Apple released a new budget phone during the March 8th, 2022 event. As is their custom, the iPhone SE usually comes with the body of an iPhone 8 and the engine of the most recent flagship iPhone. It’s targeted at people who want a small iPhone with great performance. The last time they released a budget smartphone was 2020, hence, we’ll do a comparison between the iPhone SE 2022 vs SE 2020.
In this post, we’ll be highlighting the biggest differences between this edition of the iPhone SE and the previous one. We’ll then make our recommendation whether to upgrade or not. Read through.
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iPhone SE 2022 vs 2020 Differences
iPhone SE 2022 vs 2020 Software and Performance
The new iPhone SE (2022) runs on the iOS 15 software while the previous edition came with iOS 13. However, you can upgrade the 2020 edition of the iPhone SE to the new iOS 15 software.
The chipset they run on is also different. The 2022 edition comes with the latest A15 Bionic chipset while the 2020 edition comes with the A13 Bionic. Obviously, the iPhone SE 2022 will run much faster than the iPhone SE 2020.
Camera
While the camera remains the same, the A15 Bionic has brought a newer experience to the iPhone SE 2022. As opposed to the iPhone SE 2020, there are now camera feature upgrades which include Smart HDR 4, Photographic Styles, and Deep Fusion.
Connectivity and Battery
The new iPhone SE (2022) supports 5G. This is not supported in the iPhone SE (2020). In the same vein, the SE 2022 supports fast charging and has a longer battery life than the previous iPhone. This is definitely soothing news for heavy smartphone users.
Price
In 2020, the iPhone SE started at $399 (64GB), $449 (128GB), and $549 (256GB). While this current one is starting at $429. Just around a $30 difference between the starting prices.
iPhone SE 2022 vs 2020 Summary of Differences
Here’s a summary of the major differences between the iPhone SE 2022 vs 2020.
| iPhone SE (2022) | iPhone SE (2020) | |
| Software | iOS 15 | iOS 13 |
| Chipset | A15 Bionic | A13 Bionic |
| Supports 5G? | YES | NO |
| Camera | Back: 12-megapixel with feature upgrades (Smart HDR 4, Photographic Styles, and Deep Fusion) | Back: 12-megapixel; front: 7-megapixel; video capture: 4K |
| Price | Starts at $429 | Starts at $399 |
Should You Upgrade?
If you’d like to keep using a small device with beast-like performance, you should definitely consider an upgrade to the newer edition of the iPhone SE. With just an extra $30, you get better performance, an upgraded battery, and a better camera. It’s a deal if you ask me.
