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Difference between the iPhone XR and the iPhone XS Max?

Hi everyone, I’m due a phone upgrade on the 19th of August and not sure which of the new iPhones to go for. I was just curious if anyone could give me a better insight as I’m finding the online articles comparing them super boring to read lol. Just looking for some main points really, bullet points and whatever that can point out the main differences, thanks!
Before I answer the question in more detail... can I ask why you'd jump straight from the entry-level phone all the way to the most expensive version of the flagship phone?
I have no idea that’s why I’m asking ahah, I just know that right now the XR and XS seem to be in competition amongst people I know, it seems the two most popular
Original post by Citronella
Hi everyone, I’m due a phone upgrade on the 19th of August and not sure which of the new iPhones to go for. I was just curious if anyone could give me a better insight as I’m finding the online articles comparing them super boring to read lol. Just looking for some main points really, bullet points and whatever that can point out the main differences, thanks!

The key differentiators are size, screen, camera, and battery life. Beyond that that they're more or less the same phone, with the same processor, OS, features, update lifecycle and shortcomings.

First, the XS/XS Max have OLED displays with superior image quality, contrast and outdoor visibility. The XR's LCD display also has a pretty woeful resolution, it's probably the only phone on the market costing over £200 from a major manufacturer that doesn't have at least 1080p resolution, never mind over £600. It's still a good looking display, but that's just embarrassing. The other major screen difference is size; the XS is 5.8" which has become the standard for "compact" phones, the XR is 6.1" that is the new standard, while the XS Max is 6.4" that is considered a large but still mainstream phone (it will be interesting to see if Apple releases a 6.7" phone this year). None of these options are objectively better, it's about preference. If you'd rather have a small phone than a large phone, the iPhone XS is every bit as good as the XS Max (unlike the old Plus models, the Max does not have any extra features)

Next, camera. The iPhone XR and XS use the same primary camera module, so for the most part photos taken are the same. The difference is that the XS models use a secondary telephoto lens. This effectively gives it 2x optical zoom, has a better perspective for portrait style photos, and two sensors working together gather more information and create better bokeh shots which are all the rage now. The XR has a niche advantage in this regard as it uses the same camera for everything allows it to take these bokeh photos with a wider field of view, but the results aren't as good as those from the XS models.

Finally there's battery life, and this an area the XR actually wins. While the battery is slightly smaller physically than the one in the XS Max, the XR's smaller and lower resolution display uses less power and gives it a few hours of extra battery per charge with the same usage. It's not going to get you into multiple days of usage, Apple still only aim for one day per charge and use piss-poor battery sizes at a time where it's disappointing for 6"+ Android phones to ship with less than 4,000mAh cells, but if you're the kind of person whose phone is flagging by the time of your evening commute from work, the XR has a better chance of getting you back through the front door.

Original post by Paracosm
Before I answer the question in more detail... can I ask why you'd jump straight from the entry-level phone all the way to the most expensive version of the flagship phone?

I mean there's only three phones in the lineup now, they're all very similar, and the price gap when looking at contracts isn't unsurmountable. It's not like he's comparing a Chromebook to a MacBook Pro. The XR and XS Max are the two most popular models and a lot of people end up making their choice between those two.
(edited 4 years ago)
Gofre, thanks for that reply it was super helpful! Pretty much listed everything I wanted to know about and I feel that I am swaying more towards the XS max just because au do prefer the larger phones and I can’t help but fall for the small differences that make it that bit better, the camera is a big influence for me too. Thanks!
If you can wait around a month (mid-late September) Apple will bring out new phones! So if you can hold onto your current phone for around more 4 weeks than your update day, you can get a brand brand new one.
Reply 6
Wait, new ones next month.
Yea, wait for the new one, same design, a "faster" processor and an extra camera. :smile:
Original post by darcydavis18
If you can wait around a month (mid-late September) Apple will bring out new phones! So if you can hold onto your current phone for around more 4 weeks than your update day, you can get a brand brand new one.


Original post by Arcaneballs
Yea, wait for the new one, same design, a "faster" processor and an extra camera. :smile:

Alternatively, wait for the new phones then pick up the current generation for a reduced price.

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