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Apple iPhone SE

Apple iPhone SE

R1,000
SKU: 2365
Brand: Apple
Category: Mobiles
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CPU: Dual-core 1.84 GHz Twister
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 16GB/32GB/128GB
Display: IPS LCD
Camera: 12MP
OS: iOS 9.3.2, upgradable to iOS 15.8.1

Our Rating

The overall rating is based on review by our experts

Display 5 / 10
Camera 5 / 10
Performance 5 / 10
Battery 5 / 10

PROS

LED-backlit IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors

CONS

2GB RAM
1624 mAh battery

The Apple iPhone SE provides a remarkably affordable entry point into the iOS ecosystem in South Africa, with baseline or refurbished pricing starting from a very low ZAR 1,000. Because this price point applies to an older hardware tier, it typically represents the 1st-Generation iPhone SE (2016) or early 2nd-Generation (2020) units in Pre-Owned, CPO (Certified Pre-Owned), or Refurbished condition, making it a budget-friendly option for students, entry-level users, or anyone needing a reliable backup phone.

Pricing & Local Availability

While the standard entry price benchmark is set at ZAR 1,000, actual over-the-counter costs will vary significantly based on your specific location in South Africa, the exact generation of the SE model (2016 vs. 2020), internal storage capacities (e.g., 32GB vs. 64GB), and the physical condition grading of the stock.

You can track down these budget-friendly iPhone SE deals across a massive nationwide network of online platforms, mobile outlets, and department stores:

Online Hubs & Tech Superstores: Takealot, Hi Online, HiFi Corp, Makro, Game.
Everyday Fashion & Department Chains: Foschini, Mr Price, Ackermans, PEP.
Cellular Specialists & Outlets: Cellucity, 4U, Chatz Connect.
Mobile Network Providers: Available via cash terms or select prepaid clearance bundles through MTN.

Critical Legacy Considerations & Highlights

If you are planning to purchase an iPhone SE at this ultra-budget price tier, it is important to understand what a legacy or refurbished device offers so you can manage your daily usage expectations:

Generation & Software Differences:
- 1st-Gen SE (4.0-inch): Tops out officially at iOS 15. While essential daily communication apps like WhatsApp and basic mobile banking portals are broadly functional, it will not support the newest iOS features or app upgrades.
- 2nd-Gen SE (4.7-inch): Powered by the faster A13 Bionic chip, this model supports newer iOS iterations, offering much better longevity for modern application updates.
Classic Premium Pocketable Build: Moving away from the plastic chassis common among modern budget alternatives, the iPhone SE series features a premium aluminum unibody design. It is highly compact, lightweight, and incredibly easy to navigate with just one hand.
Reliable Touch ID Security: The front panel houses the classic hardware Home Button integrated with a fast, secure Touch ID fingerprint sensor, keeping your personal chats and banking profiles safe while allowing rapid device unlocking.
Capable 12MP Camera: The single 12MP rear camera captures clear, highly color-accurate daylight photos and supports crisp video recording, making it perfectly functional for casual social media uploads and family group updates.
Built-in Headphone Jack (1st-Gen Only): If you locate the ultra-compact 1st-generation model, it includes the classic built-in 3.5mm headphone jack, letting you plug your standard wired earphones directly into the device without needing an adapter.

Before locking in your purchase, it is highly recommended to clarify the exact model generation and the store warranty period (refurbished units usually carry a 6-to-12-month store warranty). Additionally, requesting a quick check on the device’s remaining battery health percentage is always a smart move to ensure reliable daily battery life.

Full Specifications

General

Brand	Apple
Model	Apple iPhone SE
Announced	21 March, 2016
Released	31 March, 2016
Status	Available
Price	ZAR 1,000

Design

Type Design Type called form factor refers to a mobile phone's size, shape, and style as well as the layout and position of major components of phone. There are three major form factors seen in mobile phones => bar phones, folding phones and sliding phones.	Bar
Dimensions	123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm (4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 in)
Weight	113 g (3.99 oz)
Colors	Space Gray, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold

Network

2G Network
3G Network
4G Network
5G Network
SIM SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) is a small card that contains mobile network subscriber's account information. This allows the phone using the card to attach to a mobile network. The SIM card is most commonly associated with GSM and UMTS mobile networks. Moving a SIM card from one phone to another allows a subscriber to switch mobile phones without having to contact their mobile network carrier. SIM cards can also be used by a phone to store limited amounts of data, such as phone numbers and text messages.	Nano-SIM

Display

Display Type Display Technology => A number of display technologies and types used in mobile phones => TFT (Thin Film Transistor), IPS (In-Place Switching), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode), AMOLED (Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode), Super AMOLED (an even advanced version of AMOLED), Resistive Touchscreen (Resistive touchscreens contain two layer of conductive material with a very small gap between them which acts as a resistance), Capacitive Touchsceen (Capacitive touchscreen technology consists of a layer of glass coated with a transparent conductor)	IPS LCD
Size	4.0 inches, 44.1 cm2 (~60.8% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution	640 x 1136 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~326 ppi density)

Media

Audio Playback
Video Playback
FM Radio	No
Ring Tones
Loudspeaker

Camera

Main Camera Camera is able to capture photographs and usually videos, The most important characteristics of a camera are the resolution (measured in megapixels), lens focus type (fixed or automatic), higher megapixel cameras are known to capture higher quality photos, but not always a good measurement of the photos quality.	12 MP, f/2.2, 29mm (standard), 1/3.0", 1.22µm, PDAF
Camera Features	Face detection, HDR, panorama
Video	720p@30fps
Selfie Camera	1.2 MP, f/2.4, 31mm (standard)
Camera Features	Face detection, HDR, panorama
Video	720p@30fps

Software

iOS 15.8.1

Hardware

Chipset Chipset is a group of integrated circuits designed to perform one or a more dedicated functions, often with real time computing constraints, Popular smartphones are equipped with more advanced embedded chipsets that can do many different tasks depending on their programming.	Apple A9 (14 nm)
CPU CPU (Central Processing Unit) mostly known as processors, CPU processes instructions in order to carry out certain functions that make your device operate properly. Processors are often described as the brain of computers, smartphones and tablets, Smartphones and tablets rely on processors to carry out their every task, Processors are an incredibly important factor in selecting any type of computing device, including your smartphone.	Dual-core 1.84 GHz Twister
GPU GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a single-chip processor designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display, This includes things such as lighting effects, object transformations, and 3D motion.	PowerVR GT7600 (six-core graphics)
RAM (Memory) RAM (Random Access Memory) is a type of computer memory that can be accessed randomly, any byte of memory can be accessed without touching the preceding bytes that allows information to be stored and accessed quickly from random locations. RAM is the most common type of memory found in computer systems, smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices.	2GB
Internal Storage Internal Storage is a data storage space (flash memory) mostly used in smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices where operating system, apps, music, photos, videos, files and other user data Is stored.	16GB/32GB/128GB
Card Slot Memory Card Slot is a special slot for inserting a memory card. Memory cards allow you to expand the phone's built-in memory, A memory card (sometimes called a flash memory card or a storage card) is a small storage medium used to store data such as text, pictures, audio, and video, for use on small, portable or remote computing devices such as mobile phones, mp3 players, digital cameras.	No
Sensors Sensors are electronic components that detects and responds to some type of input from the physical environment. The specific input could be light, heat, motion, moisture, pressure and location, The output is generally a signal that is converted to use in computing systems, a location sensor, such as a GPS receiver is able to detect current location of your electronic device.	Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Connectivity

Bluetooth Bluetooth is a wireless communications technology for exchanging data between mobile phones, headsets, computers and other network devices over short distances without wires, Bluetooth technology was primarily designed to support simple wireless networking of personal consumer devices.	4.2, A2DP, LE
Wi-fi Wi-Fi is a popular wireless networking technology using radio waves to provide high-speed network connections that allows devices to communicate without cords or cables, Wi-Fi is increasingly becoming the preferred mode of internet connectivity all over the world.	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, hotspot
Wi-fi Hotspot
USB	Lightning, USB 2.0
Positioning GPS The Global Positioning System is a satellite-based radio navigation system, GPS permits users to determine their position, velocity and the time 24 hours a day, in all weather, anywhere in the world, In order to locate your position, your device or GPS receiver must have a clear view of the sky.	GPS, GLONASS
NFC NFC (Near field communication) is a set of standards for smartphones and similar devices to establish peer-to-peer radio communications with each other by touching them together or bringing them into proximity, usually no more than a few inches.

Battery

Li-Po 1624 mAh, non-removable (6.21 Wh)

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Display: Screen size, image quality (brightness, colors, contrast, etc), visibility in sun light, angles of view and touchscreen.

6
Camera: Usability of Camera interface, image and video quality in different light conditions and environment.

5
Performance: Is this device perform good while watching videos, playing games, taking snapshots, browsing internet and navigate through other applications?

5
Battery: What about battery life, while calling, listening music, watching videos, playing games and doing other tasks.

6
Average Rating 6 / 10 based on your selection