How the brand new iPhone SE stacks up in opposition to its budget-friendly Android rivals

The new iPhone SE could look eerily acquainted to anybody who has seen an iPhone within the final eight years, however as Apple has proven us with its funds line, it’s what’s on the within that counts. The newest entry-level iPhone is about to return out on March 18th, with preorders going reside on Friday, March eleventh, and when it does will probably be packing a beefy A15 Bionic processor and a barely increased beginning worth of $429 with 64GB of storage. That’s the identical processor discovered within the iPhone 13 line, making the SE almost as succesful as different present iPhones. But what in the event you’re not simply buying in Apple’s world? How does a “budget” iPhone evaluate to Android telephones inside a comparable vary of worth?

First off, let’s get the obvious figuring out issue out of the best way. If you employ an Apple Watch, AirPods, AirPlay, or are a blue bubble in iMessage, you probably need to simply flip again now. Yes, there are alternate options to all of those within the realm of Android, however each will current a stage of friction which may be an excessive amount of for a lot of. Though in the event you’re contemplating making a change, there’s quite a bit to love outdoors of Apple’s walled backyard.

The strengths of the iPhone SE (2022)

The 2022 iPhone SE could use a dated design with large bezels, however what this line from Apple usually does greatest is supply a large efficiency headroom at a comparatively inexpensive worth level. You can not get one other telephone for below $500 with as quick a processor or as a few years of anticipated updates as an iPhone SE. Apple doesn’t come out and say what number of years of OS updates its telephones will obtain, however the first-generation iPhone SE from 2016 is ready to run the most recent iOS 15. Most telephones that get three or 4 years of software program updates are thought of a triumph within the Android world, but it surely nonetheless pales compared.

This yr, Apple is promising the efficiency features of the A15 processor in addition to an even bigger battery to accommodate that power-hungry 5G modem that’s now built-in. The price of all that is available in at a beginning worth level of $429 — a $30 enhance over the 2020 mannequin — however you’re nonetheless caught with the same-old, same-old design with its 4.7-inch Retina show. That mentioned, in the event you love a very good residence button, fingerprint scanner, and non-MagSafe Qi wi-fi charging, then there are causes to rejoice.

The 2022 iPhone SE vs. Samsung, Google, and Motorola

That design could appear heat and comfy to longstanding iPhone homeowners that haven’t upgraded their telephones in years, however in comparison with Android telephones, it seems prefer it’s ripped from a long-forgotten previous. For about the identical worth of the iPhone SE are all types of wonderful Android telephones with bigger screens, greater batteries, extra RAM, and additional cameras. The iPhone SE would possibly supply increased efficiency because of its CPU, however telephones just like the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, Galaxy A42 5G, Google Pixel 5A, and Motorola Moto Edge 5G UW (2021) pack in additional trendy options and simply stuff normally.

Samsung is thought to hit nearly each worth level, and its Galaxy A52 and A42 each supply some beefy battery life. We don’t but know the mAh specification of the brand new iPhone SE, but it surely’s secure to imagine that even when it’s a bigger battery than 2020’s SE it can stay smaller than its Android competitors. The Galaxy A52 and Moto Edge additionally supply increased refresh price screens too, hitting as much as 120Hz and 144Hz, respectively. They could price somewhat greater than the iPhone, however these speeds make scrolling and animations look a lot smoother than the 60Hz that the SE tops out at.

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

One of probably the most aggressive choices to check with the iPhone SE could also be Google’s Pixel 5A, as it’s the closest in worth. For simply $20 extra, you get extra storage, a bigger OLED display screen, wonderful digicam high quality, and an ultrawide lens choice. Though it lacks wi-fi charging, the Pixel 5A is a worthy choice for cross-shopping with the SE.

Lastly, there’s the Motorola Moto Edge 5G UW, which touts a number of the greatest specs and options of all these telephones, together with a 6.8-inch display screen with 144Hz refresh, a 5,000mAh battery, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. Although it does additionally include an asking worth of $699.99, it’s usually discounted to a way more aggressive $499.99. That’s the factor with Android telephones, there are sometimes reductions available which can be rather more unusual, or outright uncommon, on iPhones.

It’s laborious to purchase a nasty telephone as of late, although, midrange telephones proceed to supply extra worth whereas the flagships from corporations reminiscent of Apple and Samsung are likely to get pricier and pricier. If you’re curious as to how the forthcoming iPhone SE compares instantly with a few of its budget-based competitors, nonetheless, take a look at the side-by-side comparability beneath. We’ll be placing the brand new iPhone SE by way of its paces very quickly in our full evaluate, the place the specs and the software program expertise collide to see simply how good a worth this telephone actually is.