Ever since the first Apple iPhone was unveiled back in 2007 iPhones have always demanded a premium. The phone experiences they delivered were top-rate and the hardware a perfect balance of speed, reliability and efficiency. But like any premium brand you had to pay for it — there was no such thing as a cheap iPhone.
When the Apple iPhone SE 2020 came out though back in April this year, though, this changed. Here was a new smartphone from Apple that rang in for going on half what the flagship Apple iPhone 11 Pro cost. And, remarkably, it cost so much less while still delivering much of the same tech and software used by the much more expensive phone.
Here was a phone that was perfect for the vast majority of phone users that could also be bought, outright and SIM free, by the vast majority of people, too. And that is why the Apple iPhone SE has picked up the Best Mid-Range Phone gong at the T3 Awards 2020. It is also why the phone currently sits right at the top of our best cheap phones buying guide.
It is testament to the excellent value for money and easy-to-recommend-for-most-people quality possessed by the Apple iPhone SE that it beat off such strong competition this year, too.
Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 Lite wowed us at CES 2020, while Nokia continued its renaissance with the excellent Nokia 7.2 handset. Google also absolutely nailed it with the Google Pixel 3a as well, which offered Android users the cheapest way yet to own a pure Android Pixel phone.
In the end, though, the Apple iPhone SE 2020's superb all-round package saw it cross the line as champion. It delivers a very large part of what makes Apple the world's biggest and most popular phone maker, and it does so for an incredibly wallet-friendly price point.
For even more winners be sure to check out the T3 Awards 2020 hub page, which is stuffed full of this year's top tech, gadgets and products.
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Rob has been writing about computing, gaming, mobile, home entertainment technology, toys (specifically Lego and board games), smart home and more for over 15 years. As the editor of PC Gamer, and former Deputy Editor for T3.com, you can find Rob's work in magazines, bookazines and online, as well as on podcasts and videos, too. Outside of his work Rob is passionate about motorbikes, skiing/snowboarding and team sports, with football and cricket his two favourites.
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