American media have published the first analyzes of the iPhone SE 5G, an interesting terminal for being Apple’s cheapest smartphone. Has it met expectations? Is it worth what it costs? Will it dominate sales in the mid-range? Do the Cupertino fans like it? Will it convince Android users to switch platforms?
The renewal of the SE line was expected for quite some time. Especially suitable for users who want to enter the iOS ecosystem without paying the higher price demanded by the top of the range, Apple is “rationing” the new versions according to their business needs. It does not want to go overboard so as not to cannibalize the superior models that offer it greater benefits, but they have been using them to increase market share OR, as happened in 2020, to leave behind the first drop in sales since the launch of the iPhone.
It was expected last year, but it did not arrive. Finally, last week Apple officially announced it. Although new Macs were presented at the event, surely more important at a strategic level for evaluating the hardware transition from Intel to ARM, as we expected, the iPhone SE 5G ended up being the star of the keynote.
Faced with the launch of Android terminals for the mid-range, which tend to bet on design and large screens, reducing costs in internal hardware, Apple has opted for the opposite. The terminal maintains the external design of its predecessor and a reduced screen size, well below the average in smartphones, but that seeks to offer one-handed operation that a part of users like. The iPhone SE 5G is not only the cheapest in Apple’s catalog, it is also the smallest.
Although its build quality is high, with metal and glass chassis (the toughest in its class, according to Apple), it maintains other design elements that have clearly been outperformed by every manufacturer, Apple included. The screen bezels are huge and the physical home button with integrated Touch ID for authentication is a throwback to the past that is only used by Apple anymore, though it certainly still works very well.
The great novelty has come from its internal hardware. Those of Cupertino have not been cut in mounting the Apple A15, the same one used by the iPhone 13. Not only is it the best that Apple has for mobility, it is one of the most advanced on the market and it is certain that it will allow this SE to obtain the highest performance in the industry in its price range. In addition to a large increase in processing performance (x1.8) and graphics (x2.2) compared to the previous model, it launches support for the fifth generation of mobile networks. It is the first iPhone SE to offer it, as can support for the Wi-Fi 6 wireless standard.
Apple has also introduced improvements in the photographic section. Not because of the resolution of the sensors that are the same as the iPhone SE 2020, with a 12 MP rear and a 7 MP front, but because of the new 16-core neural processing unit of the A15 SoC that is used in tasks of AI and also in computational photography, in addition to what comes via software with the new image modes.
iPhone SE 2022 Review
The terminal has pleased the US media who have reviewed it and the average grades reach the notable. His conclusions are -generally- in the same line that we have exposed when remembering its characteristics. The installation of a chip like the A15 is a tremendous level leap for this series and a mid-range terminal, while maximizing the software and AI has made it possible to improve the level of photographs with the same sensors. They say that this terminal makes good shots.
In the ‘must’, commented. A design from other times and screen bezels that no one, except Apple, is capable of selling. As for the size, it is small, but that does not have to be a negative for some users. Another thing is the LCD panel and the low resolution. I personally don’t know if I could give up the fantastic OLEDs, but you’ll have to decide.
We leave you with a summary of the analysis:
The best:
- Apple A15 performance.
- Size (for those who like small things), thinness and lightness.
- Premiere of 5G and Wi-Fi 6.
- Good pictures.
- The cheapest iPhone.
The least good:
- Design of other times.
- The screen is small and outdated.
- More expensive than its predecessors.
You can find the reviews at:
- Masable
- gadget
- CNET
- ZDNet
The iPhone SE 5G will be available in Spain from March 18. It will preinstall the latest version of iOS and can be purchased in color finishes to choose from red, white and blue, and storage capacities of 64, 128 and 256 Gbytes. If the official price in dollars is 429 dollars in Spain, you will have to pay 529 euros for the base configuration. At that price, the market offers fantastic terminals. But they are not an iPhone…. It’s up to you.
