I tried using the “iPhone SE” 3rd generation model as soon as possible. In this article, I will tell you about the pattern.
Don’t you think that the design hasn’t changed and it’s not high-end? Well, it certainly doesn’t feel that “new”.
But the more you touch it, the more you can see Apple’s aim.
The classic design that has become a long-selling product, the color tone is different from the second generation
This iPhone SE will be the third generation, but like the second generation released in 2020, the design is the same as the “iPhone 8” (released in September 2017).
I would like to say that the colors are the same for the 2nd and 3rd generations, but the rough colors of white, black, and red are the same, but the shades are different.
“Midnight” was rented out as review equipment. It is a shade that makes you feel the “color of the midnight sky”, which is a mixture of black and a little blue. Compared to the black part on the front side, the difference in color is easy to see.
This design is actually based on the iPhone 6 generation (released in September 2014), so it’s a long breath. If it is the next “SE” in 2 years like the 2nd generation, it will be a “10-year player” that will be used until at least 2024.
Therefore, compared to the iPhone 13 generation, the size of the blank space around the screen feels really old.
However, Apple thinks that it is “different” to change the design in detail here.
In software development, we would like to avoid increasing the variation of the screen, and there is also a desire to reduce the cost by using the parts procured in large quantities, so for them, “put out in this form”. There can only be.
In the next two years, the supply price will drop further, and there is no doubt that the iPhone will be offered at a low price by combining discounts from mobile phone operators. If so, it is reasonable to give top priority to creating a balance that can be provided as long as possible and at low cost without changing its functions and characteristics.
Performance is comparable to iPhone 13, and the camera is quite good if it is “daily shooting”
So, the feeling of using it for a while is exactly “iPhone SE”.
There should be some people who say “this is good” including not only the price but also the size. It is a balance that such people can buy without much trouble.
The screen is small (for the size of the main unit), but it’s still much smaller than the iPhone 13 series, except for the mini. The goodness of making the whole is truly.
The processor of the 3rd generation iPhone SE is “A15 Bionic”. Therefore, the performance has improved considerably.
According to the test results of “GeekBench 5”, the performance on the CPU side is almost the same as the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Regarding GPU, it seems that the number of cores is different, and iPhone 13 Pro Max has higher performance. It is estimated that the amount of memory has also decreased from 6GB to 4GB.
Well, this isn’t a big deal. Since the screen size is small, the load on the GPU will be small. It is easier to understand if you think of it as “performance that is almost the same as the flagship iPhone.”
And it is the camera that the processor performance comes into play.
The iPhone SE uses exactly the same lenses and the same sensors for both the 2nd and 3rd generations. On the other hand, the image signal processor (ISP) installed in the processor and camera-related software have been improved, and the processing power that can be used for the camera has also increased, so the image quality seems to be improving.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a 2nd generation SE at hand, so I can’t check it side by side.
However, there is a difference between the tendency of photos taken with iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone SE (2nd generation) in 2020 and the tendency of photos taken with iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone SE (3rd generation) this time. Can be seen.
Compared to the iPhone 11 Pro, the 2nd generation SE was a little sleepier and had the impression that the photos lacked a sense of detail. But this time, I don’t feel much difference there. I feel that the 3rd generation iPhone SE is still worse in color riding due to the difference in sensor characteristics, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max is better for images in dark places, but it is not so problematic for general shooting and it is comfortable. I think it can be used.
That said, it doesn’t have optical telephoto or non-human portraits, and it can’t shoot in HDR or in “cinematic mode.” That is a differentiating point from higher-end models.
SE is inferior in 5G speed, but …?
The point is that it supports 5G this time. Considering the iPhone SE user base, I don’t think it’s something like “buy because it’s 5G.” Rather, it may be that “it is natural that it is 5G because I will buy it from now on” and “it was 5G when I bought it”. That’s why the standard smartphone iPhone SE will be 5G.
However, this may have happened to be a test at my hand, but the communication speed at 5G is a little slower than the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Due to size and design constraints, 5G sensitivity may be a bit weak.
I didn’t feel an extreme speed difference due to everyday usability, but when I measured the benchmark, I felt that it was “certainly different”. Sensitivity is good, but if you think this is a problem, it may be that you should buy an iPhone 13.
“It’s not the best performance, but it’s good to make, cheap and just right,” the iPhone SE’s position hasn’t changed in the third generation.
