iPhone 4s vs iPhone SE (2022): A Generational Leap?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The iPhone SE (2022) is the clear winner. While the iPhone 4s was revolutionary in its time, the SE's vastly superior performance, modern features like 5G, and significantly improved camera make it the better choice for most users. The 4s remains a nostalgic option for some.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPhone 4s | Apple iPhone SE (2022) |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2783, A2784, A2785 |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2783, A2784, A2785, A2782 |
| Speed | HSPA 14.4/5.76 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2595 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2011, October 04. Released 2011, October 14 | 2022, March 08 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2022, March 18 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back, stainless steel frame | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm (4.54 x 2.31 x 0.37 in) | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm (5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | Micro-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 140 g (4.94 oz) | 144 g (5.08 oz) |
| Scratch-resistant glass back panel | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass, oleophobic coating | Ion-strengthened glass |
| Resolution | 640 x 960 pixels, 3:2 ratio (~330 ppi density) | 750 x 1334 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~326 ppi density) |
| Size | 3.5 inches, 36.5 cm2 (~54.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 4.7 inches, 60.9 cm2 (~65.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Retina IPS LCD, 625 nits (typ) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Dual-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9 | Hexa-core (2x3.22 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) |
| Chipset | Apple A5 (45 nm) | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | PowerVR SGX543MP2 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | iOS 5, upgradable to iOS 9.3.6 | iOS 15.4, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 8GB 512MB RAM, 16GB 512MB RAM, 32GB 512MB RAM, 64GB 512MB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM |
| - | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.4, 35mm (standard), 1/3.2", 1.4µm, AF | 12 MP, f/1.8 (wide), PDAF, OIS |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, OIS, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | VGA, videocalling over Wi-Fi and 3G | 7 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 480p@30fps | 1080p@30/120fps; gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | - | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | 2.0 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | - | 20W wired, 50% in 30 min 7.5W wireless (Qi) |
| Stand-by | Up to 200 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 8 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Po 1432 mAh, non-removable (5.3 Wh) | Li-Ion 2018 mAh (6.96 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White | Midnight, Starlight, Red |
| Models | A1431, A1387, iPhone4,1 | A2783, A2595, A2785, A2782, A2784, iphone14,6 |
| Price | About 190 EUR | $ 119.84 / C$ 199.99 / £ 142.00 / € 173.00 |
| SAR | 1.18 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) | 1.20 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -91.2dB / Crosstalk -93.0dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 45h | Endurance rating 62h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: 1261:1 (nominal) / 2.269:1 (sunlight) | Contrast ratio: 1424:1 (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 65dB / Noise 64dB / Ring 74dB | -25.2 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 723486 (v9) GeekBench: 4629 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Apple iPhone 4s
- Nostalgic design
- Very affordable
- Compact size
- Outdated performance
- Poor camera
- Limited app compatibility
- Slow charging
- No 5G
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
- Powerful A15 Bionic chip
- Excellent camera
- Modern features (5G, wireless charging)
- Compact size
- Good value
- Battery life could be better
- Design is somewhat dated
Display Comparison
The iPhone SE (2022) boasts a significantly brighter display (605 nits vs. unknown for 4s) and a similar contrast ratio (1424:1 vs 1261:1 nominal, 2.269:1 sunlight). While both offer good viewing angles, the SE's brightness makes it much more usable outdoors. The 4s's display is adequate but noticeably less vibrant.
Camera Comparison
While both have 'Photo / Video' capabilities, the iPhone SE (2022)'s camera is vastly superior. It benefits from Apple's computational photography advancements, resulting in sharper, more detailed photos and videos, especially in low light. The 4s's camera is dated and produces noticeably inferior results.
Performance
The A15 Bionic in the iPhone SE (2022) is a monumental upgrade over the A5 in the iPhone 4s. Expect lightning-fast app loading, smooth multitasking, and effortless handling of demanding games. The 4s struggles with modern apps and can feel sluggish by today's standards. The SE's hexa-core CPU blows the 4s's dual-core processor out of the water.
Battery Life
Both devices offer an endurance rating of 45h/62h respectively. However, the iPhone SE (2022) benefits from faster charging (20W wired, 7.5W wireless) compared to the 4s, which lacks wireless charging and has a slower wired charging speed.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the iPhone 4s? Primarily those seeking a nostalgic experience or a very budget-friendly device for basic tasks. Who should buy the iPhone SE (2022)? Anyone wanting a powerful, compact iPhone with a modern chipset, good camera, and reliable performance at a reasonable price.