Apple
iPhone SE (2nd gen) 256GB
A13 · iOS · 256GB
72
/ 100
From $499
VS
iPhone 17 Pro Max wins by 26
Apple
iPhone 17 Pro Max
A19 Pro · 6.9″ LTPO · Titanium
98
/ 100
From $1,199
Specdex verdict
iPhone 17 Pro Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, iPhone SE (2nd gen) 256GB lands at 72 and iPhone 17 Pro Max at 98. That puts iPhone 17 Pro Max ahead by 26 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick iPhone SE (2nd gen) 256GB if…
- ✓iOS ecosystem
- ✓Long update support
- ✓Polished hardware
Pick iPhone 17 Pro Max if…
- ✓Industry-leading A19 Pro silicon
- ✓New vapor-chamber cooling
- ✓Apple Intelligence Gen 2
iPhone SE (2nd gen) 256GB 72
vs 98 iPhone 17 Pro Max
Score breakdown
iPhone SE (2nd gen) 256GB
72 cpu 72
gpu 70
camera 71
battery 66
display 69
design 72
iPhone 17 Pro Max
98 cpu 100
gpu 98
camera 98
battery 90
display 95
design 96
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | iPhone SE (2nd gen) 256GB | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | A13 | Apple A19 Pro (3 nm) |
| Storage | 256GB | 256 / 512 GB / 1 TB / 2 TB |
| OS | iOS 14 | iOS 19 |
| Release year | 2020 | — |
| Display | — | 6.9″ LTPO OLED, 120Hz, 2868×1320 |
| RAM | — | 12 GB |
| Rear camera | — | 48 MP + 48 MP UW + 48 MP 6× tele |
| Battery | — | 4800 mAh |
| Charging | — | 45W wired, 30W MagSafe |
| Weight | — | 232 g |
| IP rating | — | IP68 |
iPhone SE (2nd gen) 256GB
Pros
- +iOS ecosystem
- +Long update support
- +Polished hardware
Cons
- −Premium pricing
- −Limited customization
- −Lightning/USB-C split across generations
iPhone 17 Pro Max
Pros
- +Industry-leading A19 Pro silicon
- +New vapor-chamber cooling
- +Apple Intelligence Gen 2
Cons
- −Premium price
- −Weight crept up with titanium chassis
- −Still 45 W charging ceiling
FAQ: iPhone SE (2nd gen) 256GB vs iPhone 17 Pro Max
Which is better, iPhone SE (2nd gen) 256GB or iPhone 17 Pro Max? +
iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 98 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 26. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is iPhone SE (2nd gen) 256GB worth the price? +
At $499, iPhone SE (2nd gen) 256GB delivers a Specdex score of 72 — strongest in cpu.
Is iPhone 17 Pro Max worth the price? +
At $1,199, iPhone 17 Pro Max delivers a Specdex score of 98 — strongest in cpu.
Does iPhone SE (2nd gen) 256GB or iPhone 17 Pro Max last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.