iPhone SE 2022 in the test: Apple’s cheapest iPhone is really fast

Another advance in speed relates to mobile communications technology: The iPhone SE (2022) supports 5G, albeit with slightly smaller antenna equipment than the iPhone 13 (2 x 2 MIMO instead of 4 x 4 MIMO). This makes the small entry-level device future-proof – even if not all iPhone SE users are currently likely to have a corresponding 5G tariff. Interesting detail: The iPhone SE (2022) can also use an eSIM instead of a plastic SIM, but unlike iPhones from the XS, 11, 12 or 13 model series, not in dual SIM operation at the same time as a nano SIM.

The battery life measurements are still ongoing. According to the manufacturer, the iPhone SE should offer a longer runtime than the previous generations, both thanks to the more powerful battery and the energy-saving A15 processor. For video streaming, for example, Apple specifies ten hours as with the iPhone 12 mini, the predecessor only had eight hours – the iPhone 13 mini, however, should last 13 hours. This information seems credible. With the iPhone 13, too, Apple achieved significantly better runtimes per built-in battery capacity simply by optimizing the hardware and software. The US group also points to the “latest technology in battery chemistry”. Above all, the A15 Bionic processor should ensure longer stamina thanks to more modern production processes and better power-saving mechanisms. The iPhone SE should reach a battery charge of 50 percent in 30 minutes with a 20-watt USB-C power supply unit, and the device can be charged wirelessly if desired. Apple does not include a power adapter.

Remarkable: Like its predecessor and once the iPhone 8, the iPhone SE (2022) comes with a 12-megapixel camera and an aperture of f/1.8. Nevertheless, Apple speaks of a “completely new camera system powered by the A15 Bionic”. However, the innovations here relate primarily or even exclusively to the improved possibilities for computer-aided photography that result from the combination of iOS 15 and the powerful image processor in the A15 Bionic. Even without spectacular innovations in the camera hardware, the photo quality should improve. The smartphone from the iPhone 13 supports well-known functions such as Deep Fusion, Smart HDR, photographic styles and portrait mode – but this only recognizes people here, not animals like other current iPhones.

The iPhone SE (2022) can be pre-ordered from March 11, 2022, 2 p.m. German time (5:00 a.m. PST), the actual release will take place a week later – on March 18, 2022. The US price is 429 US dollars , for Germany the starting price is 519 euros. The prices depend on the storage variant. The buying tip here applies to the 128 GB version, which comes with twice as much memory as the basic version for an additional 40 euros:

• iPhone SE (2022) with 64 GB: 519 euros
• iPhone SE (2022) with 128 GB: 569 euros
• iPhone SE (2022) with 256 GB: 689 euros

There are three colors to choose from: Midnight (Black), North Star (White) and “(PRODUCT)RED” (Red). Every purchase of an iPhone SE in the red color variant benefits the fight against diseases such as Covid-19 and AIDS.

This is only available from Apple: With the new version of the iPhone SE, Apple packs the currently fastest smartphone processor and the latest 5G mobile communications technology into a design that was no longer the latest in 2017. But even if that sounds absurd for technology fans: Many users want exactly that – a reasonably affordable and handy iPhone that works. If you like the classic iPhone 8 design or are just looking for a good and very handy iPhone, you should be satisfied with the iPhone SE (2022).