this is what the most important press thinks

The first reviews of the iPhone SE 2022 have already appeared. In this round-up we list the reviews of a number of international media for you.

iPhone SE 2022 review round-up

This Friday we will receive the iPhone SE 2022, but a number of prominent American websites have already written their reviews of the new budget phone from Apple. In this article we give you an overview and we hope that you will find out whether you should buy the iPhone SE 2022 after reading this review.

The Verge: ‘iPhone SE 2022 is future-proof, except for the screen’

Tech website The Verge is quite enthusiastic about the iPhone SE 2022. The A15 Bionic chip, which can also be found in the iPhone 13 Pro Max, pulls heavy games, according to the website. They notice that all operations run smoothly. However, every time they come up with something positive about the new SE, they undermine the optimism again by talking about the screen. The 4.7 inch LCD screen feels ‘cramped’ and ‘tiring’. In addition, the ‘text is too small’ and they don’t use ‘vintage design’ as something positive.

This is because the iPhone SE 2022 has taken over the design (and screen and camera) of the iPhone 8 from 2017. That means that there is still a home button on it, the screen does not extend to the edge and there are thick bars below and above the display. These make ‘the screen feel small, while it is already of a mini size’.

On the other hand, the positives are about the battery life. The Verge mentions that the SE 2022 can be used regularly for a day and a half and that the smartphone can handle very intensive use for a day. The camera is fine, but not great. Thus: a great phone that can compete with others long into the future, but it really lacks a sleek design.

Read more: iPhone SE 2022 review on The Verge

CNET: ‘SE is the cheapest way to get into Apple’s ecosystem’

The American tech site CNET is slightly more positive about the screen. They regret that the 600 nits cannot make the display bright enough, but add a lot of nuance. For this money (429 euros) it’s already a lot. The overall price-quality ratio of the iPhone SE 2022 came out excellent in their review. According to CNET, Apple has handed in where it can with this ‘old-meets-new’ iPhone; the camera and the design.

They are slightly less positive about the battery life, as some Android phones in the same price range can last up to three days. They also find the budget phone from Apple occasionally too slippery. They close their review of the iPhone SE 2022 with a positive note about the processor; Under the hood, the SE 3 is better than the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and that for a very good price.

read more: iPhone SE 2022 review on CNET

MKBHD: ‘Special Edition? Rather Simple Edition’

Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) is a famous tech reviewer on YouTube. He also received the iPhone SE 2022 for a review. He thought the 2020 version of the iPhone SE was one of the best budget phones of its time, but now, especially now that the price has skyrocketed, says the competition has caught up with this iPhone. The phone has one more special feature that allows SE to stand for ‘Special Edition’: it is from Apple.

Rather, he opts for ‘Simple Edition’ as the translation of the abbreviation. This does not mean that MKBHD is purely negative about the iPhone SE 2022. The YouTuber compares the device with a ‘very small car, with a much too large engine’. On the other hand, he also calls this a plus; thanks to the powerful A15 chip, the phone can compete with others for a long time to come. Brownlee also notices that there is 1 extra GB of RAM in the phone. With this improvement in working memory, you can do more tasks at the same time with the SE and run heavier applications.

The solo camera, a character trait that you don’t see so often with phones, has also been well received. MKBHD calls it the best ‘single camera in this price range’. With the Deep Fusion and HDR 4 technology, the iPhone SE 2022 shoots beautiful photos, except at night! Missing this ‘night mode’, which could be found in the normal latest iPhones, Brownlee finds a major setback. Apple should also have boosted the battery more.

Watch: review about the iPhone SE 2022 from MKBHD

The iPhone SE 2022 will also be in the Netherlands from Friday

Are you planning to buy the iPhone SE 3? We have put together all the shops where you can buy this new iPhone as a separate device and where you can find the best price with a subscription.