Apple iPhone SE (2020) vs iPhone 8 Plus
49
out of 100
VS
45
out of 100
Here we compared two smartphones: the 4.7-inch Apple iPhone SE (2020) (with Apple A13 Bionic) that was released on April 15, 2020, against the Apple iPhone 8 Plus, which is powered by Apple A11 Bionic and came out 2 years and 7 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.
Select the amount of RAM to evaluate performance and value for money more precisely
Key differences
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone SE (2020)
- 67% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (1033K versus 620K)
- Uses a faster type of memory: LPDDR4X
- Compatible with Wi-Fi 6 wireless networks
- Better grip in hands – the body is 10.8 mm narrower
- The phone is 2 years and 7 months newer
- More energy-efficient CPU – Apple A13 Bionic
- 54% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 1680 and 1092 points
- Weighs 54 grams less
- Ready for eSIM technology
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone 8 Plus
- Has a 0.8 inch larger screen size
- Comes with 870 mAh larger battery capacity: 2691 vs 1821 mAh
- The rear camera has a 2x optical zoom
- Shows 13% longer battery life (18:45 vs 16:40 hours)
- 23% higher pixel density (401 vs 326 PPI)
Review
Display
Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness
Camera
Photo and video recording quality
Performance
CPU and memory performance (apps, system)
Gaming
Capabilities for playing modern games
Battery
Battery life, charging type and speed
Connectivity
Networks, ports, data transmission
Select your primary usage scenario to get a more accurate NanoReview Score
Value for money (Beta)
Tests and specifications
Comparison table of technical specifications and testsDisplay
| Type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Size | 4.7 inches | 5.5 inches |
| Resolution | 750 x 1334 pixels | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| PPI | 326 ppi | 401 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Adaptive refresh rate | No | No |
| Max rated brightness | 625 nits | 625 nits |
| HDR support | Yes, Dolby Vision | No |
| Screen protection | Tempered glass | Tempered glass |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 65.3% | 67.4% |
| Display features | - DCI-P3 | - |
| RGB color space | 99.9% | 99.9% |
| PWM | Not detected | Not detected |
| Response time | 29 ms | 32 ms |
| Contrast | 2457:1 | 1471:1 |
Screen space comparison
iPhone 8 Plus
5.5″ (16:9 ratio) = 12.9 in2
iPhone SE (2020)
4.7″ (16:9 ratio) = 9.4 in2
~36% more screen space
Peak brightness test (auto)
Design and build
| Height | 138.4 mm (5.45 inches) | 158.4 mm (6.24 inches) |
| Width | 67.3 mm (2.65 inches) | 78.1 mm (3.07 inches) |
| Thickness | 7.3 mm (0.29 inches) | 7.5 mm (0.3 inches) |
| Weight | 148 g (5.22 oz) | 202 g (7.13 oz) |
| Waterproof | IP67 | IP67 |
| Rear material | Glass | Glass |
| Frame material | Metal | Metal |
| Colors | White, Black, Red | Silver, Gold, Gray |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes, in-button | Yes, in-button |
Screen-to-body ratio
Performance
| Chipset | Apple A13 Bionic | Apple A11 Bionic |
| Max clock | 2650 MHz | 2390 MHz |
| CPU cores | 6 (2 + 4) | 6 (2 + 4) |
| Architecture | - 4 cores at 1.6 GHz: Thunder - 2 cores at 2.65 GHz: Lightning |
- 4 cores at 1.42 GHz: Mistral - 2 cores at 2.39 GHz: Monsoon |
| Manufacturing | TSMC | TSMC |
| Lithography process | 7 nanometers | 10 nanometers |
| Neural processor (NPU) | Apple Neural Engine | Apple Neural Engine |
| Graphics | Apple A13 Bionic GPU | Apple GPU |
| GPU shading units | 256 | 192 |
| GPU clock | 1230 MHz | 1066 MHz |
| FLOPS | ~629.8 GFLOPS | ~409.3 GFLOPS |
Benchmarks
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
Compute Score (GPU)
| Compute Score (GPU) | 13772 | - |
| Single-core score | 1680 | 1092 |
| Multi-core score | 3671 | 2921 |
AnTuTu Benchmark 11
| CPU | 292054 | 231598 |
| GPU | 222419 | 106761 |
| Memory | 149701 | 121754 |
| UX | 369183 | 160257 |
| Total score | 1033357 | 620370 |
| Samples | Less than 3 | Less than 3 |
3DMark Solar Bay
| Stability | 67% | - |
| Graphics test | 9 FPS | - |
| Section 1 | 12 FPS | - |
| Section 2 | 9 FPS | - |
| Section 3 | 6 FPS | - |
| Graphics score | 2275 | - |
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
| Stability | 65% | 70% |
| Graphics test | 10 FPS | 5 FPS |
| Graphics score | 1768 | 890 |
Recent User Tests
Apple iPhone SE (2020)
| Date | Benchmark | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 📘 2026-05-02 (runrey) | Geekbench 6 CPU | 833 / 1454 |
| 📘 2023-11-13 (Guest #1) | Geekbench 6 GPU | 13772 |
| 📘 2023-11-13 (Guest #2) | Geekbench 6 CPU | 1738 / 3119 |
| 📘 2023-10-05 (Antonio) | Geekbench 6 CPU | 1680 / 3671 |
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
No benchmark results yet
Memory
| RAM size | 3 GB | 3 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR4X | LPDDR4 |
| Channels | 2 | 2 |
| Storage size | 64 GB | 64 GB |
| Storage type | NVMe | NVMe |
| Memory card | No | No |
Software
| Operating system | iOS 13 (Can be upgraded to iOS 26.5) | iOS 11 (Can be upgraded to iOS 16.5) |
| OS size | 8.4 GB | 6 GB |
Battery
| Capacity | 1821 mAh | 2691 mAh |
| Max charge power | 18 W | 15 W |
| Battery type | Li-Ion | Li-Ion |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Wireless charging | Yes, Qi (7.5 W) | Yes, Qi (7.5 W) |
| Reverse charging | No | No |
| Fast charging | Yes (55% in 60 min) | Yes (50% in 30 min) |
| Full charging time | 2:32 hr | 1:25 hr |
| Web browsing | 06:52 hr | 06:52 hr |
| Watching video | 10:09 hr | 10:47 hr |
| Gaming | 03:33 hr | 04:11 hr |
| Standby | 79 hr | 99 hr |
General battery life
Main camera
| Matrix | 12 megapixels | 12 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 4032 x 3024 | 4032 x 3024 |
| Zoom | Digital | Optical, 2x |
| Flash | Quad LED | Quad LED |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| 8K video recording | No | No |
| 4K video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| 1080p video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| Slow motion | 240 FPS (1080p) | 240 FPS (1080p) |
| Lenses | 1) Standard: 12 MP |
1) Standard: 12 MP 2) Telephoto: 12 MP |
| Camera features | - Bokeh mode | - Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support |
| Image resolution | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.8 |
| Focal length | 28 mm | 28 mm |
| Sensor | Apple iSight Camera | Apple iSight Duo Camera |
| Sensor size | 1/3" (≈ 0.33 inch) | 1/3" (≈ 0.33 inch) |
| Pixel size | 1.22 micron | 1.22 micron |
| Autofocus | Phase autofocus | Phase autofocus |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| Image resolution | - | 12 MP |
| Aperture | - | f/2.8 |
| Focal length | - | 57 mm |
| Stabilization | - | Digital |
DxOMark main camera tests
Photo quality
Video quality
Generic main camera score
| Samples | Photo samples of Apple iPhone SE (2020) from DxOMark | Photo samples of Apple iPhone 8 Plus from DxOMark |
Selfie camera
| Megapixels | 7 megapixels | 7 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 3088 x 2320 | 3088 x 2320 |
| Aperture | f/2.2 | f/2.2 |
| Focal length | 32 mm | 32 mm |
| Sensor | CMOS | BSI CMOS |
| Pixel size | 1 micron | 1 micron |
| Autofocus | Phase autofocus | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) |
| Stabilization | Digital | Digital |
| Video resolution | 1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS | 1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS |
| Depth sensor (TOF 3D) | No | No |
DxOMark front camera
| Photo | 103 | - |
| Video | 122 | - |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 b/g/n/ac/ax) | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 b/g/n/ac) |
| Wi-Fi features | - Dual Band - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
- Dual Band - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot |
| Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 |
| Bluetooth features | LE, A2DP | LE, A2DP |
| USB type | No | No |
| USB version | 2 | 2 |
| USB features | - Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG |
- Charging - USB-Storage mode |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo |
| NFC* | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared port | No | No |
| Number of SIM* | 1 | 1 |
| Type of SIM card | Nano | Nano |
| Multi SIM mode | Standby | Standby |
| eSIM support* | Yes | No |
| Hybrid slot | No | No |
| LTE Cat* | 16 | 16 |
| 5G support | No | No |
Sound
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo |
| Headphone audio jack | No | No |
| FM radio | No | No |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
Speakers test
Max loudness
Other
| Category | Mid-range | Flagship |
| Announced | April 2020 | September 2017 |
| Release date | April 2020 | September 2017 |
| Launch price (MSRP) | $399 | $799 |
| Successor | - Apple iPhone 16e | - |
| SAR (head) | 0.98 W/kg | 0.94 W/kg |
| SAR (body) | 0.99 W/kg | 0.99 W/kg |
| Sensors | - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
| Bundled charger | Yes, 5 W | - |
*Disclaimer! NFC, GSM network support, and some other specs can be different depending on the country.
Conclusion
After analyzing all the data, we think that the Apple iPhone SE (2020) is definitely a better buy.
Cast your vote
Total votes: 1440