Earlier this year, Apple unveiled a new model of its cheap iPhone SE. It’s only been five years since Apple dropped the iPhone home button, but somehow the iPhone SE 3rd Gen still seems to come from a different era.
Fortunately, it makes up for it in processing power and has a big impact, even though it comes in an older design.
This is how we are finding the new iPhone SE 3, a few months after its launch.
Specifications of the iPhone SE 2022
- Colors: Product Red, Starlight, Midnight
- Storage: 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB
- Screen: 4.7 inches, Retina HD LCD
- Processor: A15 Bionic chip
- IP67 Water resistance
- Camera: 12 MP large camera, 7 MP front camera
- Touch ID
- 5G compatible
- Battery: up to 15 hours of video playback
- Operating system: iOS 15
Which is good
IPhone SE 2022 Review (Image: Lifehacker Australia)
Using the iPhone SE is what I imagine my life would be like if I still had my iPhone 8. The main difference is that this iPhone really has the processing power to keep up to date in 2022.
At first, I was very reluctant to switch from the iPhone 8, mainly because it was quite tied to the old home button. However, after a long time suffering from slow speeds and the failure of a model year, I was forced to upgrade.
The iPhone SE recovers a lot of what was fantastic about the early iPhone models without sacrificing quality.
The processing speed for opening applications, sending messages, and loading web pages was the same, if not faster, than that of my current iPhone 13.
Both phones share the same A15 Bionic chip, so that makes sense. However, including the latest chip is huge for an Apple iPhone that is hundreds of dollars cheaper than the flagship.
Along with the A15 chip, Apple has endowed the iPhone SE 2022 with many of the same features as its latest models.
The phone has the same sturdy glass as the iPhone 13, which protects it from both the front and back.
It is only water and dust resistant to IP67, which allows it to be submerged up to 1 meter. Meanwhile, the iPhone 13 is a step above IP68, but IP67 will still protect your SE from any spills or leaks.
In terms of software features, the iPhone SE runs iOS 15, which gives you access to many of Apple’s latest features, such as live text and spatial audio, as well as all other features. relatives.
The iPhone SE (left) and the iPhone 13 (right). Image: Lifehacker Australia. IPhone SE 2022 Review
The design of the iPhone SE 3, as mentioned, looks familiar and natural. It takes a minute to adjust the muscle memory to use the start button if you haven’t run out of it, but it’s a setback.
The iPhone SE is a little smaller than the flagship iPhones of recent times. This makes it ideal for those with smaller pockets, wallets or hands.
Review of the iPhone SE 2022. Image: Lifehacker Australia
The screen, despite being slightly smaller at only 4.7 inches, still featured images and videos with vibrant detail thanks to Retina HD technology. It’s not the OLED technology of Apple’s latest phones, but it still looks pretty sharp.
As for the camera, I found that the new SE held up pretty well on my iPhone 13, even though it only had a 12MP front camera. However, it was missing when it came to capturing minute details, zooming in from long distances, or adjusting to certain lighting situations.
However, if you’re not too keen on photography on your iPhone, the SE does a good job.
Image taken by iPhone SE (left), image taken by iPhone 13 (right) (Images: Lifehacker Australia). IPhone SE 2022 Review
Now, with a smaller phone, are you probably thinking of a smaller battery? Well, Apple promises 2 more hours of battery life compared to the previous model of iPhone SE with the third edition.
In my testing, I found that I had at least 12 hours of video playback when playing on Netflix, which is more than enough for a day. The iPhone SE also supports fast charging, so you can get up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with compatible fast chargers.
Battery life will depend on how you use your iPhone, but in my time with the SE I’ve been able to get it out for at least a full day.
We can’t talk about the benefits without talking about the price and it really has to be the best part of the iPhone SE.
At $ 719, the 2022 iPhone SE is almost half the price of a regular iPhone 13 (which sells for $ 1,349).
This makes the iPhone SE much more affordable and accessible to a larger market. It can be hard to justify spending an extra $ 600 on the latest iPhone when the iPhone SE has basically the same features, only at a more basic level.
It is definitely something that can tempt Android users on the dark side.
During my time with it, I found that the iPhone SE has really fulfilled what Apple promised, which is to provide a performance phone in an affordable package.
What’s not so good?
Review of the iPhone SE 2022. Image: Lifehacker Australia
The iPhone SE has definitely impressed me with its many benefits, but it’s not without its drawbacks.
While the home button is a good blast from the past, the iPhone SE lacks a crucial feature I’ve come to trust: Face ID.
I’m not entirely sure why this is, as the iPhone SE has a front-facing camera. However, every time you want to unlock your phone or make a purchase, you need to check with your fingerprint instead of your face. It’s a small doubt, but I definitely missed Face ID.
While I said the iPhone 12’s only 12 MP camera has a big impact, it can’t live up to the iPhone 13’s built-in camera technology or the iPhone 13 Pro.
Image taken for iPhone SE without flash (left), Image taken for iPhone 13 without flash (right) [Lifehacker Australia]. IPhone SE 2022 review These more advanced models simply offer a level of image quality that the SE can’t.
ProRes and ProRaw capabilities aren’t part of the iPhone SE’s vocabulary, so if you’re looking for the sharp, detailed images of the iPhone that you see on billboards around the world, you won’t find them here.
Screen size was another minor issue I had with the new iPhone SE. From an iPhone 13, I definitely noticed a difference in screen size and quality.
This is something you can adapt to over time, but if you need a larger screen area, the iPhone SE doesn’t have much.
The verdict
IPhone SE 2022 Review (Image: Lifehacker Australia)
As it is, the iPhone SE is truly an amazing phone at an even more amazing price.
It’s a real heavyweight in the mid-range smartphone market that will likely be very appealing to entry-level iPhone users or those considering switching to Android.
The iPhone SE really can’t compete with the flagship features of later iPhone 12 and 13 models. It loses impressive camera quality, larger screen size and lacks the same level of resistance. water. But it matches these devices in processing power, which is a pretty amazing success for a phone that is $ 600 cheaper.
The home button is a pros or cons, depending on your position. Although I’m an old truth about the home button, I missed Face ID. But after a while I was able to easily get back to my iPhone 8 days, so I’ll probably be able to do that too.
Apple’s new iPhone SE isn’t designed to compete with its flagship range, but it does offer a very attractive option for those who are happy to sacrifice premium features and settle for only the best.
The iPhone SE is available starting at $ 719 at the Apple Store, JB Hi-Fi, and Harvey Norman.
You can check out the best phone plans for the iPhone SE 3 here.