Apple iPhone has been out there for more than 10 years and it has changed so much since the day one. iPhones are getting better and smarter every year when Apple releases a new model. Last year, the iPhone X took the center stage at Apple’s annual September event after months of relentless rumors and leaks. With the X, Apple had some daring changes like the removal of physical buttons, Face ID, or OLED display.
The iPhone X is a great success on the market, with millions of units shipped. The iPhone X shipments reached 16 million units in the first quarter of 2018, surpassing the likes from Samsung, Sony, or Huawei. This year, the newly-released iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are expected to follow in the footsteps of the X and take on the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and the upcoming Google Pixel 3. The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have been available in more than 60 countries. Apple is expecting to ship 20 million iPhone XS and XS Max units by the end of this year. After the XS and XS Max were released to the public, tech experts put them through performance and durability tests to find all key differences and similarities in detail.
If you are wondering whether you should buy the iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max, then we are here to help. In the section below, we will put both devices in head to head comparison to help you find out which one is right for you.
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Prices
Last year, the X was the most expensive iPhone model at launch as it carried a $999 price tag. This year, the iPhone XS retains the same price tag from the X, while the XS Max costs up to $1,449 for the model with 512GB of internal storage. The XS Max now stands on top of the table as the priciest iPhone ever released to the market, beating out the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and the recently-announced V40 ThinQ in terms of pricing.
The iPhone XS is the smaller successor to the last year’s iPhone X. The XS is now available for $999 for the 64GB model, while the 512GB model price is $1,349. Even though the price of the XS has not risen over last year’s costly iPhone X, buying it outright will burn a serious hole in your wallet. If pricing is all that matters, then the iPhone XS is a better choice. Specifically, you will save more than $100 if you choose to go for the smaller-screened XS.
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Display
The iPhone XS retains the same screen size as the last year’s iPhone X, meaning that we have a 5.8-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2436 x 1125 pixels. Meanwhile, the XS Max features a 6.5-inch True Tone OLED display with a resolution of 2688 x 1242 pixels. In reality, the XS Max has the exact the same display technology as the XS, but it is bigger. Both displays support Dolby Vision and HDR 10, offering more details and better picture quality when compared to the last year’s iPhone X. The XS Max with a bigger screen offers an immersive experience, ranging from watching YouTube videos to playing games.
However, everything has its downsides. The XS with a smaller screen offers a more comfortable hands-on experience than its sibling. Besides, it is more manageable than the XS Max. If you are planning to buy the XS Max, we recommend you buy a phone case as you don’t want to see your shiny iPhone fall into pieces. Besides, the iPhone XS is lighter than the XS Max. Specifically, the iPhone XS Max weighs 208 grams, while the iPhone XS stands at 177 grams. In short, weight actually matters as the phone sits in your pocket all day.
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Performance and camera
All of this year’s iPhones feature the Apple A12 Bionic chip under the hood. Apple claims that the A12 chip offers a much-improved power when compared to the A11 chip. During our test, both XS and XS Max run smoothly with more than 10 Chrome tabs running in the background. Besides, both devices deliver an excellent gaming experience. According to Apple, the A12 Bionic chip includes dedicated neural network hardware that is specifically designed for handling AI-based tasks. With the new chip, AR-enabled Animoji runs perfectly on your iPhone, allowing you to create a custom animated character.
When it comes to the cameras, both devices feature the same dual-camera setup at the rear with two large 12MP snappers, allowing for better shots in low-light conditions. Meanwhile, the front-facing cameras support the second-gen True Depth technology for better Face ID.
These are two superb offerings from Apple this year. The iPhone XS is not a huge step over the last year’s model, and while the XS Max features the biggest screen ever. The iPhone XS wins on price although both are pretty expensive.
Don’t forget to share with us your thoughts on which iPhone you think is right for you in the comments below.
