Aldi always has cheap Apple products on offer. You can now buy the iPhone SE (2020) from Aldi Nord for 299 euros. Is this offer worth it?
The discounter Aldi is not selling iPhones from Apple at particularly low prices for the first time. The handy iPhone SE (2020) has been available from Aldi Nord since June 30th. The smartphone costs 299 euros there and is thus well below the RRP. But is it worth almost 300 euros for an iPhone that already has a successor? TECHBOOK checks the Aldi offer.
iPhone SE (2020) refurbished at Aldi
Basically, you should know about the offer that the low price is not by chance. The devices sold by Aldi are not new, but so-called “refurbished” products. These are devices that were returned after purchase. Apple examines these professionally and reworks them if necessary. It is therefore not a used item. There are even official refurbished offers in the Apple Store itself.
The promotion is only valid for Aldi Nord and while stocks last. As far as details and the exact scope of delivery are concerned, the discounter is keeping a low profile. Whether a power supply will be included is not clear from the information provided by Aldi. It only says that in addition to the iPhone SE (2020) from Aldi, there will also be a starter set from Aldi-Talk with a starting credit of 10 euros. With Aldi Talk, users surf and make phone calls on a prepaid basis in the O2 network. The cheapest all-network flat rate including SMS flat rate costs EUR 7.99 for four weeks, but other packages are also available.
Apple iPhone SE (2020) – what is the smartphone good for?
The SE series is Apple’s handy smartphone series. The iPhone SE (2020) is already the second generation; the first appeared in 2016, the subsequent third in early 2022. So there is already a more recent SE model. With just two years under its belt, the 2020 model for an iPhone is not particularly old.
specs
This is also shown by the hardware and software. The iPhone SE (2020) works with an A13 bionic chip and 3 GB of RAM. Aldi offers the device in black and white, each with 64 GB of internal memory.
As far as the dimensions are concerned, the iPhone is quite handy with a screen diagonal of 4.7 inches (11.94 cm; 1334 × 750 pixels at 326 ppi), comparable to the iPhone 8. The design works with the wider edges and the home button with fingerprint sensor is a bit outdated. However, many appreciate the handling and the physical button of the comparatively small smartphone. The case is made of aluminum and glass and feels nice in the hand.
Also interesting: The iPhone SE of the 3rd generation can do this
camera
The main camera of the iPhone SE (2020) has only a 12 MP wide-angle lens with an aperture of f/1.8. Compared to the larger iPhones, this equipment is of course quite economical, but you can still take good pictures with the camera. Clear deficits can only be seen in low light. A portrait mode with bokeh effect as well as a panorama mode and optical image stabilization are available. The video resolution is 4K and up to 60 fps (120 fps in slow motion).
The front camera also has 7 MP (video in Full HD and 30 fps). As I said: In terms of camera technology, you can’t expect any brilliant performances from the iPhone SE (2020). The fact that there is only one lens can be described as a special feature these days. But the optics are also wonderfully compressed and the photo quality is more than sufficient, especially in daylight. The color representation is particularly positive.
No 5G
The iPhone SE (2020) does have WiFi 6, but you cannot access the 5G network with the smartphone. Accordingly, as with the 2016 model, you can surf at maximum LTE speeds. In contrast to the predecessor, both a nano and an eSIM and thus a dual SIM are possible. The iPhone SE (2020) at Aldi is waterproof according to IP67.
Also interesting: What do IP67 and IP68 mean for waterproof smartphones?
Conclusion on the iPhone offer at Aldi
In terms of price alone, the Aldi offer is definitely worth it. With other providers, the 64 GB version of the iPhone SE (2020) still costs 359 euros. The fact that the smartphones are “refurbished” shouldn’t deter anyone, as they have been officially tested. By way of comparison: used devices, i.e. devices that are actually used, cost as little as 250 euros if they are in good condition.
With the iPhone SE (2020), you don’t get a brand new smartphone, but since Apple has been providing its iPhones with software updates for a long time, that’s not a problem. The starter set from Aldi Talk is included in the price and still saves a further 12.99 euros. So if you are looking for a handy smartphone with a decent camera, Aldi’s iPhone SE offer is a good choice.