The iPhone SE offers a decent screen and a ridiculous amount of power for the camera and advanced apps. But can you use it on such a small screen?
The Apple iPhone SE (2022) is the new cheapest phone in Apple’s range. Replacing the previous iPhone SE with a range of internal upgrades, as well as some external ones. Not that you can really tell from the outside.
This update of the processor also affects other areas of the phone. The single-lens camera may mean that it is not the best iPhone in many ways for photography. But the new decalasantesamento de procesadaesamento de armenémente. Thanks to the perception, iPhone 13 …
It’s a phone of split halves then: on the one hand. It packs the most advanced technology into a frame small enough to be handheld, a rarity these days. But, it’s limited in features by its size and price in a way that you can’t go in the future.
For this price, it strikes a very good balance, although not a perfect one. But as you’ll see, for the price, there’s a lot of phone out there. And be sure to check out the iPhone SE deals page to see if you can get it cheaper.
iPhone SE (2022) review: price
The iPhone SE (2022) is available from $429 / £419 / AU$719 SIM-free, which gets you 64GB of storage. Given the light user that the iPhone SE seems to primarily target, this will be just the right amount often.
For Creative Block readers, though. stepping up to the 128GB version for $479 / £469 / AU$799 seems like a no-brainer. It’s a fairly small upgrade cost, but it gives you a lot more freedom to store photos and videos on the device
It’s worth noting that this is essentially the price of an iPhone 11. which is the next step up in Apple’s range price-wise. But, you only get 64GB of storage from the iPhone 11.
If you want more storage, the 256GB version of the iPhone SE costs £569/$579/AU$969. Note that the iPhone 11 doesn’t even come in that large a capacity – you can only get iPhone SE. iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 models with this capacity.
iPhone SE (2022) review: display
The iPhone SE’s display, as mentioned earlier, is a tiny 4.7 inches. With a resolution of 1334×750 (326ppi). It’s sharp enough to view photos and videos with clarity – flagship phones will be sharper. But also feature larger screens. With the iPhone SE’s small, clear IPS LCD display, this resolution is absolutely sharp.
That IPS LCD display supports the P3 color gamut and can hit a modest 625 nits of peak brightness. Meaning it’s vibrant and punchy. Obviously, OLED screens are no match for contrast on smartphones these days. But Apple’s penchant for precision means it’s still a smart choice for creatives.
The screen is quite reflective though, and picks up fingerprints like nobody’s business. Much more easily than the iPhone 13, and they interfere with the image more clearly.
The other potential disappointment here is that there’s no 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate support. Although phones don’t have much practical use for it. So while it’s nice, we’re not particularly into the iPhone SE for it.
Apple’s True Tone technology is supported, making it easy on the eyes in evening light.
The only real addition to the screen in older versions is haptic touch, which is very welcome. This enables you to do things like see a rich version of notifications from the lock screen by tapping on them. Something the old iPhone SE lacked, making it feel like a cut-back version of an iPhone. This is not the problem.
iPhone SE (2022) review: power & performance
The Apple A15 chip here is the same one you got in the iPhone 13, no real downgrade by any means, despite the lower price. It’s still the fastest phone chip in the world, yet… and all in a tiny frame
This means you can take photos. And apply edits of your desired complexity with instant results. Or shoot and then edit 4K video with many streams. You can open complex images with many layers and change them with instant effects…
None of this is easy to do on a screen this size, as there isn’t much room for both the interface and the content. The chip’s power is ideal for people who want to be creative with their phones. But that power is locked in a battle of wills with the frustration of not having much space.
But it does mean that this phone is an absolute first-class citizen for iOS. With support for useful and advanced features like Live Text. which uses the camera to take any text you see and make it copyable, not just any photo on the phone.
And it’ll be completely future-proof for any such new features. if you want to make sure your next iPhone will be supported and updated for years. The iPhone SE fits that bill perfectly.
New powerful processor as well as 5G support has been added and it is very fast. We tested in the center of Bath, in an office building, and got over 650Mbps down and over 70Mbps up. Obviously, this will depend on your network and a ton of other factors. But there’s no question that the iPhone SE can really change the bits when enabled.
Another advantage of the A15 processor is that it is more efficient than the previous chip. And Apple has also improved the battery chemistry. which has combined to give this iPhone SE a longer life than the last version. But, compared to the iPhone 13 — which was a big leap over previous iPhones — it’s nowhere near as durable.
With the iPhone 13, you can get through the day even after fairly hardcore use. For example a hard day’s work outside the office. But for the iPhone SE, it’s a dream.
According to Apple’s own figures, depending on what you’re doing. You can expect 30% to 50% more battery life from the iPhone 13 than the iPhone SE. In regular mixed use, you won’t see such a dramatic drop every day. But we definitely felt the pinch using the iPhone SE. We couldn’t make it through a day without topping up and it felt like those iPhone days were behind us.
With a high-speed charger (20W), you can charge from 0 to 50% in about 30 minutes. We saw a flat to full battery charge in about an hour, so it seems capable of keeping that pace.
camera
The iPhone SE’s camera manages to be both basic and pretty incredible at the same time. Compared to the previous model, there’s no big jump in lens. Sensor hardware, meaning you get a 12MP rear camera with f/1.8 wide-angle lens. And a 7MP front camera with f/2.2 wide-angle lens.
The upgrade is from the A15 chip, which delivers Apple’s latest. And greatest image processing capabilities to that sensor. You won’t find all the features of the iPhone 13 here. Night Mode for regular photos, for example, or Dolby Vision HDR or Cinematic Mode for video. But you’ll find the essential smarts that make pictures better. You’ll find portrait mode here, but it only works for people.
The end result is photos that have all the detail of even the iPhone 13 Pro. But with less vibrant colors as well as a less wide dynamic range by comparison. But the last of these isn’t all bad – the iPhone SE makes its shadows lighter than the iPhone 13 Pro. Which many people might actually like.
The only problem really is that you only get a single lens on the back. So you lack the flexibility to beautifully frame portraits with telephotos. Also dramatic landscapes or cityscapes with ultra-wides, Or interesting macro shots, or either. Other add-ons offer phones when you spend a little more.
This means that while it takes really impressive shots, the problem isn’t what it can take. It’s all the shots you literally can’t take with it. Even if they sit in your mind.
It’s a similar story with video when it comes to quality – it may not capture in HDR. But its dynamic range is strong, it captures up to 4K 60fps. And it includes Apple’s incredibly impressive shake reduction technology. so handheld shots look smooth.
key features
Security here is provided by Touch ID built into the home button below the screen. It is very fast, and retains the advantage of being usable with a mask. And the downside of not being usable with gloves. Heading towards Somalia and roundabouts.
There are stereo speakers when placed in landscape, and they’re pretty good. They do a good job of offering a balanced sound with a focus on vocal clarity. If you have the volume above about 40%. the front of the screen really picks up vibrations at low-end frequencies, which feels very odd. The back panel doesn’t – it’s only if you rest a finger on the front that you notice.
You can charge the iPhone SE via Lightning or Qi wireless charging. There’s no support for Apple’s new MagSafe charging, so Qi charging is limited to 7.5W.
There’s fast 802.11ax Wi-Fi, plus Bluetooth 5.0. This model has an upgraded GPS system. There are GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou options for better global accuracy.
design
The iPhone SE overall retains the same look as before, but there are actually a lot of changes. It’s mostly about the glass: it’s the same tough glass. that Apple now uses on the back of the iPhone 13 model, and that doesn’t mean it’s drop-proof. It just means the odds are a little higher for you.
Note that we said it’s the same as the back of the iPhone 13. It doesn’t use the super-hard ‘ceramic shield’ material from the front of the iPhone 13. But it is a step up from the previous version.
It comes in three colors: Starlight, Midnight and Product (Red). Starlight is silver with gold undertones. Midnight is black with blue undertones and red red red and more red.
With the screen on, it’s hard to claim the iPhone SE is anything. Other than a few years old thanks to its massive forehead and chin. But it’s still made of premium-feeling materials, and the back looks very smart and modern.
Curved edges make the iPhone 13 smaller and better for one-handed use than the flat edges of the phone.
It measures just 67.3×138.4×7.3mm (2.65×5.45×0.29 inches), and weighs just 144g. All which is incredibly refreshing in the world of giant phones. if you don’t mind the screen size limitations.
It’s IP67 rated, so should be fine against minor accidental dunking.
iPhone SE (2022) review: should you buy it?
The iPhone SE (2022) is excellent value for the features it offers. As long as you can live with the limitations of its screen size. its battery life, and its single-lens camera.
We think most creatives should really look into the iPhone 11’s extra screen space. if you can deal with the jump to a 6.1-inch screen and take advantage of the dual-lens camera. battery life and larger canvas.
But if it’s small size that you prefer, nothing else. on the market gives you such future-proof performance. and camera quality in a pocketable phone.
