6 reasons why you should / shouldn’t buy iPhone SE 2022

Recently, Apple announced the first new iPhone of 2022: an iPhone SE. Is this the phone to have, or are there better alternatives? We list 6 reasons to buy or not to buy the iPhone SE 2022.

Buying an iPhone SE, good or bad idea?

Apple presented the new iPhone SE at an Apple event on March 8 and has been in stores since Friday, March 18. It’s a phone that looks dated on the outside, but is completely up to date on the inside. The iPhone SE 2022 has the latest A15 Bionic chip and supports 5G.

Best of all is the price: with a price tag of 529 euros, the SE is by far the cheapest iPhone that Apple sells. But cheap doesn’t always mean better. In this article we will help you make an informed choice. We give six arguments: three for and three against.

Why you should buy an iPhone SE 2022

1. The price

Do you mainly use your iPhone for WhatsApp, scrolling through your Instagram timeline, browsing the internet and occasionally shooting a photo? Then you don’t necessarily need the latest of the latest. And then there is no better phone than the iPhone SE 2022.

With an entry price of 529 euros, the iPhone SE is the cheapest iPhone that Apple offers. Like the iPhone 13 (Pro), it has the latest A15 Bionic chip. However, the iPhone 13 has an entry price of 809 euros and is therefore almost 300 euros more expensive.

Are you satisfied with a good rather than an excellent smartphone camera? And do you mainly need the iPhone for everyday use? Then the iPhone SE is the phone with the best value for money.

2 The software updates

If you are price conscious, you can of course also switch to an older iPhone model. The iPhone 11 from 2019, for example, which costs only a few tens more with its 589 euros, but it does have a larger screen and a double camera.

However, with the A15 Bionic chip, the iPhone SE has a processor that is two years newer than the A13 of the iPhone 11. This not only means that it is faster, but also that you are probably assured of software updates for two more years. We expect the iPhone SE to receive software updates until at least mid-2027. A pretty future-proof iPhone.

3.Touch ID

There is only one iPhone that you can still unlock with your fingerprint and that is the iPhone SE. Unlocking with Touch ID is slightly slower than with your face (Face ID), but the fingerprint scanner also has an advantage: payments with Apple Pay are faster and more intuitive.

If you need to make a payment, place your finger on the Touch ID sensor and hold the iPhone near the payment terminal. That is a lot more complicated with iPhones with Face ID. There you first press the side button twice, then you wait until Face ID recognizes your face and only then do you hold the iPhone near the ATM.

Touch ID also works better if you wear a face mask. With an iPhone with Face ID, it is necessary at such times to enter the passcode when unlocking. Unless you have an iPhone 12 or 13, because since iOS 15.4 these devices have a function with which Face ID with a mouth cap works.

Why you shouldn’t buy an iPhone SE 2022

4. Not the smallest iPhone

The iPhone SE has the smallest screen (4.7 inches), but it is not the most compact iPhone. These are the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini, which have a larger display of 5.4 inches. Due to the lack of the home button and the narrower edges, they are more manageable than the iPhone SE despite the larger screen.

If you want an iPhone that is as compact as possible, the iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 13 mini is your phone. They have a size of 131.5 x 64, x 7.65 millimeters. With the iPhone SE 2022, that is 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 millimeters.

5. Only one camera lens

While most modern smartphones are equipped with a dual or triple camera on the back, the iPhone SE has to make do with a single lens. It is a 12-megapixel sensor.

The iPhone SE delivers excellent camera performance, but especially if the lighting conditions are good. Unlike the iPhone 11 and newer, there is no Night mode. It is also a pity that the ultra-wide angle lens is missing, with which you can capture more due to the wide field of view. If you enjoy photography with your iPhone, the SE is not what you want. Then go for the iPhone 11 or newer. If it costs a little more, the iPhone 13 Pro (Max) is the device with the best iPhone camera.

6. Old-fashioned design

If you care about modern looks, the iPhone SE isn’t a phone you want to be seen with. The entry-level iPhone looks exactly the same as the iPhone 8 from 2017. And it no longer looked so contemporary in that period.

What we also no longer find of this time, is the 4.7-inch display. The display of video is just too small and many websites and apps are not even optimally optimized for the screen size.

Conclusion: should you buy an iPhone SE 2022 now?

For many people, the iPhone SE is the ideal phone. It is a phone with which you can go for years thanks to the modern A15 Bionic chip and 5G support. And more importantly: you don’t pay the top price for it. At 529 euros, the SE is hundreds of euros cheaper than the iPhone 13.

The biggest drawback of the iPhone SE is the camera. If you like taking photos with your smartphone, you’ll have more fun with the iPhone 11 and newer. In addition, the 4.7-inch display is relatively small and the iPhone SE has a dated look.

Buy iPhone SE 2022

Do you want to buy the iPhone SE 2022? A separate iPhone SE 2022 currently costs 529 euros. It is also available in combination with a subscription. In our price comparison, you can quickly filter it on storage capacity and color, among other things. You can also see at a glance which provider is the cheapest.