iPhone Xs Max vs iPhone SE 2nd Gen 2020

Swappasaurus says...
Migrating from the iPhone Xs Max to the iPhone SE 2 gets you a slightly faster device in a much smaller package. Instead of the 6.5-inch Super Retina HD OLED found on the Xs Max, the iPhone SE 2020 offers a 4.7-inch Retina HD display based on LCD technology. But don’t let the traditional design and home button with Touch ID fool you; the iPhone SE 2 packs the powerful A13 Bionic chip with third-generation Neural Engine. Moving to the iPhone SE 2nd generation also means that you lose the secondary telephoto camera, but overall image quality is increased thanks to next-generation Smart HDR for photos.
Price Comparison
iPhone Xs Max vs iPhone SE 2nd Gen 2020 Pricing
Specs Comparison
The iPhone XS Max specs include a 6.5” display, 4G LTE, Apple A12 Bionic chip, up to 512GB of storage, a dual 12MP rear camera system, and Face ID for device security. The iPhone SE (2020) specs include a 4.7” display, 4G LTE, Apple A13 Bionic chip, up to 128GB of storage, a 12MP wide-angle rear camera, and Touch ID with a home button for device security.
Size | iPhone Xs Max | iPhone SE 2nd Gen 2020 |
---|---|---|
Width | 77 mm 3.1 inches | 67 mm 2.7 inches |
Height | 158 mm 6.2 inches | 138 mm 5.5 inches |
Depth | 8 mm 0.3 inches | 7 mm 0.3 inches |
Weight | 208 g 7.3 ounces | 148 g 5.2 ounces |
The iPhone SE (2020) has a smaller display and is smaller and lighter than the iPhone XS Max. Measurements for the iPhone SE (2020) are as follows: 5.45” (H) x 2.65” (W) x 0.29” (D), with a weight of 5.22 ounces, and a 4.7” display. The iPhone XS Max has measurements of 6.20” (H) x 3.05” (W) x 0.30” (D), with a weight of 7.34 ounces, and a 6.5” display.
Camera | iPhone Xs Max | iPhone SE 2nd Gen 2020 |
---|---|---|
Primary | 12.2 MP | 12.2 MP |
Resolution | 4032x3024 | 4032x3024 |
The iPhone XS Max has a dual 12MP rear camera system with a wide and telephoto lens. The iPhone SE (2020) has a single 12MP wide-angle rear camera. But while the iPhone SE (2020) doesn’t have the telephoto lens found on the iPhone XS Max, the overall feature sets are similar. For example, both phones support key features such as Portrait Mode, Portrait Lighting, Smart HDR for photos, 1080p HD video recording (at 25, 30, or 60 fps), and 4K video recording (at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps).
Display | iPhone Xs Max | iPhone SE 2nd Gen 2020 |
---|---|---|
Resolution | 1242x2688 | 750x1334 |
Screen Size | 165 mm 6.5 in | 120 mm 4.7 in |
Pixels Per Inch | 456 ppi | 326 ppi |
The screen on the iPhone XS Max is larger than the screen on the iPhone SE (2020), and it is also of higher quality. The iPhone XS Max features a 6.5” Super Retina HD (OLED) HDR display with a resolution of 2688 x 1242 and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. In comparison, the iPhone SE (2020) features a 4.7” Retina HD (LCD) display with a resolution of 1334 x 750 and a contrast ratio of 1,400:1. Both phones support wide color (P3), True Tone, and have a typical max brightness of 625 nits.
Battery | iPhone Xs Max | iPhone SE 2nd Gen 2020 |
---|---|---|
Capacity | 3179 mAh | 1821 mAh |
Longevity | 13 hours | 14 hours |
USB | Lightning | Lightning |
The iPhone XS Max has a 3.174 mAh battery that is capable of providing up to 15 hours of video playback time or up to 65 hours of audio playback time. The iPhone SE (2020) has a 1,821 mAh battery that can provide up to 13 hours of video playback time or up to 40 hours of audio playback time. They both support Qi wireless charging and are fast-charge capable when using an Apple 20W wall power adapter and Lightning cable.
Color Choices
iPhone SE 2nd Gen 2020
Available in 3 colors:
-
Black
-
White
-
Red
iPhone Xs Max vs iPhone SE 2nd Gen 2020 Colors

The iPhone XS Max and iPhone SE (2020) are each available in three colors. The iPhone XS Max is available in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold. The iPhone SE (2020) is available in Black, White, and PRODUCT(RED).
Storage Options
iPhone Xs Max
Choose from 3 storage options:
-
64GB
-
256GB
-
512GB
iPhone SE 2nd Gen 2020
Choose from 3 storage options:
-
64GB
-
128GB
-
256GB
iPhone Xs Max vs iPhone SE 2nd Gen 2020 Storage

The iPhone XS Max offers three options for storage and maxes out at 512GB. The iPhone SE (2020) offers two options for storage and maxes out at 128GB. The complete range of options for the iPhone XS Max includes 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB. The complete range of options for the iPhone SE (2020) includes 64GB and 128GB.
iPhone Xs Max vs iPhone SE 2nd Gen 2020 Reviews
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