Product Review: iPhone SE 3

 

Photo by indulgexpress.com

The iPhone SE 3rd generation offers a more budget-friendly alternative from Apple's main line-up of iPhones. This nifty phone was released March 18th, 2022, and features Apple's most powerful processor in that year. It’s gained its popularity through its retro design and being more pocket friendly compared to Apple’s bigger phones and is the cheapest new iPhone you can buy.

KEY FEATURES AND SPECS

• Price: $719 AU (Available on plans from Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone
• Size and Weight: 67.3 mm in width, 138.4 mm in height, 7.3 mm in depth, and weighs 144 grams.
• Display: 4.7-inch Retina HD display
• Camera: 12MP for the rear wide camera and 7MP for the front camera and can record up to 4K video at 24, 30, or 60 fps.
• Processor: A15 Bionic Chip
• Connectivity: 5G
• Resistance: IP67 Water and Dust Resistance
• Storage: Available in 64GB (Default), 128GB, and 256GB storage sizes.
• Charging and Battery Life: It can do wireless charging with the battery lasting to an average of 9 hours and 7 minutes.
• Available Colours: The phone come in colours such as Midnight, Starlight, and… red (they didn’t give it a cool name).
• Fingerprint Recognition: Since it has a home button, it comes with fingerscan ID.

PROS

• Performance: Uses the A15 Bionic Chip. Seen in iPhone 13 and Pros.
• Software: Ensures long-term support and regular software updates.
• Price: A perfect balance between affordability and performance. It offers the best hardware at a significantly lower price point.
• Fingerscan ID: A convenient feature to unlocking your phone and not seen in latest models of iPhones.

CONS

• Design: Much different to your edge-to-edge screens as it is more compact.
• Battery Life: It’s battery can drain quickly on demanding apps.
• Camera: It does the job, but can be overshadowed by later models or competing phones.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

After six months of using this phone, it certainly gets the job done. I had been overdue for an upgrade from my first phone, a Galaxy J3 from 2016, which eventually gave out due to it being outdated. It reached a point where I couldn't send messages anymore because of the limited memory space of 2GB all used up.

I opted for the iPhone SE primarily for its compact size and design, which fits comfortably in my pockets and hands for one hand typing. Considering it’s got the latest hardware similar to the main lineup of iPhones, it meets my needs, especially since I don't use it extensively. The battery life isn't a concern for me.

However, I do have one complaint: The camera. I knew it would be bad, but given its significant limitations. It lacks an ultra-wide view, telescopic capabilities, and has limited depth-of-field. Additionally, night shots don't turn out as well as I had anticipated.

SHOULD I BUY THIS?

BUY IF

• Cheap But Powerful: It’s an excellent value for money. High-end features found in more expensive iPhones at a more affordable price point.
  
• Phones That Fit Your Pockets: You, like me, want a phone that fits completely in your pocket; it's around the same weight as the iPhone 13 mini but without the edges.
• Enjoy The Retro Feel: This design still holds up to this day. Unlike the FaceID on newer phones, Touch ID is like welcoming back an old friend.

DO NOT BUY IF

• Prefer a Larger Display: If you find the 4.7-inch display too small, this phone is not for you. If you desire a larger display, you should think about alternative options.
• Better Battery Life: As stated, the battery life isn't all that great if you rely extensively on your phone during the day and require a long-lasting battery.
• Desire a Modern Design: Because of its design resemblance to previous iPhone models, it may not appeal to people looking for new and sleek-looking phones.
• Looking For an Excellent Mobile Camera: If you go this way, you should look for the most recent iPhones or Samsung's newest Galaxy phones.

CONCLUSION

In a nutshell, the iPhone SE Gen 3 definitely stands out to people who value the latest performance, compactness, and affordability. Even though, it may not match the design of our modern phones and the battery life of top-tier phones, it shines to me as a great phone if you are looking for a cheap but premium feeling of an upgrade. If you want something like this but want a little bit more like better battery life, more camera options, larger displays, etc, I would look at the iPhone 13 mini. It’s definitely the ‘better’ phone in terms of features, but it does cost $480 more.

Craig Watts

Student from South Metro Rockingham TAFE

A well known short review writer in this website that covers a variety of genres and products; ranging from technology, utilities, sports, and the latest trends. They are currently (as of writing) studying in Screen and Media as they take interest working with photography and videography especially in the film indsutry. You can follow more of their previous work and potentially future works on their twitter @craigfake33.