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Apple iPhone 12 Pro vs Apple iPhone SE (1st generation)
Apple iPhone 12 Pro ($165) vs Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) ($41) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right smartphone.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple iPhone 12 Pro | Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $165 | $41 |
| Weight | 189g | 113g |
| Chip | A14 Bionic | A9 |
| Display | 6.1" 60Hz OLED | 4" 60Hz LCD |
| Camera | 12MP triple + LiDAR | 12MP single |
| Rating | IP68 | IP67 (later revisions) |
| Weight | 189g (Apple published) | 113g (Apple published) |
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
- LiDAR helps low-light autofocus and portrait
- Stainless steel and glass feels expensive
- MagSafe
- Triple camera with telephoto
- 189g is heavy for 6.1 inches
- Lightning
- No Apple Intelligence
- 60Hz, a year before ProMotion arrived
Apple iPhone SE (1st generation)
- Smallest, lightest phone in the entire catalog
- Touch ID and a real home button
- Genuinely one-handed usable, unlike anything from 2018 onward
- Extremely cheap, the least expensive working iPhone here
- iOS support has ended
- A9 chip is a decade old and it shows in modern apps
- Single camera, no portrait mode or night mode
- Battery on any used unit will be significantly degraded
Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) is the better value at $41. Both are part of our curated smartphone index — tap through to check current pricing.