Apple SE and Samsung Galaxy M31 prices compared

Smart phone owners will be aware that upgrading to the latest model has become a pricier business as the years pass, with costs for the top spec devices often exceeding £1,000.

However, in a sign that customers might be getting tired of splashing their cash on expensive gadgets, smart phone front runners, Apple and Samsung, have both released two new models that can be bought for under £450.

Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy M31 which is now on pre-sale exclusively from Amazon for £245 – some £945 cheaper than its second latest release, the Galaxy S20 Ultra. 

Meanwhile, Apple released an updated version of its SE model last week, costing £419 for the cheapest version. 

This comes over four years after the original SE was launched and is £730 cheaper than its current most expensive handset.

With many facing a tough financial situation due to the coronavirus, any reduction in costs is welcome, and saving hundreds on a new phone is a sure fire way to cut down bills.

But why have Apple and Samsung decided now is the right time to release the cheaper models? 

This is Money compares the new phones to older versions and reveals the best Sim-only deals on the market.

Apple SE (second generation)

The iPhone SE is now the cheapest iPhone which Apple currently sells. It’s available to buy outright for £419 for the 64GB model, £469 for the 128GB model and £569 for the 256GB model.

Customers who have an old iPhone to trade in can also get more money off these prices on the Apple website.

The SE features Apple’s latest microchip, the A13 Bionic, which can be found in its iPhone 11 models, as well as a single rear camera and a 4.7in Retina HD display.

In a break away from its last few iPhones, Apple have brought back the home button and touch ID for the SE, rather than the newer Face ID.

Coming in three colours, black, white and red, Apple will donate money to charity for every red iPhone SE sold.

Currently, Apple’s most expensive model is its iPhone 11 Pro Max, costing £1,149 – £730 more expensive than the Apple SE.

Both have the A13 bionic chip but the Pro Max has a 6.46 inch screen whilst the SE is much smaller at 4.7 inches.

The resolution on the SE is also less advanced at 1334×750 pixels compared to the Pro Max’s 2436×1125.

Customers can choose on both phones what storage they would like starting form 64GB and going up to 512GB on the Pro Max and 256GB on the SE.

Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of marketing, said: ‘The first iPhone SE was a hit with many customers who loved its unique combination of small size, high-end performance and affordable price.

‘The new second-generation iPhone SE builds on that great idea and improves on it in every way — including our best-ever single-camera system for great photos and videos — while still being very affordable.’ 

The iPhone SE is available to purchase from the Apple website with estimated delivery dates currently in mid-May, with some customers having to wait up to three weeks to receive the item. 

It is also available to buy at a number of other retailers, including from the major phone networks, which are also reporting similar waiting times when bought out right. 

In a sign that demand for the new device is high, the phone is currently out of stock in many different memory sizes at John Lewis with customers having to wait for the phone to return in stock. 

People can also choose to buy the phone on contract with prices varying from network to network.  

Samsung Galaxy M31

Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy M31 is also one of the cheapest options with Samsung, costing just £245, with the device only available to buy outright – not on contract. 

Therefore, customers will need to purchase a Sim for the phone – the best offers of which can be found below. 

The phone comes with a 64MP main lens, an ultra-wide lens promising 123-degree views and a macro lens for close-ups – comprising four cameras in total.

It also has a 5MP depth sensor for the portrait shots that are becoming an essential feature, and a night-mode setting, previously the sole preserve of top-end handsets costing more than £1,000.

One of the main features of the new device is its long battery life, coming with a 6,000 mAh battery lasting around two days on a single charge.

Customers can choose to opt for the phone in blue, black or red.

By comparison, currently Samsung’s most expensive phone is its Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra costing £1,199 for 128GB, although this can rise to £1,399 for a 512GB version. This works out at a massive £1,154 than the M31.

Both the M31 and the S20 Ultra come with night mode but the S20 Ultra comes with better battery life, better camera resolution a bigger screen at 6.9 inches compared to 6.4 inches.

Although the phone isn’t due to be released until June 1, customers can pre-order on Amazon now and for those with Amazon Prime, they can get it with free next day delivery.  

Ru Bhikha, mobiles expert at Uswitch, said: ‘The cost of manufactures flagship devices has risen over the last few years and research has shown there’s been a growing trend for consumers to hold onto their smartphones longer.

‘There is no doubt that the big brands have done their homework and the move to offer cheaper smartphones, which offer a lot of bang for your buck, is likely to be a play for the very opportunistic mid-tier market.

‘Although it’s unlikely to be a strategy that can be repeated with high-end phones, offering the phone exclusively through Amazon is a bold decision by Samsung and I expect the industry to be watching closely to see how the experiment plays out.’ 

Holly Niblett, head of digital at Compare the Market, added: ‘Buying a mobile phone outright – especially the flagship handsets – is an expense many people cannot afford. 

‘We saw Apple launch a cheaper version of its iPhone back in 2016, with the SE model, to better enable the brand to compete on price with models by other manufacturers, notably Huawei. 

‘For some people, a sizeable monthly saving on their contract is worth sacrificing the very latest technology, with some perhaps asking themselves if their phone really needs three cameras.’