Apple iPhone SE Gen 3 (2022) Review: Outdated Bargain

PURCHASE price: $429.99

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Aside from a short stint where I used Alex’s Apple iPhone 12 Mini for a few months, it’s been a full decade since I used an Apple iPhone as my daily driver. As a tech reviewer, it’s almost unfathomable to believe yet I’ve been a (very) heavy Android user and am proud to admit it. Earlier this year, I decided I wanted to venture back to being an iPhone user and see what has and hasn’t changed. This year’s iPhone SE was arguably everything I had hoped for on an iPhone spec sheet when I was an iPhone user a decade ago. Affordability, portability, and Apple’s highest end performance in the iOS ecosystem. The verdict? Let’s take a closer look.

Not Much Has Changed on the Outside

In all fairness, even though I haven’t been an iPhone user in a while, I consider myself fairly up to date on all the changes Apple makes with each iteration of its smartphone. One of the reasons why I haven’t been eager to switch back to iOS is simply because the look and feel of the UI have remained fairly similar to my 2011 Apple iPhone 4S. Sure, the hardware aspects have evolved: huge bezels are smaller, the body is thinner, and the cameras are (obviously) better. But the classic iPhone look and feel is very clearly still there.

The iPhone SE is in a slightly different ballpark from its shinier (more expensive) family members. While its other siblings use Face ID, the SE kept its familiar home button and Touch ID heritage from the iPhone 7. I actually prefer this and haven’t come across any issues with it. Touch ID is reliable, easy to use with masks and in my opinion, can be even less confusing than swiping up to switch between apps.

Product Specs +

4GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage
Apple A15 Bionic
2,018 mAh battery
iOS 15
4.7-inch Retina display with 326 ppi
Touch ID
Wireless Charging
12 MP f/1.8 Rear Camera
5G

This year’s SE comes in three colors: red, white and black. At a width of only 2.65 inches and a height of 5.45 inches, this is easily one of the smallest phones I’ve seen in a while. We’ll come back to the display but with its 4.7 inch LCD screen, it’s almost comical looking when placed next to my sister’s iPhone 13 Pro Max. In fact, I’m constantly asked by fellow coworkers and bystanders what phone I have because it’s so small compared to the Apple devices they’ve seen recently. I’m incredibly clumsy so the slippery glass feel of the SE forced me to immediately put a case on it. However, for $429, it still feels just like any other (more expensive) iPhone.

Despite its small size and lower price point, the SE is virtually the same in other aspects. The left hand side of the device houses the ring/silent switch, and volume rocker, while the right side has a single power button. The forehead of the SE is where its speaker and microphone is located coinciding with an additional speaker and microphone at the bottom below the home button. The SE uses Apple’s proprietary lightning connector and as many of you already know, does not come with a charging brick (sold separately). Those are both inconveniences in 2022, but not necessarily deal breakers with the MSRP being under $500.

Impressive on the Inside

I’ve hinted at this at the start of the review, but the reason why I was finally inspired to switch back to iOS was ultimately because of how impressive this year’s iPhone SE looked. The SE runs on the same A15 Bionic chip and has virtually the same guts as the iPhone 13 lineup with the exception of the outdated smaller body, Touch ID, and camera. For a fraction of a price, the budget finder in me couldn’t resist the urge to see if it lived up to my lofty expectations.

The SE does have 4 GB of Ram versus the 6 GB on the iPhone 13, but I’d argue performance is almost exactly the same. Most users would not be able to distinguish the performance difference. iOS 15 runs buttery smooth when scrolling through the phone, a feat that I appreciate as an Android user as we know each flavor of Android runs slightly different on its own skins. Whether I was switching across my often 10+ apps simultaneously running at a time or multi-tasking a Zoom call while checking Instagram, I was impressed with how smooth and powerful my SE was performing. As much as I am a fan of Android, iOS simply works nearly flawlessly between the hardware and software integration. I haven’t seen a mobile platform match the synergy quite as well as Apple. It’s even more impressive when you consider how flagship level this experience feels at what is considered a mid-range budget price point in the Android space.

Itty Bitty View

When it comes to entertainment, the 4.7 inch, 16:9 aspect ratio retina IPS display, with a ppi count of 326, is not necessarily the most glamorous screen on a smartphone to watch Netflix and YouTube videos on, but does a great job nonetheless. Size aside, viewing angles are just about as good as it can get for a sub-$500 phone, while audio quality gives off clear and distinct sound. When comparing the iPhone SE with other phones in this price range currently, I do find the display impressive with Apple’s true tone colors. Regardless of where I was or what app I was using, everything felt very natural to view when it came to using my SE for both pleasure and work.

What Else is There?

The SE does lacks a few additional features that its more expensive counterparts have. For example, the SE does not have a MagSafe charging system, but is still does retain wireless charging compatible. I will accept this lack of functionality as even though MagSafe is a neat feature, I don’t think it is necessarily worth it for double the price on a more expensive iPhone.

The SE’s 2,018 mAh battery may also seem small, especially when we’ve seen other phones with double the battery in this price range. Fortunately, my worries were quickly put to rest with daily usage. I wouldn’t say the SE has the best battery ever for budget phones (the award there still goes to the POCO M3), but it kept up with most of my activities nonetheless without dying. On days I traveled or used intensively draining apps like Google Maps more frequently, I found myself reaching for a portable battery back as a precaution, but overall, it’s a testament to how fantastic iOS is to be able to power a smartphone at a high performance level with such a small battery.

It’s pretty evident that Apple made the biggest cuts with the SE’s camera in order to achieve this price point.

Perhaps my biggest issue about the SE comes from its single camera. There’s a single main 12 MP wide sensor on the back of the SE that can record at up to 4K 60 fps for video. The selfie camera is a single 7 MP, HDR capable lens. It’s pretty evident that Apple made the biggest cuts with the SE’s camera in order to achieve this price point. For those who enjoy taking photos on their smartphone or are looking to capture a lot of detail in their photos, this is unfortunately not the iPhone for them. The SE’s camera is, what I would deem, good enough to function. Colors are natural and light is captured well when exposed in bright well-lit settings. Where it falters significantly is in dim lighting or dark settings. Images appear blurry and the quality becomes pretty degraded. On occasions where we were traveling together, I would simply ask Alex to take photos on his iPhone 13 Pro because the results would be significantly better than from the SE. That being said, for those of us who don’t necessarily need a macro lens or are simply taking basic photos without wanting the best clarity or easiest shooting conditions, the SE camera will suffice. It’s just a little more difficult to consider the SE a surefire pick in the sub-$500 phone market because of it’s average camera when a Google Pixel 5A is also out there for consideration.

The Best Budget iPhone Yet

If someone told me 10 years ago that Apple would produce its own version of a flagship killer that would be more affordable and outperform Android phones in the segment, I would have lost money on that bet. Aside from a few factors that don’t necessarily affect its overall user experience, the iPhone SE is the best bang for your buck iPhone that Apple has released yet. It might be outdated in design, but it is without a doubt a bargain. With a starting price of $429, this one’s simply a no brainer.

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Lida

Always the number cruncher, the former narrative journalist turned data scientist, can’t help but find herself bursting with excitement with each new generation of tech gadgets. After all, predicting future trends is Lida’s forte. Any gadget that survives Lida’s torturous, adult working woman itinerary of over 700 notifications a day deserves praise!