Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen) review: Powerful phone with retro compact design

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen) with single-camera on the back. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen) with lightning port and two single-grille speakers at the base. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen) with volume rockers and silent/ring slider on the left side. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen) with smooth frame at the top. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen) with power button, SIM tray slot and two antenna bands on the right side. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen) features 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD screen. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Cupertino-based technology major Apple, earlier this year, launched the new iPhone SE (3rd Gen) and made it to the Indian stores in mid-March.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen) comes in three storages-- 64GB , 128GB and 256GB-- for Rs 43,900, Rs 48,900 and Rs 58,900, respectively.

There is no prize for guessing that the new iPhone SE 2022 series looks exactly like the predecessor, which by the way is inspired from iPhone 6 (& 6S) series of 2014. But, it comes loaded with Apple's most powerful mobile chipset A15 Bionic, as seen in the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro models.

Does it deliver the goods? Let's check it out.

Design, build quality and display
As said before, it will be very difficult to differentiate the new iPhone SE from the predecessor, in terms of the exterior look.

As you can see in the slide show above, it has a slim and compact design form factor with curved corners, thick bezels and the trademark touch ID at the base. But, the similarity ends there, as the 3rd gen model is better in all aspects.

The materials used in the device are eco-friendly and it is more durable than ever before. Some of the key components are made of recycled materials. rare earth elements, tungsten in the Taptic Engine and audio magnets are 100 per cent recycled.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen). Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Even the tin in the solder of the main logic board too is 100 per cent recycled. Furthermore, with redesigned packaging, Apple was able to eliminate the outer plastic wrap, and the overall device and the box remain free of numerous harmful substances such as Arsenic, Mercury, BFR, PVC and beryllium.

Also, the virgin wood fibre used in the retail box is sourced from responsibly managed forests and 35 per cent of iPhone's plastic components are from recycled materials.

Another first for the iPhone SE (2022) is that it is the world's first device to have commercial-purity low-carbon aluminium produced at an industrial scale outside of a laboratory without creating any direct carbon emissions during the smelting process. The aluminium is produced using innovative ELYSIS carbon-free smelting technology.

Besides the aerospace-grade aluminium frame, the new iPhone SE's all-glass body, both front and the back panels is protected by Ceramic Shield, which is touted to be the sturdiest glass cover on a phone in the industry.

Also, the device comes with an IP67 rating, meaning, it can survive underwater up to one metre (approx. 3.2 feet) for close to 30 minutes.

It features an LCD-based 4.7-inch Retina HD screen with True Tone display technology, wide colour display (P3). It supports a peak brightness of 625 nits, Haptic Touch and fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating. I did not face any pressing issues while viewing content on the iPhone outdoors, but have to say, under the direct sunlight, I had to squint a bit to read messages.

Also, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the home button works like a charm and not even once, did I face any issues of a sort while unlocking the screen.

Performance
As mentioned earlier, Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen) is powered by an A15 Bionic chipset. It has powerful a 6-core CPU, the fastest CPU in a smartphone, with two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores. Add to that, the 16-core Neural Engine is capable of 15.8 trillion operations per second. This will enable in faster machine learning computations for third-party applications than ever before.

This new Apple handset is a smooth performer, be it opening and switching between apps, loading and operating the camera and other day-to-day chores. Also, the phone supports all games not just generic ones on Apple store, but also those available on Apple Arcade such as Gear.Club Stradale and more.

I have to note that while switching between apps using the home button, which was so normal when I used to own iPhone 6, feel a little weird now. Those who are accustomed to the full view touch screen on iPhone X and newer models, or even those on Android phones, will take some time to get accustomed to the user interface, but rest assured, the iPhone SE (3rd Gen) will serve you long.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen)'s CPU performance score on single-core and multi-core tests (left) and GPU performance score (right) on the Geekbench app. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

It should be noted that the iPhone 6S series, which was launched in 2015 with iOS 9, received the iOS 15 in 2021. If this is taken as any indication, Apple is likely to offer at five to six years of iOS software support to this new iPhone SE model.

As far as the battery life is concerned, iPhone SE (3rd Gen) can last a full day, under normal usage such as browsing the internet, answering phones, messaging, a session of photography and an average of 20-minute gaming sessions.

Anything more you indulge in longer sessions of gaming or even stream multimedia content on OTT (Over-The-Top) apps on cellular data, the phone's power will drain faster. I suggest users download content from OTT apps through Wi-Fi at home and stream them while traveling to the office or back home on a bus or any mass transportation vehicle. This will greatly help in extending the battery life.

Apple iPhone SE supports 20W charging speed and can charge up to 50 per cent in 30 minutes. Also, it supports wireless charging (Qi standard), but unfortunately, it is cannot be charged with a MagSafe charger.

Also, the new iPhone SE supports 5G, but here in India, there is no infrastructure to support super-fast internet speed. The Indian government is expected to offer details on the 5G spectrum auction in June and may expect the cellular operator to roll out commercial 5G service by the end of 2022 or early 2023. Fingers crossed.

Photography
The iPhone SE comes with a new 12MP (ƒ/1.8) Wide camera same as seen in the predecessor. But thanks to the A15 Bionic, the successor can do more and support computational photography-powered features such as Smart HDR 4, Photographic Styles, Deep Fusion, and Portrait mode similar to the iPhone 13 series.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen)'s camera sample. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

For the unaware, the Smart HDR 4 uses intelligent segmentation to apply different adjustments for colour, contrast, and noise to the subject versus the background. No matter how challenging is the lighting condition, the camera ensures the faces of the subjects are properly exposed. Add to that, it can render people in the same photo individually, with different adjustments optimised for lighting and skin tone for each individual.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen)'s camera sample. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

As you can see in sample photos, the new iPhone SE (3rd Gen) does an excellent job processing the colours of the flowers.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen)'s camera sample. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Though I miss the macro shot capability of the iPhone 13 Pro series, the deep fusion feature of the iPhone SE ensures, we get very pretty good pictures in close range.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen)'s camera sample. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Even with just a single sensor, the iPhone SE was able to accommodate a lot of areas around the Nandi Hills in a single frame.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen)'s camera sample. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Though there is no dedicated night mode, the flash assisted photos have come good.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen)'s camera sample was taken in the night with the LED flash on. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

The primary back camera also supports slow-motion video and can record up to 4K quality videos.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen)'s camera sample. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

On the front, it features a 7MP FaceTime camera and is capable of recording videos up to 1080p resolution.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen)'s camera sample. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

The portrait mode on both the front and rear-side camera of the iPhone SE (3rd Gen) is decent. I am pleased with the edge detection. In the picture, the camera did a fine job demarcating space around the hair on the top and face from the background.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen)'s camera sample. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Final thoughts:
Apple has kept the iPhone 6's popular retro design of the iPhone SE (2n Gen) in the successor too but comes with the latest A15 Bionic chipset and superior build quality. Performance-wise, it works smoothly as any premium phones do, but the tiny phone has its limitations in terms of a smaller screen real estate.

Yes, a few years back, a mobile with a 4.7-inch screen and thick bezel, was normal. Back then, the iPhone 6 and 6S after that, were two of the best selling models for Apple around the world.

But a whole lot of things have changed since 2014-15. Now, they look puny in front of most of the current crop of phones. Most of the devices, budget and premium, come in the range of 6.1-inch and 6.9-inch screen sizes.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen). Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

This new Apple handset model is recommended to niche consumers, who like to own compact phones, but do not want to compromise on performance.

And, despite having just a single camera on the back, iPhone SE (3rd Gen) does a pretty good job of getting nice photos in normal and low light conditions.

Also, this is a good option for people who planning to shift side from Android to iOS and be assured, that the latter will serve you longer, more than double that former, in terms of software support. Also, it comes with a 5G modem too.

If you want a bigger screen, the iPhone 11 and 12 are worth making the first move to the Apple ecosystem.

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