There isn’t any way to dance around it: the battery life of iPhone SE is by default the worst of any iPhone model released in the same year. Why is this so? The iPhone SE series consists of the smallest models in Apple’s smartphone line-up. This means that it also has the smallest batteries. Small batteries are poor battery life are bosom friends.
Whether you are looking at the original iPhone SE released in 2016, the 2020 model, or the 2022 model, the battery life of iPhone SE models is nothing to be excited about. If you are after really good battery life in an iPhone, you should be looking at the Pro and Pro Max models. But perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. How bad is the battery life of iPhone SE devices? Come find out.
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Battery life of iPhone SE 2016
The original SE was released in 2016 with a battery capacity of 1624 mAh. That is a rather small capacity and I did not have any hopes that the device would hold up for long hours. At that time, regular iPhone models already had a nasty reputation for poor battery life. The battery life of iPhone SE lived up to that reputation.
It provided about 14 hours of non-stop video playback. That might seem like a lot, but the iPhone 14 goes over 18 hours at it, and the Samsung Galaxy S23 does about the same on a full charge. Like I said already, smaller battery sizes make great battery life difficult.
Battery life of iPhone SE 2020
Fast forward four years to the iPhone SE 2020. This improved model arrived with a slightly beefier 1821 mAh, 18W fast wired charging, and 7.5W wireless charging. However, it did not deliver any battery performance improvements to its predecessor overall. If you were to play video on it, non-stop, the battery would run out in about 9 hours only.
Battery life of iPhone SE 2022
The iPhone SE (2022) has a battery capacity that is larger than the battery in both the original iPhone SE and the iPhone SE (2020), yet it delivers even less usage times on a full charge. With a 2018 mAh battery, one would expect it to best its older siblings, but it does not.
In my personal usage, the iPhone SE 2022’s battery lasted for as little as 6 hours under heavy usage. You will get only 10 hours of non-stop video playback on this model. Bummer. On days I had to go out, if I was driving, I had a car charger handy for the SE 2022. If I was not driving, I carried along with me a portable battery (power bank). The SE 2022 is a powerful beast, but the Achilles heel of this device is the poor battery life. You can check out our iPhone SE 2022 review for more details.
What to do to improve the battery life of iPhone SE smartphones
There are several things you can do to improve the battery life of your iPhone SE:
- Update your iPhone SE to the latest version of iOS. Apple often includes battery life improvements in software updates.
- Reduce screen brightness. Brightness is one of the biggest battery drainers, so reducing it can help extend battery life.
- Disable Raise to Wake. This feature wakes up your phone’s screen when you lift it, but it can also drain battery life. Disabling it can help extend battery life.
- Use Wi-Fi instead of cellular data whenever possible. Wi-Fi uses less power than cellular data, so using Wi-Fi whenever possible can help extend battery life.
- Use a battery case or portable charger. If you need to use your phone for an extended period of time, a battery case or portable charger can help extend battery life. In my personal experience with the SE range, this is an absolute must. get an external battery pack of some sort if you want to be able to use your iPhone SE all day.
By following these tips, you can help improve the battery life of your iPhone SE and get more out of your device. If solid battery life is important to you, do not buy an SE model; get one of the iPhone Pro or Pro Max models. Thank me later.