Apple has a habit of releasing new phones before the previous one has peaked, and the same can be said with their new iPhone X series. This often leaves the everyday consumer confused on which is which, and if they should keep splurging on the latest release just to keep up with the brand. Worry not, because here at Pinoy Tech Blog we’ll give you the low-down on Apple’s latest iPhone X series smartphones and if it’s worth the hype.
Design and Construction
Right off the bat, it’s understandable where the confusion comes from. All three phones look practically the same except for the differences in size. These new additions to the iPhone X Series are all housed in the same familiar metal build with the Apple logo at the back. The iPhone XS and XS Max is available in Gold, Silver and Space Gray while the iPhone XR offers more options with White, Black, Blue, Coral, Yellow, Red.
Display & Multimedia
When it comes to the screen, more differences come to light. The iPhone XR features a 6.1in Liquid Retina display LCD screen with a resolution of 1792 x 828 (326ppi), which is the lowest of the group. Meanwhile, the iPhone XS may have the smallest screen size at 5.8in OLED Super Retina but packs the same pixel density and display type as the XS Max which clocks at 458 ppi. The iPhone Max wins with the largest screen size of 6.5in. All three smartphones have Dolby Vision and HDR 10. The series also dropped its audio ports and is built with wide stereo speakers.
Software
All three phones run on the latest Apple iOS 12 which promises to be better than the iOS 11. According to Apple software chief Craig Federighi, the iOS 12 was designed to be faster in several aspects of a user’s experience including keyboard display and loading the camera. The iOS 12 UI also contains features that make it easier for users to navigate through apps.
Camera
Both the iPhone XS and XS Max is equipped with the same 12MP+12MP dual rear camera capable of recording 4k videos and achieving bokeh effects, while the iPhone XR is built with a 12MP wide-angle rear camera that can also shoot in 4k. As for the front camera, all the three have the same 7MP + IR setup.
Performance
All three units feature Apple’s current flagship chipset which is the A12 Bionic with Neural Engine which is a step-up from the A11 Bionic chipset. The A12 is designed to increase overall performance by 15% while lowering the power consumption by half.
As for the battery capacity of each model, no exact figure has been released yet. What we know of are just battery life comparisons: The XS is said to last at least 30 mins than iPhone X, while the XS Max lasts an hour and a half longer.
iPhone XS | iPhone XS Max | iPhone XR | |
---|---|---|---|
OS | Apple iOS 12 | Apple iOS 12 | Apple iOS 12 |
CPU | Apple A12 Hexa-Core Bionic chip | Apple A12 Hexa-Core Bionic chip | Apple A12 Hexa-Core Bionic chip |
GPU | Apple GPU (eight-core graphics) | Apple GPU (eight-core graphics) | Apple GPU (eight-core graphics) |
Memory & Storage | - RAM TBAn- 64GB / 256GB / 512GB internal storage | - RAM TBAn- 64GB / 256GB / 512GB internal storage | - RAM TBAn- 64GB / 128GB / 256GB internal storage |
Display | - 5.8in OLED super retina displayn- 2436 x 1125pxn- 458ppin- Dolby Visionn- HDR 10 | - 6.5in OLED super retina displayn- 2688 x 1242pxn- 458 ppin- Dolby Visionn- HDR 10 | - 6.1in Liquid Retina display edge-to-edge LCDn- 1792 x 828n- 326ppin- Dolby Visionn-HDR 10 |
Rear Camera | - 12MP wide-angle f/1.8n- 12MP f/2.4 dual rear cameras | - 12MP wide-angle f/1.8n- 12MP f/2.4 dual rear cameras | - 12MP f/1.8 wide-angle |
Front Camera | - 7MP f/2.2 RGB front Cameran- IR Camera | - 7MP f/2.2 RGB front Cameran- IR Camera | - 7MP f/2.2 RGB front Cameran- IR Camera |
Sim Card | Dual-SIM (single nano + e-SIM for global / dual Nano for China) | Dual-SIM (single nano + e-SIM for global / dual Nano for China) | Dual-SIM (single nano + e-SIM) |
Connectivity | 4G VoLTE 4x4 MIMO and LAA | 4G VoLTE 4x4 MIMO and LAA | 4G VoLTE |
Sensors | - NFC with reader moden- Face IDn- Barometern- Three-axis gyron- Accelerometern- Proximity sensorn- Ambient light sensor | - NFC with reader moden- Face IDn- Barometern- Three-axis gyron- Accelerometern- Proximity sensorn- Ambient light sensor | - NFC with reader moden- Face IDn- Barometern- Three-axis gyron- Accelerometern- Proximity sensorn- Ambient light sensor |
Battery | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Colors | Gold, Silver, Space Gray | Gold, Silver, Space Gray | White, Black, Blue, Coral, Yellow, Red |
Conclusions
Even though the iPhone XS Max has more favorable specs, the difference in pricing doesn’t totally account for the slight differences. As much as possible, if you’ve already bought the iPhone X, there isn’t much need to ditch it for the iPhone XS Max. In terms of pricing, the iPhone XR being the cheapest out of the three came with a few compromises to make more affordable than the XS and XS Max.