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First impressions of the third-generation iPhone SE have now been shared by select media outlets and YouTubers, providing a closer look at Apple’s latest entry-level iPhone. Reviewers praised the device’s improved specifications, but were disappointed with its aging design and lack of Night mode.
The new model added the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13, 5G connectivity, an upgraded rear camera with more advanced computational photography capabilities, improved battery life, and stronger glass. The third-generation iPhone SE will begin arriving to customers and be available in stores starting this Friday, while delivery times are now slipping into late March.
Design, Display, and Durability
The Verge‘s Allison Johnson criticized the new iPhone SE’s design and display, commenting that “It’s a tired design straight out of 2017 that makes an already-small screen feel even smaller than it could be.”
Unfortunately, that cutting edge performance is hampered by the small screen. It’s not a bad display – it’s a 4.7-inch 750 x 1334 pixel LCD that gets plenty bright for outdoor use. But you don’t get a faster refresh rate, which would make scrolling look a little smoother, you don’t get the same pop and punchiness of OLED, and it’s definitely one of the smallest screens sold on a new smartphone today. Text looks small at the default setting, and you can enlarge it, but that means doing more scrolling.
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But phone design has moved on in the last two years, and the SE has stayed firmly in the past. Given just how many times per day most of us look at our phone screens and interact with them, I think it’s fair to demand a little more from your mobile device’s screen than the SE is offering.
iPhone SE Reviews: Impressive Performance in a ‘Tired Design’