The best iPhone SE 2020 alternative: OnePlus 7

After four long years, Apple finally released the second-generation iPhone SE. This "special" or "smaller" edition smartphone is like a carbon copy of the iPhone 8. However, the one main thing that differentiates the SE from the iPhone 8 is its A13 bionic chipset. According to Apple, the A13 is by far, the fastest chipset to have been installed on a smartphone.

The idea of getting your hands on the latest special edition iPhone can be lucrative but there is another option you can rely on unless you are a die-hard Apple user. The OnePlus 7 can be a substitute to the iPhone SE 2020 for similar price range. How? Let us dig a bit deep into both the smartphones' features and then decide.

Performance

OnePlus 7 is equipped with a Snapdragon 855 chipset whereas the iPhone SE 2020 is equipped with an A13 bionic SoC (system on chip). Apple's latest chipset - A13, is without any doubt, better than the Snapdragon 855. According to spec sheets, the chipset for Android should perform better than the one for iOS. However, Apple's optimisation always keeps it a step ahead in the battle between Android and iOS.

Battery

The iPhone SE is powered by a non-removable 1821mAh lithium-ion battery and the OnePlus 7 is powered by a non-removable 3700mAh lithium-polymer battery. Lithium-ion batteries can be very efficient and might last longer than lithium-polymer batteries. But the iPhone SE would need to be put on charge more frequently as its battery capacity is around 49 percent less than the capacity of OnePlus 7.

Speaking of battery capacity, the iPhone SE supports 18W fast charging and the company claims that it can charge from 0-50 percent in 30 minutes. On the contrary, the OnePlus 7 sports 20W fast charging which can charge this Android faster than the iOS phone.

Display

On one hand, OnePlus 7 comes with a 6.41-inches screen and on the other, the iPhone SE is fitted with a 4.7-inches display. OnePlus 7's display has an 85.5 percent screen-to-body ratio; 20 percent more than the ratio of iPhone SE. Though this iOS phone has a smaller screen, its IPS LCD display can be more soothing to the eyes than the AMOLED display.

Then again, a bigger screen allows a user to have a good experience while playing games or watching videos. It also fits more text on the screen and needs lesser scrolling. Above that, a bigger screen means fewer neck movements as the screen is visible from afar.

Ram and storage

There are three variants of the iPhone SE – 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB, and all three are paired with a 3GB RAM. OnePlus 7, on the other hand, offers two options - 6/128GB and 8/256GB. iPhones usually require less RAM than Android phones because of the way they are built; the phone has the capability to enhance performance more efficiently than an Android smartphone with double RAM.

Compared to the 6/128GB variant of OnePlus 7, the iPhone SE 3/128GB might be a more reliable option, however, in the case of the 8/256GB variant of OnePlus 7, the iPhone SE 3/256GB might lag behind in terms of consistency in the long-run.

Body

Both the smartphones come with aluminum frames; the iPhone SE is fitted with normal glass protection on the front and back while OnePlus 7 is protected by a Gorilla Glass 6 on the front and a Gorilla Glass 5 on the back.

Unless you can bear the costs of repairing your phone's case frequently, the OnePlus 7 could be a wiser choice as its case might not need to be replaced until it slips off your hand a couple of times.

Camera

The iPhone SE is fitted with a 12MP wide-angle main camera and the OnePlus 7 sports a dual set-up main camera; 48MP (wide-angle) and 5MP (depth) camera. Both the smartphones have single selfie cameras; the iPhone SE has a 7MP camera and the OnePlus 7 is equipped with a 16MP (wide-angle) camera.

Even though the OnePlus 7 has a higher-spec camera set-up compared to the iPhone SE, its general picture and video quality lag a bit behind the iOS smartphone. However, if you know your way around the functions of cameras, you can always click the best pictures with the device you have in hand.

Now, all the cards have been laid on the table and it is up to you to decide which smartphone you would prefer.