How to find out which processor on iphone se. The A9 processor from Samsung is more voracious than its counterpart from TSMC. Presentable look of the Apple logo

So, in short, the iPhone SE is the iPhone 6s in the iPhone 5s body. There are only two visible differences between the iPhone SE and the iPhone 5s. First, it says "iPhone SE" on the back instead of just "iPhone".

Left to right: iPhone SE, iPhone 5s

The second difference is that the bevels of the metal edging are not glossy, but matte. It is difficult to notice this, even with a direct comparison, nevertheless, it is a fact.

There are no other external differences - including with regard to the location of the camera and flash (recall, these elements were slightly different on the iPhone 5), speakers and in general all sizes.

And this is very good news. If you still have accessories for iPhone 5s - they are 100% suitable for iPhone SE. In our editorial office, for example, there was a special plastic case with a mount for external lenses - we had to throw it into a distant box with the release of the iPhone 6, but now we found it and installed it on the iPhone SE without any problems.

Note also that the iPhone SE is now available in rose gold, which only appeared in the iPhone lineup starting with the iPhone 6s/6s Plus.

From left to right: iPhone 5s, iPhone SE and iPhone 6s

As for our personal impressions, after a dozen minutes of working with the iPhone SE, the return to the dimensions of the iPhone 6s feels like an inconvenience. At the same time, the relatively small screen of the iPhone SE compared to the iPhone 6s does not cause such inconvenience (if we switched to it from the iPhone 6s Plus - of course, the difference would be huge)

iPhone SE in hand

iPhone 6s in hand

However, it should be noted that Apple could increase the screen of the iPhone SE without changing the dimensions of the device itself. The frames are quite thick - there is room to increase. A screen with a diagonal of 4.3-4.5 inches would fit perfectly.

Filling and performance

Inside the iPhone SE is a full-fledged iPhone 6s. Nearly. The differences are minimal - there is no 3D Touch (many, however, have already forgotten that 6s has it at all) and the screen resolution is lower - it corresponds to the iPhone 5/5s: 640x1136 pixels instead of 750x1334 pixels. Thus, the total number of pixels on the iPhone 6/6s screen is 1.4 times that of the iPhone 5/5s/SE.

At the same time, the hardware in the iPhone SE is exactly the same as in the iPhone 6s - a dual-core Apple A9 APL0898 processor with a nominal clock frequency of 1850 MHz, a PowerVR GT7600 video accelerator, and 2 GB of RAM.

Source: ZOOM.CNews

However, the benchmark results show that the iPhone SE is still a fraction of the performance of the iPhone 6s - despite the fact that its processor has fewer "worries" due to the reduced screen resolution.

Source: ZOOM.CNews

Such a difference may be due to the artificial limitation of the processor frequency. The iPhone 6s has a 1715 mAh battery, while the iPhone SE (according to iFixit) has a 1624 mAh battery, which is less. To ensure autonomy similar to the iPhone 6s (and the manufacturer claims that the autonomy of the SE is even higher), the difference in screen resolution and brightness may not be enough.

In any case, the artificial decrease in the frequency of the processor explains the heterogeneity of the results obtained on the iPhone SE in benchmarks. As a rule, we make several runs of the benchmark (up to 5 times) and choose the best results (it is possible to slow down the benchmark with third-party processes, but it is unlikely to speed it up). In the case of the iPhone SE, there was a big difference between the minimum and maximum results, which hints at the control of the processor frequency.

By the way, pay attention to the line "internal memory" in the table of specifications. The iPhone SE will only be available in 16GB or 64GB versions. There are only two options, there will be no others. Although, in a good way, it was possible to leave only one option - 64 GB. Indeed, 16 GB is very little these days, even if you don't watch movies or play games. Music is enough to fill half of this volume, and the second half will be useful for system needs, especially when a new iOS firmware is released.

Another hardware difference between the iPhone SE and the iPhone 6s is the front camera. If the rear cameras of these smartphones are identical (but in SE it does not protrude above the body because the body itself is thicker), then the SE inherited the front camera from 5s. This, however, does not mean that the quality of the selfie has become significantly lower, but we will cover this issue in more detail in the review.

What's left of the iPhone 6s

So, we figured out the stuffing: the processor, RAM and rear camera in the iPhone SE are identical to the iPhone 6s. There are also few differences in terms of software. No 3D Touch, but it's mostly a hardware feature - needs screen support. However, Live Photos were left here - i.e. You can also take animated photos on iPhone SE and view them.

But the facilitation of using with one hand (double tap on the "Home" button) was removed - this is not necessary here, because. You can easily reach the top row of icons with your thumb.

The iPhone SE comes with iOS 9.3 by default, and on the first day we got it for testing, the phone requested an update to iOS 9.3.1. The update fixes some bugs in version 9.3.

It should be noted that the system works on the iPhone SE with lightning speed, we did not notice any performance problems. That is, for those who began to notice lags on the iPhone 5s, it will be very convenient to upgrade to the iPhone SE.

General impression

With minor sacrifices like 3D Touch and a 5-megapixel selfie camera, Apple managed to squeeze the power of the iPhone 6s into the body of the iPhone 5s. Yes, the larger the screen, the easier it is to consume modern content. But for a large screen, there is an iPad, and you want to handle the phone with one hand and so that it does not interfere in your pocket. All the same, the phone will not fully replace the tablet, and the tablet will not replace the phone.

Well, for the upcoming review, we will test both autonomy and both cameras, and, in general, the operation and stability of the device. At the same time, we will reflect on how the Apple smartphone line will develop further, and whether we will see another SE in a year. It seems to us that it would be logical to remove the line of 4.7-inch iPhones and leave 4 inches and 5.5. The first option is for those who care about ergonomics (and who uses the iPad for content that requires a large screen) and the second option is for those who perceive a smartphone as a universal device that replaces, among other things, a tablet.

Finally, Apple released a new smaller model of the iPhone, and it turned out, it seems, not as compromise as the iPhone 5c. iPhone SE prices start at Rs. (and compared to other iPhones, it's inexpensive), the phone feels like a 5s, and has almost the same hardware as a 6s. It seems to be simple. However, when it comes to choosing and purchasing a phone, you need to take into account a bunch of parameters, characteristics and features in order to understand whether this or that model actually meets your expectations. Let's see what the iPhone SE is.

1. Most Powerful 4" Smartphone

Over the past couple of years, we, perhaps, have not seen really interesting compact smartphones. Sony released a few models, but they weren't good enough - they were always compromises.

SE does not look like a compromise solution. He inherited almost all of his components from the current flagship, the iPhone 6s: A9 processor, 2 GB RAM, Apple Pay, amazing 12MP camera, 4K video, live photos and more. The performance of the iPhone SE hardware should not be in doubt.

For the first time in two years, a four-inch phone doesn't leave the impression that something is missing. After all, SE is a Special Edition!

2. This is the beloved iPhone 5s

Compared to the curved and flowing shapes of the iPhone 6 and 6s, the design of the iPhone 5s was sharper, boxier and more angular. And even after two and a half years, it does not seem outdated. Fans of this model would even call it classic. In addition, this phone can be safely put in your pocket or held with one hand!

SE looks almost like 5s. The only difference is that the edge of the phone is matte instead of shiny. In addition, the Apple logo on the back is made to match the color of the phone. Oh, and there's also a color scheme available. rose gold.

3. Small differences

Everyone tends to compare the iPhone SE with 6s rather than 5s, because of the similar package. But this is not exactly a 6s in a smaller body, there are some minor differences.

For example, SE has a sensor Touch ID first generation, just like the iPhone 5s. The difference seems to be small, but only until you try the iPhone 6s. Touch ID 2 is just insanely fast, too fast. After the release of the 6s, people complained that they could not unlock the phone by pressing the home button: the phone detected their fingers before they could press it.

SE does not have 3D touch. It’s a pity, of course, but you shouldn’t grieve too much about it. I think most of us can live without 3D Touch.

What is really regrettable is that the front camera has a resolution of only 1.2 megapixels, while on 6s - all 5 MP. The difference is, of course, significant. You can take very high-quality pictures on the 6s front camera, but hardly on the SE front camera. On the other hand, there is technology Retina Flash, which is nice.

In addition, there are many more pleasant things in SE.

4. All modern goodies

People appreciated the inside of the 6s not because of its performance, but because it implemented features that greatly improved the experience with the iPhone. Firstly, Apple Pay. Second, the “eternal” function "Hey Siri" Finally, co-processor M9 keeps track of a bunch of different information in the background: how many steps you took, how many flights of stairs you climbed, and so on. All this is in the iPhone SE.

5. Works longer than 5s

Good news for those looking to upgrade from 5s or earlier: The SE's battery lasts a long time. On paper, the iPhone SE has a 50% increase in battery life compared to the 5s.

The following table contains runtime data for the latest iPhone models.

A Wall Street Journal stress test shows that things are actually still better:

“In a lab stress test, consistently browsing websites at a constant screen brightness level, the SE lasted 10 hours, a result that outperformed the iPhone 6s and 5s by more than two hours and the Galaxy S7 by about three hours.”

To find out the battery life in reality, you need about two weeks. However, the first reviews show such excellent results. It seems that with a moderate load, the phone should work quietly all day.

6. Memory capacity

SE starts from 37,900 rubles for a 16 GB model. The amount of memory is not the most impressive, but for the money it is quite reasonable. If you need more, a model with 64 GB of memory costs ten thousand rubles more.

7. Top smartphone for reasonable money

Maybe this phone is not for you. It's hard to imagine any fan of flagship models and phablets who will switch from an iPhone 6s or 6s Plus to a 4-inch smartphone. It's just not right. The keyboard will be terribly uncomfortable for him, he will have to scroll much more often, he will need to view different media content in a completely different way.

But the price of 38 thousand, which in a couple of months will also fall to 30 thousand, makes this phone affordable for a large number of people. With such a pricing policy, Apple is expanding the market for top-end smartphones and lowering its price bar a little lower.

This was done mainly for markets such as China and India. This is where Apple plans to use this model to expand its presence and lure people from Android to iPhone.

8. Reviews from critics

Lauren Goode of The Verge writes, "For people who want a small or inexpensive iPhone, the iPhone SE will fit."

Nicole Nguyen, a columnist for BuzzFeed, puts it similarly: "This is a great fast smartphone for those who think bigger isn't necessarily cool."

That's what. If you want a compact smartphone, take the SE. If you want an inexpensive iPhone, get the SE. He is the best for what he is meant to be.

If that's not enough, just buy an iPhone 6s or 6s Plus.

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Thanks to numerous reviews from iPhone SE owners, we were able to highlight the main advantages and disadvantages of the 4-inch Apple smartphone released in 2016.

Benefits of iPhone SE

Good old 4 inch form factor

Millions of graceful female palms yearned for the small, comfortable contours of the cases of old gadgets. The same can be said about the large army of Asian buyers, teenagers and children. A return to a 4-inch display diagonal and proportional body dimensions is a clear plus. Not degradation, but creative quality, rethinking the concept of a smart phone for all occasions.

Processor A9

Small but bold - the iPhone SE is somewhat inferior to the flagship models, but this does not apply to performance. Those who have not yet changed their old iPhone 5 are in for a pleasant surprise. It looks like the same device, but the filling in it is the most advanced, take at least the full version of the A9 processor, no modifications with reduced functionality. The latter factor will become one of the most important marketing advantages of a newcomer over competitors.

M9 and always active Siri

The gadget, among others, also got a function that was first demonstrated six months ago. The power of the M9 coprocessor has finally become enough to play the role of a full-fledged substitute for the main chip in case it is turned off to save energy or the smartphone is simply blocked. In these situations, you can still call "Hey Siri" and she will respond. Comfortable, whatever you say.

Color "rose gold"

iPhone SE can still be considered the heir to the iPhone 6s model. This is indicated, for example, by a characteristic family feature - the color of the case "rose gold", first implemented in 2015. Not god knows what a rarity, but this color is still not available on many devices from the Apple product range. But the iPhone SE smartphone received it - to the delight of those who like to splurge without extra costs.

Presentable look of the Apple logo

Not stamped metal, but a separate piece of stainless steel, skillfully placed in its rightful place. The logo serves as a kind of inlay, decoration for the body of the smartphone, although this is not entirely logical from the point of view of minimizing the cost of the product. Or vice versa - it’s just not worth saving on such inexpensive, but catchy details in order to attract buyers.

The correct silhouette of the faces

The iPhone 5s model was distinguished by excellent ergonomics, however, with the transition to the phablet format, the Cupertino engineers had to noticeably adjust the beveled edges - they became more rounded. iPhone SE received its own design of the side faces. Comfortable to grip and protected from scratches and chips.

2 GB RAM

A small nod to Apple, which not only deigned to satisfy one of the key requests of users, but also did not save on a solution for a budget model. We are talking about the long-awaited transition from a single gigabyte of RAM unchanged for years to twice the amount of a valuable resource. Albeit without official confirmation, the iPhone SE model still received the coveted 2 GB of RAM - goodbye, brakes when running Safari, unmotivated iOS freezes and other unpleasant factors.

12MP iSight Camera

Another example of the fact that users of the novelty will not feel too disadvantaged compared to the owners of flagship devices. Their main cameras of the iSight series are identical - the same resolution of the matrix, the same f2.2 aperture, almost the same set of additional modules. That video shooting, that selfie, everything will turn out at about the same level and depend on the skill of the operator, but not on the capabilities of the equipment.

Thick body but no protruding camera lens ring

Indeed, no, and that says it all.

Support 4K video format

iPhone SE not only can shoot in high resolution, but also implements almost all aspects of working with the most popular format. For example, the ability to merge multiple streams into a single video using iMovie. Or digital zoom and virtual panning for those who aren't looking to play 4K but want to increase the comfort of their 1080p video production.

Shooting slow-mo at 240 fps

Copied from the iPhone 6s - the new smartphone supports both modes of video recording in slow motion. And playback too, both at a frequency of 240 fps, the quality level of 720p, and at 120 fps, but already at a resolution similar to 1080p. The predecessor, the old 4-inch gadget, was also familiar with slow-mo, but it was much less capable.

Retina Flash

The technology, first implemented in the iPhone 6s model, allows you to neutralize the lack of lighting when working with the smartphone's front camera. An additional light source is the display itself, which in the latest version is capable of flashing three times brighter than the standard screen backlight. More importantly, the concept of “triple” is arbitrary and in fact the required brightness is calculated very accurately based on the sensors in the latest generation FaceTime camera. Alas, the iPhone SE smartphone inherited the old front module, and therefore, although it can illuminate itself when taking a selfie, it does it rather clumsily against the background of a really smart flagship camera.

Live Photos support

One of the cosmetic features of the latest generation of Apple gadgets is theoretically supported on older models. But only in playback format - iPhone SE is different in that it can also create “live photos”. Nothing fundamentally new, the same automatic video capture and the addition of short animated inserts before and after a static image. But, at least, no lagging behind fashion.

Compatible with Apple Pay payment system

This service was originally developed for broad compatibility with the iPhone model range, and its only bottleneck was the need for an NFC chip in the mobile device and a security enclave key store. Both are present on the iPhone SE by default - you don't have to use the Apple Watch companion gadget to shop with your smartphone.

high speed connection

More than the iPhone 5s, but less than the performance of the current flagship - the result is a good average result. The iPhone SE model is equipped with Bluetooth 4.2 wireless modules, Wi-Fi 802.11ac and 19-band LTE with a peak bandwidth of up to 150 Mb / s.

Optimized Power System

Less free space inside the case, but modern compact batteries. An advanced and energy-intensive display, but due to the 4-inch diagonal, it is not as voracious as similar phablet nodes. Combined, these two factors gave the iPhone SE better battery life than the iPhone 5s.

For the first time in the history of its existence, Apple ordered the production of processors used in the iPhone immediately. As you know, the contract for the supply of A9 chipsets was signed with Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

Processors from these manufacturers practically do not differ in graphics and processing power, however, the results of the latest benchmarks show that the A9 is from TSMC. After it became known that two different companies are engaged in the production of processors, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus users wanted to know which chip is in their devices. We bring to your attention a few simple steps that will help you find out the processor manufacturer in each individual smartphone.

First of all, you need to know the device ID. Luckily, there are some useful utilities in the App Store that can help you analyze your hardware and provide you with a list of its components. One of them is the free application Battery Memory System Status Monitor, which allows you to determine the performance of the processor, memory and battery.

How to find out the manufacturer of the A9 processor in iPhone 6s

Step 1: Run the Battery Memory System Status Monitor utility.

Step 2: Click on the System button located at the top of the screen.

Step 3: Check your device ID. To do this, go to the Device section and look at the Model subsection:

• N71mAP - iPhone 6s with A9 processor manufactured by TSMC;
• N66mAP - iPhone 6s with A9 processor manufactured by TSMC;
• N71AP - iPhone 6s with A9 processor manufactured by Samsung;
• N66AP - iPhone 6s with A9 processor manufactured by Samsung.

other methods

In addition to the Battery Memory System Status Monitor, you can also use the application Lirum Device Info, the cost of which in the App Store is 169 rubles. The utility provides even more data on the performance of the hardware and software of the device. Unfortunately, the app currently cannot work with iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and iPad Air 2 due to some issues. However, the developers assure that they will fix all the problems and add a number of new features.

A very good System Status utility from Technet, which can be downloaded for 169 rubles. With its help, you can find out the device ID, performance, etc.

Users who aren't looking for the easy way out can check out the open source code from David Stockley, which will directly list the chipset manufacturer. True, for this you will need to register your Apple ID as a developer.

Not only can the processor have a different size in different batches of the iPhone 6s, but these chips also differ in energy efficiency.

More recently, it became known that the manufacturer installs in and - from and, and regardless of the smartphone model. Now it turned out that these chips work differently.

Processors from Samsung and TSMC differ from each other in size and manufacturing process. Naturally, the question arises, in what proportions these chips are used in the new Apple smartphone. It is especially relevant against the backdrop of the latest news. Initially, data appeared that the ratio of processors was approximately 60/40 in favor of TSMC. However, more recent information shows an almost even distribution of the two A9 models between the iPhone 6s.

Further delving into the topic, there is a desire to find out about the difference between the chips - is there a difference or can you basically calm down and not bother yourself too much? It turned out that according to the results of tests for energy efficiency of the processor, the product from Samsung consumes battery power faster than its counterpart from TSMC. Of course, these data come from few sources so far, and it cannot be argued that they are statistically reliable. Nevertheless, such tests attract the attention of an increasing number of users and become the topic of their discussions on specialized forums.

Probably the most revealing results were provided by one of the netizens Reddit, who compared the performance of two iPhone 6s Plus with different A9 processors on board using the Geekbench 3 test [download from the App Store]. According to its results, a smartphone with a TSMC chip lasted two hours longer than an iPhone with Samsung's A9 on board.

iPhone 6s Plus battery life test using Geekbench: TSMC processor on the left and Samsung processor on the right

I ran these tests a couple of times and the results were the same. The difference in work was two hours. I tested both phones using the same processes, with the same amount of memory filled and with the same settings. I also tried to compare their run time on clean iPhones [after resetting all settings and deleting content], the result was the same.
Reddit user on testing iPhone 6s Plus with Geekbench 3

The editors of MacRumors asked John Poole from Primate Labs, test developer, to comment on the results of the analysis. He noted that Samsung and TSMC use different chip manufacturing processes. In the case of Samsung's A9, we are dealing with a 14nm process, while TSMC uses a 16nm process to create the A9 chip. However, the difference in battery life in the described cases still surprised the engineer. After all, these processors still have similar performance indicators. For a more accurate analysis and understanding of the reasons for the differences between the processors from TSMC and Samsung, we will have to test them more carefully and meticulously.

The results of tests conducted using the Chinese site MyDrivers(they are also published on Reddit), characterize the operation of identical smartphones with different processors when launching browsers (JavaScript) and when playing videos. As in the case of Geekbench 3, MyDrivers test results showed that the iPhone 6s with Samsung's A9 chip runs out of battery faster. But the test using the AnTuTu application showed that due to the processor from Samsung, the smartphone also heats up a few degrees more.

TSMC iPhone 6s (left) and Samsung iPhone 6s (right); according to the results of 12 tests, the battery charge of the first is 77% versus the charge of the second is 71%

Based on the results of such tests, we can make a general conclusion that the A9 processors produced by TSMC are still somewhat superior to the similar product from Samsung. However, to officially confirm this, it is necessary to conduct many more different tests that examine the real performance of the chips themselves and the iPhone in which they are used.

In general, commentators on forums, including the MacRumors forum, talk about completely different test results. Although, the information received from them is very interesting. After all, it shows how new smartphones work in real conditions of everyday use.

Those who are interested in knowing what kind of processor is in their iPhone 6s can use the Lirum Device Info Lite app [download from the App Store]. In the tab Model Information this program displays which chip is installed in the device. It could be a Samsung processor N66AP in 6s Plus or N71AP in 6s) or from TSMC ( N66mAP in 6s Plus or N71mAP at 6s). [MacRumors]

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