When it comes to budget iPhones, the SE is the name that comes to mind first, but if you are willing to spend just a bit more, you can actually have something with a much larger screen, bigger battery, a secondary camera, Face ID, swipe navigation and a few extras on top of that.
So… in this article, we go over the differences between the two phones in detail and try to give you a sense of the pros and cons of each model. And ultimately, help you decide which of these two would fit you better!
Let’s waste no time and take a closer look…
iPhone SE (2022) vs iPhone 11 differences:
- SE is more compact and has lighter weight
- iPhone 11 has larger screen
- iPhone 11 has Face ID, SE 3 has Touch ID
- iPhone 11 has an ultra-wide camera
- iPhone 11 has swipe nav, iPhone SE has a button
- SE is $70 cheaper
- SE is newer, will receive software updates longer
Design and Display Quality
Small and compact, the SE is easier to carry in a pocket, but its smaller screen makes it less practical
The first and probably most notable difference is just in the size of these two: the iPhone SE with its 4.7-inch screen looks tiny in comparison to the bigger, thicker and overall bulkier iPhone 11 with its 6.1-inch display.
Just take a look at our size comparison tool, compact phone lovers would be super pleased with the SE:
That’s quite the difference in size and weight, don’t you think?
In terms of practicality, though, both have water and dust protection, but the iPhone 11 actually has a higher IP68 certification vs IP67 rating on the SE (meaning the 11 can survive a drop in deeper water, theoretically).
If you don’t mind a bigger phone, the iPhone 11 rewards with a far more useful 6.1-inch screen compared to the smallish, 4.7-inch one on the SE. And for those who do stuff on their phone, this matters a lot.
Unfortunately, both phones use LCD screens, one compromise of budget iPhones. Both are also quite low-res, so if you look closer you’d notice a bit of pixelation. And of course, don’t expect anything beyond the traditional 60Hz refresh rate here.
Display measurements and quality
On the biometrics front, having the older Touch ID technology on the SE might actually prove more popular in these Covid times when wearing a mask is still a must in many places, while the iPhone 11 relies on Face ID.
Performance and Software
Strangely, the SE has faster performance than the bigger iPhone 11
Apple has a bit of an obsession with speed and performance, and that’s great because this cheaper and newer SE actually has faster performance than the iPhone 11.
That’s of course because of the age of the phones: the SE, out of 2022, vs the iPhone 11 released way back in 2019.
And this A15 chip is no joke: it will be relevant for years to come, but it’s also not to be overestimated. In real life, with regular tasks, you should not expect to see a huge difference in performance and both these phones run just fine with whatever you throw at them.
In terms of software, the SE (2022) being the newer phone compared to a 2 and a half year old iPhone 11, also means you get 2.5 years more software updates, so it is more future proof.
Camera
How much do you care about that ultra-wide camera?
The SE sticks with a single rear camera compared to a dual camera system on the iPhone 11, where the second one is an ultra-wide shooter which often comes in handy for tight spaces.
However, with a faster A15 chip inside the SE, it has some tricks that the iPhone 11 lacks like Photographic Styles for example, as well as the Smart HDR 4 engine that also enhances color, contrast and noise.
iPhone SE (2022) vs iPhone 11 camera samples
The differences are definitely very minor when it comes to photos captured during the day, but what about night photos?
iPhone SE (2022) vs iPhone 11 night photos
While you can notice a difference in color reproduction on the iPhone 11 which has more saturated tonalities, there aren’t any major differences in daytime video recording and both phones do a good job.
The gap between the two gets very noticeable with low light videos, however, where colors from the SE appear washed out and not quite as sharp and lively.
Audio Quality and Haptics
The smaller form factor of the SE does limit how loud it can get, though. We would say that sound quality is quite comparable between the two, and neither of them is the top performer that would wow you.
Battery Life and Charging
iPhone 11 has the edge
One of the main limitations of the iPhone SE design is that it is just so slim and miniature that you cannot fit a giant battery inside.
No such issue on the iPhone 11!
Apple officially measures battery life in hours of continuous video playback, and here are the battery numbers for the new iPhone SE vs the iPhone 11.
| Video Playback | Video Streaming | Audio Playback | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone SE (2022) | 15 | 10 | 50 |
| iPhone 11 | 17 | 10 | 65 |
*all values above are measured in hours.
As you can see, the SE is not that far behind the 11, but it is behind. And especially so with audio playback time, which usually corresponds with casual use too.
The maximum charging speeds on both phones are at about 18 watts, and we’d recommend getting the 20W official Apple charger. It’s always wise to stick with official charger or proven alternatives.
Both the SE and the 11 also support wireless charging, and neither has the newer magnetic MagSafe standard.
Summary and Final Verdict
So… which one would it be: the iPhone SE (2022) or the iPhone 11?
For someone who spends a lot of time on their phone, the iPhone 11 seems like the more reasonable choice, if only for the longer battery life, but it also has other advantages like a larger screen, gesture nav and the ultra-wide camera.
However, if you ask on a purely emotional level, you’d probably hear many people wishing for a truly compact phone and the SE is just that. Plus, it’s cheaper, and its battery life is no longer all that bad. And it has a button. It’s nostalgic.
So… which one would you pick?
