The New and Old iPhone SE, Compared: What’s the Difference?

This week, Apple announced a new budget-friendly iPhone, the iPhone SE (3rd generation) — a new and improved version of the iPhone SE (2nd generation) that was released in April 2020. However, when looking at the two iPhones, you might now be able to tell the difference — that’s because they are both basically identical and have many of the same features.

What are the similarities?

Design: The 2022 iPhone SE and the 2020 iPhone SE share the same exact design (which is actually the same body as the iPhone 8 that was released in 2017). Both have a 4.7-inch Retina display with True Tone that leaves space on the bottom for the Home button; these are the only iPhones you can still buy that have a Home button with Touch ID, not Face ID.

Cameras: The 2022 iPhone SE and the 2020 iPhone SE share the same exact camera systems. They both have a single 12-megapixel wide-angle rear camera that supports Portrait mode and can capture 4K video at up to 30 fps. And they both have a single 7-megapixel front-facing camera that can capture HD video and supports Portrait mode.

Wireless charging: Both of these iPhones support Qi wireless charging that supports up to 7.5-watts. Neither supports MagSafe, which gives the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 the ability to wireless charge at up to 15-watts.

What are the differences?

Processor: The big difference between the iPhone 2022 iPhone SE and the 2020 iPhone SE is what’s inside. The newest iPhone SE packs an A15 Bionic processor (same as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro) and that basically helps improve its performance in every way. It helps the new iPhone SE be faster and more powerful, achieve better battery life, and also helps give its camera a little more capabilities (see below).

Computational photography: Despite having the same rear and front camera systems, the A15 Bionic processor unlocks some more advanced camera capabilities in the newest iPhone SE. It supports Deep Fusion and Smart HDR 4, which gives the iPhone SE more machine learning power so that it can more intelligently string multiple exposure shots together to deliver the best possible looking photo.

Battery: The A15 Bionic processor in the newest iPhone SE drastically improves its efficiency. According to Apple, the newest iPhone SE gets 15 hours of battery life, which is a whole two hours better than the 13 hours of juice the 2020 iPhone SE gets. Both are some of the longest-lasting iPhones you can buy.

5G Support: As is the case with seemingly any new smartphone, the newest iPhone SE supports 5G connectivity. This makes it a little more future-proof and is enticing for people who have a 5G SIM and can get the benefits 5G. (However, 5G is still in its early stages and not super widely available yet.)

Storage: Both the 2022 iPhone SE and the 2020 iPhone SE have a base storage of 64GB and are configurable in a 128GB option. The newest iPhone SE has a third 256GB option, for people who want even more storage.

Price: Apple bumped the price of the newest iPhone SE by $30. The 2020 iPhone SE with 64GB started at $399 in 2020, but now that same storage option for the newest iPhone SE will cost you $429. (To be fair, that increase is almost exactly in line with inflation.)

Should you upgrade your iPhone SE?

Apple no longer sells the iPhone SE (2nd generation) because it just released the third-generation model, but you can still buy a renewed model of the two-year-old iPhone SE from third-party sellers like Amazon or Walmart. (Apple does not yet sell refurbished models of the 2020 iPhone SE, but that’s likely to change soon.)

The new iPhone SE (3rd generation) is an excellent option for first-time iPhone buyers, people who haven’t upgraded their iPhone in years, and people who just want the best budget iPhone. However, if you have an iPhone SE (2nd generation), the new iPhone SE (3rd generation) really feels like a small step-up and not a true game-changer.

iPhone SE (2022)

Apple

The big advantage of the newest iPhone SE, also referred to as the iPhone SE (3rd generation), is that it packs the same A15 Bionic processor as Apple’s flagship iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro. This allows it to be faster, have improved battery, and have some more advanced camera features.

Price: $429+

iPhone SE (2020)

Apple

The iPhone SE (2nd generation) is identical to the just-released iPhone SE (3rd generation) in just about every way. It has the same same design (with a Home button that supports Touch ID) and the same-sized display. It also has basically the same photo and video capabilities. The only real difference is that it has an older A13 Bionic processor (same as iPhone 11), so it’s not going to be quite as snappy and the battery life is slightly worse.

Price: $284 (from Amazon)

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