iPhone SE 2022 Review
What’s it really like?
The iPhone SE 2022 edition may be most known for its affordability and classic design. IPhone 8 was used for both 2020’s SE 2 and this new phone, which was introduced in 2017. In 2020, Apple added ‘monocular depth estimation’ to both the front and rear cameras to improve Portrait Mode shooting. It was a novelty driven by AI that only functioned on faces.
All of the great features from the iPhone SE (2020) are still here (2022). As far as I can tell, the 3.5mm headphone jack is same. In Liquid Retina, nothing has changed. There is no difference between the back camera’s 12MP and the front camera’s 7MP.
IPhone SE 2022 overview
Apple’s iPhone 13s are equipped with the same A15 Bionic chipset as the company’s later models, which is a significant advancement. This CPU has surpassed even Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU in terms of performance as a mobile CPU so far (in Geek bench scores).
Despite its diminutive size and the absence of a depth-sensing camera on the front, it has a significant amount of power and headroom for development and testing. Despite this, the A15 Bionic is capable of anything from recording and editing 4K movies to playing intense action games such as Call of Duty and PUBG, among others.
The A15’s system-on-a-chip architecture has the benefit of increasing the processor’s capacity to process pictures. The camera on the iPhone SE (2022) is identical to that on the iPhone SE (2020), except it is capable of time-lapse night photography, unlike the camera on the iPhone SE (2020).
When compared to Apple’s flagship products, there are, of course, certain limitations to what can be accomplished here. There is no support for the new Cinematic mode video (bokeh effect) on the new iPhone SE, which is supported by all A15 Bionic-powered iPhone 13 devices.
Things missing from this new IPhone SE
Speaking of the new phone’s shortcomings. The iPhone SE (2022) doesn’t come with a charger or wired headphones. From an environmental standpoint, this makes sense. Sadly, the price increased when Apple discontinued these accessories. Taking inflation into account, the price is about the same as two years ago. We don’t expect that to fly.
Battery life is 12 hours, which is impressive given the strong CPU and eye-searing 5G connection, but not as good as the iPhone 13 family. The iPhone SE 2022 is hard to suggest when the iPhone 13 small has a larger, brighter, and more shaped Super Retina XDR OLED screen, another camera, Face ID, and a new design (and you can pick up some of the lower-end iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 options for a similar premium).
Apple can choose the price and choices for its iPhones, knowing it won’t have to compete with low-end Android. The iPhone SE (2022) continues that tradition well. It retains the same design as the previous generation but adds Apple’s newest processor and mobile networking technologies — whether that’s enough for you is up to you.
If you want a more expensive iPhone, we recommend the iPhone 13 series, which includes the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 small (the iPhone SE routinely outsells the tiny line), the iPhone 13 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Performance and specs
A cutting-edge feature from one of Apple’s newest products may be easily integrated into an existing design that was created more than three years ago because of the company’s complete control over its production processes and component lines,
As if you were tying rocket engines to a bicycle, Apple’s most powerful mobile chipset, the A15 Bionic, is crammed inside the iPhone SE.
It’s important to note that this isn’t a reduced version of Apple’s processor. IPhone SE (2022) and the iPhone 13 mini (A15 Bionic) share the same Geek bench 5 scores. Furthermore, there is 4GB of RAM on the device now, which should improve responsiveness.
This phone is superior in every way due of the A15 Bionic, including 4K video recording and editing, console-level gaming, and AI-enhanced photography. In terms of design, it pushes the boundaries of what’s feasible in 2017.
The iPhone SE (2022) joins the iPhone 5G family by introducing the SE range. It is a full-boat approach once again, with no compromise on power or performance. Thus, there was no need to worry about being able to use Wi-Fi to download apps or play online games like Call of Duty or Netflix in HD.
It was all so much fun that we nearly forgot about the device’s inadequate 4.7-inch screen. Although 5G is already accessible in some regions, its quality is still variable. Our download speeds in the office ranged by over 60Mbps from one location to another.
Occasionally, we have to make do with simply LTE speeds. Even yet, the fact that an iPhone with this kind of connection is so reasonably priced is rather amazing.
Design of iPhone SE 2022
It’s not all the same. Apple’s iPhone SE (2022) has such a worn-in look that we instinctively liked it, even though we know it isn’t trendy currently. We tested a Midnight-colored version of the metal casing. It’s black within, yet the blue is visible outside.
The glass back and front are flawless, and the single 12MP wide-angle camera on the rear is almost quaint in these day of ever-expanding camera blocks. The distance of the sapphire glass lens cover from the backplane is millimeter (maybe two).
There are no harsh edges on the 5.44-in. by 2.65-in. by 0.29-in. 144g frame. The volume controls are on the left, and the power button and SIM slot are on the right (which also supports eSIM). Speaker grilles, microphone, and Lightning port on the bottom.
Front-facing Liquid Retina Display with 1344 x 750 pixels looks fantastic on its own, but pales in contrast to the iPhone 13 mini’s 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR display OLED screen.
It has a 7MP FaceTime and selfie camera, and a large, shallow speaker grille. The Touch ID home button is below all of that. We’d been using Face ID-only iPhones for so long that the return was a little rocky. As with riding a bike, we quickly forgot how to operate an iPhone with a home button and went back into the Touch ID rhythm. We remembered how good it felt when it read our fingerprint or simulated a tactile button push with haptics. It’s time for Touch ID to die, yet it works brilliantly on the iPhone SE.
Regarding Touch ID, it’s still one of the most successful biometric authorization methods we’ve used. If you register a finger once, the reader will see it in any position.
The iPhone SE (2022) is also IP67 certified water and dust resistant. We inadvertently submerged the phone and it survived. The phone lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack but has a Lightning charging connector that might fit Lightning earphones. Those aren’t included, but the phone works well with wireless Air Pods. A USB-C to Lightning charging connection is also included.
What about the display?
For those upgrading from the iPhone 5S, the iPhone SE’s 4.7-inch screen could feel like an upgrade. But in the world of monster-sized screens, 2,000,000:1 contrast ratios, and adaptive refresh rates, its 60Hz LCD luster might feel out of place.
It seems futile to compare the SE’s display to the greatest screens on the market — if you want more, you’ll have to pay more for it (on any platform and from any handset manufacturer). Isolated from other devices, the display looks great. I tested it for everything from photography and videography to online surfing and games.
You may think that because the iPhone SE shares much of the 8’s DNA, it would be prone to the same fate as the 8 when it falls to the ground, but you might be incorrect. IPhone SE (2022) has a front and rear made of the same glass as the back of the iPhone 13s. Apple’s Ceramic Shield technology is absent from the SE, so you’ll still need a silicone cover if you buy this phone.
Camera setup of the Phone
If a phone isn’t equipped with a decent camera, it’s doomed to fail in the modern world. iPhone SE (2022) has only two lenses, which are identical to those in iPhone SE 2020, yet it nevertheless manages to shoot photographs that are agreeable to the eye, accurate in terms of color renditions (especially in daylight), and frequently gorgeous.
New features like as Smart HDR 4 and Deep Fusion are now available for A15 Bionic processor’s wide-angle 12MP, f/1.08 lens (introduced with the A13 Bionic and present in the last iPhone SE).
Faux-aperture settings in Portrait mode allow you to alter the depth of field effect, blurring away more or less of the backdrop behind your subject according on your preference. In spite of this, we’re not too happy about the iPhone SE Portrait Mode’s limitations: You can’t take photos of dogs, plants, or anything else that doesn’t have a face.
Finally let’s talk about battery life
The iPhone SE battery’s size is unknown (Apple never releases mAh), but it’s safe to assume that it hasn’t changed significantly since the iPhone SE was released (2020). As a result, we were expecting a significant drop in battery life from the A15 Bionic and 5G.
We were able to get 12 hours of battery life even with 5G operating all day and non-stop activity across a wide variety of functions. A 15-hour playback (not streaming) claim from Apple has our full support.
Use the provided 18W cable to recharge, or a Qi wireless charging pad if you don’t have access to a USB-C power converter. Apple’s latest MagSafe chargers will not work with this phone.
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