The 2016 SE was "peak iPhone" for me. Still has a headphone jack. Has a lightning connector (albeit, like you, I'd prefer USB-C). The size is wonderful. (I cannot understand the obsession with gigantic phones.)

Jack, home button, small screen. It's rare that I prefer an old device today, but here it is, the SE1 is still the best iPhone.

All that plus a flush rear casing with no camera wart. Form factor perfection.

iPhone 3GS is still my favorite form factor and MAYBE even favorite screen resolution in some respects. It's all been downhill from there.

I ran a 3GS for a very, very long time. I really liked that phone. The fragility of 30-pin cables was its major downside to me.

I loved my SE 2016 and used it from launch to the SE 2020. Are you worried about patches at all?

Apple just released update for SE 2016. I wouldn’t worry.

I still get security updates

I'd be using one right now if anyone (including Apple) tested their goddamn UIs on that screen res anymore. It started getting really bad back in like 2018, and today even the 13 mini will awkwardly cut off views here and there. I imagine using the OG SE must be torturous.

Not really. A few websites make it hard to navigate on small screens but I haven’t faced blocking issues.