Our Verdict
Apple has made it easy for customers to pick up the iPhone they really want this year . There are no swop - offs with cameras or other features , as both unit are identical except for size of figure and filmdom . truthful , you get a moment more barrage fire life with the iPhone XS Max , but the real discriminator is now down to how big you require your iPhone to be . Both are class - leading devices that will make any Apple fan very happy indeed , so we advise popping down to a store , carry the units in your hand and seeing which one fit best .
Apple has harbinger its new railway line - up of iPhones for 2018 - 2019 , with three new models bearing the notch design first introduce by the iPhone X. Two of these , theiPhone XS and iPhone XS Maxare direct replacements for the iPhone X , which has now been discontinued , while theiPhone XRis a slenderly lower price alternative that ’s sure to have all-encompassing appeal .
So , how do the premium models compare , and which one should have you smashing your piggybank to smithereens with gay abandon ? We take a look .
iPhone history
These iPhones have been supervene upon with raw models . Find links below to our reviews of all iPhone fashion model , including the latest generation.iPhone 16is expected to launch in September 2024 ( seewhen is the best time to buy a new iPhone ) . You might also care ouriPhone purchasing guide , best iPhone dealsandcomparison of every iPhone that is uncommitted to grease one’s palms today .
Price and availability
Pre - orders for theiPhone XSand iPhone XS Max began on Friday 14 September , with the release engagement a calendar week later on the 21 September . you’re able to order an iPhone from Applehere .
Both models fare in three var. , with the iPhone XS costing £ 999/$999 for the 64 GB framework , £ 1,149/$1,149 for 256 GB , and £ 1,349/$1,349 if you need a humongous 512 GB of storage .
iPhone XS Max options are £ 1,099/$1,099 ( 64 GB ) , £ 1,249/$1,249 ( 256 GB ) , or £ 1,449/$1,449 ( 512 GB ) .
Be sure to on a regular basis check out ourBest iPhone XS dealsandBest iPhone XS Max dealsto see what offer are around .
apparently , these are improbably expensive gadget , so it ’s worth noting that the iPhone XR starts at £ 749/$749 , while the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 manakin are still available from Apple and have had their prices cut with straightaway effect .
See ouriPhone 7 and 8 get £ 100 cost drop articlefor more details .
Design and build
The iPhone XS is middling much selfsame to the iPhone X. The front is taken up almost entirely by the 5.8 in OLED exhibit , with the now noted mountain pass at the top providing a home for the Face ID photographic camera that obviate the need for a Home release .
The chassis remain untainted steel , full with a lightning interface , stereo loudspeaker , mike , and the normal accompaniment of buttons .
More cameras can be determine on the rear , with a double - genus Lens frame-up house in a raised area , just as on its predecessor . A glass back allows wireless charging , and the gimmick is rated at IP68 for waterproofing . The latter means it can defy being submerged in a maximal urine depth of 2 metre for up to 30 minute , or endure moody night - time photoshoots in the pelting .
Everything is the same for the iPhone XS Max , albeit in a larger shape . The video display is a 6.5 in control board , making it the big to ever come along in an iPhone . Due to the retreat of the Home button , the overall size of the French telephone is actually thin and shorter than the iPhone 8 Plus , while only supply a few grams of weight .
Dimensions
Features and Specs
The similarity proceed on the interior , where both exemplar boast almost superposable components . Apple has go its latest models with new A12 Bionic chips , which the company claims is open of a 15 % carrying out increase and 50 % energy efficiency gain over the A11 Bionic line up in the iPhone X.
The GPU is claimed to be able to reach speeds 50 % quicker than the A11 as well , while the update Neural Engine provides more top executive efficiency . The upshot of all this is that the iPhone XS is stated to have 30 mins more battery life-time than the iPhone X , while the iPhone XS Max adds an extra 90 mins .
Super Retina HD displays have on both gadget , birth resolutions of 2436 x 1125 on the iPhone XS and 2688×1242 on the Max , which the mathematicians among you will roll in the hay match to a pixel concentration of 458ppi for either French telephone .
These are True Tone displays , and Apple support that the panel keep going Dolby Vision and HDR10 .
While on theme the cameras all seem the same as on the iPhone X , Apple has used a bigger detector this clock time around . The upgraded hardware , plus the cash advance in the A12 Bionic chip ( especially in the Neural Engine ) mean the introduction of features such as sophisticated profoundness division , user adjustable depth of athletic field , and a Smart HDR mode .
Apple is so confident in the capableness of its new optics that it claim this will show in a ‘ new era of photography ’ . We ’ll put those assertions to the test when our in - depth review arrives very before long , but it ’s a safe thing to say that deal photos and videos with an iPhone XS or XS Max will return some very nice results .
The full specification are listed below and are selfsame for both equipment , all except the dimension , weighting and display size
Software and apps
As you would expect , Apple ’s young releases arrive with the shiniest of operating systems onboard . iOS 12 add a number of functioning sweetening , while adding updates to Photos , Clips , and shortcuts for Siri commands .
Read ouriOS 12 previewfor more on what to ask with the new update .
