Apple iPhone 6S vs Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen)
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Apple iPhone 6S and the Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen), 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 Gen) |
|---|
| Price | €98 | €62 |
| Our rating | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| 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 battery, screen size. Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) is ahead on our rating, weight (lower is lighter).
★ Which should you buy? Specs are close to an even split here, so Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) is the better buy — the extra cost of the other one isn't matched by a clear spec advantage.
Researched with AI assistance by infozme.com from manufacturer and retailer sources — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) |
|---|
| Type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD, 16M colors |
| Size | 4.7 inches, 60.9 cm2 (~65.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 4.0 inches, 44.1 cm2 (~60.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution | 750 x 1334 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~326 ppi density) | 640 x 1136 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~326 ppi density) |
| Protection | Ion-strengthened glass, oleophobic coating | Ion-strengthened glass, oleophobic coating |
| Features | 500 nits (typ), 3D Touch | 500 nits max brightness (typical), Full sRGB standard, 800:1 contrast ratio (typical) |
Platform
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) |
|---|
| OS | iOS 9, upgradable to iOS 15.8 | iOS 9.3, upgradable to iOS 15.8.8 |
| 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 Gen) |
|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 16GB 2GB RAM, 32GB 2GB RAM, 64GB 2GB RAM, 128GB 2GB RAM | 16GB 2GB RAM, 32GB 2GB RAM, 64GB 2GB RAM, 128GB 2GB RAM |
Main Camera
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) |
|---|
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 29mm (standard), 1/3", PDAF | 12 MP, f/2.2, 29mm (standard), 1/3.0", 1.22µm, PDAF |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, Live Photos, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, five-element lens, sapphire crystal lens cover, backside illumination sensor, autofocus with Focus Pixels, tap to focus with Focus Pixels, exposure control, noise reduction, auto HDR for photos, panorama (up to 63 megapixels), auto image stabilization, burst mode, timer mode, photo geotagging, Live Photos with stabilization |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 1080p@120fps, 720p@240fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@240fps. Cinematic video stabilization (1080p and 720p), continuous autofocus video, face detection, noise reduction, take 8-megapixel still photos while recording 4K video, playback zoom, video geotagging |
Selfie Camera
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) |
|---|
| 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, backside illumination sensor, burst mode, exposure control, timer mode |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 720p@30fps |
Battery
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) |
|---|
| 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) | Up to 14 h (3G) |
| Music play | Up to 50 h | Up to 50 h |
Body
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) |
|---|
| 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) | — |
Comms
| Apple iPhone 6S | Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) |
|---|
| 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 Gen) |
|---|
| Announced | 2015, September 09 | 2016, March 21 |
| Status | Released 2015, September 25 | Released 2016, March 31. Discontinued 2018, September 12. |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Apple iPhone 6S or Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen)?
Apple iPhone 6S — 1,715 mAh for the Apple iPhone 6S versus 1,624 mAh for the Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen).
Which is lighter, Apple iPhone 6S or Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen)?
Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) — 143 g for the Apple iPhone 6S versus 113 g for the Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen).
Which is newer, Apple iPhone 6S or Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen)?
Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) — Sep 2015 for the Apple iPhone 6S versus Mar 2016 for the Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen).
Is the Apple iPhone 6S or the Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) rated higher?
We rate the Apple iPhone 6S 6/10 and the Apple iPhone SE (1st Gen) 7/10.
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