Apple’s most recent version of the iPhone SE has hit the shelves. Bringing a mobile device that offers an older and popular design, but up to date specifications and features. Unlike your usual iPhone releases every year, the iPhone SE 2022 provides a cheaper alternative in comparison. But how does it compare in quality?

Classic or Outdated Design?

The design is the first thing many of you will notice with the iPhone SE 2022. Rather than the full touchscreen that we have seen with recent iPhone models, this takes the classic and dated route. Completed with the iconic Apple home button that we all remember. And it has a few of the handy touches that we all want, including a super secure touch ID. No face ID though unfortunately. The home button, though a bit outdated, still shows its reliability to this day. Though you are mostly going to be using it for easily jumping to the home page when you need or even opening your device.

In terms of physical size, you aren’t looking at a very large size. The iPhone SE 2022 is roughly 4.7 inches in size. With 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm in dimensions. This is probably going to have a bit of a mixed reaction depending on your preferred phone size. If you prefer a compact phone, this is definitely a strong option. It is also worth mentioning the bezel size here as well as it does take up quite a bit of space.

One improvement to the design comes from the new glass used on the front and back of the phone. No one wants their phone to smash or break, especially when it is a high-end phone like an iPhone. Well thankfully, with this new glass type, the iPhone SE 2022 proves more durable than its predecessors. The durable design means that most knocks or light drops will not have a significant impact. But that doesn’t mean you should treat it like it is invincible.

The main improvement here is definitely the use of a Retina HD display though. The pure colour and vibrancy that this display gives off is phenomenal. You will be able to tell that the visual quality when compared to the SE 2020 is vastly better.

A Strong Performance

Without any doubt, the biggest addition to the iPhone SE 2022 is the presence of the A15 Bionic chip. If you are unaware, this is the same chip that has been used the iPhone 13. This is by fact one of the fastest chips you can get in a smartphone. Wielding 5 nanometre technology combined with a 5 core GPU. Making it up to 50% than competing smartphones. That’s enough about the A15 Bionic chip though, how does it do in the iPhone SE 2022?

Well, unsurprisingly, extremely well. The A15 Bionic chip makes for a really powerful and stable performance within the iPhone SE 2022. You will quickly find that the apps load in an instant, all of your scrolling and interaction is incredibly smooth and just all-around faster performance.

Improved Photography

The A15 Bionic chip not only grants a stronger performance all around, but it also has allowed some improvements to be made in the camera. The camera within iPhones has always been particularly strong, and the iPhone SE 2022 is no different. Similarly, to the previous models, there is only one camera lens. So, no ultrawide features, which will be a bit of a bummer for some people.

But it does improve in a few areas. First is with the lighting. The iPhone SE 2022 has smart HDR 4, which is one of the most recent camera features that Apple has introduced. What this does is when taking a photo, it will automatically fine tune the contrast, lighting and tones to make the image look a lot brighter and higher in quality. And this is made even better with the Deep Fusion. This makes it a lot easier to capture the finest details even when the lighting is very dark. You can also choose a range of photo styles with it, which allow you to adjust the tone and warmth as you see fit.

These two features I found very potent when it came to the camera. The quality proved very clear at all times and the lighting did not prove to be much of a problem. Compared to competing phone cameras, I don’t think this is much better than some of the high-end models. But that is to be expected. Despite its limited lens, the iPhone SE 2022 camera proved to be effective in many situations.

Extended Battery Life

With a new version of an iPhone, you always expect a longer lasting battery. But I was surprised at how effective the battery life was here. It was claimed that within a single charge, you can get up to around 15 hours of battery life while watching videos. But how accurate is this? The answer is a bit of a mix. It ultimately depends on how you use the phone. If you love surfing the web, watching videos and maybe enjoy a spot of gaming, you are probably going to get around 8 hours of battery life on average. Whereas if you are going for more casual use throughout the day, you are very likely to get close to that 15-hour battery life.

If you do find that you are using the battery quite quickly, it is very easy to manage it thanks to the fast-charging time. In around 30 minutes you can easily get half of your charge back. Of course, this can vary based on what kind of charger you are using. A 20W fast charger seems to be the best, but you can also choose a wireless charger if you prefer.

5G Connectivity

Almost all of the mobile phones releasing in this day are using 5G. And it is easy to understand why. Rapid connectivity, high download speeds and the absence of lag. Well, it is good to see that it is here with the iPhone SE 2022 as well. We all know what 5G is and why you should get it, and this phone is definitely better with it than without it.

Is the iPhone SE 2022 Worth the Price?

There are three variants of the iPhone SE 2022. There is the 64GB version which is valued around £419. There is a 128GB version that is priced at £469. And the final variant is the 256GB version, priced at £569. So, no huge memory variants like what we have seen from previous iPhone models like the iPhone 12 or 13. But that’s as expected based on the design and model of this phone. I can imagine the smaller storage size will put some of you off, but it doesn’t feel all that bad. Though it will vary based on your saving habits.

Now onto the biggest question, is the iPhone SE 2022 worth it? If you have been looking for a compact phone with a strong performance power, then yes, it is. The A15 Bionic chip built into the SE 2022 allows for an all-around consistently strong speed. Everything you do feels rapid and works like a treat. Compared to its predecessor, the SE 2020, it is a definite improvement. Longer battery life, 5G connectivity, improved camera features. It’s all here.