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iPhone SE 3 (2022) Review in Late 2025: Still Worth Buying?This video reviews the iPhone SE 3 in late 2025, assessing its performance, features, and overall value on the used market. It discusses the phone's strengths (A15 Bionic chip, solid performance for basic tasks) and weaknesses (poor battery life, outdated camera) to determine if it's still a worthwhile purchase.
1. 📱 iPhone SE 3: A Budget-Friendly Option in 2025
- ✅ Released in early 2022, the iPhone SE 3 was Apple's budget smartphone, starting at $429.
- ✅ Features the A15 Bionic chipset (from iPhone 13) and 5G connectivity.
- ⚠️ The design and camera are largely based on the 2017 iPhone 8.
- ✅ Available for around $100 on the used market, making it a potentially good value.
00:00 - 00:51
1. 📱 iPhone SE 3: A Budget-Friendly Option in 2025
- ✅ Released in early 2022, the iPhone SE 3 was Apple's budget smartphone, starting at $429.
- ✅ Features the A15 Bionic chipset (from iPhone 13) and 5G connectivity.
- ⚠️ The design and camera are largely based on the 2017 iPhone 8.
- ✅ Available for around $100 on the used market, making it a potentially good value.
00:52 - 02:58
2. ⚙️ Performance and Core Experience on iOS 26
- ✅ The A15 Bionic chip ensures solid performance on iOS 26 and likely iOS 27/28.
- ⚠️ Battery life is a significant drawback due to the phone's small size.
- ✅ The 4.7-inch Retina LCD panel and second-gen Touch ID are still functional.
- ✅ Suitable for basic tasks like browsing, texting, social media, and YouTube.
- ⚠️ The experience is less pleasant compared to newer, more expensive iPhones.
02:59 - 04:33
3. 💰 Used Market and Battery Health Considerations
- ✅ Decent condition iPhone SE 3 models can be found around $100 on eBay.
- ✅ Preferable over the SE2 due to likely longer software update support.
- ✅ Check battery health in settings; consider replacing the battery if it's below 80%.
- ⚠️ Battery replacement through Apple costs around $70, almost the price of a used phone.
- ✅ Aim for a used phone with at least 90% battery capacity if possible.
- ⚠️ Limited battery life even with moderate usage.
04:34 - 06:41
4. 📏 Design, Display, and Home Button
- ✅ Comfortable design with a glossy glass back and aluminum frame.
- ✅ Compact 4.7-inch Retina screen with chunky bezels.
- ✅ Home button and Touch ID are solid and reliable.
- ✅ Likely the last iPhone with the iPhone 6 design.
- ✅ Wireless charging is available, but no MagSafe.
- ✅ Basic water resistance.
- ✅ The liquid glass interface feels a little out of place, with occasional lag.
06:42 - 09:10
5. 📸 Photography Capabilities: Front and Rear Cameras
- ⚠️ 7-megapixel front selfie camera is outdated but sufficient for basic use.
- ⚠️ Rear camera is a single 12-megapixel sensor from the iPhone 8 (2017).
- ⚠️ No night mode, leading to poor low-light performance.
- ✅ Video can be filmed in 4K at 60 frames per second.
- ⚠️ Camera performance is generally bad, especially in low light.
09:11 - 10:50
6. 🤔 Final Verdict: Still Worth It in 2026?
- ❌ Difficult to recommend buying in 2026; consider upgrading if you own one.
- ✅ The iPhone 17e or iPhone 17 are better upgrade options.
- ✅ Best suited for users with minimal phone needs or as a backup device.
- ⚠️ Too many compromises for most users.
- ✅ The A15 chipset and 4GB of RAM are the main upsides.