If you prefer your iPhone to be economical and nostalgic, Apple’s iPhone SE 2022 version might be the phone for you. It preserves the SE series design language firmly entrenched in 2017 – the year Apple released the iPhone 8, the design of which Apple used for 2020’s SE 2 and has retained for this smart smartphone. In 2020, Apple updated the CPU to an A13 Bionic, the back camera to a 12MP wide, and introduced ‘monocular depth prediction,’ which enhanced Portrait Mode photography for both the front and rear cameras. It was a clever AI-infused gimmick that works well on faces but did nothing else.
Everything you liked about the iPhone SE (2020) is still present on the iPhone SE (2022). There has been no change to the tiny and light body, nor has the 3.5mm headset jack been reintroduced, nor has Touch ID been removed. The Liquid Retina display has not been touched. The cameras – a 12MP rear and a 7MP front – are also identical.
The change, and it’s a major one, is the new A15 Bionic, which is the same Apple Silicon found in Apple’s iPhone 13 range. It’s a powerful mobile CPU that, to date, outperforms Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU. Speaking of things that aren’t there on this new phone. The iPhone SE (2022) adheres to Apple’s new packaging approach, with no power adaptor or wired headphones included in the package. This makes a lot of sense from an environmental standpoint. It’s unfortunate, however, that the price increased by $30 to $429 at the same time Apple discontinued these accessories. However, after accounting for inflation, the price may be deemed roughly the same as it was two years ago.
What will you see here?
Price and Availability :
There is an increase in iPhone SE 2022 in price from $429/ £419/ AU$719 to £419/ $429/ AU$719, however, it remains Apple’s cheapest 5G phone. The iPhone 13 mini costs £679/ $699/ AU$1,199, whereas the iPhone 12 small costs $599.
However, it is a bit disappointing that Apple insists on starting with a phone with only 64GB of storage. The phone can record video in 4K resolution at 60fps. Where to keep all of those files? Apple’s iPhone 13 range now starts at 128GB on all models. That is the criteria that Apple should have followed in this case. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the iPhone SE (2022) has a maximum storage capacity of 256 GB ($579 / £569 / AU$969), however, there is also a 128GB version for $479 / £469 / AU$799.
If you’re thinking about a 256GB iPhone SE at that price, you should really consider one of the iPhone 13 options. The last iPhone SE began at $399 / £389 / AU$679, and although charging a little more for a 5G phone with the latest CPU is not a large ask, users will note the package is a little smaller and lighter. The environment will appreciate Apple, but some customers disappoint that wired earphones and power adapters are no longer provided with the gadget. This is also true for the iPhone 13 series, but the exclusion may upset budget-conscious iPhone users who must now purchase the accessories individually.
Design
Apple’s iPhone SE 2022 has such a well-worn look that we instinctively gravitated for it, despite the fact that we know it’s not an ‘in’ style right now.
The metal casing is smooth, clean, and sparkling Midnight. Inside, it seems dark, yet in the sunshine, the blue shows through.
The glass panel and front are flawlessly smooth, and in these days of ever-expanding camera blocks, it’s almost charming to see a single relatively modest, 12MP wide-angle lens on the back. The distance between the sapphire glass lens cover and the backplane is measured in mm.
The full 5.44-in. by 2.65-in. by 0.29-in. 144g frame has almost no edges. Some folks are still concerned about the iPhone 13’s sharp edges, as well as the new Samsung Galaxy S22 lineup. You won’t have the same issues here. Volume controls and a sleep/silent switch are on the left edge, whereas the power button and SIM slot are on the right (which also supports eSIM). The bottom edge houses the speaker grilles, microphone, and Lightning port.
The front panel sports the aged 1344 x 750-pixel Liquid Retina Display, which looks excellent on its own but pales in comparison to the iPhone 13 mini’s 5.4-inch edge-to-edge Retina Display XDR showcase OLED screen.
With an IP67 rating, the iPhone SE 2022 is also water and dustproof.
The phone lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack, but it does include a Lightning charging connector that might accept a set of Lightning earphones. Unfortunately, they are not included however, the phone does operate fine with wireless AirPods if you have them. In addition, it includes a USB-C to Lightning charging connection in the box.
Display
If you’re moving from an iPhone 5S, the 4.7-inch screen of the iPhone SE may feel like an improvement, but in a world of monster-sized screens, 2,000,000:1 contrast ratios, and variable refresh rates, its 60Hz LCD luster may feel out of place.
Comparing the SE’s display to the greatest displays available felt meaningless – if you want more, you’ll have to pay more. In isolation, the display appears fantastic – it looked nice throughout a wide range of functions, from photography and videography to online surfing, games, and video.
The screen struggles in direct sunshine, but it’s still a winner inside.
I’ve seen iPhone 8 phones fall to the ground and fracture faster than you can say “screen protector,” and while you might think that the iPhone SE, which shares much of the 8’s DNA, would be equally prone, you could be incorrect.
The front and rear of the iPhone SE (2022) are the same glass as the backs of all iPhone 13 phones. Unfortunately, the SE lacks Apple’s Ceramic Shield technology, so if you buy this phone, it’s still a good idea to obtain the plastic case.
Cameras
These days, our phones are also our cameras, and any smartphone that skimps on this feature is asking for problems. Despite the fact that the iPhone SE (2022) only has two lenses, the same as the SE 2020, it manages to capture photographs that are agreeable to the eye, chroma, and frequently gorgeous.
The A15 Bionic’s picture processor now supports the rear 12MP, f/1/8 wide lens, as well as Smart HDR 4 and Deep Fusion.
In Portrait mode, you may customize the depth of field effect by adjusting the faux-aperture setting, which throws more or less of the backdrop behind your object out of focus. However, we disappoint that the iPhone SE Portrait Mode photography confines humans – you can’t take bokeh images of dogs, plants, or anything else that doesn’t have a face.
All of the other anticipated photo modes are supported by the camera including panorama and time-lapse – plus new here is Night Timelapse, which can be used with a tripod. However, Apple’s Night Mode photography does not support it.
In terms of video, the iPhone SE can shoot at up to 4K 60fps. The video appears well on the phone’s screen, albeit we lose some quality definitely due to the 1334×750 resolution.
The phone also records slow-motion video in 1080P at 240 frames per second. We pursued several birds and managed to capture a wonderfully cinematic image.
Even with the A15 Bionic, there is no compatibility for the Cinematic mode video as with the whole iPhone 13 range.
Portrait mode
Portrait Mode’s quality for both the front and rear cameras is superior to what we saw on the iPhone SE (2020). It can now pick up microscopic details, such as wisps of hair, and painstakingly separate them from the blurring background. We discovered almost no abnormalities that marred the impression, such as blurred features that should have been crisp and vice versa. Overall, the camera quality on this mid-range phone can compete with devices costing nearly twice as much.
Performance and specifications
Because Apple has complete control over its production processes and component lines, it is simple to take one cutting-edge part from its newest products and neatly fit this into a design it created more than three years ago.
The A15 Bionic CPU is Apple’s most effective mobile chipset, and cramming it into the iPhone SE’s small design is comparable to attaching rocket rockets to a bicycle.
To be clear, this isn’t a hampered or throttled version of Apple’s CPU. The iPhone SE 2022 is on par with the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13 Mini. It’s worth mentioning that the phone now has 4GB of RAM, which should improve speed.
Basically, the A15 Bionic improves everything about this phone (4K video recording and editing, console-level gaming, AI-enhanced photography). It pushes the limits of what’s feasible within the constraints of the 2017 design.
The iPhone SE (2022) ushers in the SE series to the iPhone 5G family. Again, the strategy is full-boat, with no compromises on power or efficiency. This meant that we could switch off WiFi, download apps, play multiplayer games like Call of Duty, and watch HD Netflix without hesitation. It was all so incredibly fun that we nearly forgot about the 4.7-inch monitor. 5G is yet unavailable in some regions, and its performance might be erratic.
Battery life
While we don’t know the size of the iPhone SE battery (Apple never releases mAh), we may assume it hasn’t changed much since the iPhone SE 2020. However, we anticipated a significant battery drain from the more powerful A15 Bionic and that delectable new 5G.
When it’s time to recharge, use the provided 18W cable or place it on a Qi-compatible charging station. The phone is incompatible with Apple’s latest MagSafe chargers.
Conclusion
The iPhone SE 2022 is quicker and more connected than its predecessors, and it is available at the lowest affordable pricing for a new 5G iPhone right now. However, if you want a better iPhone deal with larger displays, better cameras, and a longer list of contemporary specifications, the new SE isn’t for you.
