iPhone SE 2022 vs iPhone 8: A Head-to-Head Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The iPhone SE (2022) wins thanks to its significantly faster A15 Bionic chip, offering a noticeable performance boost. While battery life is similar, the SE's modern internals and slightly better display make it the superior choice, especially for those prioritizing speed and future-proofing.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPhone SE (2022) | Apple iPhone 8 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 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 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 |
| 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, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| 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 | 2022, March 08 | 2017, September 12. Released 2017, September 22 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, March 18 | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm (5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 in) | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm (5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 144 g (5.08 oz) | 148 g (5.22 oz) |
| IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 mins) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Ion-strengthened glass | Ion-strengthened glass |
| Resolution | 750 x 1334 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~326 ppi density) | 750 x 1334 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~326 ppi density) |
| Size | 4.7 inches, 60.9 cm2 (~65.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 4.7 inches, 60.9 cm2 (~65.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Retina IPS LCD, 625 nits (typ) | Retina IPS LCD, 625 nits (typ) |
| - | 3D Touch display & home button | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.22 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) | Hexa-core (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) |
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) | Apple A11 Bionic (10 nm) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Apple GPU (three-core graphics) |
| OS | iOS 15.4, upgradable to iOS 26.1 | iOS 11, up to iOS 16.7.12 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM | 64GB 2GB RAM, 128GB 2GB RAM, 256GB 2GB RAM |
| NVMe | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR |
| Single | 12 MP, f/1.8 (wide), PDAF, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), PDAF, OIS |
| Video | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, OIS, stereo sound rec. | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | Face detection, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 7 MP, f/2.2 | 7 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 1080p@30/120fps; gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 20W wired, 50% in 30 min 7.5W wireless (Qi) | 15W wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi) |
| Talk time | - | Up to 14 h (3G) |
| Type | Li-Ion 2018 mAh (6.96 Wh) | Li-Ion 1821 mAh, non-removable (6.96 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Midnight, Starlight, Red | Silver, Space Gray, Gold, Red |
| Models | A2783, A2595, A2785, A2782, A2784, iphone14,6 | A1863, A1905, A1906, A1907, iPhone10,1, iPhone10,4 |
| Price | $ 119.84 / C$ 199.99 / £ 142.00 / € 173.00 | About 210 EUR |
| SAR | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) | 1.32 W/kg (head) 1.36 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.20 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body) | 1.19 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -93.5dB / Crosstalk -80.4dB |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 62h | Endurance rating 66h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: 1424:1 (nominal) | Contrast ratio: 1395:1 (nominal), 3.957 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | -25.2 LUFS (Very good) | Voice 71dB / Noise 77dB / Ring 80dB |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 723486 (v9) GeekBench: 4629 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 237594 (v7) GeekBench: 10214 (v4.4) GFXBench: 20fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
- Significantly faster A15 Bionic chip
- Better peak display brightness
- Improved camera performance
- 5G connectivity
- Modern iOS experience
- Smaller screen size
- No advanced camera features (e.g., Night mode improvements)
- Older design
Apple iPhone 8
- More affordable
- Familiar iOS experience
- Compact size
- Good sunlight visibility
- Slower A11 Bionic chip
- Lower peak display brightness
- Older design
- No 5G connectivity
Display Comparison
The iPhone SE (2022) boasts a higher measured peak brightness of 605 nits compared to the iPhone 8's 3.957 in sunlight, offering better visibility outdoors. Both have a similar contrast ratio (1424:1 vs 1395:1), but the SE's brightness advantage is noticeable. The iPhone 8's display is generally considered good, but the SE's is slightly more modern.
Camera Comparison
While both phones offer decent photo and video capabilities, the iPhone SE (2022) benefits from Apple's computational photography advancements. It generally produces slightly better images, especially in low light, and offers improved video stabilization. The iPhone 8's camera is still capable, but the SE's is a step up.
Performance
This is where the iPhone SE (2022) truly shines. The A15 Bionic chip is a massive upgrade over the A11 Bionic in the iPhone 8. Expect significantly faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance. The A15 is also more power-efficient, despite the similar battery life.
Battery Life
Both phones have a similar endurance rating of 62-66 hours. However, the iPhone SE (2022)'s more efficient A15 chip might translate to slightly better real-world battery life under heavy usage.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Apple iPhone SE (2022)? Users seeking a powerful, compact phone with a modern processor and iOS experience, even if it means sacrificing some features like a larger screen and advanced camera capabilities. Who should buy the Apple iPhone 8? Those on a very tight budget who prioritize affordability and a familiar iOS experience, and don't need the latest performance.