We provided general information about the new product in the material summarizing the presentation, so we won't repeat ourselves. In fact, there isn't much to ponder here: essentially, this is the iPhone 8, just with a new SoC and a 5G module. The only question is how the SoC replacement has affected the user experience of the device.
Let’s recall the specifications of the new iPhone SE.
Technical specifications of the Apple iPhone SE third generation (2022)
SoC Apple A15 Bionic (6 cores: 2 high-performance + 4 energy-efficient) + 16-core Neural Engine
GPU Apple M15 (4 graphics cores)
4.7″ touch display, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi, capacitive, multi-touch
RAM 3.88 GB (according to Geekbench 5)
Flash memory 64/128/256 GB
No support for memory cards
Cellular connectivity: UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, support for Gigabit LTE, 5G
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac/ac/ax (2.4 and 5 GHz; MIMO support)
Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC (for Apple Pay only)
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS
Universal Lightning connector
Cameras: front (7 MP, video with cinematic image stabilization 1080p 30 fps) and rear with one lens (12 MP, 4K video recording 60 fps with optical image stabilization)
TouchID fingerprint scanner
Lithium-polymer battery, non-removable (capacity not specified, but stated to be identical to iPhone 8)
Support for Qi wireless charging
Dimensions 138×67×7.3 mm
Weight 144 g
IP67 protection
Operating system iOS 15
And here is a comparison of the new model's specifications with other Apple smartphones – the previous generation iPhone SE, iPhone 8, and iPhone 13 mini. It should be understood that the iPhone 13 mini is, of course, much more expensive, but if you are considering the iPhone SE specifically for its compact size, it may be useful to compare its capabilities with the iPhone 13 mini.
| Apple iPhone SE third generation | Apple iPhone SE second generation | Apple iPhone 8 | Apple iPhone 13 mini | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi | 4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi | 4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi | 5.4″, OLED, 2340×1080, 476 ppi |
| SoC (processor) | Apple A15 Bionic (6 cores) | Apple A13 Bionic (6 cores) | Apple A11 Bionic (6 cores) | SoC Apple A15 Bionic (6 cores) |
| RAM (memory), unofficial information | 4 GB | 3 GB | 2 GB | 4 GB |
| Flash memory | 64/128/256 GB | 64/128 GB | 64/256 GB | 128/256/512 GB |
| Connectivity | 5G, Gigabit LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) | Gigabit LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) | LTE Advanced, Wi-Fi 802.11ac | 5G, Gigabit LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) |
| Rear camera | 12 MP; 4K video 60 fps | 12 MP; 4K video 60 fps | 12 MP; 4K video 60 fps | 2 modules of 12 MP; 4K video 60 fps |
| Front camera | 7 MP; 1080p video 30 fps | 7 MP; 1080p video 30 fps | 7 MP; 1080p video 30 fps | 12 MP; 4K video 60 fps, FaceID facial recognition |
| Body protection | IP67 (water and dust resistant) | IP67 (water and dust resistant) | IP67 (water and dust resistant) | IP68 (water and dust resistant) |
| Battery capacity (mAh) | 1821 | 1821 | 1821 | 2438 |
| Fast charging / Qi wireless charging | yes / yes | yes / yes | no / yes | yes + MagSafe technology (wireless charging up to 15W, magnetic accessory connection) |
| Dimensions (mm) | 138×67×7.3 | 138×67×7.3 | 138×67×7.3 | 132×64×7.7 |
| Weight (g) | 144 | 148 | 174 | 141 |
The most interesting thing is that while Apple does not officially disclose the amount of RAM in smartphones, it consistently increases it in compact models: the iPhone 8 had only 2 GB, the previous generation iPhone SE had 3 GB, and now this parameter has reached the level of the iPhone 13 mini. It remains to be seen how this affects performance!
Packaging and Completeness
The iPhone SE box is made in exactly the same style as the previous generation model, but the main difference is that it has become significantly more compact. The reason? I think you can guess.
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Yes, now there are no headphones, no charger, and the Lightning cable has a USB-C plug on the other end. From the usual items in the previous model – only a paperclip, a set of postcards, and an apple-shaped sticker.
On one hand, all this is certainly sad, but on the other hand, it would be strange if Apple made the budget model's package richer than that of the flagships, the same iPhone 13/13 mini. After all, they also now come without a charger or headphones.
Design
We can't say much new about the design. Externally, it is the same iPhone SE 2020, which is also the iPhone 8, with all the pros and cons that come with it. To say that such a style looks frankly outdated by 2022 standards – it’s pointless to shake the air. After all, as we know, “if the stars light up, it means someone needs them.” That is, for many users, it is not so important for their smartphone to look in line with the latest trends. This is exactly who the iPhone SE is aimed at.
We had the Starlight color model for testing – its back has a pleasant milky tone, and the aluminum trim has a natural metallic shade.
The manufacturer claims that the new iPhone SE has more durable glass, but we certainly couldn't verify this.
The fingerprint scanner is still in the “Home” button, which is touch-sensitive rather than physical. This has its advantage: experience shows that a physical button can get dirty and loosen.
Overall, the design of the iPhone SE 2022 is what you might call classic. There are no surprises here. The main question is how the Apple A15 Bionic and 4 GB of RAM will perform in such a case. This will be shown in our testing!
Screen
The iPhone SE has an IPS screen with a diagonal of 4.7″ and a resolution of 1334×750, which gives a pixel density of only 326 ppi. This was also the case in the previous generation iPhone SE and the iPhone 8. By today’s standards, both the resolution and the diagonal are very small. However, as we know, the quality of the display is determined by far more than just these parameters.
The front surface of the screen is made of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-reflective properties of the screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, let’s provide a photo where a white surface is reflected in the turned-off screens (on the left – Nexus 7, on the right – Apple iPhone SE, which can be distinguished by size):
The screen on the Apple iPhone SE is noticeably darker (brightness in the photos 98 vs. 104 on the Nexus 7). The two reflected objects on the Apple iPhone SE screen are very faint, indicating that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (specifically between the outer glass and the surface of the matrix). Due to the fewer boundaries (like glass/air) with significantly different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of intense external lighting, but their repair in case of cracked outer glass is much more expensive, as the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special lyophobic (oil-repellent) coating (more effective than on the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are much easier to remove and appear at a slower rate than with regular glass.
With manual brightness control and when displaying a white field on the entire screen, the maximum brightness value was about 610 cd/m2, the minimum – 2.6 cd/m2. The maximum brightness is very high, and considering the excellent anti-reflective properties, reading the screen even on a sunny day outdoors will be at a good level. In the dark, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level.
