Which iPhone should I buy? A quick comparison on iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max and iPhone Xr.

September 16, 2018

 

Who should get the iPhone Xr? Most people actually.

 

There are many areas that the three new iPhones have in common (e.g. iOS 12, Touch ID, etc). Instead of touching all the specifications, we will focus on the ones that are different.

Pricing - iPhone Xr has a lower price than the flagship iPhone Xs coming in at US$749 (64GB), US$799 (128GB) and US$899 (256GB).  

Specifications - iPhone Xr uses the same A12 Bionic chip as the iPhone Xs, giving the iPhone Xr 15% faster performance than the Apple A11 used in iPhone 8 and iPhone X. And according to Apple, its four high-efficiency cores also use 50% less power than the cores in the A11.

The iPhone Xr uses a single 12-megapixel front camera sensor with a f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization. It supports Portrait Mode (bokeh effect) and Smart HDR (ability to capture both shadow details and bright highlights). Given the single-lens setup, its camera performance might not be as strong as the dual lens setup of the iPhone Xs/Xs Max when taking photos in dark environment, in portrait mode or in zoom up mode.

iPhone Xr has one less internal storage option than the iPhone Xs, coming with a 64GB version, a 256GB version but no 512GB version. The screen of the iPhone Xr is probably its biggest differentiator from the iPhone Xs. It has a 6.1-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1,792 x 828 pixels and a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch.

Design – It looks like a mix between an iPhone 8 and an iPhone X. The frame around the edges is made of aluminum and the back is made of glass. It comes with a slightly thicker bezel that might not look as refined as the iPhone X. The iPhone Xr is available in six different colors - Blue, White, Black, Yellow, Coral, and Red.

Our take – In terms of market positioning, the iPhone Xr is a higher mid-range phone and is a direct replacement of the iPhone 8. It has the performance and features of a flagship phone in 2018. So unless you’re really into OLED screen, dual camera, 512GB internal storage or simply the design of the iPhone Xs, the iPhone Xr should appeal to most people and to you.

 

Who should get the iPhone Xs? Those who want a smaller iPhone and skipped the upgrade to iPhone X

 

The iPhone Xs are priced at US$999 (64GB), US$1,149 (256GB) and US$1,349 (512GB). Because iPhone Xs is a direct upgrade of the current iPhone X, it has the exact same dimensions as the iPhone X. It comes with the smallest screen of the three offerings but still a respectable 5.8-inch OLED screen.  As mentioned above, iPhone Xs has one more internal storage option than the iPhone Xr (512GB version), comes with a colourful OLED screen, a dual lens camera setup, a thinner bezel and 3 color options – silver, space gray and gold.  

Our take – There is no need to upgrade if you’re using the iPhone X. But feel free to upgrade to iPhone Xs if you want any of the following: the latest high-end phone, the best smartphone photography, 512GB of internal storage, or the premium look of the iPhone Xs.

Who should get the iPhone Xs Max? Those who want a big screen with cash to spend

 

The biggest differentiator of the iPhone Xs Max is without a doubt its large 6.5-inch screen size. It is the biggest iPhone you can get and has all the same functions and features of the iPhone Xs. The iPhone Xs Max are priced at US$1,099 (64GB), US$1,249 (256GB) and US$1,449 (512GB) and come with the same color options - silver, space gray and gold.

Our take – If a large 6.5-inch screen is a necessity for you and money is no issue, get the iPhone Xs Max.

 

Last but not least, we have summarized the key specs and prices into a table for you. Click here for an enlarged comparison chart.

	iPhone X	iPhone Xs	iPhone Xs Max	iPhone Xr
Display size, resolution	5.8-inch; 2,436x1,125 pixels	5.8-inch; 2,436x1,125 pixels	6.5-inch; 2,688x1,242 pixels	6.1-inch LCD; 1,792x828 pixels
Pixel density	458 ppi	458 ppi	458 ppi	326 ppi
Color	Silver, Space Grey	Silver, Space Grey, Gold	Silver, Space Grey, Gold	Blue, White, Black, Yellow, Coral, Red
Dimensions (Inches)	5.7 x 2.79 x 0.30	5.7 x 2.8 x 0.3 in	6.2 x 3.0 x 0.3	5.9 x 3.0 x 0.33
Dimensions (mm)	143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7	143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7	157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7	150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3
Weight (oz, grams)	6.14 oz; 174 g	6.24 oz; 177g	7.3 oz; 208g	6.8oz; 194g
Camera	Dual 12-megapixel	Dual 12-megapixel	Dual 12-megapixel	Single 12-megapixel
Front-facing camera	7-megapixel	7-megapixel	7-megapixel	7-megapixel
Video capture	4K	4K	4K	4K
Processor	Apple A11 Bionic	Apple A12 Bionic	Apple A12 Bionic	Apple A12 Bionic
Storage	64GB, 256GB	64GB, 256GB, 512GB	64GB, 256GB, 512GB	64GB, 128GB, 256GB
Expandable storage	None	None	None	None
Unlocking Mechanism	Face ID	Face ID	Face ID	Face ID
Connector	Lightning	Lightning	Lightning	Lightning
Headphone jack	No	No	No	No
Price off-contract USA	$999 (64GB) $1,149 (256GB)	$999 (64GB), $1,149 (256GB) $1,349 (512GB)	$1,099 (64GB) $1,249 (256GB) $1,449 (512GB)	$749 (64GB)  $799 (128GB) $899 (256GB)
Price off-contract Canada		CA$1,379 (64GB), CA$1,589 (256GB)  CA$1,859 (512GB)	CA$1,519 (64GB) CA$1,729 (256GB) CA$1,999 (512GB)	CA$1,029 (64GB)  CA$1,099 (128GB)  CA$1,239 (256GB)
Price off-contract UK	£999 (64GB) £1,149 (256GB)	£999 (64GB) £1,149 (256GB) £1,349 (512GB)	$1,099 (64GB) $1,249 (256GB) $1,449 (512GB)	£749 (64GB)  £799 (128GB) £899 (256GB)
Price off-contract Australia	AU$1,579 (64GB) AU$1,829 (256GB)	AU$1,229 (64GB) AU$1,299 (128GB) AU$1,479 (512GB)	AU$1,629 (64GB)  AU$1,879 (256GB) AU$2,199 (512GB)	AU$1,799 (64GB) AU$2,049 (128GB) AU$2,369 (256GB)
Price off-contract Hong Kong	HK$7,799 (64GB) HK$9,099 (256GB)	HK$8,599 (64GB)  HK$9,899 (256GB) HK$11,599 (512GB)	HK$9,499 (64GB) HK$10,799 (256GB) HK$12,499 (512GB)	HK$6,499 (64GB) HK$6,899 (128GB) HK$7,799 (256GB)

 

We hope you find the information on this page useful. And if you're getting a new iPhone, don't forget to check out our iPhone Xs Max cases, iPhone Xs cases and iPhone Xr cases. Cheers!

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