Hands-On With Apple's Most Lackluster Smartphone: The 2022 iPhone SE

Apple last week introduced the 2022 iPhone SE, an upgraded version of its low-cost smartphone. The 2022 ‌iPhone‌ SE looks identical to the 2020 model, featuring only internal upgrades, and it is arguably Apple's most lackluster ‌iPhone‌. So who is it for? Read on to find out what we think.


If you've seen the 2020 ‌iPhone‌ SE, well, you've seen the 2022 version. Apple has not made any exterior updates, and it still looks like the ‌iPhone‌ 8 that was introduced in 2017. This five-year-old design features thick top and bottom bezels along with a Touch ID Home button. It's the last ‌iPhone‌ to continue to use ‌Touch ID‌, as Apple has transitioned to Face ID for the rest of the lineup.

iphone se 1
Apple didn't even spend too much time thinking about new colors for the ‌iPhone‌ SE. It comes in starlight, which is almost identical to the previous silver, midnight, which is not too far off from the prior black color, and (PRODUCT)RED, which was also available for the 2020 model. Apple did make it out of more durable glass, but glass is glass and it's still going to break when dropped onto hard surfaces, so that's not much of a reason to upgrade.

iphone se 2
The new ‌iPhone‌ SE is equipped with the latest A15 chip, which is an upgrade over the A13, though it's hard to tell a difference in terms of day to day usage. Apps and games perform about the same, but the A15 chip will make a difference several years from now as Apple develops new versions of iOS and new features that require more processing power.

iphone se 3
There's a single-lens 12-megapixel rear camera that has updated features like Smart HDR 4 and Photographic Styles powered by the A15, but when looking at photos from the 2020 and 2022 ‌iPhone‌ SE models side by side, there's little difference in quality. Battery life is also about the same.

iphone se 4
The other major difference between the 2020 ‌iPhone‌ SE and the upgraded model is support for sub-6GHz 5G networks. 5G is still in its infancy, so 5G support is important for future proofing. The new SE doesn't support the fastest mmWave 5G speeds that are mostly limited to more urban areas, but it does work with the wider spread sub-6GHz bands that are going to expand worldwide in the coming years.

iphone se 5
From the perspective of Apple enthusiasts who look forward to the latest and greatest each year, the ‌iPhone‌ SE is a disappointing phone, but that's not who it's for. Apple made the ‌iPhone‌ SE for the people who don't care about phones, those who just want a smartphone that's fast, simple, reliable, and most importantly, cheap.

iphone se 6
At $429 the ‌iPhone‌ SE is more expensive than the prior-generation model, but in six months or so, it should come down in price with various carrier discounts and deals. It's the go-to phone for those who are upgrading from something like an ‌iPhone‌ 6, ‌iPhone‌ 7, or ‌iPhone‌ 8, because it's familiar and it's going to last for quite a few years to come.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.4.1 With Bug Fixes

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1 come two weeks after the launch of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There have been complaints about ...
iPhone 6s MacRumors YouTube

Apple Says These Products Are Now Vintage

Tuesday April 15, 2025 9:53 am PDT by
Apple today updated its vintage products list to add the 2018 Mac mini and the iPhone 6s, devices that will get more limited service and repairs now that they are considered vintage. The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was...

Top Rated Comments

SouthPalito Avatar
40 months ago
This "review" reads like it's just sad trolling for clicks.
Did Apple ever promise the SE would be a revolutionary product? NO. So why are some people acting as if it's some disappointment?
Score: 56 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jack Burton Avatar
40 months ago
Have a younger sibling with a lower budget. Got her to wait on upgrading her crappy android and get this instead. She couldn’t be happier.
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Albright Avatar
40 months ago
Well, the headline successfully clickbaited me, so good job on that I suppose.

I upgraded from an SE 1 on launch day. So far I've been pretty happy with it. I haven't really noticed the difference 5G makes since I rarely do network-intensive things on my phone anyway (so the sub-millimeter whatchamawhosit would have been lost on me anyway) but I do notice the improved battery life and the larger screen, which I'm still trying to get used to when typing - all the keyboard keys are in slightly different places. (I thought the new SE would be much closer in size to my previous one, so as someone who prefers smaller phones the leap in size to Apple's new "smallest" phone was a surprise). I also notice the increased memory and speed, as apps don't need to restart as much when switching between them and things such as switching keyboards which would cause a noticeable hiccup on the old SE no longer do on the new one.

Maybe it's Apple's most lackluster phone, but it's good enough for me. I suppose what that says about me can be up for discussion.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
40 months ago
It makes no sense why Apple iPhone SE 2022 still is too expensive. This should have been a budgeted iPhone yet Apple is still asking for almost $500 with taxes included.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Phil77354 Avatar
40 months ago
Apple's "Most Lackluster Smartphone" indeed!

Tell us what you REALLY think!
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tedley Avatar
40 months ago
'Lackluster', really?!? That's just click bait!

As the author stated, it's isn't for everyone. Many people don't care about having the latest and greatest. My wife is one who likes smaller phones, doesn't care about colors or bezel thickness. Just want's to pay as littlie as possible for a small device that is reliable and pocketable.

It does fulfill the need for many people, despite it's 'lacklusterness' :rolleyes:
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)