Is iPhone SE 2 Worth Buying in 2022?

The iPhone SE 2 is a refresher of the iPhone 8 and a massive upgrade to the previous iPhone SE. The iPhone SE 2 Launched in April 2020 with the familiar iPhone 8 look, flagship-grade specs, and the latest processor. While the iPhone SE 2 is small by today’s standards, it holds up well against other phones at the same price. It starts at $495 AUD and you get non-expandable 128 GB storage, similar to the iPhone 11. It also features the A13 Bionic chip from the iPhone 11 and 11 pro max. Alternatively, the iPhone SE 3 is just got closer to launch around early to mid-2022. So, if you can wait that long, it might be a worthy upgrade. If you can’t, the iPhone SE 2 offers all the iPhone goodness on a budget.

You can get New, ex-demo, refurbished and second-hand iPhone SE 2 from Phonebot in Australia.

Cameras

The iPhone SE 2 delivers clear, crisp footage with excellent dynamic range and detail if you want flagship-level camera performance with a budget device. It features a 12MP f/1.8 single rear shooter plus slow-sync quad-led flash, OIS, EIS, PDAF, smart HDR, and wide colour capture. There’s no telephoto or wide-angle lens but expect decent portrait shots- people only. With no night mode, the iPhone SE 2 struggles with night shots and low light images.

The iPhone SE 2 can shoot 4k@60fps with OIS. There’s an Extended Dynamic Range at 30fps and slow-mo video at 240fps. Video recording is excellent, but the base model’s storage limit starts at 64GB. However, you can get the 128GB or 256GB models. The 7MP F/2.2 front camera with BSI sensor and HDR takes sharp portrait selfies in good lighting. It can manage 1080p@30fps video recording, but that’s just about it.

Design & Display

The metal sandwich design hasn’t changed much from the older iPhones. The compact form factor feels solid and great for one-handed use with the curved corners and oleophobic coated Corning Gorilla Glass front & back. The iPhone SE 2 weighs 148g and is available in white, red, and black colour variants. The display spots 4.7 inches of the signature Apple Retina resolution with huge bezels. Apple brought back the iconic home button with Touch ID 2nd gen included, making unlocking your device snappy even with a mask on.

The updated curved back design features a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass for wireless charging. The iPhone SE 2 has 326ppi, which is higher than the previous iPhone SE and also 35g heavier.

The iPhone SE 2 has also an IPS panel. It’s a 1334×750 IPS panel that’s only 625 nits max with a 60hz refresh rate. It is a wide gamut P3 with good 1400:1 contrast. At 625 nits of brightness, it will be plenty visible outdoors in the sunlight. The iPhone SE 2 also features True Tone, which automatically adjusts the colour temperature. The display might look cramped but still looks great with impressive viewing angles.

Performance

Performance is blissful and lag-free with the iPhone SE 2. It packs the 7nm A13 Bionic chip, which bundles an all-Apple CPU, GPU, and 3-gen NPU. The single-core and multi-core performances of the SE 2 are noteworthy with the A13. Gaming is still smooth even after a year. Scrolling, however, feels slow with the 60Hz refresh rate, and given it has no 5G, exciting download speeds are still a long way off. The SE 2 features iOS 13.4 out of the box, and you can expect to get software updates for three more years.

Battery life

The measly 1821mAH battery holds up nicely if you only do social media and other standard stuff. But if you get into gaming or music, it melts away quickly. The iPhone SE 2 is passable for power users. The respectable 6hr screen on time isn’t bad but also isn’t great.

The SE 2 supports 18W fast wired charging and 8W Qi Wireless charging but only ships with the dinky 5W charger in the box. The 18W fast charger can fill the phone in 100 minutes, and the charge will last you a day and a little more with light usage.

Extras

The iPhone SE 2 Comes with an e-SIM and nano sim card slot. With its IP 67 water and dust resistance rating, it’s safe against the occasional spills but doesn’t go swimming with it. The dedicated bottom speaker and earpiece have relatively decent and balanced loudness but not iPhone 12 level sound. There’s also Apple Pay, NFC, and WIFI 6 on board. You still miss out on the headphone jack, but you get some EarPods in the box minus an adapter.

Verdict

The iPhone SE 2 is a perfect fit for someone who wants the basic iPhone experience. But for more discerning users where the benefits matter, the iPhone SE 2 might not meet the cut. It is thin, lightweight, and dependable with great speakers, a high-quality screen, and an impressive camera despite missing several features. The iPhone SE 2 doesn’t market itself as being special by any means. It nails all the basics, and at that sweet-spot price point, it’s hard not to love it.

 

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