iPhone 12 vs iPhone SE (3rd gen)
43.9Performance44
32.6Display21.3
33.5Camera31.9
24.2Battery27.7
89.3Features89.3
7 spec wins — iPhone 124 spec wins — iPhone SE (3rd gen)
InnoReviews verdict
iPhone 12 wins this phone face-off, 40.2 to 38.3, pulling ahead mainly in display (+11) and camera (+2). iPhone SE (3rd gen) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the iPhone 12
- Stronger display score: 33 vs 21
- 100% higher Wireless charging: 15 W vs 8 W
- 92% higher Peak brightness: 1,200 nits vs 625 nits
- 71% higher Front camera: 12 MP vs 7 MP
- 41% higher Pixel density: 460 ppi vs 326 ppi
Reasons to pick the iPhone SE (3rd gen)
- Stronger battery score: 28 vs 24
- 12% lower weight: 144 g vs 164 g
- Lower launch price: $429 vs $799
Display
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.1 ″+30% | 4.7 ″ |
| Panel type | OLED | Retina IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 2532x1170 | 750x1334 |
| Pixel density | 460 ppi+41% | 326 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,200 nits+92% | 625 nits |
| Screen-to-body | — | 65.4 % |
Performance
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | Apple A15 Bionic |
| AnTuTu 10 | 950,000+7%Top 51% | 890,000Top 59% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,080Top 28% | 2,100+1%Top 27% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 4,900Top 35% | 5,200+6%Top 32% |
| RAM (max) | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Storage options | 64GB / 128GB / 256GB | 64/128/256GB |
| Storage type | NVMe | NVMe |
Camera
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Main aperture | f/1.6 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | — |
| Optical zoom | — | 1 x |
| Max video | 4K@60fps | 4K@60fps |
| Front camera | 12 MP+71% | 7 MP |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 2,815 mAh+39% | 2,018 mAh |
| Wired charging | 20 W | 20 W |
| Wireless charging | 15 W+100% | 8 W |
| Active use endurance | — | 7 h |
Design
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 164 g | 144 g+12% |
| Thickness | 7.4 mm | 7.3 mm+1% |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | Lightning | Lightning |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | iOS 14 | iOS 15 |
| OS update pledge | 6 years | 6 years |
Audio
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |