Unveiled just a couple of days ago after a nearly two-year wait, the third-generation iPhone SE is, let's be honest, not an incredibly exciting handset by 2022 high-end standards. But at a reasonable price of $429 and up, the archaic-looking 4.7-incher is a 5G-enabled high-ender, which still feels pretty remarkable in and of itself when talking about Apple devices.
Much like 2020's second-gen iPhone SE "borrowed" its state-of-the-art A13 Bionic processor from 2019's iPhone 11 family, this year's compact sequel threequel matches the raw power of 2021's hugely popular iPhone 13 quartet with a super-advanced A15 Bionic chip under the hood.
Processing power is not everything
That was unsurprisingly the main point Apple CEO Tim Cook insisted on making and highlighting during the iPhone SE (2022) announcement earlier this week, and it was also not exactly the world's best-kept secret leading up to the "Peek Performance" event.
But one thing that was not confirmed at the official product launch or very reliably leaked ahead of it is the phone's RAM count. That's one key specification Cupertino's head honchos never like to discuss in public events or even mention on product webpages, which is where MacRumors comes in.
"Assisted" by developer Moritz Sternemann, the publication claims to have discovered the iPhone SE 3 packs 4 gigs of memory, and given its track record, we're almost certain this fresh "MacRumor" will prove accurate.
While that number is likely to sound underwhelming to most Android enthusiasts, hardcore Apple fans might remember that the iPhone SE (2020) only came packing 3 gigs of the good stuff. That was 1GB lower than what the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max offered, but now, the upgraded iPhone SE matches the "regular" iPhone 13 in this department as well.
That's the 6.1-inch non-Pro iPhone 13 only, mind you, with the 6.1-inch Pro and 6.7-inch Pro Max models both featuring an extra 2GB RAM. Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are already expected to take multitasking to the next level with an additional 2 gigs of memory on top of that for a total 8GB count.
If that proves to be the case, the non-Pro iPhone 14 could well make a jump of its own from 4 to 6GB RAM to ensure a clear advantage over the iPhone SE (2022)... in addition to the larger screen, sleeker design, better camera, and undoubtedly faster A16 Bionic SoC.
Other iPhone SE upgrades and an even bigger iPad Air change
Although iOS optimization famously makes these numbers far less important for Apple compared to Android device manufacturers, it's definitely nice to see the company cover all its bases in an attempt to deliver the best possible user experience in the sub-$500 segment.
Apart from presumably running much faster and smoother than its predecessor in basically every possible scenario thanks to an Apple A15 Bionic processor and 4GB memory count, the iPhone SE 3 also promises to offer improved durability with the exact same glass employed on the back of the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro, as well as longer battery life (even when connected to a low or mid-band 5G signal).
It remains to be seen now if the RAM upgrade tipped for the hot new iPad Air (2022) at the last minute will also pan out. Because the entry-level 128GB storage configuration speculation proved erroneous, we can't be sure the Apple M1-powered 10.9-inch tablet will match the 8GB memory of the iPad Pro (2021) duo just yet.
If it does, that would represent a doubling of the iPad Air 4's 4GB RAM count, making the incredibly powerful new version even more attractive at a starting price of $599 with Wi-Fi connectivity only and $749 with 5G support also baked in.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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