Our Verdict
This is n’t in any way a fair competitiveness . The XS Max is the current flagship iPhone , and as such is load with the latest CPU , tv camera , and display technology . It ’s a far better smartphone than the iPhone 7 Plus . But , it has to be , because the price difference , now that the 7 Plus has been dismiss , is absolutely enormous . When you discount the 32 GB version of the old example ( which should n’t really survive in 2018 ) then you have the iPhone 7 Plus 128 GB at nearly half the price of the XS Max . £ 600 can buy a lot of things , so if you ’re not too bothered about the former and greatest , then the top tier iPhone 7 Plus could serve you well for a few days while preserve you a lot of money . If on the other hand , you are consider updating your now two - year - old iPhone 7 Plus to an iPhone XS Max , the additional £ 430 compared to the 7 Plus when it go far is certainly a in high spirits terms to pay . But , it seems , the days of flagship iPhones costing less than a grand are long go bad , but with the improvements to iCloud perhaps you do n’t need to drop as much on storage .
Apple’siPhone XS Maxfeatures the largest presentation to grace an iPhone so far . But with freehanded real estate comes a hefty price . We see how the latest leviathan compares to the older , but now much cheaper , iPhone 7 Plus , to see if bigger really is skillful , and whether the iPhone XS Max would be a worthwhile raise from the iPhone 7 Plus if you already own that handset .
iPhone history
These iPhones have been substitute with newer manakin . Find data link below to our reviews of all iPhone model , include the latest generation.iPhone 16is expected to set up in September 2024 ( seewhen is the good clock time to buy a unexampled iPhone ) . You might also like ouriPhone purchasing guide , best iPhone dealsandcomparison of every iPhone that is available to buy today .
Price and availability
Apple announced the iPhone XS Max ( alongside the iPhone XS , iPhone XR , and Apple Watch Series 4 ) at itsSeptember 2018 event . Pre - social club began on 14 September , with the prescribed release day of the month following a week later on 21 September .
Prices are as follow ;
Click here to buy the iPhone XS Max fromApple UKorApple USA .
At that same event , it was unwrap that both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus would rest in the current range , but at a reduced cost .
These are how the new price run along up :
If you corrupt an iPhone 7 Plus back when it launched in 2016 , how the toll of Apple ’s flagship phone then compare to what you ’d need to pay now , is thoroughgoing .
That ’s an extra £ 430 compared to the 7 Plus when it arrived . But , it seems , the days of flagship iPhones costing less than a chiliad are long go bad .
you’re able to order an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus directly fromApple UKorApple USA , plus we recommend agree ourBest iPhone deals 2018page for the latest quite a little .
Design and build
By now , the iPhone 7 Plus purpose should be very familiar with Macworld reader . It ’s almost very to the iPhone 6 Plus which was inaugurate back in September 2015 , albeit with the unfortunate ‘ raise ’ of having the phone knave removed .
There are some subtle other tweak : The Home release is n’t actually a physical push at all but rather a Force Touch panel that uses software to make it feel like you pressed it , there are duplicate cameras on the rear , and Apple introduced an IP67 water supply and debris trial impression rating for the first meter .
All of that is fine and dandy , but skip forward a duet of years and the deep upper and low bezel on the front panel make the esthetic feel very dated , especially when compared to its newer rivals .
Step forrard the iPhone XS Max . As the name advert , the invention takes much from the iPhone X that debuted last year , and which Apple has now retired to replace with the iPhone XS .
The large 6.1 in Super Retina display is an OLED panel , unlike the 5.5 in LCD one on the iPhone 7 Plus , with rich color and pin - tart graphics . It stretches for nearly the entirely of the front , thanks to the remotion of the Home push button in favour of the Face ID television camera house in the now ubiquitous ‘ notch ’ at the top of the display .
A untarnished - blade chassis check the standard collecting of clit , with stereo speakers and a lightning port making up the rest of the compliment .
The prat of the iPhone XS Max is glass to allow wireless charging . This was a feature introduced on the iPhone 8/8 Plus and X , so the iPhone 7 Plus has to stick with a standard lightning cable option for its office .
Both devices have double - photographic camera units , with the same 12Mp f/1.8 + 12Mp f/2.4 organization . Apple states that the new release has an promote detector , and a more powerful central processor , to vastly improve its tv camera functioning . So , while the iPhone 7 Plus is good , the XS Max bests it once again .
eventually , the XS Max also comes with an IP68 water and dustproof rating , which have in mind it should make it any accidental dunk more assuredly than its sr. blood brother .
Features and specs
One of the main expanse that Apple focussed on during its entry of the 2018 - 2019 ambit , was the new A12 Bionic processor . This promises around 15 % increase world-wide functioning , with an telling 50 % better energy efficiency . The latter should pitch strong battery life , which is good because those lush OLED panels can be quite a drain .
Of naturally , those increase are typeset against the A11 Bionic that featured in 2017 ’s iPhone X , 8 and 8 Plus models . The iPhone 7 Plus comes outfit with the coevals before , the A10 Fusion , which was a ok micro chip when it was released , but will sputter to compete with the A12 ’s sensitive power .
Another vantage of the new microprocessor chip is improvements to what Apple predict the Neural Engine . This is a central part in the camera performance , with the party claiming that it usher in a unexampled age of photography .
Smart HDR means that more highlighting and small - light details can be captured , while a barrage of other new improvements make the XS Max a redoubtable gimmick for capturing picture and video .
Here is a dislocation of the full specifications of both equipment :
Software
iOS 12 run on the iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone XS Max , fetch with it various functioning enhancements which should benefit the onetime model .
There are feature of speech , such as Animoji and the new Photo app that allows users to change the nidus of background after an image is taken , which need newer hardware , but on the whole the iPhone 7 Plus should feel quite sprightly after the upgrade .
Another matter to bear in mind is whether you really call for to max out the storage now that iCloud can stack away so much of your information in the cloud . This could be deserving think when you decide on how much computer storage you really need on the twist .
Read ouriOS 12 reviewfor more details of what ’s include in the new update .
