The iPhone XR was a big hit when Apple introduced it in 2018. And, until now it’s still a great smartphone. But, with the release of iPhone 12, many new features are brought to the table, making it so tempting to upgrade your iPhone. If you own an iPhone XR, you might wonder if it’s worth to buy a new iPhone 12. So, we’re comparing these devices to help you determine which device fits you. Here is our comparison between iPhone XR vs iPhone 12.
Display
| iPhone XR | iPhone 12 |
| + 6.1-inch + 1792 x 828 pixels (326 ppi) + Haptic Touch + Liquid Retina HD LCD display | + 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR + 2532 x 1170 (460 ppi) + Haptic Touch + HDR Display + HDR10 + Dolby Vision |
One of the biggest upgrades on the iPhone 12 is the new Super Retina XDR display. It helps iPhone 12 surpass XR in every aspect, including brightness, colors, and contrast.
Plus, with the addition of HDR10 and Dolby Vision, iPhone 12 has a near-infinite contrast ratio. If you spend a lot of time on screen, the iPhone 12’s display alone is totally worth the upgrade.
Design
| iPhone XR | iPhone 12 |
| + 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm + IP67 certified + Weight 194g | + 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm + IP68 certified + Weight 164g |
The iPhone 12 features a redesigned chassis with flat edges akin. What’s impressive is that the new iPhone is way thinner even though it retains the same 6.1-inch display.
On top of that, you will have better water-resistance with the improvement of IP68. Apple says its protection extends only to 1.5 meters deep for half an hour. However, the only downside here is a lack of yellow color option.
Chipset
| iPhone XR | iPhone 12 |
| + 7nm A13 Bionic + Second-generation Neural engine | + 5nm A14 Bionic16-core + Neural engine fabrication process |
Based on the 5nm fabrication process, the A14 Bionic offers a 40 percent boost in overall performance. The Neural Engine also has a major boost and now it can boast of 16 cores, making it twice as fast as before.
Both iPhone XR and iPhone 12 can handle everything you throw at them. But, the A14 chip seems to be more power efficient than its predecessor.
If power is that all matters to you, then the iPhone 12 is really worth your penny. However, if you are an user with basic needs, stick with the iPhone XR.
Camera
| iPhone XR | iPhone 12 |
| + Single 12MP camera setup + Smart HDR + Focus Pixels + Portrait mode + True Tone Flash | + Dual 12MP camera setup + Smart HDR 3 + Focus Pixels + Portrait mode with advanced bokeh + Brighter True Tone Flash + Night Mode + Deep Fusion + Dolby Vision with HDR recording |
Apart from hardware improvements, iPhone 12’s cameras feature Smart HDR 3 and Deep Fusion for better image processing.
While iPhone XR features only a single 12MP shooter, iPhone 12 processes a better and more versatile dual-camera setup. Plus, the 12MP TrueDepth allows for better selfies and Face ID.
Storage
| iPhone XR | iPhone 12 |
| 64GB, 256GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
Connectivity
The new generation presents a major upgrade in terms of connectivity. Some of the improvements like Gigabit LTE, Wi-Fi 6, and U1 chips might not seem like a big deal, but they have a huge impact on daily use. Moreover, the most noticeable one lies in 5G support on iPhone 12, allowing users to get the best mobile data speed.
Battery Life and Charging
| iPhone XR | iPhone 12 |
| + 2942 mAh + Up to 16 hours of use + Qi wireless charging support | + 3210 mAh + Up to 17 hours of use + MagSafe Charging support |
Despite having the same size, the iPhone 12 offers more battery life than the old model. Besides, with support for MagSafe wireless chargers, you charge your phone 2 times faster.
Price
iPhone XR was available for $749 at launch. This year, the iPhone 12 is only $50 more expensive for the entry-level model. Also, you can trade-in your old iPhone for a better deal.
Yes, the iPhone 12 has some impressive features. But your favorite apps are still running smoothly on an iPhone XR. If you care less about those camera improvements and modern hardware, then the XR is a better choice.
Are you planning on upgrading to the iPhone 12? Let us know what you think in the comments!
