Phones · Model guide · Maker specs
iPhone SE (3rd generation)
Get iPhone SE (3rd generation) if you want Touch ID in a small, cheap iPhone: it has the A15 Bionic and 5G, but one rear camera and a 4.7-inch LCD.
Product images
iPhone SE (3rd generation), from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Get iPhone SE (3rd generation) if you want Touch ID in a small, cheap iPhone: it has the A15 Bionic and 5G, but one rear camera and a 4.7-inch LCD. It launched at $429 in March 2022, weighs 144 grams and is rated IP67, with up to 15 hours of video playback. Skip it for iPhone 13 if you want an OLED screen, a second camera, MagSafe and longer battery life.
Who it is for
- Anyone who wants Touch ID and a Home button. SE 3 is Apple's last 4.7-inch iPhone built that way, and Touch ID also approves Apple Pay.
- Buyers who want a small, light iPhone with 5G for little money: 144 grams, and $429 at launch.
- People who want iPhone 13's chip for less. Both use the A15 Bionic with a 4-core GPU; iPhone 13 launched at $799.
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants a bigger, brighter screen. SE 3 has a 4.7-inch LCD at 625 nits typical; iPhone 13 has a 6.1-inch OLED at 800 nits.
- Keen photographers. There's one 12MP rear camera, with no Ultra Wide or telephoto; iPhone 13 has two 12MP cameras.
- Anyone who wants MagSafe, USB-C or Face ID. SE 3 charges through Lightning or on Qi pads, and unlocks with Touch ID.
- Anyone who wants Crash Detection or satellite SOS. Both arrived with iPhone 14.
What sets it apart
- Touch ID in a Home button under a 4.7-inch Retina HD screen, on Apple's last iPhone of that design.
- The A15 Bionic from the iPhone 13 lineup: 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine.
- The first SE with 5G, on sub-6 GHz networks.
- Small and light: 138.4 × 67.3 × 7.3 mm and 144 grams, rated IP67 for up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.
- $429 at launch, against $799 for iPhone 13.
Caveats
- Battery ratings are modest: up to 15 hours of video playback and 10 of streaming, four and five hours short of iPhone 13.
- Storage starts at 64GB, half of iPhone 13's 128GB.
- It shipped with iOS 15, and Apple doesn't say how long updates will continue; its current tech specs list iOS 18.
- Apple no longer sells it new, so you're buying older or refurbished stock.
Key specs
In the same order on every phone page, so you can compare models.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 4.7-inch (diagonal) Retina HD; widescreen LCD Multi-Touch with IPS technology | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Display type | Retina HD LCD; True Tone; Wide color (P3); Haptic Touch; oleophobic coating. Aerospace-grade aluminum and glass design | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08No Dynamic Island, ProMotion or Always-On. |
| Display resolution | 1334 × 750 at 326 ppi; 1400:1 contrast ratio (typical) | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Peak brightness | 625 nits max brightness (typical) | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specsA typical rating, not an HDR peak. |
| Always-On display | No | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Dimensions | 138.4 × 67.3 × 7.3 mm (5.45 × 2.65 × 0.29 in) | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Weight | 144 g (5.09 oz) | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Build materials | Aerospace-grade aluminum and glass; Apple calls the front and back glass the toughest in a smartphone; oleophobic coating; IP67 | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08Apple doesn't use the Ceramic Shield name for this glass. |
| Finishes | (PRODUCT)RED, Starlight, Midnight | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08 |
| Water and dust resistance | IP67 (maximum depth of 1 meter up to 30 minutes) under IEC 60529 | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specsLater OLED iPhones are rated IP68, to 6 meters. |
| Chip | A15 Bionic; 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency); 4-core GPU; 16-core. | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Storage | 64GB, 128GB or 256GB | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08 |
| Rear cameras | Single 12MP Main, ƒ/1.8; optical image stabilization; Focus Pixels; True Tone flash; Smart HDR 4; Deep Fusion; Photographic Styles; digital zoom up to 5x | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specsNo Ultra Wide or telephoto camera; Portrait mode is supported. |
| Telephoto and zoom | No dedicated telephoto. Digital zoom up to 5x (photos); digital zoom up to 3x (video) | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Front camera | 7MP, ƒ/2.2; Portrait mode; Smart HDR 4; Deep Fusion; Photographic Styles; Retina Flash; 1080p HD video at 25 or 30 fps | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specsNot a 12MP TrueDepth camera: there's no Face ID, and you unlock with Touch ID. |
| Video | 4K at 24/25/30/60 fps; 1080p at 25/30/60; 720p at 30; slo-mo 1080p at 120 or 240 fps; cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, 720p) | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Battery life | Video playback up to 15 hours; streamed video up to 10 hours; audio playback up to 50 hours | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Wired charging | Lightning. Fast-charge capable: up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher (sold separately) | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Wireless charging | Wireless charging with Qi chargers; Apple says it works with Qi-certified chargers | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08 |
| Operating system | Shipped with iOS 15; Apple's current tech specs list iOS 18 | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08 |
| Cellular | 5G NR (sub-6 GHz) with 2×2 MIMO; LTE Advanced with 2×2 MIMO and LAA. Model A2595 | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specsNo mmWave; US iPhone 12 and 13 models support it. |
| Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2×2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.0; NFC with reader mode; Express Cards with power reserve | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specsNo Ultra Wideband chip; iPhone 12 has one. |
| Ports and buttons | Lightning connector; Home button / Touch ID; Ring/Silent switch; side button; volume buttons; SIM tray. Video out up to 1080p through Lightning adapters (sold separately) | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| SIM | Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM); Dual eSIM support. eSIM not supported in all regions | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specsUnlike the US iPhone 14, it still has a SIM tray. |
| NFC and payments | Apple Pay with Touch ID; Express Cards with power reserve | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| GPS and navigation | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Biometrics | Touch ID fingerprint sensor built into the Home button | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Other sensors | Barometer; three-axis gyro; accelerometer; proximity sensor; ambient light sensor | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| Safety features | No Crash Detection or satellite SOS on SE 3 | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specsBoth arrived with iPhone 14. |
| US price at launch | Starts at $429 (US); 64, 128 or 256GB | Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08 |
| Price band | Budget compact iPhone (launched at $429) | Based on Apple's 2022 launch price |
| Announced | 8 March 2022 | Apple Newsroom |
| Availability | Pre-orders from 11 March 2022 (5 a.m. PST); in stores 18 March 2022; no longer on Apple's current iPhone page as of 19 September 2026 | Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08 |
iPhone SE (3rd generation) extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Home button and Touch ID | Touch ID fingerprint sensor built into the Home button | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08 |
| Single rear camera | 12MP ƒ/1.8 Main only; digital zoom up to 5x; no Ultra Wide or telephoto | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| First SE with 5G | 5G NR (sub-6 GHz) with 2×2 MIMO on model A2595; no mmWave | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs |
| MagSafe | No; Qi wireless charging only, and no Qi2 | Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) tech specs; Apple Newsroom, 2022-03-08 |
iPhone SE (3rd generation) is the last 4.7-inch iPhone with a Home button and the first SE with 5G. Apple announced it on 8 March 2022 at $429 with the A15 Bionic, the chip in the iPhone 13 lineup, and built nearly everything else down to that price.
SE 3 or iPhone 13?
They share the A15 chip. Almost everything else favors iPhone 13, apart from size, weight, Touch ID and price.
| Spec | iPhone SE (3rd generation) | iPhone 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | 4.7-inch LCD, 625 nits typical | 6.1-inch OLED, 800 nits typical |
| Chip | A15 Bionic, 4-core GPU | A15 Bionic, 4-core GPU |
| Rear cameras | One 12MP | Two 12MP |
| Weight | 144 g | 174 g |
| Battery (video, streamed, audio) | 15, 10, 50 hours | 19, 15, 75 hours |
| Water resistance | IP67, 1 meter | IP68 |
| Wireless charging | Qi | MagSafe 15W, Qi2 15W, Qi 7.5W |
| Starting storage | 64GB | 128GB |
| US launch price | $429 | $799 |
The A15 here has the same 4-core GPU as iPhone 13’s, while iPhone 14’s A15 has a 5-core GPU. So on paper SE 3 isn’t a slower iPhone 13; it’s a smaller, plainer phone around the same chip. See iPhone 13 for the bigger phone.
If small is the point, iPhone 13 mini is lighter still, at 141 grams. iPhone 12 mini has the same battery ratings as SE 3: 15 hours of video, 10 streamed and 50 of audio.
Screen
The 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD runs at 1334 × 750 pixels and 326 ppi, with True Tone, wide color (P3), Haptic Touch and a 1400:1 typical contrast ratio. It’s rated for 625 nits typical, and Apple gives no refresh rate. There’s no ProMotion, Always-On or Dynamic Island.
Camera
The single 12MP ƒ/1.8 main camera has optical image stabilization, Focus Pixels and a True Tone flash, with Smart HDR 4, Deep Fusion, Photographic Styles and Portrait mode. It records 4K at up to 60 fps, slow motion in 1080p at 120 or 240 fps, and stabilized video in 4K, 1080p and 720p. The 7MP ƒ/2.2 front camera does Portrait mode and 1080p video at 25 or 30 fps.
Battery and charging
| Mode | iPhone SE (3rd generation) |
|---|---|
| Video playback | Up to 15 hours |
| Streamed video | Up to 10 hours |
| Audio playback | Up to 50 hours |
| Wired (Lightning) | 50% in 30 minutes with a 20W or higher adapter |
| Wireless | Qi chargers |
Apple doesn’t give a battery capacity. Fast charging needs an adapter of 20W or more, sold separately, and wireless charging works on any Qi-certified pad, but not MagSafe.
Build and connections
Apple pairs an aerospace-grade aluminum frame with front and back glass it calls the toughest in a smartphone. It’s 138.4 × 67.3 × 7.3 mm, rated IP67 for up to 1 meter for 30 minutes, and comes in (PRODUCT)RED, Starlight or Midnight.
Cellular is 5G on sub-6 GHz bands with 2×2 MIMO, plus LTE Advanced, on model A2595. Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC with reader mode cover the rest, and Express Cards keep working on power reserve. You get a nano-SIM tray as well as eSIM, with dual eSIM support. The Lightning port can drive a display at up to 1080p through adapters sold separately, and it has a Ring/Silent switch.
Price
SE 3 started at $429 in the US with 64GB, with 128GB and 256GB above it. Pre-orders opened on 11 March 2022 and it reached stores on 18 March 2022. Prices for older and refurbished units vary, so check before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Apple Support — iPhone SE (3rd generation) Tech Specs — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Newsroom — Apple announces the new iPhone SE: a powerful smartphone in an iconic design — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Should I buy iPhone SE (3rd generation) or iPhone 13?
iPhone 13, if the price gap doesn't put you off. It has the same A15 chip with a 6.1-inch OLED screen, a second 12MP camera, MagSafe, IP68 and longer battery ratings. Pick SE 3 for Touch ID, a Home button and a phone that's 30 grams lighter.
Does iPhone SE 3 have MagSafe?
No. It charges wirelessly on Qi chargers only, or through Lightning on a cable. If you want MagSafe, iPhone 13 has it at up to 15W.
Does iPhone SE 3 have Face ID?
No. It unlocks with Touch ID in the Home button, which also approves Apple Pay. The 7MP front camera is for photos and video only.
Is the iPhone SE 3 screen OLED?
No. It's a 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD with IPS technology; iPhone 13 is the one with a 6.1-inch OLED.
Does iPhone SE 3 have 5G?
Yes, on sub-6 GHz networks, but not mmWave. It was the first SE with 5G; the SE (2nd generation) before it, with an A13 chip, is LTE only.
Is iPhone SE 3 waterproof?
Not fully. It's rated IP67, for up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. Later OLED iPhones are rated IP68, to 6 meters.
How many cameras does iPhone SE 3 have?
One on the back: a 12MP ƒ/1.8 main camera with optical image stabilization. The front camera is 7MP. With no Ultra Wide or telephoto, zoom is digital, up to 5x for photos and 3x for video.
Official product page: iPhone SE (3rd generation). Tech specs: iPhone SE (3rd generation) specs.