iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone SE (3rd gen)
80.4Performance44
65.9Display21.3
63.7Camera31.9
69.3Battery27.7
89.3Features89.3
16 spec wins — iPhone 17 Pro Max2 spec wins — iPhone SE (3rd gen)
InnoReviews verdict
iPhone 17 Pro Max wins this phone face-off, 72.8 to 38.3, pulling ahead mainly in display (+45) and battery (+42). 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 17 Pro Max
- Stronger performance score: 80 vs 44
- Stronger display score: 66 vs 21
- Stronger camera score: 64 vs 32
- Stronger battery score: 69 vs 28
- 380% higher Peak brightness: 3,000 nits vs 625 nits
Reasons to pick the iPhone SE (3rd gen)
- 38% lower weight: 144 g vs 233 g
- 17% lower thickness: 7.3 mm vs 8.8 mm
- Lower launch price: $429 vs $1,199
Display
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.9 ″+47% | 4.7 ″ |
| Panel type | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | Retina IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 1320x2868 | 750x1334 |
| Pixel density | 460 ppi+41% | 326 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz+100% | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 3,000 nits+380% | 625 nits |
| Screen-to-body | 91.2 %+39% | 65.4 % |
Performance
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro | Apple A15 Bionic |
| AnTuTu 10 | 2,150,000+142% | 890,000 |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,850+83% | 2,100 |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 9,700+87% | 5,200 |
| RAM (max) | 12 GB+200% | 4 GB |
| Storage options | 256/512GB/1TB/2TB | 64/128/256GB |
| Storage type | NVMe | NVMe |
Camera
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 48 MP+300% | 12 MP |
| Main aperture | f/1.78 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | 48 MP | — |
| Telephoto | 48 MP | — |
| Optical zoom | 4 x+300% | 1 x |
| Max video | 4K@120fps | 4K@60fps |
| Front camera | 18 MP+157% | 7 MP |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5,088 mAh+152% | 2,018 mAh |
| Wired charging | 40 W+100% | 20 W |
| Wireless charging | 25 W+233% | 8 W |
| Active use endurance | 14 h+100% | 7 h |
Design
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 233 g | 144 g+38% |
| Thickness | 8.8 mm | 7.3 mm+17% |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Frame material | Aluminum unibody | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 | 5.0 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 | Lightning |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | iOS 26 | iOS 15 |
| OS update pledge | 6 years | 6 years |
Audio
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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