iPhone SE 2022 vs iPhone SE 2020: Apple has released the third generation of the iPhone SE and it’s called the iPhone SE 2022, iPhone SE 3, or iPhone SE (3rd generation). The previous iPhone SE series was released back in 2020 and it’s called the iPhone SE 2020, iPhone SE 2, or iPhone SE (2nd generation). so, if you own the iPhone SE 2020, should you upgrade to the new iPhone SE 2022? (I’ll be using the year to refer to both iPhone SEs in this article)

To help you better understand the similarities and differences between the iPhone SE 2022 and iPhone SE 2020, I’ve made this specification comparison post. I’ll be comparing the specifications of these phones and I’ll be pointing out the areas of upgrade and see if you should upgrade to the new iPhone SE 2022.

See Also: Apple iPad Air 5 (2022) Price, Specs, and Release Date

iPhone SE 2022 vs iPhone SE 2020

Specifications	iPhone SE 2022	iPhone SE 2020
Display	4.7-inch, LCD	4.7-inch, LCD
RAM	4GB	3GB
Storage	64/128/256GB	64/128/256GB
Back Camera	12MP	12MP
Front Camera	7MP	7MP
Chipset	Apple A15 Bionic	Apple A13 Bionic
Software	Apple iOS 15.3	Apple iOS 13
Battery	unspecified	1,821mAh (18W)
IP57 Rating	YES	YES

Display and Design

As far as display, design, and build material goes, both are practically the same. Both phones feature the same Retinal IPS LCD panel, the same peak brightness of 625 nits, the same display size of 4.7-inches, and also have the same display resolution of 750 x 1334 pixels.

See Also: Apple just announced a new M1 Ultra chip, a new Mac Studio, and a new desktop

The designs of both iPhones are also the same. You get those big bezels and big chin, the touch ID button, and also the same rear camera placed in a small circle a the back. Both iPhones also come with the same build materials of a Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame.

When it comes to protection, both iPhones are also the same. They both have IP67 dust/water resistant protection and the glass front is protected by Ion-strengthened glass and has an oleophobic coating. At first sight, you won’t be able to tell difference between these two iPhones.

See Also: Apple iPhone SE 2022 Price in UK and Availability

Camera

Just like the display and design, the cameras of both phones are the same. Both iPhones come with a 12MP main camera at the back and feature a 7MP selfie camera. It seems the camera sensors inside both phones are also the same.

Plus, the camera features for photography and videography inside both phones are practically the same. The cameras inside both iPhones feature OIS and gyro-EIS and you can shoot videos in 4k resolution. Although there is no difference between the display and cameras of both iPhones, the chipset and performance are where things start to get really interesting.

See Also: Apple Mac Studio Price, Specs, and Release Date

Performance | Storage | RAM | 5G

The performance of both iPhones is very different. The chipset inside the iPhone SE 2022 is the Apple A15 Bionic built on the 5nm process technology. While the chipset inside the iPhone SE 2020 is the Apple A13 Bionic built on the 7nm+ process technology. The A13 Bionic chipset is still one of the best performing chipsets you’ll get in a smartphone even by 2022 standards. But, it’s no match for the A15 Bionic when it comes to performance and power efficiency.

The chipset inside the iPhone SE 2022 is 3x faster and 6x more power-efficient compared to the chipset inside the iPhone SE 2020. Another upgrade is that for the first time, an iPhone SE is coming with 5G connectivity. The iPhone SE 2020 only has support for LTE but the iPhone SE 2022 has support for 5G network connectivity.

See Also: Apple Mac Studio Price in Australia Starts at A$3,099

The RAM on the iPhone SE 2022 is 4GB, while the iPhone SE 2020 has 3GB RAM. But storage inside both iPhones are the same – 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. There is no room for storage expansion on both iPhones and non of these iPhones also have a 3.5mm jack port.

When it comes to gaming, overall performance, and power efficiency, the iPhone SE 2022 is the iPhone to buy here. It beats the iPhone SE 2020 in every aspect. The iPhone SE 2022 comes with a more powerful GPU, more powerful CPU, a better ISP, and a better Neural engine.

See Also: iPad Air 5 (2022) Price in Australia and Where to buy

Software

The iPhone SE 2020 was released back in 2020 hence it boots the Apple iOS 13 out of the box. But is also upgradeable to iOS 15.3 software. The iPhone SE 2022 was released in 2022 and it boots the Apple iOS 15.3 out of the box and will get years of major software updates and security patches.

On the software front, the iPhone SE 2022 will get more software update support. This is because it’s two years ahead of the iPhone SE 2020 but the software update plans for the older iPhone SE are still incredible. Games and Apps can be downloaded and installed from the Apple App Store.

See Also: Apple Studio Display Price, Specs, and Release Date

Battery

The iPhone SE 2020 is powered by a 1,821mAh battery with 18W charge support. The battery powering the iPhone SE 2022 is unspecified but should be around the same capacity as the old iPhone SE. However, the iPhone SE 2022 will get a better battery life thanks to the power efficiency of the A15 Bionic chipset inside.

Apple iPhone SE 2022 vs iPhone SE 2020: Price

The starting price of the iPhone SE 2020 is $399 for the 3GB + 64GB of storage. While the starting price of the iPhone SE 2022 is $429 for the 4GB RAM and 64 GB storage configuration. But, the iPhone SE 2020 has been around for a while and you get good deals on the internet right now. See the table for prices and where to buy these iPhones.

Buy iPhone SE 2022 and iPhone SE 2020

iPhone SE 2022	Price	iPhone SE 2020	Price
Buy from Apple	$429	Buy on Amazon	$279
		Buy on eBay	$292
		Buy on Gazelle	$289

iPhone SE 2022 vs iPhone SE 2020: Verdict

So, should you upgrade from your iPhone SE 2020 to the iPhone SE 2022? Well not necessarily and here is what I mean.

Both iPhones have the same build, the same design, the same display, the same camera, and even the same protection. The differences between these two iPhones are the chipsets inside, the 5G network, and the price. The performance of the chipset inside the iPhone SE 2020 is still great and if you can look past the A15 Bionic chip and 5G network inside the new iPhone SE, then there is no need to upgrade.

Even for first-time buyers, the iPhone SE 2020 still offers a very good value for money. You can get an iPhone SE 2020 for as low as $300 now and it’s good value for the money. But, if performance and the 5G network are something you like, then you should spend the extra $30 and buy or upgrade to the iPhone SE 2022.

If I’m to score both iPhones, I’ll score the iPhone SE 2022 (53%) and the iPhone SE 2020 (47%). The Apple iPhone SE 2022 gets extra two points for its improved performance, 5G network connectivity, and better power efficiency.