — no complaints on this front. Software updates are never a problem with iPhones. So far, I am really optimistic about that.
• 🌐 Connectivity: Though I have heard that connectivity with WiFi, Bluetooth, or mobile network gets slightly degraded in some phones as they age, I have never encountered such issues with my SE. Even today, the connectivity is excellent. In fact, sometimes, I am able to get connectivity to the mobile network in remote areas faster than Android counterparts.

Final words 💭

While most things about the SE are great even after 2 years, the small battery makes it frustrating to use. Keeping aside this one issue, the SE is an elegant device. I have heard about how long-lasting iPhones generally are. With my experience of using the SE for 2 years now, I think I can believe that. Hopefully, I shall switch to a newer phone only after a couple of years — not because the SE would give up on me, but because I will probably be looking for a significant upgrade out of interest. ✌️