ok so my brother in law has been flying for a few years and keeps telling me to just buy whatever but thats not super helpful lol. i dont really know what specs actually matter for a beginner versus what is just like marketing fluff. i see things like obstacle avoidance and different transmission systems and honestly i dont know if any of that stuff is worth paying more for when youre just starting. thinking maybe 300-400 range. mostly outdoor flying, probably parks and maybe some travel eventually. just want something i wont immediately crash into a tree and destroy

obstacle avoidance sounds great on paper but on entry level drones its usually pretty bad anyway, i wouldnt pay extra for it at that price range. what actually matters at the beginner level is GPS hold, return to home function, and battery life. transmission range matters less than people think when youre just starting because youre not gonna be flying a mile away, youre gonna be flying like 50 feet in front of you watching it nervously. the DJI Mini 3 is a step up from the SE and sits right in your budget, the camera on it is noticeably better and it folds down small which is nice for travel you mentioned. that said the SE is totally fine if you wanna save a bit and put money toward extra batteries because you will absolutely want extra batteries

honestly the drone itself matters less than people think, its more about flying consistently and not being scared to take it out. i had a freind who bought a really nice drone and barely flew it because he was always worrying about crashing it. cheaper drone you fly every weekend beats expensive one sitting in a case. also learn the rules before anything else, thats the stuff that actually bites beginners