iPhone SE 2 vs Samsung Galaxy A51 - The Mid-Range Phone Lineup from Apple and Samsung

Mid-range phones are getting more and more popular these days as they usually come with all the strength of their big brothers but at a more affordable price. Today we are going to talk about the newest mid-range lineup from Apple and Samsung, more specific the iPhone SE 2 and the Samsung Galaxy A51.

Lets start the battle: iPhone SE 2 vs. Samsung Galaxy A51

So in the Apple corner we have the brains of the iPhone 11, the A13 bionic CPU, but in a smaller case which will for sure appeal to the nostalgic iPhone users. In the galactic corner, we have a borderless super 6.5’’ screen, with a fingerprint reader under it and no less than 5 cameras.

At first sight you might think that this is not a balanced battle as the Galaxy A51 is clearly more powerful than the new iPhone SE, even if the price is way under the iPhone, but after playing with both phones we can say that sometimes they are evenly matched and in some cases, the iPhone SE 2 can throw serious punches to the A51.

iPhone SE 2 and Samsung Galaxy A51 Specs

The iPhone SE 2 comes with the A13 bionic CPU, same as the iPhone 11 as mentioned, a 4.7’’ retina IPS LCD display, a single 12MP main camera capable of 4K filming at 60fps and a 7MP front camera. The SE 2 also comes with Touch ID fingerprint sensor, a 1821mAh battery and is water and dust resistant (IP67 certification). The price of the iPhone SE 2 starts from $399.

The Samsung Galaxy A51 comes with the 6.5’’ Infinity-O screen, 4 main cameras of 48MP, 12MP, and 5MP as well as a front 32MP camera, 4000mAh battery, a fingerprint sensor under the display and a lower price than the iPhone SE 2, starting from $272,99.

iPhone SE 2 and Samsung Galaxy A51: Design

From the beginning, we notice the difference in size between the two phones. The Galaxy A51 wants to play with the big boys, while the iPhone SE 2 stays at the discreet size of the iPhone 8 and watches its rival while sipping a mouthful of red wine, confident in its own advantages. Because the differences between the two phones are so big and obvious, it all comes down to what everyone wants from a phone.

iPhone SE2

Both look extremely good, but in terms of construction, and we have to give the iPhone its credits. Yes, the iPhone SE 2 is like a Caribbean vacation for your hand. It fits perfectly in your palm and doesn't cause you to stretch your fingers, everything is at hand and I can't believe I'm saying that, but it's really invigorating to return to a screen under 6”.

On the other hand, we have the Galaxy A51, which for the price it ticks a lot of checkboxes for those looking for the best entertainment device. The screen is great for YouTube and social networks, you can take whatever pictures you want using the 4 + 1 cameras and the abundance of cool features offered by Android 10.

Samsung Galaxy A51

As mentioned from the beginning it seems an unequal struggle, and the price difference is the decisive stick for most buyers. But the iPhone SE should not be neglected either. If we had to reduce the phone to a single word, that would certainly be "nostalgia". As soon as you touch this phone, it's like someone is giving you to hold their baby. You are attentive and loving, you feel that you have something fragile in your hand, you want to protect it.

Because Apple has endowed the SE2 with the coolest processor it has and has it dressed in iOS 13, obviously the phone is lightning fast, and for you, this means a smooth experience. Yes, it may look the same both on the outside and inside, on the software side, but it's like going on vacation to your grandmother and that is waiting for you with the same dishes, that are delicious as always.

iPhone SE 2 vs Galaxy A51: Performance

Here, the balance tilts a lot in favor of the iPhone SE2. The bionic A13 processor is clearly superior to the Exynos 9611, which is why the iPhone SE 2 can afford to shoot 4K at double frames compared to the A51. Antutu has placed the new iPhone SE 2 on the 9th place at the top of the coolest mobile devices from Apple. It is significantly more powerful than the iPhone XS Max for example. In contrast, the Galaxy A51 does not break normally in performance. Geekbench 5 marked it with numbers obtained by a Galaxy S8+, a 3-year-old phone.

Antutu Benchmark - iPhone SE 2 left, Samsung Galaxy A51 right

And as we keep talking about performance, let's see how long these performances last. Here, we have a clear winner: the Galaxy A51 has a battery more than double that of the iPhone SE2 - 4,000mAh vs. 1.821mAh. Of course, the A51's screen will consume allot of power compared to the small IPS LCD, but also the bionic A13 processor will be extremely power hungry.

iPhone SE 2 vs Galaxy A51: Camera, photos and filming

The Galaxy A51 has 4 main cameras: one of 48MP f2.0 wide, one of 12MP f2.2 ultrawide and two of 5MP for macro and depth. The selfie camera has 32MP. The iPhone SE 2 has a single 12MP main camera with f1.8, and the selfie camera has only 7MP.

But in terms of quality, the truth is somewhere between SE2 and A51. Yes, the Galaxy has 4 main cameras, while the iPhone has only one. But the quality leans a little more towards the SE2. The pictures are more natural, closer to reality.

And we liked the videos filmed with the iPhone SE2's camera more, especially since we have 4K 60fps. We admit, we had a little fun when we received the phones and we knew we had to make a comparison between a 4-camera phone, including a 48MP one, and a 12MP single-camera phone. Lesson learned, be more humble.

Conclusion: iPhone SE 2 vs Galaxy A51

We cannot ignore the fact that iPhone SE 2 is over $100 more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy A51, and this is a decisive aspect in the mind of a buyer.

We are dealing with two mid-range class phones that could not be more different, but we like them so much that if we could, we would use both of them daily. Here, it all comes down to the preferences of each of us.