Apple iPhone 6S vs Apple iPhone SE (1st generation)
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Apple iPhone 6S and the Apple iPhone SE (1st generation), taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) |
|---|
| Price | $45 | $45 |
| Our rating | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Battery | 1,715 mAh | 1,624 mAh |
| RAM (max) | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Storage (max) | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Screen size | 4.7 in | 4 in |
| Main camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 143 g | 113 g |
| Released | Sep 2015 | Mar 2016 |
Summary: Apple iPhone 6S is ahead on our rating, battery, screen size. Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) is ahead on weight (lower is lighter).
★ Which should you buy? Apple iPhone 6S is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs.
Reviewed by the infozme.com Editorial Team — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) |
|---|
| Type | IPS LCD | Retina IPS LCD, LED-backlit |
| Size | 4.7 inches, 60.9 cm2 (~65.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 4.0 inches (diagonal) |
| Resolution | 750 x 1334 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~326 ppi density) | 1136 x 640 pixels, 326 ppi |
| Protection | Ion-strengthened glass, oleophobic coating | — |
| Features | 500 nits (typ), 3D Touch | 800:1 contrast ratio (typical), 500 cd/m2 max brightness (typical), Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, Full sRGB standard |
Platform
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) |
|---|
| OS | iOS 9, upgradable to iOS 15.8 | iOS 9.3.1, upgradable to iOS 15.8.8 (as of May 2026) |
| Chipset | Apple A9 (14 nm) | Apple A9 (14 nm) |
| CPU | Dual-core 1.84 GHz Twister | Dual-core 1.84 GHz Twister |
| GPU | PowerVR GT7600 (six-core graphics) | PowerVR GT7600 (six-core graphics) |
Memory
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) |
|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 16GB 2GB RAM, 32GB 2GB RAM, 64GB 2GB RAM, 128GB 2GB RAM | 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB (2GB RAM) |
Main Camera
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) |
|---|
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 29mm (standard), 1/3", PDAF | 12 MP, f/2.2, 29mm (standard), 1/3", 1.22µm, PDAF |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, Live Photos, panorama | Dual-tone LED flash, HDR, Live Photos, Autofocus, IR filter, Burst mode, Face detection, True Tone flash |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 1080p@120fps, 720p@240fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 1080p@120fps (slow-motion), 720p@240fps (slow-motion) |
Selfie Camera
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) |
|---|
| Single | 5 MP, f/2.2, 31mm (standard) | 1.2 MP, f/2.4, 31mm (standard) |
| Features | Face detection, HDR, panorama | Face detection, HDR, Retina Flash |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 720p@30fps |
Battery
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) |
|---|
| Type | Li-Ion 1715 mAh, non-removable (6.55 Wh) | Li-Po 1624 mAh, non-removable (6.21 Wh) |
| Talk time | Up to 14 h (3G) | — |
| Music play | Up to 50 h | — |
| Charging | — | Standard charging |
Body
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) |
|---|
| Dimensions | 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm (5.44 x 2.64 x 0.28 in) | 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm (4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 in) |
| Weight | 143 g (5.04 oz) | 113 g (4.0 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Ion-strengthened glass), aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front, aluminum back, aluminum frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Other | Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | — |
| Colors | — | Space Gray, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold |
Comms
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE | 4.2, A2DP, LE |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS |
| NFC | Yes (Apple Pay only) | Yes (Apple Pay only) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
Launch
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) |
|---|
| Announced | 2015, September 09 | March 21, 2016 |
| Status | Released 2015, September 25 | Released March 31, 2016 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Apple iPhone 6S or Apple iPhone SE (1st generation)?
Apple iPhone 6S — 1,715 mAh for the Apple iPhone 6S versus 1,624 mAh for the Apple iPhone SE (1st generation).
Which is lighter, Apple iPhone 6S or Apple iPhone SE (1st generation)?
Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) — 143 g for the Apple iPhone 6S versus 113 g for the Apple iPhone SE (1st generation).
Which is newer, Apple iPhone 6S or Apple iPhone SE (1st generation)?
Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) — Sep 2015 for the Apple iPhone 6S versus Mar 2016 for the Apple iPhone SE (1st generation).
Is the Apple iPhone 6S or the Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) rated higher?
We rate the Apple iPhone 6S 6/10 and the Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) 5/10.
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