Apple iPhone XS Max vs. Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)

Phone Comparison, Reviews and Tests

In depth comparison and review of Apple iPhone XS Max and Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation). Compare sizes, cameras, batteries, memory, and other important specifications and features to easily choose the right phone for you. Our goal is to help you uncover differences between the products and find the phone that will best fit your needs.

Phone Specifications Comparison

Apple iPhone XS Max vs. Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS Apple iPhone XS Max Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Product Type Smartphone Smartphone
Manufacturer Model Number A2101 A2296
Form Factor Touch Touch
Height 157.5 mm 138.4 mm Apple iPhone XS Max has greater height than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Width 77.4 mm 67.3 mm Apple iPhone XS Max has greater width than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Depth 7.7 mm 7.3 mm Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation) is narrower than Apple iPhone XS Max.
Weight 208 g 148 g Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation) is lighter than Apple iPhone XS Max.
Body Colour Space grey | Silver | Gold White | Black | Red
Body Material Glass, surgical‑grade stainless steel Aluminium, glass
Protection Dustproof, splashproof, waterproof Dustproof, water-resistant, splash-resistant
Waterproof (Water-resistant) Yes Yes Both phones are waterproof.
IP rating IEC 60529 IP68 IEC 60529 IP67
Repairability Index 6.9 (out of 10) 6 (out of 10)
SAR Value 0.99 W/kg (body), 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body), 0.98 W/kg (head)
Connector Type Lightning Lightning
SIM Card Type (Size) Nano SIM, Electronic SIM card (e-SIM) Nano SIM, Electronic SIM card (e-SIM)
SIM Card Qty Dual-SIM Dual-SIM
DISPLAY Apple iPhone XS Max Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Display Type OLED display LCD display
Display Technology Super Retina HD Retina HD display with IPS technology
Screen Size (Display Size) 6.5" 4.7" Apple iPhone XS Max has larger screen size than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Screen Resolution (Display Resolution) 2688 x 1242 pixels 1334 x 750 pixels Apple iPhone XS Max has better screen resolution than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Pixel Density 458 ppi 326 ppi Apple iPhone XS Max has better pixel density than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Max Brightness 625 cd/m² 625 cd/m² Both phones have the same display brightness
Contrast Ratio 1000000:1 1400:1 Apple iPhone XS Max has better display contrast ratio than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
HDR Yes - Apple iPhone XS Max has HDR.
HDR Technology HDR10 -
Display Enhancement Technology Dolby Vision Dolby Vision
Display Refresh Rate 120 Hz -
Display Features True Tone display, Wide colour display (P3) Display Zoom, Reachability (screen shifting), True Tone display, Wide colour display (P3), Dark mode, Haptic touch
Display Protection (Screen Protector) Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
PROCESSOR Apple iPhone XS Max Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Processor Type (CPU) Apple A12 Bionic Apple A13 Bionic
Processor Core Qty 6-core -
64-bit Architecture Yes Yes Both phones have 64-bit architecture.
MEMORY Apple iPhone XS Max Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Internal Memory Size (Storage Capacity) 64 GB 64 GB Both phones have the same internal memory capacity.
CAMERA Apple iPhone XS Max Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
MAIN CAMERA
Number of Main Cameras 2 1
Sensor Resolution 12 Megapixel 12 Megapixel Both phones have the same camera resolution.
Sensor Type BSI -
Lens Type Wide-angle lens -
Lens Aperture F/1.8 F/1.8 Both phones have the same camera lens aperture.
Lens Construction 6-element 6-element
Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) Dual OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) Both phones have optical image stabilization.
Focus Adjustment Automatic Automatic
Optical Zoom 2x -
Digital Zoom 10x 5x Apple iPhone XS Max has better digital zoom than Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation).
Special Effects Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High‑Key Mono
HDR Mode Smart HDR Smart HDR
Camera Modes Burst mode, Panorama, Timer mode, low-light shots, tap to focus, Live Photos, Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, Portrait Lighting, wide colour capture for photos and Live Photos Burst mode, Panorama, Live Photos, Timelapse video, Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, Portrait Lighting, wide colour capture for photos and Live Photos
Face Recognition (Face ID) Body and face detection - Apple iPhone XS Max has face detection.
Light Source True Tone quad LED flash True Tone LED flash
Video Resolutions 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 30 fps, 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 60 fps, 1280 x 720 (720p) at 30 fps, Slo-mo video 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 120 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 30 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 60 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 24 fps, Slo-mo video 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 240 fps 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 30 fps, 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 60 fps, 1280 x 720 (720p) at 30 fps, Slo-mo video 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 120 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 30 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 60 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 24 fps, Slo-mo video 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 240 fps
Camera Features (Functions) Sapphire crystal lens cover, Cinematic video stabilisation, Focus Pixels, Cinematic video stabilisation, Playback zoom, Hybrid IR filter, Exposure control, geotagging, LTM (Local Tone Mapping), Stereo Recording, Continuous autofocus video, 8MP still photos recording 4K video, Time‑lapse video with stabilisation, Slow Sync, Advanced red-eye correction, Optical image stabilization for video, Extended dynamic range for video Sapphire crystal lens cover, Cinematic video stabilisation, Focus Pixels, Cinematic video stabilisation, Playback zoom, geotagging, Stereo Recording, Continuous autofocus video, 8MP still photos recording 4K video, Time‑lapse video with stabilisation, Slow Sync, Advanced red-eye correction, Optical image stabilization for video, Extended dynamic range for video, HEIF image capture, Digital zoom up to 3x for video, QuickTake video
SECOND CAMERA
Sensor Resolution (2nd Camera) 12 Megapixel -
Lens Type (2nd Camera) Telephoto lens -
Lens Aperture (2nd Camera) F/2.4 -
Camera Functions (2nd Camera) Capture depth information -
FRONT CAMERA
Number of Front Cameras 2 1
Sensor Resolution (Front) 7 Megapixel 7 Megapixel Both phones have the same front camera resolution.
Sensor Type (Front) BSI -
Lens Aperture (Front) F/2.2 F/2.2 Both phones have the same front camera lens aperture.
Special Effects (Front) Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High‑Key Mono
HDR Mode (Front) Smart HDR Auto HDR mode
Camera Modes (Front) Burst mode, Timer mode, Live Photos, Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, Portrait Lighting Burst mode, Live Photos, Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, Portrait Lighting, wide colour capture for photos and Live Photos
Face Recognition (Face ID) Body and face detection, face recognition - Apple iPhone XS Max has face detection.
Light Source (Front) Retina Flash Retina Flash
Video Resolutions (Front) 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 30 fps, 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 60 fps 1280 x 720 (720p), 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 30 fps
Camera Features (Front) FaceTime HD camera, Exposure control, Auto image stabilisation, Animoji, Memoji, TrueDepth camera, Extended dynamic range for video, Cinematic video stabilisation Auto image stabilisation, Cinematic video stabilisation, QuickTake video
SECOND FRONT CAMERA
Camera Functions (2nd Front) Infrared camera for Face ID -
Camera Features (2nd Front) Flood Illuminator, Dot Projector -
BATTERY AND CHARGING Apple iPhone XS Max Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Battery Capacity (Battery Size) - -
Fast Charging Technology Apple fast charging technology - Apple iPhone XS Max has fast charging technology.
Wireless Charging Yes Yes Both phones can be charged wirelessly.
Wireless Charging Standards Qi Qi
Talk Time 1500 minutes -
Run Time Details Talk: up to 1500 min
Active online usage: up to 13 hrs
Playback (wireless video): up to 15 hrs
Playback (wireless audio): up to 65 hrs
Playback (audio): up to 40 hrs
Playback (video): up to 13 hrs
Playback (streamed video): up to 8 hrs
Battery Technology Lithium Ion Lithium Ion
CELLULAR Apple iPhone XS Max Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Technology WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM
Mobile Broadband Generation 4G 4G Both phones have the same mobile network generation.
Operating System iOS 12 iOS 13
Intelligent Assistant Siri Siri
Payment Technology Apple Pay Apple Pay
Navigation A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS GPS, GLONASS
COMMUNICATIONS Apple iPhone XS Max Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Data Transmission GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE, DC-HSDPA, LTE Advanced, VoLTE, FDD-LTE, TDD-LTE, VoWiFi, Gigabit LTE GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE, DC-HSDPA, VoLTE, FDD-LTE, TDD-LTE, VoWiFi, LAA
2G Band 850 GSM, 900 GSM, 1800 GSM, 1900 GSM 850 GSM, 900 GSM, 1800 GSM, 1900 GSM
4G LTE Band Band 1, Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 5, Band 7, Band 8, Band 12, Band 13, Band 14, Band 17, Band 18, Band 19, Band 20, Band 25, Band 26, Band 28, Band 29, Band 30, Band 32, Band 34, Band 38, Band 39, Band 40, Band 41, Band 46, Band 66 Band 1, Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 5, Band 7, Band 8, Band 11, Band 12, Band 13, Band 17, Band 18, Band 19, Band 20, Band 21, Band 25, Band 26, Band 28, Band 29, Band 30, Band 32, Band 34, Band 38, Band 39, Band 40, Band 41, Band 42, Band 46, Band 48, Band 66
4G LTE Frequency FDD 2100, FDD 1900 PCS, FDD 1800+, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS, FDD 850, FDD 2600, FDD 900, FDD 700a, FDD 700c, FDD 700 PS, FDD 700b, FDD 800 lower, FDD 800 upper, FDD 800 DD, FDD 1900+, FDD 850+, FDD 700 APT, FDD 700d, FDD 2300 WCS, FDD 1500 L, TDD 2000, TDD 2600, TDD 1900, TDD 2300, TDD 2500, TDD 5150, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS-3 FDD 2100, FDD 1900 PCS, FDD 1800+, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS, FDD 850, FDD 2600, FDD 900, FDD 1500, FDD 700a, FDD 700c, FDD 700b, FDD 800 lower, FDD 800 upper, FDD 800 DD, FDD 1500 upper, FDD 1900+, FDD 850+, FDD 700 APT, FDD 700d, FDD 2300 WCS, FDD 1500 L, TDD 2000, TDD 2600, TDD 1900, TDD 2300, TDD 2500, TDD 3500, TDD 5150, TDD 3600, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS-3
Wireless Interface IEEE 802.11ac IEEE 802.11ax
Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 5.0
NFC Yes Yes Both phones have an NFC reader for mobile payments.
Messaging Services SMS, MMS SMS, MMS
MEDIA Apple iPhone XS Max Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Supported Digital Audio Standards Audible, MP3, FLAC, Apple Lossless, AC-3, AAC-LC, LPCM, HE-AAC, Audible AAX, Audible AAX+, protected AAC, EAC3, HE-AAC v2 Audible, MP3, FLAC, Apple Lossless, AC-3, AAC-LC, LPCM, HE-AAC, Audible AAX, Audible AAX+, protected AAC, EAC3, HE-AAC v2
Supported Digital Video Standards M-JPEG, H.264, HEVC, MPEG-4 Part 2, HEIF M-JPEG, H.264, HEVC, MPEG-4 Part 2
Sound Enhancements Dolby Digital Plus sound, Dolby Digital sound Dolby Digital Plus sound, Dolby Digital sound
Video Enhancements - HDR10, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG)
FEATURES Apple iPhone XS Max Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Phone Functions Speakerphone, voice control, call timer, conference call, flight mode, voice dialing, vibrating alert Speakerphone, voice control, call timer, conference call, flight mode, voice dialing, vibrating alert
Sensors Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, 3-axis gyro sensor, digital compass, barometer Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, 3-axis gyro sensor, digital compass, barometer
Security Devices Face recognition Fingerprint reader
Security Technology Face ID -
Additional Phone Features TTY compatible, FaceTime, MIMO technology, Wi-Fi Calling, iBeacon microlocation, QuickType keyboard, Apple TV support (2nd or later), Neural Engine, AirPlay Mirroring FaceTime, AirPrint wireless printing, iCloud Photo Sharing, AirDrop function, MIMO technology, Wi-Fi Calling, iBeacon microlocation, CarPlay function, QuickType keyboard, HomeKit, Apple TV support (2nd or later), Fast Charging, AirPlay Mirroring, Third‑generation Neural Engine, Audio Sharing
OTHERS Apple iPhone XS Max Apple iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Included Accessories Power adapter, Apple EarPods with Lightning Connector, Lightning to USB cable Lightning to USB-C cable
Compliant Standards IEC 60529 IP68, HAC (Hearing Aid Compatible) IEC 60529 IP67, HAC (Hearing Aid Compatible)
Max Depth of Water Resistance 2 m 1 m
Max Operating Temperature 35 °C 35 °C
Min Operating Temperature 0 °C 0 °C
Humidity Range Operating 5 - 95% (non-condensing) 5 - 95% (non-condensing)
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