When it comes to brand-new iPhones, the smallest and least expensive option is the iPhone SE (2022). The SE is tempting for those who want to save money without sacrificing performance since, despite its modest price and cutely antiquated size, it features the same CPU as the considerably more costly iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro.
All You Need To Know Apple iPhone SE
There are, however, certain trade-offs to be made if you go for the iPhone mini, and we investigated whether or not they were acceptable.
Design of the iPhone SE (2022)
The design of the iPhone SE (2022) is not going to help you if you’re the type of person who requires everyone around you to know that you have the latest and greatest phone. Apple’s strategy for inexpensive phones is to take an older model (the iPhone 8 in this case) and equip it with newer components.
It has a single camera on the back, rounded aluminium edges, and a Touch ID fingerprint reader on the front, and it has a glass back and aluminium sides. In a nutshell, the design of the phone is reminiscent of an older iPhone.
Actually, it’s not that terrible of a situation. As compared to more recent iPhone models, the iPhone SE (2022)’s smaller form factor is easily the most noticeable improvement. Because of its compact size, this smartphone can be used with a single fingertip.
Its thinness of 7.3mm and its light weight of 144 grammes make it easy to forget you’re carrying it. When it comes to portability and ease of use, the iPhone SE is unparalleled. The rounded design of the chassis makes it more easier to hold than the square or flat iPhone 14.
Using the iPhone SE (2022) is a sobering reminder of why so many people bemoan Apple’s transition from Touch ID to Face ID technology. The fingerprint sensor is quick and accurate regardless of the lighting conditions or if your fingertips are dry or greasy.
It’s conveniently placed so that you can access it without having to look or even release your grip on the phone. It’s wonderful, and it’s a delight to use even now. There is a catch, however: it must be accompanied by bezels. Superb, oversized frames.
This is the feature of the iPhone SE (2022) that I’ve had the most trouble getting used to; in 2023, the extra space above and below the display seems superfluous.
Even while the display is rather compact, the phone’s bezels make typing and watching videos on the device feel more like a chore than a fun experience. You learn to live with that, but the knowledge that there are dozens of other phones available that don’t have massive bezels is always there.
Screen of the iPhone SE (2022)
The 4.7-inch Retina HD screen on the iPhone SE (2022) features a resolution of 1334 x 750 and supports Apple’s True Tone technology for accurate colour reproduction. Due to its little size and low resolution, its pixel density of 326ppi is identical to that of Apple’s next-cheapest new iPhone, the iPhone 11. Unfortunately, it is much inferior to the 476ppi pixel density of the most recent models.
The screen may seem diminutive in comparison to other recent smartphones, but the iPhone SE (2022)’s high resolution and accurate colours prevent it from ever seeming dreadful. It’s a huge upgrade from the screens on most budget Android phones. Once I got used to the little screen, I found that it was also fantastic for playing games.
The 60 fps refresh rate is the biggest letdown. In comparison to the iPhone SE (2022), several Android phones at the same price range have a higher refresh rate, allowing for more fluid scrolling and reducing eye strain. It’s noticeable, especially if your system is acclimated to a faster refresh rate.
The Performance and Software of the iPhone SE in 2022
The quickest iPhone SE is the 2022 model. Like the iPhone 14, it is powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic technology, which includes a six-core CPU and a four-core GPU. It’s as quick and responsive as advertised, and it really speeds up iOS.
The iPhone SE, despite its little size, is certainly than capable of performing all the same functions as its larger and more expensive brothers. The good software is complemented by the A15 chip’s longevity, which is a major selling feature for a low-priced phone.
Most of the new features (though not items like the current Always-on screen or features that require new hardware to work), security updates, and design modifications should be made available to the iPhone SE (2022) over the following four or five years.
It’s simple to use iOS. Even if you’re upgrading from an older iPhone, setting up your new one takes less than five minutes. Icons are standardised and make sense, and you can add widgets to customise your home screens.
In my experience, iOS is dependable, notifications are sent on time, and the default applications are more than sufficient for most users, including Apple’s Weather app, Voice Recorder, Music app, and Podcasts app. But, if you frequently alter the software’s visual style, Android offers more flexibility in this regard.
The iPhone SE (2022) is 5G compatible, although it cannot receive or transmit mmWave signals. Connectivity-wise (through Wi-Fi, 4G, or 5G), as well as in terms of call quality, I have experienced zero concerns.
The phone has a powerful and dependable Bluetooth connection, and it syncs up with Apple headphones in a flash thanks to an intuitive proximity-based pairing method. Its software and general efficiency make using the phone a breeze.
Battery and Storage:
There’s no getting around the truth that the iPhone SE (2022)’s battery is insufficient to power the A15 Bionic processor. Potential purchasers care about this more than anything else. The iPhone SE (2022) will not last through a full day of heavy use (including a lot of apps, video, games, photographs, and calls, most of which take place over 4G or 5G networks).
Even with modest use on Wi-Fi, the iPhone SE’s battery won’t last more than a day, and that’s being generous. The phone supports cable charging at up to 20W, although it doesn’t come with a charger. Apple claims that its own compatible chargers can charge the battery to 50 percent in 30 minutes, while a full charge can take up to 75 minutes.
The Qi standard for wireless charging is available, however it is slower than the cable variety and there is no MagSafe. The availability of storage capacity is another crucial factor. The base model iPhone SE (2022) only has 64GB of internal storage, which is laughably low in this day and age.
Considering that iOS alone occupies at least 10GB, and games like Diablo Immortal can consume even more space, it’s simple to foresee how rapidly 64GB would be consumed. Instead than paying for iCloud storage in the future and periodically deleting programmes, images, and other stuff, it’s better to purchase one with greater storage capacity.
I’ve also observed that the iPhone SE (2022) has noticeably worse battery life when its storage capacity is nearly full. Apart for the initial cost, upgrading to the 128GB or 256GB version has no obvious drawbacks.
iPhone SE Camera Quality:
The iPhone SE (2022) features a single camera with 12 megapixels, a wide f/1.8 aperture, Smart HDR 4, Deep Fusion, and optical image stabilisation. The dynamic range can be expanded at lower frame rates while recording in 4K at up to 60 frames per second.
Nevertheless, the portrait mode may only be used to soften the background of human subjects, and there is no night option. The front-facing camera can shoot 1080p video and boasts 7 megapixels and a portrait mode.
It’s an excellent representation of what a standard smartphone camera should be like, capable of producing high-quality images in both bright and dim lighting. There isn’t much room for imaginative play because it lacks advanced functions like a wide-angle lens or optical zoom.
Yet we’ve tested it against other Android phones with several cameras and the same price tag. The iPhone SE (2022) features a single camera, similar to the iPhone 8, which is fine for sharing photos online and capturing pictures on days out and vacations but isn’t meant to compete with the iPhone 14 Pro.
As long as a sophisticated and flexible camera is not your top priority, you should be fine. Don’t count on it to meet your needs forever, especially if they evolve.
When and Where can I get an iPhone SE in 2022?
The Apple iPhone SE (2022) is now available through Apple’s online shop, Apple retail stores, and most major wireless providers. Prices range from $429 for the 64GB device to $579 for the top-tier 256GB model. Apart for the quantity of space they have on the inside, they are identical.
