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 Roundup: iPhone SE
Buyer's Guide: iPhone SE (Caution)
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

44267547 Avatar
28 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
28 months ago
Translation: We are going to keep this design for another 4 years.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reggaenald Avatar
28 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
28 months ago
So much performance. So little screen.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CheesePuff Avatar
28 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
28 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)

Popular Stories

iOS 18 Siri Integrated Feature

iOS 18 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Friday April 12, 2024 11:11 am PDT by
iOS 18 is expected to be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. iOS 18 is rumored to include new generative AI features for Siri and many apps, and Apple plans to add RCS support to the Messages app for an improved texting experience between iPhones and Android devices. The update is also expected to introduce a more...
iGBA Feature

Game Boy Emulator for iPhone Now Available in App Store Following Rule Change [Removed]

Sunday April 14, 2024 8:06 am PDT by
A week after Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to permit retro game console emulators, a Game Boy emulator for the iPhone called iGBA has appeared in the App Store worldwide. The emulator is already one of the top free apps on the App Store charts. It was not entirely clear if Apple would allow emulators to work with all and any games, but iGBA is able to load any Game Boy ROMs that...
iOS NES Emulator Bimmy Feature

NES Emulator for iPhone and iPad Now Available on App Store [Removed]

Tuesday April 16, 2024 11:33 am PDT by
The first approved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator for the iPhone and iPad was made available on the App Store today following Apple's rule change. The emulator is called Bimmy, and it was developed by Tom Salvo. On the App Store, Bimmy is described as a tool for testing and playing public domain/"homebrew" games created for the NES, but the app allows you to load ROMs for any...
iGBA Feature

Apple Removes Game Boy Emulator iGBA From App Store Due to Spam and Copyright Violations

Sunday April 14, 2024 9:22 pm PDT by
Apple today said it removed Game Boy emulator iGBA from the App Store for violating the company's App Review Guidelines related to spam (section 4.3) and copyright (section 5.2), but it did not provide any specific details. iGBA was a copycat version of developer Riley Testut's open-source GBA4iOS app. The emulator rose to the top of the App Store charts following its release this weekend,...
iOS 18 Siri Integrated Feature

Apple's First AI Features in iOS 18 Reportedly Won't Use Cloud Servers

Sunday April 14, 2024 9:52 am PDT by
Apple's first set of new AI features planned for iOS 18 will not rely on cloud servers at all, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "As the world awaits Apple's big AI unveiling on June 10, it looks like the initial wave of features will work entirely on device," said Gurman, in the Q&A section of his Power On newsletter today. "That means there's no cloud processing component to the...
m3 mbp space black

M4 Macs Are Expected to Launch in This Order Starting Later This Year

Sunday April 14, 2024 10:40 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently reported that the first Macs with M4 series chips will be released later this year, with more models to follow next year. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman shared a more specific roadmap for these Macs. Here is the order in which Gurman expects the Macs to launch:1. A low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4, coming around the end of 2024. 2. A 24-inch ...
new best buy blue

Best Buy Opens Up Sitewide Sale With Record Low Prices on M3 MacBook Air, iPad, and Much More

Saturday April 13, 2024 7:41 am PDT by
Best Buy this weekend has a big sale on Apple MacBooks and iPads, including new all-time low prices on the M3 MacBook Air, alongside the best prices we've ever seen on MacBook Pro, iPad, and more. Some of these deals require a My Best Buy Plus or My Best Buy Total membership, which start at $49.99/year. In addition to exclusive access to select discounts, you'll get free 2-day shipping, an...