iPhone 12 vs iPhone SE (2022)

The iPhone 12, released in October 2020, and the iPhone SE (3rd generation), launched in March 2022, are two distinct Apple smartphones operating on the iOS platform. While both offer a seamless user experience, they cater to different preferences through their design philosophies and feature sets. The iPhone 12 presents a more modern design with an advanced display and camera system, whereas the iPhone SE 2022 combines a classic form factor with a powerful, newer internal processor.

The longevity of a smartphone is influenced by its release timeline, software support, and physical durability. These two models offer different expectations in these areas.

• Release Timeline and OS Support: The iPhone 12, released in October 2020, and the iPhone SE 2022, released in March 2022, both benefit from Apple's extended software support. The iPhone 12 is expected to receive major iOS updates until approximately 2028-2030, while the iPhone SE 2022, being newer, is projected to receive updates until around 2028-2029. This means the iPhone SE 2022 may have a slightly longer period of receiving the very latest iOS features, though both will continue to receive security updates for several years beyond that.
• Physical Durability: The iPhone 12 features a Ceramic Shield front cover, which offers enhanced drop performance, and boasts an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, allowing submersion up to 6 meters for 30 minutes. The iPhone SE 2022 has an IP67 rating, meaning it can withstand submersion up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.
• Repairability: Both devices have received a repairability score of 6 out of 10 from iFixit. The iPhone SE 2022 is noted for being relatively repair-friendly for common components like the battery and screen, partly due to its design sharing elements with older iPhone models. However, the iPhone 12 introduced challenges for non-Apple repairs, particularly concerning camera and screen replacements, which may display warnings if not serviced by authorized technicians.

Performance is a key differentiator, with both devices offering robust capabilities for daily use, though with varying levels of processing power and battery efficiency.

• Processor Capabilities: The iPhone 12 is equipped with a capable processor that handles demanding applications and multitasking smoothly. The iPhone SE 2022, despite its older design, features a newer generation processor, providing a noticeable boost in speed and efficiency for tasks like app loading, gaming, and video editing. This newer processor also contributes to improved computational photography.
• Battery Behavior: The iPhone 12 generally offers a longer battery life, with up to 17 hours of video playback. Its OLED display is also more power-efficient. The iPhone SE 2022, with its smaller battery capacity and LCD screen, provides up to 15 hours of video playback. User experiences with the iPhone SE 2022 often report that heavy usage, especially with 5G connectivity, can lead to more frequent charging.
• Storage Options and RAM: Both models are available with 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB of internal storage, catering to different user needs for app and media storage. The iPhone SE 2022 includes 4GB of RAM, which is an increase over its predecessor and supports smooth multitasking. The iPhone 12 also features 4GB of RAM, ensuring responsive performance across various applications.

The visual experience on these two iPhones differs significantly due to their display technologies and physical dimensions.

• Display Technology and Clarity: The iPhone 12 features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, offering deep blacks, vibrant colors, and excellent contrast. The iPhone SE 2022 uses a 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD display, which provides good color accuracy and brightness but does not match the contrast levels or true blacks of an OLED panel.
• Resolution and Brightness: The iPhone 12 has a higher resolution of 2532x1170 pixels at 460 pixels per inch (ppi), resulting in a sharper image. The iPhone SE 2022 has a resolution of 1334x750 pixels at 326 ppi. Both displays offer a typical maximum brightness of 625 nits, ensuring good visibility in most indoor and outdoor conditions, with the iPhone 12 capable of reaching 1200 nits for HDR content.
• Screen Size and Viewing Experience: The larger 6.1-inch screen of the iPhone 12 provides a more expansive viewing area, which is beneficial for media consumption, gaming, and productivity. The 4.7-inch screen of the iPhone SE 2022 offers a more compact and pocketable form factor, appealing to users who prefer a smaller device for one-handed use. Both displays have a standard 60Hz refresh rate.

Both iPhones deliver capable photography and videography, but the iPhone 12 offers a more versatile camera system compared to the iPhone SE 2022.

• Camera System Capabilities: The iPhone 12 features a dual-camera system on the rear, including a 12-megapixel wide lens and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, allowing for more creative shots and wider perspectives. The iPhone SE 2022 has a single 12-megapixel wide camera on its rear. Both include optical image stabilization for sharper photos and smoother videos.
• Photography Performance: The iPhone 12 benefits from its dual-camera setup and Smart HDR 3, offering strong performance in various lighting conditions, including improved low-light capabilities compared to the SE. The iPhone SE 2022, despite having a single lens, leverages its newer processor for computational photography features like Smart HDR 4, Deep Fusion, and Photographic Styles, resulting in good image quality in well-lit environments. However, it lacks a dedicated Night Mode, which can impact low-light photos.
• Video Recording and Front Camera: Both devices are capable of recording 4K video at up to 60 frames per second with optical image stabilization. For selfies, the iPhone 12 has a 12-megapixel front camera, while the iPhone SE 2022 features a 7-megapixel front camera. Both front cameras support Portrait Mode and offer good quality for video calls and self-portraits.