Certainly going from the $1,000 iPhone 13 Professional to the $430 iPhone SE (2022) can be a severe tradition shock — proper? In any case, there are appreciable {hardware} variations between the two, not to point out one being greater than twice the worth of the different. Having used the iPhone SE for take a look at and evaluation functions for some time, and being impressed with it, I determined to swap to it as my foremost iPhone to see simply how a lot of a compromise it would actually be.
In doing so, I learned 5 things about the smallest iPhone that ought to assist anybody questioning if it’s price saving up for a dearer iPhone, or saving some money and simply getting the SE.
Swapping was easy
I frequently swap between Android telephones and make use of varied backup and restore providers (Google, WhatsApp, and Line’s personal, plus apps like SMS Backup & Restore) to achieve this. However app setup is required every time, and though the course of isn’t arduous, it requires effort and time. Altering to the iPhone SE (2022) was easy due to Apple’s glorious iCloud service. I signed in, ran by way of the primary setup course of, after which left the cellphone to it. In an hour, it was prepared for me to use, and just some apps required me to signal again in.
What’s extra, the iPhone SE appeared and operated in precisely the similar method as my iPhone 13 Professional. Apps have been in the similar place on the residence screens, settings have been carried over, and my images populated the gallery app. It even remembered all my Apple Bluetooth headphones, and so they linked with out further setup. The simplicity made altering telephones a breeze.
The seamless transition between a brand new and outdated gadget is an enormous benefit of staying with iOS, as is staying in the Apple ecosystem on your equipment. The cellphone didn’t bear in mind all my non-Apple headphones and smartwatches, for instance. The one Apple accent requiring consideration was my Apple Watch, which wanted to be disconnected from the outdated cellphone and paired once more.
I missed the brighter and extra fluid 120Hz display screen
The iPhone SE (2022)’s 4.7-inch display screen didn’t really feel as restrictive as I first anticipated, and I shortly grew to become used to the smaller dimension. Watching YouTube isn’t fairly as satisfying, however you get used to it, and even taking part in video games turned out to be enjoyable and immersive. Nonetheless, whereas I acquired used to the dimension, I missed the iPhone 13 Professional’s increased refresh fee and brighter display screen.
The iPhone 13 Professional has Apple’s ProMotion 120Hz know-how, whereas the iPhone SE (2022) makes do with a 60Hz refresh fee. Increased refresh fee screens are frequent on Android telephones immediately, and whereas they’ll cut up opinion — see the Pixel 6a for proof — as soon as your eyes have grow to be accustomed to the next refresh fee, the variations are immediately noticeable whenever you swap again. I’d already seen this in motion when I modified from the 120Hz iPad Professional to the 60Hz iPad Air.
Nonetheless, in contrast to the iPad, the iPhone SE’s smaller display screen does mitigate the spec downgrade barely, as the much less clean scrolling and animations aren’t as jarring as they’re on a bigger display screen. Regardless, I positively look ahead to returning to the 120Hz display screen on the iPhone 13 Professional. The opposite distinction that was instantly noticeable occurred exterior. Even with the iPhone SE (2022) at most brightness, the dimmer display screen wasn’t as straightforward to learn as the iPhone 13 Professional’s.
Battery life is a matter
The iPhone 13 Professional’s battery is a celebrity. It lasts for 2 days even with in depth app use and music streaming, and it’s solely when I use GPS in the automotive that the battery takes a beating. The iPhone SE (2022)’s diminutive dimension means it has a smaller battery inside, and it actually exhibits whenever you use the cellphone even reasonably arduous.
I repeated my every day use of the iPhone 13 Professional on the iPhone SE (2022), and it wanted charging day-after-day with out fail. Even simply taking photos put a pressure on the battery, and taking part in Diablo Immortal can rob it of greater than 25% in as little as half-hour, that means I in all probability wouldn’t go far with out an exterior battery pack if I wanted the iPhone SE (2022) to do every little thing the iPhone 13 Professional does with out giving up.
The digital camera is primary however good
To have a look at virtually all cellphone cameras immediately, you’d think about having extra cameras is by far the greatest scenario. Whereas it’s true to a sure extent, ignoring the iPhone SE (2022)’s single digital camera is a mistake, as it takes very enticing images in most circumstances, and manages to present up loads of different {hardware} with a number of cameras.
Daytime pictures in good lighting have an exquisite tone and robust colours. Though publicity is usually a downside when the lighting is lower than very best, images in lowlight are atmospheric. It may possibly take nice close-ups, however you will have to be fortunate as it will shortly cease focusing in the event you get in too shut. However at most occasions, the iPhone SE takes good images.
The dearth of options does make it much less interesting to me long-term. There’s no wide-angle digital camera, no optical zoom, and even the portrait mode is hobbled as it solely works when it sees a face. All the images of the cellphone on this article have been taken with an iPhone 13 Professional, and couldn’t be replicated by the iPhone SE. Supplied all you do is take regular, easy images regularly — and don’t care in any respect about having a lot inventive enjoyable with it — the high quality and skill of the iPhone SE’s single digital camera can be completely satisfying.
Purchase numerous space for storing
This gained’t be an issue for everybody, however inner space for storing is vital for me. I buy and obtain loads of music and podcasts, quite than solely counting on streaming providers. I’ve used 154GB of my 256GB iPhone 13 Professional, and 72GB of that is taken up by the Music and Podcasts apps. Meaning the 64GB and 128GB iPhone SE wouldn’t have sufficient space for storing, and I’d have to buy the prime 256GB mannequin to make a straight swap.
Whereas my precise scenario gained’t apply to everybody, there are an ideal many calls for on inner cellphone storage exterior of audio. High video games will be very storage heavy, with Diablo Immortal by itself taking over a big 9.5GB on iOS whenever you’ve downloaded all the further recordsdata. When the space for storing will get shut to its most on the iPhone SE, battery life additionally appears to be affected, one thing that’s not good at the better of occasions. Even when your storage necessities are underneath 64GB now, paying for the 128GB model could have many advantages.
What did I study?
The iPhone SE (2022) is a really succesful, fairly priced, fashionable, and well-made on a regular basis smartphone. However in the event you’re a “energy person,” or somebody who needs to actually take pleasure in the digital camera, it’s in all probability price saving up and shopping for a dearer iPhone. It’ll have longer battery life, extra storage in the cheaper fashions, a greater digital camera, and a brighter display screen.
Nonetheless, simply because the iPhone SE (2022) is small and (fairly) low-cost, don’t assume much less of it. Battery life apart, it’s actually fairly nice. Simply be sure to actually assume about how a lot space for storing you want now and in the close to future, and purchase accordingly.
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