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iPhone Q&A

Update Published December 7, 2022

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What are the major differences between the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3? Is the iPhone SE 3 a lot better?

There are three different iPhone SE 2 models, introduced in 2020. These models were replaced by four different iPhone SE 3 models in 2022. This Everyi.com Q&A primarily covers collective differences to make it straightforward to decide if the iPhone SE 3 is significantly better to you.

iPhone SE 2, iPhone SE 3
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Left: iPhone SE 2; Right: iPhone SE 3)

Although the color options are slightly different, as the above photos make clear, the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3 practically are indistinguishable even if side-by-side. They both have the same display, same "Home" button that supports "Touch ID" authentication, and even the same physical cameras.

However, just because they look essentially the same, doesn't mean that there aren't differences between the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3. Accordingly, because the differences are invisible, a detailed comparison is particularly worthwhile.

External Design & Functionality Similarities

Compared to other, more expensive, iPhone models released around the same time, the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3 both use a dated design with significant "dead space" above the top and bottom of the same 4.7" LCD "Retina HD" display.

Both models use the same general external case mostly made from "low carbon" aluminum with a glass front and back, although the glass is said to be more durable on the iPhone SE 3. Both models are splash, water, and dust-resistant to the IP67 standard (maximum depth of 1 meter up to 30 minutes), but not fully waterproof.

Both the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3 also support "wireless" -- or more precisely inductive -- charging and have stereo speakers, a Lightning port, a side-mounted Nano SIM access panel on the right side (specific SIM capabilities vary by country), and a solid state "clickless" Home button with integrated "Touch ID" fingerprint capability.

These similarities are summarized below. Colors are different, but just barely:

  iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 3
iPhone SE 3
Display: 4.7" LCD 4.7" LCD
Resolution: 1334x750 1334x750
PPI: 326 ppi 326 ppi
Contrast Ratio: 1400:1 1400:1
Water Resistance: IP67 (1 meter) IP67 (1 meter)
Speakers: Stereo Stereo
Security: Touch ID Touch ID
Home Button: Yes Yes
Inductive Charging: Yes (Qi) Yes (Qi)
Material: Aluminum/Glass Aluminum/Glass
Color Options: (PRODUCT) RED
White
Black
(PRODUCT) RED
Starlight
Midnight

Camera Differences

The cameras in the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3 use the same hardware, but the iPhone SE 3 has modestly upgraded software capabilities.

Front Cameras

The front-facing camera on the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3 both are "Face Time HD" cameras with a 7 megapixel sensor and an f/2.2 aperture, but the iPhone SE 3 has modestly more capable software:

  iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 3
iPhone SE 3
Camera Type: FaceTime HD FaceTime HD
Megapixels: 7 MP 7 MP
Aperture: f/2.2 f/2.2
Video: 1080p 1080p
Portrait Mode: Yes Yes
Portrait Lighting: Yes (Six Effects) Yes (Six Effects)
Photographic Styles: No Yes
Deep Fusion: No Yes
AR Support: No No
Face ID: No No
Animoji/Memoji: No No


Rear Cameras

The single-lens rear camera in both the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3 also are the same, but like its front-facing camera, the iPhone SE 3 has more capable software because of its more powerful processor:

  iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 3
iPhone SE 3
Megapixels: 12 MP 12 MP
Aperture: f/1.8 f/1.8
Telephoto: None None
LED Flash: Yes Yes
Night Mode: No Yes
Digital Zoom: 5x 5x
Portrait Mode: Yes Yes
Portrait Lighting: Yes (Six Effects) Yes (Six Effects)
Photographic Styles: No Yes
Smart HDR: Yes ("Next Gen") Yes (Version 4)
Deep Fusion: No Yes


Essentially, the iPhone SE 3 has improved image processing and more control over the tone and color of photos.

Identification Differences

It is easy to mix up the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3 even when they are side-by-side.

However, one relatively easy way to uniquely identify the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3 is by the Model Number listed on the cardboard shipping box and within the iOS "Settings" app.

Consequently, for the purpose of this Q&A, it is sufficient to note that the following model numbers refer to these iPhone devices:

iPhone Model

Model No

iPhone SE 2 (4.7" 2020 US/Canada)

A2275

iPhone SE 2 (4.7" 2020 Global)

A2296

iPhone SE 2 (4.7" 2020 China)

A2298

iPhone SE 3 (4.7" 2022 US/Canada)

A2595

iPhone SE 3 (4.7" 2022 Japan)

A2782

iPhone SE 3 (4.7" 2022 Global)

A2783

iPhone SE 3 (4.7" 2022 China)

A2785

EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iLookup feature also can precisely identify these iPhone models by Order Number (referred to as "Model" within the iOS "Settings" app under General > About).

Battery Life Differences

The iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3 both have respectable battery life, but the iPhone SE 3 offers longer runtimes:

  iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 3
iPhone SE 3
Streamed Video: 8 Hours 10 Hours
Video Playback: 13 Hours 15 Hours
Audio Playback: 40 Hours 50 Hours

Wireless Connectivity & Data Differences

There are notable differences in connectivity for different iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3 models depending on where either is sold, but most significantly, the iPhone SE 3 models support sub-6 GHz 5G cellular networking whereas the iPhone SE 2 models do not.

SIM capabilities are different in mainland China for both the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3, as well. Everywhere else in the world, these iPhone models support dual SIMs (one physical Nano SIM and one eSIM) whereas the China-specific models only support a single hardware Nano SIM.

Internal Differences

Compared to the iPhone SE 2, the iPhone SE 3 has a faster, more capable processor, more RAM, and 5G support:

  iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 3
iPhone SE 3
Clockspeed: 2.66 GHz 3.2 GHz
Processor: Apple A13 Bionic Apple A15 Bionic
Cores: Six Six
RAM: 3 GB 4 GB
GPU: 4-Cores 4-Cores
Neural Engine: 8-Cores 16-Cores
Orig. Storage: 64/128/256 GB 64/128/256 GB
Curr. Storage: Used Market Only 64/128/256 GB
5G Cellular: No Yes (sub-6 GHz)
Apple Pay (NFC): Yes Yes


In performance tests, the newer iPhone SE 3 is around 30% faster in single-core tasks and 60% faster in multi-core tasks than the iPhone SE 2, but this difference is not always apparent in real-world use.

iOS Support Differences

The iPhone SE 2 originally shipped with iOS 13. The iPhone SE 3 originally shipped with iOS 15. Regardless of the version pre-installed, both models fully support iOS 15.

The iPhone SE 2 and iPhone SE 3 also support the current version of the iOS -- iOS 16 -- but feature support is a bit different. Neither support the minor Accessibility Detection and improved Depth of Field features, but the iPhone SE 3 does support Apple Music Sing (Karaoke), whereas the earlier iPhone SE 2 does not.

iPhone SE 2 & iPhone SE 3 Comparison Chart

These differences as well as other details and pricing information is summarized below:

  iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 2
iPhone SE 3
iPhone SE 3
Introduced: Apr 2020 Mar 2022
Discontinued: Mar 2022 N/A
Processor: 2.66 GHz A13 3.2 GHz A15
RAM: 3 GB 4 GB
Orig. Storage: 64/128/256 GB 64/128/256 GB
Curr. Storage: Used Market Only 64/128/256 GB
Battery Life: 8-40 Hours 10-50 Hours
Display Type: LCD LCD
Display Size: 4.7" 4.7"
Resolution: 1334x750 1334x750
Pixel Density: 326 ppi 326 ppi
Contrast Ratio: 1400:1 1400:1
Front Camera: 7 MP (1080p) 7 MP (1080p)
Rear Camera: 1 (12 MP) 1 (12 MP)
Security: Touch ID Touch ID
Home Button: Yes Yes
Material: Alum/Glass Alum/Glass
Waterproofing: IP67 (1m) IP67 (1m)
Colors: Three Colors Three Colors
SIM Card: Nano/eSIM Nano/eSIM
Fastest Wi-Fi: 802.11ax (6) 802.11ax (6)
5G Cellular: No Yes (sub-6 GHz)
Original iOS: iOS 13 iOS 15
Maximum iOS: iOS 16 iOS 16
Orig. Price* (US): US$399
US$449
US$549
US$429
US$479
US$579
Curr. Price* (US): Used Market Only US$429
US$479
US$579

* Note that these prices are for devices unlocked and paid in full upfront. Apple replaced the iPhone SE 2 with the iPhone SE 3 on March 8, 2022.

For pricing in dozens of countries, see the "Global Prices" on the specs page for each iPhone as well as the "By Global Original Prices" section of EveryiPhone.com.

So, is the iPhone SE 3 a lot better? Should I buy an older iPhone SE 2 or newer iPhone SE 3?

Compared to the older iPhone SE 2, the newer iPhone SE 3 provides (1) faster performance, (2) 5G cellular support, (3) better battery life, (4) modestly improved camera software, and (5) more RAM (which could mean longer operating system support).

Whether or not these improvements are "a lot" better is open to debate, but they are improvements. For someone who only wants to consider a new iPhone, and who has a limited budget, the iPhone SE 3 is the cheapest option. If you already have an iPhone SE 2 and you want to upgrade, the iPhone SE 3 is unlikely to be worth the jump (except maybe for 5G).

If you are on a tight budget and considering a new iPhone SE 3, you might be better served by buying a used iPhone SE 2. The iPhone SE 2 still is quite capable and is available at a discount on the used market.

In the US, site sponsors Other World Computing and JemJem sell used and refurbished iPhone models with free shipping. On the other hand, if you need to sell an iPhone, A+ BBB-rated Cash for Your Mac and GoRoostr will buy your older iPhone with an instant quote and prompt payment.

In Australia, site sponsor Mac City likewise has a variety of used iPhone models sold at low prices and available with a free warranty and fast shipping across Australia.

Please also see EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iComparison feature to dynamically compare any iPhone model to any other iPod, iPhone, or iPad.


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