Make the Most of Your iPhone SE with These Essential Accessories

Your new iPhone SE is a powerful device that should last for up to 5 years. So, why would you leave it unprotected or settle for the slow charger that Apple includes in the box? Instead, you should make the most of your new phone and push it to its full potential.

There are already a ton of iPhone SE accessories available for purchase, from screen protectors to wireless chargers. Here’s a list of all the essentials, including a mix of premium and budget options.

Add Style and Protection to Your SE

Every iPhone needs a good case, and maybe even a screen protector for added safety. Thankfully, the SE is fully compatible with iPhone 8 cases and screen protectors, so you already have a lot of affordable products to choose from.

Let’s start with some of our favorite iPhone SE cases. These cases will protect the SE’s glass back without obstructing wireless charging. Plus, they look pretty cool:

• The Official Apple Case (Silicone/Leather): Apple’s official iPhone SE cases are lightweight, comfortable, and lined with a soft material to keep the back of your phone from getting scratched. The leather case contains bits of machined aluminum to keep your volume and power buttons feeling nice and clicky.
• Totallee Thin Case: The Totallee Thin iPhone SE case is just .02 inches thick, making it one of the least obstructive cases on the planet. It’s the best way to protect the back and sides of your iPhone without adding any bulk to your pocket.
• Totallee Clear Case: Totalle’s super-thin clear case provides an invisible layer of protection for you iPhone SE. At just .03 inches thick, it won’t bulk up your pocket or ugly up your new iPhone.
• OtterBox DEFENDER: The OtterBox DEFENDER case provides three layers of protection and even has a built-in screen protector. It’s the ultimate rugged SE case, with the classic design that made OtterBox famous back in the 2010s.
• dbrand Custom Skins and Cases: dbrand sells the highest-quality custom skins on the market. They add a level of style to your SE without tacking on any annoying bulk. The company also sells customizable Grip cases if you’d prefer a little extra protection.

Now that you have a cool looking case, let’s look at a few screen protectors. iPhone SE screen protectors are shockingly affordable, and they’re already available in a variety of different materials:

• amFilm Tempered Glass Screen Protector (2-Pack): Tempered glass screen protectors are easier to install than their plastic alternatives, and add extra scratch protection and drop resistance to your phone.
• amFilm Plastic Screen Protector (3-Pack): Plastic screen protectors don’t provide as much protection as tempered glass, but they cost less and add less bulk to your device.
• JETech Tempered Glass Anti-Spy Protector (2-Pack): JETech’s anti-spy screen protectors are made of tempered glass and use a built-in privacy filter to prevent nosy onlookers from seeing your screen.

After padding your new SE with a case and a screen protector, it’s time to worry about the little things.

Reach the iPhone SE’s Max Charging Speed

Want to charge your new iPhone SE at top speed? Well, you’ll have to ditch the included 10-watt charging cable. The SE is capable of charging at 18-watts but only when it’s used with a USB-C to Lightning cable and a proper USB-C wall adapter.

Yeah, it’s a little confusing, which is why I’ve gone out to do all the work for you. Here are the accessories that you need to reach the SE’s top speed, along with a few additional products that may appeal to hardcore Apple fans:

• Anker USB-C to Lightning Cable: Anker’s affordable Apple-Certified USB-C to Lightning cable is essential for SE owners who want to charge at the max 18-watt speed. Keep in mind that this cable doesn’t come with a power adapter.
• Anker USB-C to Lightning Cable: If you just need an extra Lightning to USB-A cable, Anker sells one that’s affordable and Apple-Certified. It maxes out at 10 watts.
• AUKEY 18-Watt Compact USB-C Adapter: The AUKEY USB-C wall adapter is small, affordable, and powerful enough to charge your iPhone SE at top speed.
• RAVPOWER 90-Watt USB-C GaN Adapter: RAVPOWER’s 90-watt GaN adapter can charge your iPhone SE and your MacBook at their top speeds. It’s an essential item for hardcore Apple fans.

Now that you’ve maxed out your wired charging speed, it’s time to start thinking about the SE’s fancy new wireless charging feature.

Kick Back with Effortless, Stylish, Wireless Charging

Despite its low price, the iPhone SE packs the same wireless charging technology as the iPhone 11. So, why not take advantage of it? Plenty of killer wireless chargers are available to choose from, including a few options for charging your earbuds and Apple Watch alongside your iPhone SE.

All of these chargers push the SE to its max 7.5-watt wireless charging speed. If you want to avoid buying a new wireless charger a few years from now, I’d suggest buying one that’s capable of speeds higher than 7.5 watts:

• CHOETECH Wireless Charging Stand: The CHOETCH stand charges at a max speed of 15 watts and comes with a power adapter. It works in portrait or landscape orientations, and is perfect for charging your phone while watching videos or video chatting.
• Anker PowerWave Pad: Anker’s PowerWave Pad is super affordable and charges at 10 watts. It doesn’t come with a power adapter, but you can hook it up to any USB power brick or computer—just keep in mind it won’t hit max charging speeds of a computer’s USB port.
• Nomad Base Station: Nomad sells premium wireless charging stands in a variety of configurations. The basic Base Station Stand charges at a maximum of 10 watts in landscape or portrait orientations. Then, for multi-device charging, there’s the Base Station Hub. It can charge two devices simultaneously, and has a built-in USB-C port for additional wired charging. Nomad also sells a Base Station Hub with a built-in Apple Watch charger.
• MQOUNY Wireless Charging Stand: The affordable MQOUNY wireless charging stand has a built-in Apple Watch charger, making it a solid alternative to Nomad’s premium charging stations.

Keep in mind that super-thick cases, magnets, and credit cards will obstruct wireless charging. The SE cases mentioned earlier in this article are all thin enough to work with a wireless charger.

Rock Out with the Best iPhone SE Headphones and Earbuds

Did your new iPhone SE come with a free Apple Music subscription? Well, even if it didn’t, you should keep a killer pair of headphones or earbuds on hand. You never know when it’s time to rock out, listen to podcasts, or watch weird YouTube videos that your friends and family don’t want to hear.

Here are some of the best headphones and earbuds for your iPhone SE:

• AirPods: Apple’s AirPods set the standard for true wireless earbuds. They sound great, they give you quick access to Siri voice commands, and they connect to your iPhone automatically—no fussing with Bluetooth. AirPods can also charge wirelessly, which gives you another good reason to buy a wireless charger.
• AirPods Pro: The AirPods Pro offer superior sound quality, along with ANC and a Transparency mode for when you need to block out or let in external noise. They connect to your iPhone SE automatically and can charge wirelessly.
• Powerbeats: Powerbeats wireless headphones are made for exercise and provide exceptional bass response. Apple manufactures Beats headphones, and they connect to your SE just as quickly as AirPods.
• Powerbeats Pro: The Powerbeats Pro true wireless earbuds offer Beats sound quality in a fully wireless package. They’re lightweight, designed for exercise, and can quickly connect to your SE without opening Bluetooth settings.
• Audio-Technica SR6BTBK Bluetooth Over-Ears: Audio-Technica’s high-quality overear headphones offer fantastic sound for under $100, and can work via Bluetooth or over a detachable AUX cable. Audio-Technica also sells its popular studio-grade M50x headphones with Bluetooth capabilities.

It’s worth noting that you can use any pair of wired headphones with the iPhone SE, so long as you have a Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter. Some manufacturers, like Carphone Warehouse, sell Lightning to 3.5 mm dongles with pass-through charging.

Use an External Power Bank to Make It Through Your Day

The iPhone SE has a reasonable battery life, but it won’t last a full day of intense use. If you’re the kind of person who burns through a phone battery throughout the day, then you may want to invest in a portable power bank.

We’ve reviewed countless power banks here at Review Geek, and these are some of our favorites:

• RAVPower 10,000 mAh USB-C Bank: An affordable power bank with USB-C and USB-A output. It can charge your SE at 18 watts with a USB-C to Lightning cable.
• Anker PowerCore 5,000 mAh USB-A Bank: A super-small, super-affordable power bank that charges at 10 watts via USB-A to Lightning cable.
• RAVPOWER 20,100 mAh USB-C PD Bank: This is a big old honkin’ power bank, but it’s loaded with a USB-C PD port for 45-watt charging. It’s a good companion for someone who needs to charge large accessories on the go like laptops and tablets. And, of course, it has more than enough power to juice up your SE.

For reference, the iPhone SE’s battery has a capacity of 1,821 mAh. Even the smallest of these power banks, the PowerCore 5,000, can fully recharge the SE multiple times.

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Most of the items in this article, aside from the inexpensive screen protectors, are long-term investments that will stay around just as long as your SE. They may seem like superfluous purchases now, but they can push the SE to its full potential, and help you enjoy your time with the device.