The iPhone SE was Apple’s first true budget phone. Launched with the iPhone 7 in 2016, the SE came with a cheap price (by today’s standards) of $399. To be fair, even the iPhone 7 started at just $679, a number that now seems almost mythical compared to the iPhone 17’s current price.
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The SE represents Apple’s compromise for fans who don’t want to spend the money for a fast-moving flagship model and who prefer the compact size of older phones. Borrowing the design of the iPhone 5, it featured a 4-inch display, a Touch ID home button, and a classic aluminum and glass frame with chamfered edges. Under the hood, it packs the A9 chip from the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
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Apple iPad Air M3 Chip 128GB Wi-Fi 6E 11″ Tablet (2025 Release)
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$449.99
(List Price $599.00)
Dell 14 Premium Intel Ultra 7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 2K Laptop
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$999.99
(List price $1549.99)
Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
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$248.00
(List price $399.99)
Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Security Camera (5-Pack)
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$159.99
(List price $399.99)
Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device with Remote (2023 Model)
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$24.99
(List price $49.99)
Shark AV2511AE AI Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base
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$249.99
(List Price $599.00)
Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band)
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$329.00
(List Price $399.00)
WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive
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$136.45
(List price $179.99)
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 64GB Wi-Fi 11″ Tablet
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$139.99
(List price $219.99)
Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Canceling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds
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$219.99
(List Price $249.00)
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Fast forward about a decade and the SE Line was effectively discontinued. After the release of the third-generation SE in 2022, the lineup disappears until the introduction of the iPhone 16E in February 2025.
As a reminder, Apple labels products as “obsolete” seven years after they are sold. That’s why only the Nike and Hermès editions of the Apple Watch Series 4 made the cut this round; The standard Series 4 is on the Vintage list – reserved for products that have not been sold for at least five years.
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