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The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a larger screen, more advanced camera features, and better battery life, the iPhone 15 Pro Max excels with its 6.7-inch display, higher camera quality, and longer battery endurance, but this comes with a premium price tag. Conversely, the iPhone SE (2022) offers a more compact 4.7-inch screen, a respectable camera system, and decent battery life at a midrange price, making it a cost-effective choice for those who prefer a smaller phone and are satisfied with solid yet less advanced features. Both run iOS but have distinct differences in display technology, with the Pro Max featuring a superior OLED panel compared to the SE's LCD, affecting screen quality and clarity. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Best in class for taking photos
- Best in class for recording videos
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class display quality
- Best in class performance
Advantages of the Apple iPhone SE (2022)
- The Apple iPhone SE (2022) has no clear advantages over the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
10.0
5.7
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max has best in class overall camera quality, while the Apple iPhone SE (2022) has poor overall camera quality.
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max offers the best camera experience for selfies, photo resolution, dynamic range, low-light performance, and versatility, compared to the Apple iPhone SE (2022), which has a fair selfie camera and performs poorer in these aspects, making the Pro Max a better choice for photography enthusiasts. However, if budget is a concern, the SE (2022) is more cost-effective and still delivers a very good overall photo software experience though it lacks the advanced features and exceptional camera quality found in the Pro Max.
Photo Quality
10.0
5.5
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max takes best in class photos, while the Apple iPhone SE (2022) takes poor photos.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max delivers better photo quality than the iPhone SE (2022) as it offers best-in-class selfie performance, along with the top-notch photos software experience, which are very important for photo quality; while the iPhone SE (2022), despite having a very good software experience, has fair selfie quality which results in less impressive overall photo performance.
Video Quality
10.0
6.6
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max takes best in class videos, while the Apple iPhone SE (2022) takes only fair videos.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max features top-of-the-line video capabilities including resolution, stabilization, dynamic range, low light performance, and mic quality, making it excellent for capturing high-quality videos. In contrast, the iPhone SE (2022) offers more basic video functionality that is suitable for casual use, reflecting its more modest pricing and positioning in the market.
Battery
9.8 Hours
4.9 Hours
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max has 9.8 hours of battery life. The Apple iPhone SE (2022) has 4.9 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max has a screen size of 6.7 inches and the Apple iPhone SE (2022) is 4.7 inches.
Cost
$1,100
$429
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max has a price of $1,100 and the Apple iPhone SE (2022) costs $429.
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How the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Apple iPhone SE (2022) compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max | Apple iPhone SE (2022) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $429 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Apple | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | iOS | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 22, 2023 | March 18, 2022 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.7" | 4.7" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2796 x 1290 | 1334 x 750 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | Yes | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 460 | 326 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | LCD | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A17 | A15 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 256 GB | 64 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 4 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 10/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 10/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 10/10 | 6.6/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Super Telephoto | Main | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 48 megapixels + OIS | 12 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.8 Hours | 4.9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 4441 mAh | 2018 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 7.5 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | No | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 6.3" x 3.02" | 5.45" x 2.65" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.80 oz | 5.08 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6e | 6 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 | (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock | Fingerprint sensor: Front | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium | Midnight, Starlight, Red | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Custom ROM Support | |||
Custom ROM Support | No | No | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Guide
Mark Spoonauer | September 2023
"The iPhone 15 Pro Max is a powerful flagship phone that delivers upgrade-worthy features, including a lighter and more compact titanium design, a bigger 5x zoom and a useful Action button. The A17 Pro chip is the fastest around and enables console-quality gameplay, while the battery lasts an epic 14 hours."
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Ars Technica
Samuel Axon | March 2022
"Thanks to the inclusion of the A15 chip, the SE is likely to be supported for years to come. That makes it the best deal in smartphones today for folks who just want something simple and don't care about the frills. The iPhone SE is a great deal if you're more interested in the basics than the latest flashy features.. It's also a great option for people who prefer to use their phones one-handed—a dying breed, we know."
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max or the Apple iPhone SE (2022)
About Apple
The tech giant called Apple is synonymous with the most popular smartphone in the world: the iPhone. Known for their build quality and aesthetics, as well as for their excellent integration between hardware and software, iPhones have defined the smartphone industry ever since their conception and they continue to do so by setting new industry standards. Apple's own operating system, called iOS, is known for its simplicity and ease of use, and the company tends to complement it well by creating devices with some of the most powerful processing hardware available in the mobile world. The iPhone is also known for its robust ecosystem of accessories, as it facilitates a very seamless experience when interacting with other Apple products, more so than most of its competitors.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
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Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
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