Today Apple gave its budget-focused iPhone SE range a much-needed update in the form of the iPhone SE 3 at the Peek performance event. As the rumors indicated, this year’s refresh doesn’t bring many cosmetic changes, but the internals have been updated. Here’s an overview of everything the iPhone SE 3 brings to the table.
iPhone SE 3: Revamped Internals
The 2022 iPhone SE 3 update revolves around its internal specifications. The phone has been updated to use the A15 Bionic processor that powers the iPhone 13 series. This chip is based on the 5nm process and packs a 6-core CPU comprised of four high-performance and two efficiency cores. There’s a 4-core GPU as well. It has a 16-core Neural Engine that can process 15.8 trillion operations per second, lending AI and ML tasks the additional muscle they need. The RAM has been bumped up to 4GB as well.
iPhone SE is available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB models in midnight, starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED starting at $429 (US).
5G Connectivity and Battery Life
Most importantly, the A15 Bionic packs a 5G modem, making the iPhone SE 3 the first iPhone SE with 5G connectivity. It supports the sub-6GHz band and mmWave connectivity is notably absent.
Apple has successfully offset the 5G modem’s impact on the battery life with the superior efficiency of the A15 Bionic. It claims that the “latest-generation battery chemistry and tight integration with iOS 15” lead to the new iPhone offering better battery life than the previous generation and older 4.7-inch iPhone models. It is also compatible with Qi-certified chargers and supports wired fast charging.
Improved Camera
The new iPhone SE 3 still sports a single 12MP rear camera and a single front-facing camera for FaceTime.
Unchanged Design
Apple has retained its overall design of the 2020 iPhone SE with the latest refresh. The iconic Home button with Touch ID and single rear camera are all present here. It also continues to feature a 4.7-inch IPS Retina HD display.
Pricing and Availability
Apple’s new iPhone SE 3 starts at $429 for the 6GB variant, albeit with a load of improvements that promise to deliver a better, well-rounded experience. The $128GB variant costs $479. The top-of-the-line 256GB variant can be purchased for $579. The affordable pricing could boost Apple’s appeal in developing markets where the company’s products are viewed as luxury goods.
Customers in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UK, the US, and more than 30 other countries and regions will be able to pre-order iPhone SE beginning at 5 AM PST on Friday, March 11, with availability beginning Friday, March 18.
Will you purchase the new iPhone SE 3? Does it leave something to be desired? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
