Wifi receiver chip in iPhone 5 vs iPhone SE

apples1

Please does anyone know whether the wifi receiver chip in the iPhone SE is an improvement on the one in the iPhone 5?

Have managed to find out online that the 6 has a better one than the 5. Reason we want to know is that the person with the iPhone 6 gets better wifi reception in part of our house than my iPhone 5. I'm going to upgrade to an SE if it will get me the same wifi strength as their 6.

Frozen_up_north

I recently part exchanged our 2 x iPhone 5's (5 not 5S) for 2 x SE. I can't comment about the WiFi performance, as we don't use it over any distance, but there are significant other improvements with the SE... In no particular order:

Improved security (secure processor, making it very hard to impossible for anyone to hack into your lost/stolen phone).

Fingerprint reader, much easier to unlock and makes using a more secure password less hassle, also lends itself to using the super easy 1password app. And you can use Apple Pay with it.

More frequency bands, potentially better coverage into buildings and use of 4G on Voda and O2.

Use of 4G while in a phone call on some networks. Better audio on phone calls too.

Better camera and 4K video too.

BTW, we traded our SIM free iPhones at an Apple Store, they were very helpful with setting up the new phones and made sure everything transferred across OK. We got £100 for each iPhone 5 (16GB version), not sure what trade in you might get today.

apples1

Thank you. The apple site is quoting an £80 trade in for my 32gb iPhone 5 at the moment.

Really wish there was a way of finding out about the wifi chip as there is nothing essentially wrong with my 5 (although the improvements you note sound good). Not getting consistent wifi in the part of the house I use it most is driving me crazy though!

AndyPK

You could get a wifi booster repeater.

Cheaper than a new phone.

apples1

AndyPK wrote: »

You could get a wifi booster repeater.

Cheaper than a new phone.

We have one of those already. My partner's phone picks up the wifi ok as does the laptop. My phone (and the original iPad we own) seems to have much more intermittent success. Partner says it's the older gadgets that are not picking it up hence me wanting to know if an SE would be any better. I don't want a 6.

[Deleted User]

Is there a cover/case on your phone as that could hinder WiFi.

buglawton

Have you proved if the weaker wifi performance mainly affects your home and not so much public wifis?
iPhone 5 and your router may not be playing nicely, or your router is sharing a channel with your neighbours? Install inssider or similar to scan your home wifi to check. Also check if you've connected to 5ghz wifi at home when 2.4ghz may be better.
In the past I've had just one device that performs poorly, getting a better router fixed that.

AndyPK

I find on my iphone 5 & 5S that I need to turn the mobile data off, otherwise it can jump between a poor wifi signal and 3G. Is that the problem you are having ?

With mobile data off, is stays on the wifi.

or is it jumping between the main wifi and booster wifi ?
Trying deleting one ?

buglawton

AndyPK wrote: »

I find on my iphone 5 & 5S that I need to turn the mobile data off, otherwise it can jump between a poor wifi signal and 3G. Is that the problem you are having ?

With mobile data off, is stays on the wifi.

or is it jumping between the main wifi and booster wifi ?
Trying deleting one ?

Is WiFi Assist turned on, check Settings > Mobile Data, scroll right to bottom, WiFi Assist.
Turn if off and it'll hang onto the WiFi till last possible moment then connect to 4G. Turn it on and it blends the signals to get best speed - can be expensive if you like watching videos in the outside loo!

20aday

The Wi-Fi on the iPhone SE is a/b/g/n/ac with theoretical speeds of 'up to' 433 Mbps, the same as iPhone 6.

iPhone 6s is Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac MIMO x 2 with theoretical speeds 'up to' 866 Mbps.