Third-Generation iPhone SE Features Increased 4GB of RAM

Apple this week unveiled a third-generation iPhone SE, with key new features being an A15 chip, 5G support, longer battery life, camera enhancements, and more durable glass. While not advertised by Apple, the new iPhone SE also features more RAM.

iPhone SE 3 stacked
With assistance from developer Moritz Sternemann, MacRumors has confirmed that the third-generation iPhone SE features 4GB of RAM, compared to 3GB in the previous model. This information is sourced from strings within the Xcode 13.3 Release Candidate that Apple released following its "Peek Performance" event on Tuesday.

The same type of Xcode strings have accurately revealed the amount of RAM in several generations of iPhones and iPads. For example, the strings revealed that the sixth-generation iPad mini also has an increased 4GB of RAM.

Photo and video editing apps can benefit from access to more RAM, as they are able to keep more layers stored in memory. Additional RAM can also allow more apps and pages loaded in Safari to remain active in the background.

The new iPhone SE will be available to pre-order starting at 5 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, March 11 in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, and more than 30 other countries and regions. Deliveries to customers and in-store availability will begin Friday, March 18.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Coming to These 8 U.S. States, But Rollout Remains Slow

Wednesday March 19, 2025 6:55 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly. It has been three and a half years since Apple first announced the...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features

Tuesday March 18, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the devices. Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said ...
iPhone 17 Air Fanned Feature

First iPhone 17 Air Case Has Camera Bar, Camera Control Button Cutouts

Wednesday March 19, 2025 5:29 am PDT by
Serial leaker Sonny Dickson today shared an image of what he claims is a first look at a third-party case for Apple's iPhone 17 Air. "If you didn’t know an Air was coming, you'd swear it was a Google Pixel case," he said. Case manufacturers often obtain design specifications of upcoming iPhone models before their release by collaborating with Apple through official partnerships or...
iphone 16 pro models 1

All Four iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Upgraded 24-Megapixel Front Camera and More

Monday March 17, 2025 7:50 pm PDT by
All four iPhone 17 models launching later this year will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according to analyst Jeff Pu. In a research note today with investment firm GF Securities, Pu shared a chart in which he reiterated that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with a 24-megapixel front camera. By comparison, all four ...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

iOS 19 to Have Some of the 'Biggest' Design Changes in iPhone's History

Sunday March 16, 2025 10:35 am PDT by
Apple is planning some of the "biggest iOS and macOS redesigns in its history," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman reiterated that iOS 19 will have a visionOS-like design with more transparent interfaces:The new interfaces will adopt the design principles introduced in visionOS, the software for Apple's Vision Pro headset. That includes greater...
Windows Vista

Apple Might Be Having Its Windows Vista Moment, Says Analyst

Thursday March 20, 2025 6:52 am PDT by
Is Apple experiencing a "Vista-like drift into systemically poor execution?" That was a question posed by well-known technology analyst Benedict Evans, in a recent blog post covering Apple's innovation and execution, or seemingly lack thereof as of late. He is referring to Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system, which was widely criticized when it launched in 2007 due to software bugs,...
new magsafe charger

Apple Releases New MagSafe Charger Firmware

Tuesday March 18, 2025 11:33 am PDT by
Apple today released a firmware update for the 25W MagSafe Charger that is compatible with the iPhone 12 and later and the latest AirPods. The updated firmware is version 2A146, up from the 2A143 firmware that came out earlier this year. In the Settings app, the new firmware is version 136, up from 133. Apple launched the 2024 MagSafe charger alongside the iPhone 16 models, and it is able to ...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 and iOS 20 Must Include a Long List of Major Changes, EU Says

Wednesday March 19, 2025 10:26 am PDT by
The European Commission today announced a long list of changes that Apple is legally required to implement in future iOS 19 and iOS 20 updates. The announcement clarifies interoperability requirements that Apple is required to adhere to in the EU, under the Digital Markets Act, which has been fully enforced since March 2024. The changes will further open up the iPhone and its technologies to ...

Top Rated Comments

44267547 Avatar
40 months ago

It could be the underclocked A15 from the iPad Mini 6.
So what if it is? Consumers don’t care about that. With the A15, that’s at least five years of iOS updates from a compact iPhone priced at $429 with improved battery life. I’m pretty sure that’s the selling point here.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Klae17 Avatar
40 months ago
Translation: We are going to keep this design for another 4 years.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reggaenald Avatar
40 months ago
Wait, is it featuring the exact same chip as the iPhone 13 Pro? That reminds me of the first SE which was actually faster than the 6s and 6s Plus because the screen was smaller and lower res. Funny.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DFZD Avatar
40 months ago
So much performance. So little screen.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CheesePuff Avatar
40 months ago

Wait, is it featuring the exact same chip as the iPhone 13 Pro? That reminds me of the first SE which was actually faster than the 6s and 6s Plus because the screen was smaller and lower res. Funny.
No, it’s the same chip as the 13. The 13 Pro has one additional GPU core
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rr23 Avatar
40 months ago
This SE3 will be incredibly snappy and fast in day to day use.

I’m pretty sure it’s going to be noticeably faster when navigating between screens than the rest of the iPhone 13 lineup. It’s probably not a huge difference, but I’m sure it’s there.

The same thing happened with SE2 and iPhone 11. If you play with both side by side, you will clearly notice that the SE2 is snappier, despite having the same chipset.

I plan on upgrading to the SE3 from my iPhone 13 Pro for the following reasons:

- Face ID just sucks. For me, Touch ID is far more reliable and convenient.
- 13 Pro is too bulky and heavy. Feels like a brick. Never got used to it.
- 13 Pro has extra cameras that I never use. Bunch of gimmicks all around that are useless to me.

Now that SE3 comes with an improved camera and 5G, it’s a no-brainer to me.

I just wish Apple offered it in black. There should always be a black color. I emphasize black, no graphite or midnight. The midnight is actually a rich navy, which is clearly blue during the day.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)