Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen)
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 48 MP | 12 MP |
| Battery capacity | 4422 mAh | 2018 mAh |
| RAM | 8 GB | 4 GB |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 7.5 W |
| AnTuTu | 1530000 | 780000 |
Between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone SE (3rd gen), the iPhone 15 Pro Max comes out ahead in main camera / battery capacity, while the iPhone SE (3rd gen) wins on weight. Overall, the iPhone 15 Pro Max scores 63 and the iPhone SE (3rd gen) scores 47.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 15.4 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the iPhone 15 Pro Max if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. The biggest gaps in its favor are main camera, battery capacity, ram, among others. The single most decisive one: Main camera — 300.00% more. 48 MP vs 12 MP.
Pick the iPhone SE (3rd gen) if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight. The single most decisive one: Weight — 77.00 g less. 144 vs 221.
Both ship with comparable 5g support, optical image stabilization, promised os updates, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max or Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen)?
Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max leads the current Mars Score by 15.4 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare screen size, ram, battery capacity against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max if…
Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max has the measurable edge on main cam mp, battery capacity mah, ram gb.
Choose Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) if…
Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) has the measurable edge on weight g.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max wins
- ▲Main camera — 300.00% more. 48 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Battery capacity — 119.13% more. 4422 mAh vs 2018 mAh.
- ▲RAM — 100.00% more. 8 GB vs 4 GB.
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲Wireless charging — 100.00% more. 15 W vs 7.5 W.
- ▲AnTuTu — 96.15% more. 1530000 vs 780000.
- ▲Front camera — 71.43% more. 12 MP vs 7 MP.
- ▲Screen size — 42.55% more. 6.7 " vs 4.7 ".
Why Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) wins
- ▲Weight — 77.00 g less. 144 vs 221.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 221 g | 144 glead |
| Thickness | 8.25 mm | 7.3 mmlead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68lead | IP67 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.7 "lead | 4.7 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 326 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hzlead | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2000 nitslead | 625 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| RAMⓘ | 8 GBlead | 4 GB |
| Storageⓘ | 256 GBlead | 64 GB |
| AnTuTuⓘ | 1530000lead | 780000 |
| CPU total clockⓘ | 16.5 GHzlead | 9.6 GHz |
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MPlead | 12 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MPlead | 7 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacityⓘ | 4422 mAhlead | 2018 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 27 Wlead | 20 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 Wlead | 7.5 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOS | iOS |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 5 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 15 Pro Max or iPhone SE (3rd gen)?+
iPhone 15 Pro Max has 119.1% more battery — 4422 mAh vs 2018 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 15 Pro Max or iPhone SE (3rd gen)?+
iPhone SE (3rd gen) is 77g lighter — 221g vs 144g.
Is iPhone 15 Pro Max waterproof?+
iPhone 15 Pro Max has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone SE (3rd gen) support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone SE (3rd gen) supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 15 Pro Max or iPhone SE (3rd gen)?+
iPhone 15 Pro Max offers 8GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 15 Pro Max or iPhone SE (3rd gen)?+
iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 48 MP main camera vs 12 MP.