The iPhone SE vs iPhone 13

The comparison between the Apple iPhone SE 3rd Gen and the iPhone 13 begins with understanding their target markets. The new iPhone SE, released in 2022, is a more recent model designed for those seeking a cost-effective option. On the other hand, the older iPhone 13, launched in 2021, is Apple’s flagship model for that year. However, there are several key distinctions between these two models that you should be aware of before making a purchase decision.

Why Choose iPhone SE 3rd Gen?

• Cost-effective
• Powerful yet affordable
• Supports 5G connectivity
• Easy to handle with one hand
• Ideal for Touch ID enthusiasts

Why Opt for iPhone 13?

• Boasts one of the best smartphone cameras
• Features Night mode and Photographic Styles
• Exceptional OLED screen
• High-performance device
• High screen-to-body ratio
• Available in a variety of colors

A Detailed Comparison

Design

The design of the newer iPhone SE 3 bears some resemblance to older iPhone second generation iPhone SE models in the same series. It retains the old form factor of previous SE models, complete with Touch ID and the Home button. If you prefer a phone with a full-screen look, the iPhone 13 is the way to go. The iPhone SE 3 is also smaller than the iPhone 13, making it easier to handle with one hand.

The iPhone 13, similar in design to the iPhone 12, features a Ceramic Shield for superior handset protection, a smaller notch than its predecessors, and Face ID (a feature not present on the SE). The SE comes in Midnight, Starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED colors, while the 13 is available in blue, green, pink, (PRODUCT)RED, Midnight, and Starlight.

Size and Weight

The iPhone SE 3 measures 5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 inches and weighs 5.08oz, while the iPhone 13 measures 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.30 inches and weighs 6.14oz. The SE’s smaller size and lighter weight make it more comfortable to carry around and use, making it an excellent choice for kids and teenagers. However, its smaller screen may not be ideal for watching videos, playing games, or making video calls.

Connectivity and Ports

Both the iPhone SE 3 and the iPhone 13 support 5G cellular connectivity, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 6, Lightning USB, NFC, and eSIM. However, neither model has a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Display

The iPhone SE 3 and the iPhone 13 have different display technologies and sizes. The SE 3 has a smaller 4.7-inch LCD IPS display with a resolution of 1334 x 750 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of approximately 326 ppi. The iPhone 13, on the other hand, features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels, resulting in a higher pixel density of approximately 460 ppi. Both devices have a refresh rate of 60 Hz.

According to DxOMark, the iPhone SE 3’s display has a score of 122. The display performs well in terms of readability, color accuracy, and video playback. However, it falls short in terms of resolution and brightness compared to higher-end models. The iPhone SE 3’s display also lacks some features found in more expensive models, such as ProMotion technology and HDR support.

The iPhone 13’s display, on the other hand, has a DxOMark score of 136, significantly higher than the SE 3’s. The iPhone 13’s display delivers excellent performance in terms of readability, color accuracy, and video playback. It also supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision, providing a better viewing experience for HDR content.

If you value a larger, higher-resolution display with better color accuracy and HDR support, the iPhone 13 is the better choice. However, if you’re on a budget and don’t mind a smaller, lower-resolution display, the iPhone SE 3’s display is more than adequate for most users.

Camera

The camera is one of the most significant differences between the SE 3 and the iPhone 13. The SE 3 has a single camera, while the iPhone 13 features two cameras: one with a wide-angle lens and the other with an ultra-wide lens. The iPhone 13 also offers Night mode, a feature not available on the SE 3. However, the SE 3 does support Smart HDR 4 for challenging lighting situations and Deep Fusion for more detail.

According to DxOMark, the iPhone SE 3’s camera has a score of 100, which is quite impressive for a single-camera setup. The camera performs well in bright light conditions, delivering good exposure, color, and detail. However, it struggles in low light conditions and has limited dynamic range compared to multi-camera setups. The SE 3’s camera also lacks an ultra-wide lens and a dedicated telephoto lens, limiting its versatility.

On the other hand, the iPhone 13’s camera has a DxOMark score of 125, significantly higher than the SE 3’s. The iPhone 13’s camera delivers excellent performance across the board, with good exposure, color, detail, and dynamic range in various lighting conditions. The iPhone 13’s camera also benefits from the addition of an ultra-wide lens, which allows for more creative shots, and Night mode, which significantly improves low-light photography.

In terms of video performance, both the iPhone SE 3 and the iPhone 13 can record 4K video at 24/25/30/60 fps. The iPhone 13’s video performance is slightly better, with better stabilization, exposure, color, and detail. However, the SE 3’s video performance is still quite good, especially considering its price point.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a phone with a high-quality camera, the iPhone 13 is the better choice. However, if you’re on a budget and don’t need the extra camera features, the iPhone SE 3’s camera is more than capable for most users.

Performance

Both the iPhone SE 3 and the iPhone 13 are powered by the Apple A15 Bionic processor and have 4GB of RAM. There are no significant differences in performance between the two models.

The A15 chip features two new CPU microarchitectures for both the performance cores and the efficiency cores. The peak single-core frequency of the two-performance core cluster has increased by 8% compared to the previous generation, reaching up to 3240MHz. When both performance cores are active, their operating frequency goes up by 10%, both now running at an aggressive 3180MHz.

The efficiency cores of the A15 are now able to clock up to 2016MHz, a 10.5% increase over the previous generation’s cores. This frequency is independent of the performance cores, meaning the number of threads in one cluster doesn’t affect the other cluster, and vice versa.

One of the most significant changes in the A15 chip is the increase in cache sizes. The system cache has doubled to 32MB, pushing the memory depth to reach DRAM. This large last-level cache helps keep memory accesses on the same silicon rather than going out to slower, and more power inefficient DRAM. The L2 cache of the performance cores has also grown by 50% from 8MB to 12MB, serving only two performance cores rather than four as in the previous generation.

The efficiency cores have not changed their cache sizes, remaining at 64KB L1D’s and 4MB shared L2’s. However, Apple has increased the L2 TLB to 2048 entries, now covering up to 32MB, likely to facilitate better SLC access latencies. Interestingly, Apple this year now allows the efficiency cores to have faster DRAM access, with latencies now at around 130ns versus the +215ns on the previous generation’s cores.

In terms of CPU microarchitecture, the new performance cores on the A15 don’t seem to differ much from the A14 designs. However, the efficiency cores have had more changes, including an extra integer ALU, bringing the total up to 4, up from the previous 3. This suggests that the efficiency cores have grown even more this year, contributing to the overall performance improvement of the A15 chip.

The A15 Bionic chip offers faster and more efficient performance, making both the iPhone SE 3 and the iPhone 13 powerful devices capable of handling a wide range of tasks.

Storage

The iPhone SE 3 comes in three storage options: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. The base model starts at $429 for the 64GB variant, while the 128GB model costs an additional $50, and the 256GB model is priced at $579. It’s important to note that the operating system takes up about 10GB of storage, so the actual space available for your apps, games, photos, and videos will be less.

The 64GB iPhone SE 3 is suitable for light users who mostly use social media apps, don’t play a lot of games, take a few photos now and then, and rarely shoot any video. The 128GB iPhone SE 3, which costs just $50 extra, is recommended for most people as it can comfortably hold plenty of games, apps, and media. The 256GB iPhone SE 3 is for digital hoarders and people who need to shoot, store, and manage large amounts of video.

On the other hand, the iPhone 13 offers four storage options: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. The base model starts at $799 for the 128GB variant. The 256GB and 512GB models cost an additional $100 and $200 respectively.

The 128GB iPhone 13 is likely enough for most users, but if you have a large photo or music library, or if you plan to store a lot of games or videos on your phone, you might want to consider the 256GB or 512GB model.

The storage option you choose depends on your usage. If you’re a light user, the 64GB iPhone SE 3 or the 128GB iPhone 13 should be enough. If you use a lot of storage, you might want to consider the higher storage options.

Battery Life and Charging

The iPhone SE 3 has a battery capacity of 2018 mAh, while the iPhone 13 has a larger capacity of 3227 mAh. Both devices have the same charging speed of 20W, but the iPhone 13 supports up to 15W wireless charging with a MagSafe-compatible device, while the iPhone SE 3 only reaches 7.5W.

In terms of battery life, the iPhone SE 3 lasts for an average of 9 hours and 7 minutes during continuous web surfing over a 5G connection at 150 nits of screen brightness. This is slightly longer than the iPhone 13 mini, which lasts for 8 hours and 41 minutes under the same conditions. However, it’s important to note that the iPhone SE 3’s battery life could be significantly longer if you decide to turn off 5G and use 4G LTE instead. The regular iPhone 13 lasts for 10 hours and 33 minutes.

Overall, the iPhone SE 3 offers solid battery life given its size, but it falls behind the iPhone 13 series. If longer battery life is a priority for you, and you’re willing to pay for it, you might want to consider the iPhone 13 series. However, if you’re looking for a more affordable option and are okay with slightly shorter battery life, the iPhone SE 3 is a good choice.

Reparability

The iPhone 13 series can be repaired, but the availability and cost of high-quality replacement parts may vary. Here’s a brief overview of common repairs:

• Screen: Replaceable, but the cost may be high due to supply chain issues.
• Battery: Larger than previous models, replaceable without major issues.
• Rear Camera: Replaceable, with the Pro and Pro Max featuring identical setups.
• Charging Port: Replaceable.
• Back Housing/Glass: Replaceable, but new colors may increase the cost in the first 6 – 12 months after release.

Estimated repair costs:

• Screen: $399
• Back Camera Glass: $99
• Rear Camera: $149
• Rear Glass Housing: $399
• Battery: $129
• Docking/Charging Port: $129

The iPhone SE is also repairable, with common repairs including:

• Screen: Replaceable, with costs similar to the SE 2020 and iPhone 8.
• Battery: Slightly different from the 2nd Gen SE, but replaceable.
• Camera: No major tech changes, parts are available.
• Charging Port: Replaceable.
• Back Housing/Glass: Replaceable.

Estimated repair costs:

• Screen: $99
• Back Camera Glass: $89
• Rear Camera: $99
• Rear Glass Housing: $199
• Battery: $69
• Docking/Charging Port: $99

Who should buy an iPhone SE 3 or an iPhone 13?

The decision between the iPhone SE 3 and the iPhone 13 largely depends on your budget and what you value most in a phone. If a high-quality camera and a larger, brighter screen are important to you, the iPhone 13 may be the better choice, but it will cost more. On the other hand, if the camera isn’t your top priority and you’re okay with a smaller screen and a more compact phone, the iPhone SE 3 is a more affordable option.

The iPhone SE 3 is a great choice for those who want a powerful device without breaking the bank. The A15 Bionic chip, which also powers the iPhone 13, offers impressive performance. This means you can enjoy a fast and smooth user experience, whether you’re playing demanding games, switching between apps, or using the phone for everyday tasks.

The iPhone SE 3 also boasts improved camera quality, thanks to the A15 Bionic chip. While it doesn’t have the advanced camera features of the iPhone 13, such as Night mode, it does support features like Deep Fusion and Smart HDR 4, which can significantly enhance photo quality.

One of the major selling points of the iPhone SE 3 is its 5G connectivity. This makes it a great choice for those who want to enjoy the speed and benefits of 5G without having to pay for a high-end device.

However, there are a few things to consider before deciding to buy the iPhone SE 3. The phone doesn’t support Night mode, which can be a deal-breaker for those who often take photos in low-light conditions. It also doesn’t support mmWave 5G, which may limit its 5G capabilities in certain areas. Lastly, the design of the iPhone SE 3 is quite dated, with thick bezels at the top and bottom of the screen. If you prefer a more modern design, you might want to consider other options.

In conclusion, the iPhone SE 3 is a great choice for those who want a powerful, affordable iPhone with 5G connectivity. However, if you value advanced camera features, a modern design, and full 5G capabilities, you might want to consider other options.