Design and Build

The iPhone SE (3rd Generation) comes with a small-sized, easily recognizable design that includes an aerospace-grade aluminum frame, a glass front, and a glass back, which is the same as in the iPhone 8. Measuring 5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 inches (138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm) and weighing 5.09 ounces (144g), the phone is light and one-handed use is very convenient. It is available in three colors – Midnight, Starlight, and Red – and operates using only the Home button with a Touch ID, it does not have Face ID. Also, it uses a Lightning port and in most regions, it works with a physical nano-SIM and eSIM at the same time.

• Aerospace-grade aluminum frame
• Glass front and back
• IP67 rating (water and dust resistance up to 1 meter for 30 minutes)
• Home button with Touch ID (no Face ID)
• Lightning port for charging and data transfer
• Physical nano-SIM + eSIM

iPhone SE 3rd Generation Display

The iPhone SE (3rd Generation) has a 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD screen with a 1334 x 750 pixels resolution (326 PPI), HDR10, and Dolby Vision support. A main aspect of the display is that it does not have OLED, and the 60 Hz refresh rate is not up to date anymore. It can go as high as 625 nits typical brightness, which is enough for indoors and dark environments but is not so bright outdoors. The whole design also maintains thick bezels plus no ProMotion or Always-On Display, which are modern phone features, are found on the phone.

• 4.7-inch LCD (Retina HD)
• 1334 x 750 resolution, 326 PPI
• HDR10 and Dolby Vision support
• 625 nits (typical)
• Glass protection
• 60Hz refresh rate (no ProMotion or Always-On Display)

Performance and Software

The iPhone SE (3rd Generation) has the A15 Bionic chip that is made on a 5nm process, which enables the phone to execute flagship performance with a 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. Alongside 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM, this phone's performance is no different from the iPhone 13's for almost every task. Storage options are 64GB (for $429), 128GB (for $479), and 256GB (for $579). The phone will be shipped out with iOS 15 and later on, can be upgraded to iOS 18, although the display is LCD, which means there will be no ProMotion or Always-On Display as advanced display features.

• A15 Bionic chip with 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
• 4GB LPDDR4X RAM
• Storage: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
• iOS 15 (upgradable to iOS 18)
• Optimized for everyday tasks and photography

The A15 Bionic offers excellent performance for its price, matching the iPhone 13, but the 4GB RAM and base 64GB storage limit its appeal for heavy users. Reviewers praise its speed, but the dated design hampers its competitiveness.

Camera System

The iPhone SE (3rd Generation) is equipped with a single 12MP Main camera (f/1.8, 26mm, OIS), and it does not have any ultra-wide or telephoto lenses.

• Rear: 12MP Main (26mm, f/1.8, OIS)
• Front: 7MP (f/2.2)
• Video: 4K 60 fps
• Modes: Portrait, Smart HDR
• LED flash

Battery and Charging

The iPhone SE (3rd Generation) includes a 2018mAh battery that can last for about 15 hours of video playback. Without a doubt, the real use scenario of about 10-12 hours. The phone can be charged at 20W (50% in 30 minutes) with a cable and at 8W on a Qi wireless charger, but it doesn’t support MagSafe. A charger is not given, only a Lightning cable. The battery life is mediocre because the phone’s size is small, so for heavy users, it would be a daily charge.

• 2018mAh battery
• Up to 15 hours video playback, ~10–12 hours real-world
• 20W wired charging (50% in 30 min)
• 7.5W Qi wireless charging (no MagSafe)
• No charger included (Lightning cable only)

Connectivity

The iPhone SE (3rd Generation) has a Qualcomm X65 5G modem that is engaged in 5G modem, which means this device can connect to new generation networks at fantastic speeds. The maximum with this type of connection is the speed you get in an area where this infrastructure is available. Forget not that the speed varies from place to place. It also caters to sub-6 GHz, giving users access to mid-band 5G offerings through the unused spectrum also in a world without mmWave. Besides 5G, it sports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.0. NanoSIM comes in a physical slot ,while the embedded SIM (eSIM) is also there. The U1 chip is omitted, therefore, the locator can't cover the vast empty areas to hunt down AirTag, which still works as a regular item finder with sound. If overtaken by urgent situations, the Emergency SOS feature can't use the satellite connection to send a text message. GPS then is as versatile as before with the support of multiple systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS).

• Qualcomm X65 5G modem (sub-6 GHz)
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
• Bluetooth 5.0
• Physical nano-SIM + eSIM
• No U1 ultra-wideband chip
• No satellite connectivity
• GPS: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS

Pricing and Availability

The iPhone SE (3rd Generation) has a starting price of $429, with 64GB of internal storage, which could be expanded to $479 and $579 to buy 128GB and 256GB upgrades respectively. The first date to make a reservation was March 11, 2022, while the actual sales followed five days later, March 18, 2022, through official Apple stores, as well as some carriers like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and some retailers like Best Buy. It maintains its position in the market as Apple’s budget version and can be supported by appealing trade-in programs, so that you no longer need to fork out the whole amount of the product or accessory you are ready to buy.