iPhone · Retina & Beyond · 2016
iPhone SE (1st generation)
A gift to small-phone fans: the guts of the 6s in the pocketable 5s shell, at the lowest iPhone price in years.
Flagship A9 power in the beloved compact 4" iPhone 5 body, for $399.
iPhone 8 (2017)
iPhone SE (1st generation): key facts
When was the iPhone SE (1st generation) released?
The iPhone SE (1st generation) arrived on March 31, 2016. Apple discontinued it in September 2018.
How much did the iPhone SE (1st generation) cost?
The iPhone SE (1st generation) launched at $399 in 2016, about $523 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Apple A9 at 1.85 GHz, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB storage, 4" Retina LCD, 1136×640 display.
Why does the iPhone SE (1st generation) matter?
Flagship A9 power in the beloved compact 4" iPhone 5 body, for $399.
Full specifications
| CPU | Apple A9 · 1.85 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 2 |
| Memory (RAM) | 2 GB |
| Storage | 16 GB |
| Display | 4" Retina LCD, 1136×640 |
| GPU | PowerVR GT7600 |
| Ports | Lightning, 3.5 mm |
| Weight | 113 g |
| Dimensions | 123.8×58.6×7.6 mm |
| Operating system | iOS 9.3 |
| Released | March 31, 2016 |
| Discontinued | September 2018 |
| Launch price | $399 |
How the iPhone SE (1st generation) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 8.0× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 1.85 GHz, the clock is roughly 1.7× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 4,100 modern phone photos, a respectable library even today.
Launched at $399 in 2016, about $523 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Method note: clock comparisons use frequency only; price conversions use US CPI.
Sources
Specs checked against Apple technical specifications archive, EveryMac, Mactracker, Wikimedia Commons image credits.
Did you know?
"SE" officially stands for "Special Edition."
Related iPhone models
Open the iPhone SE (1st generation) in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11