Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone SE (2020)
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max and Apple iPhone SE (2020) sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Apple iPhone SE (2020) is the cheaper of the two at $399 versus $1,199, a difference of about $800. The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max stands out for 48mp periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom, while Apple iPhone SE (2020) is praised for incredibly affordable at $399 with flagship a13 chip. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max if…
- →48MP periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom
- →4823 mAh battery for all-day use
- →Up to 2TB storage
Buy the Apple iPhone SE (2020) if…
- →Incredibly affordable at $399 with flagship A13 chip
- →Compact and lightweight design
- →Touch ID home button
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Pros
- 48MP periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom
- 4823 mAh battery for all-day use
- Up to 2TB storage
- Ceramic Shield 2 front and back
- Spatial Video recording
Cons
- 227g is heavy
- Still 27W wired charging
- $1199 starting price
- Aluminum unibody less premium feel than titanium
Apple iPhone SE (2020)
Pros
- Incredibly affordable at $399 with flagship A13 chip
- Compact and lightweight design
- Touch ID home button
- Wi-Fi 6 support
- Long software support from Apple
Cons
- Tiny 1821 mAh battery with poor endurance
- Dated design with thick bezels
- Single rear camera with no ultrawide
- 750p LCD display
- No 5G support
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | Apple iPhone SE (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 19 | iOS 13 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 227 g | 148 g |
| Material | Aluminum unibody frame, Ceramic Shield 2 | Aluminum frame, glass back |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Dimensions | 163 x 78 x 8.3 mm | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP, f/1.6, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 24 MP, f/1.9 | 7 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@120fps ProRes, Spatial Video | 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 48 MP, f/2.8, 8x optical zoom, periscope | — |
| Ultrawide | 48 MP, f/2.2 | — |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 12 GB | 3 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB | 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4823 mAh | 1821 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 18W wired (adapter sold separately) |
| Wireless charging | 25W MagSafe | 7.5W Qi |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.9 inches | 4.7 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion | Retina IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 1320 x 2868 | 1334 x 750 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 625 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | 6-core | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) |
| GPU | 6-core GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) |
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro | Apple A13 Bionic |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 (Thunderbolt) | Lightning |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.0 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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