Which mobile gadget is better: iPhone XR or iPhone XS

The American company Apple, known for its cutting-edge devices, recently released new smartphones called iPhone Xs Max, iPhone XR and iPhone XS. They immediately became interested in ardent fans of the brand and simply bloggers who publish reviews of new products in the mobile industry.

There really isn't much difference between the XS versions. But with the XR line they differ quite a lot. In this article, we will take a detailed look at the characteristics of the two flagships, find out which is better, the iPhone XR or XS, and what is the difference between them.

Size, thickness and weight

Screen size is what determines the ease of using a smartphone not only for calls, but also for comfortable viewing of photos and videos. But let's return to the smartphones in question - they have different display sizes: the iPhone XS has a slightly smaller one. The weight and thickness of the phones vary: the iPhone XS weighs slightly less and is slightly thinner than the iPhone XR.

Autonomous operation

This is where the iPhone XR definitely has an advantage - it’s in the battery life from a full charge. If the iPhone XS is capable of providing 20 hours of talk time, 12 hours of Internet use and 14 hours of video playback, then with the XR you will have a whopping 25 hours of talk time, 15 hours of Internet browsing and 16 hours of video playback.

• iPhone XR: 1.5 hours longer overall battery life, supports wireless charging (7.5W Max)
• iPhone XS: Supports wireless charging (7.5W Max)

It is difficult to establish the unambiguous superiority of one smartphone over another - both the iPhone XR and iPhone XS are good in their own way. In addition, any assessment will be subjective, because when evaluating a device, everyone takes into account exactly what they consider important for themselves. If you prioritize display capabilities, the iPhone XS is your best bet. If battery life is more important to you, you'll like the iPhone XR better. Surely we can agree on one thing - both smartphones from Apple are high-quality and multifunctional devices that will certainly be useful in use!

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Screen Specifications

Who will we give preference to? Judging by the table, the iPhone XS is better in terms of the specified characteristics and scored .

Design

Of course, it's worth starting with design. Both smartphones have tempered glass on both the front and back, but the back covers are different - primarily due to the fact that the XS uses a dual camera, while the XR uses a single camera.

The second important difference is the color shades. So, if the XS can be purchased in black, silver or gold, the XR has many more colors, and bright ones: blue, orange, red, yellow, as well as white and black.

From the front, it is noticeable that the side frames of the XR are slightly thicker.

The dimensions of the XS are significantly smaller than those of the XR. This is also due to the fact that the XR has a larger display diagonal - 6.1 inches versus 5.8 inches.

Dimensions XR (mm)

• Width: 75.70

• Height: 150.90

• Thickness: 8.30

• Weight: 194 g

Dimensions XS (mm)

• Width: 70.90

• Height: 143.60

• Thickness: 7.70

• Weight: 177 g

One more thing about the body. Both smartphones received protection from water, but if its level in the case of the iPhone XR is IP67, then for the XS it is IP68.

Processor, memory and battery

It's up to you to decide - for some, the duration of operation without recharging is more important, for others, the speed of operation and memory capacity.

What is the difference between iPhone XS and iPhone XR - detailed comparison

What is the difference between these two iPhone models? Which phone, iPhone XR or iPhone XS, will be more profitable? In order to get answers to these questions, let's compare their technical characteristics.

Design and dimensions

The phones have a glass back cover, a feature of previous generations of gadgets. The design difference is minimal - the XR has a frame made of 7000 series aluminum, while the XS has a stainless steel frame.

The devices have different versions of dust and water protection: XS - IP68, and XR - IP67. It would seem that the difference is only in one number. However, the newer version of IP68 can withstand submersion of the phone to a depth of about 2 meters, while IP67 is only 1 meter.

The XR model is also inferior in size: its 194 grams versus 177 grams for the XS version.

Dimensions:

• iPhone Xs: 143.6×70.9×7.7 mm;
• iPhone XR: 150.9×75.7×8.3 mm.

But with the XR palette everything is much better - there are 6 body colors to choose from:

1. White.
2. Yellow.
3. Black.
4. Blue.
5. Coral.
6. Red.

XS received only three colors:

1. Silver.
2. Gold.
3. "Grey Space"

Display

The XR version has the largest screen in the history of Apple phones - 6.1 inches with a resolution of 1792 × 828 pixels (326 ppi). The manufacturer notes that despite the IPS matrix, the screen is incredibly accurate in color reproduction.

However, 3D Touch is missing - it has been replaced by Haptic Touch technology, which works in a similar way. This is a long tap with a vibration response, notifying you of a successfully completed action.

The iPhone XS differs from the XR in both screen and resolution. Despite the 5.8-inch touchscreen, the XS version received an OLED display with a brighter and richer picture, high resolution - 2436 × 1125 pixels (458 ppi).

CPU

The devices feature an A12 Bionic processor with a new 8-core Neural Engine chip. The graphics are faster than previous generations of smartphones.

Storage device

The new iPhones received three memory configurations:

1. XS –64, 256 and 512 GB.
2. XR–64, 128, and 256 GB.

As you can see, only the maximum configurations are different here.

The situation is different with RAM. The XS is equipped with 4 GB, and the XR model is equipped with only 3 GB.

Main camera

Both XS and XR received 12 MP rear cameras, but since the iPnohe XS has a dual camera (12 MP + 12 MP) with a telephoto lens, this device has the advantage of dual optical stabilization and tenfold digital zoom.

In general, the camera functions are identical: we have an updated portrait mode, smart HDR, and an improved flash. Another innovation: smartphones can now record stereo sound while shooting video.

Front-camera

The devices have the same front cameras with a resolution of 7 megapixels. As we already know, megapixels in Apple smartphones are not the main thing - they still shoot great, record video - even better. All the features that are available to the main camera (Smart HDR, portrait mode) are also available in the front camera.

Face ID

iPhone XR and iPhone XS support face unlock. It works quite quickly and accurately even in the dark. Most likely, this is due to a good processor and improved cameras.

Connection

The main parameters in this section are the same for smartphones. The difference is that the XS received Gigabit Class LTE, the XR received 4G LTE.

Phones can have 2 SIM cards (regular and eSIM). But also available:

1. Bluetooth 5.0.
2. Vo LTE.
3. NFC.

Battery

The devices have fast and wireless charging. Compared to the XS, the XR has a longer battery life: up to 25 hours of talk time, 15 hours of browsing, 16 hours of video, and 65 hours of audio. XS specifications: up to 20 hours of talk time, 12 hours of Internet browsing, 14 hours of video and 60 hours of audio.

Price

The cost of gadgets varies depending on the amount of memory. But, despite this, XS phones are still an order of magnitude more expensive - for 64 GB you will have to pay about 90 thousand rubles, although the XR version with the same memory costs about 65 thousand rubles.

For a 512 GB iPhone XS you will have to pay at least 120 thousand rubles. The maximum configuration XR costs much less - 80 thousand rubles.

Camera specifications

Do you like to take pictures with your phone? Then this section will help you better decide on the choice of model.

The iPhone XR is inferior to the iPhone XS in terms of its ability to shoot objects at long distances. Also pay attention to the optical zoom option on magnification.

Cameras

The front modules in both cases are the same: resolution - 7 MP, aperture - F/1.80.

But the rear cameras are different: the XS has a dual 12/12 MP resolution with a wide-angle (F/1.8) and a telephoto lens (F/2.4), while the XR has a single wide-angle (F/1.8) with a 12 MP resolution.

Thanks to the additional module, the XS can take photos with a 2x zoom without losing quality; the XR does not have this ability. In any case, both smartphones take pictures just fine.

Extra options

Still undecided? Take a look at the advanced options. We won't rate them, but perhaps they will influence your choice.

XS Max or XS

In fact, these are the same smartphones. If you buy the XS, you won't feel disadvantaged like you did in the days of the Plus versions: the same filters, the same processor, the same camera. The only difference is the screen. It is he who will give XS Max users some kind of status, or something.

To be honest, I don't see any reason to overpay for a larger screen size. Previously, large smartphones had their advantages, but now they have removed this and made just two identical devices: one larger and the other smaller. Most likely, the 6.5-inch version was made specifically for the Chinese market, where everyone is flocking to phablets with large screens.

Results

Brief summary.

• If you have X, then I would stay with this model.
• If you're buying a new iPhone for the first time and you're on a budget, the iPhone X is a great buy.
• If you can find 6,000 UAH and you and your children will not go hungry, then buy the iPhone Xs - the best phone of 2018.
• If you have an iPhone 6, 7 or 8, then you should sell the previous one and buy a new one, depending on your budget. As I already said, I have a 7 Plus, if it sells well, I’ll take the Xs.

Oleg Tsegelnik

Hello. I am the founder and owner of the Apps4Life project. It all started as a hobby, and now it’s a big cool project that helps you choose applications and find new games.

Sound

Three 2022 iPhone models allow you to record high-quality stereo sound. For this purpose, 4 built-in microphones are used, which turn on when the video and audio start. According to Apple representatives, thanks to these sensors, phones have enhanced audio perception.

The gadgets also have similarities in the absence of a jack for a standard headset with a 3.5 mm plug. To connect other, incomplete headphones, iPhone owners will still have to use adapters that are no longer included in the kit, as before. You can synchronize the headset with your smartphone wirelessly.

SIM cards

Among the main differences between the iPhone XS and XR from the “older” model is support for two SIM cards at once - an opportunity that fans of the Apple brand have long been waiting for. However, the second SIM is electronic (e-sim) and is not supported in the CIS countries. Therefore, nothing will change for domestic iPhone owners in 2022. In Germany, the USA, Spain and 7 other countries, e-sim will allow you to use an additional SIM card on your smartphone.

The top version of the XS Max is available without an electronic SIM card (eSIM). But the Chinese version of the device has two full-fledged cards in nano-sim format. Both of them work in Dual-sim mode, remaining active at all times. However, such a device is not sold in Russia.

True Tone Technology

If you compare the iPhone XR and other 2022 Apple models in terms of picture quality, you will notice a number of differences due to different screens. But True Tone technology is supported by all three phones. This allows you to compensate for screen luminescence distortions, regardless of the conditions of use.

In bright artificial light, the display of most phones shows true white. Opening a blank page outdoors when exposed to sunlight, you may encounter a bluish tint. True Tone technology allows you to preserve color rendition, and the white color remains the same in the daytime, in the evening, and indoors.

Phone memory

You remember that you cannot increase your memory using memory cards, and therefore you need to buy a phone with a memory reserve. I highly recommend not buying a 64Gb phone. It is not enough. Frankly not enough. The minimum is 128Gb, ​​but such models have been discontinued since the iPhone X. We look at models with 256Gb and Xr with 128Gb.

• iPhone X 256Gb — 28662 UAH
• iPhone Xs 256Gb — 34563 UAH
• iPhone Xr 256Gb — 30629 UAH
• iPhone Xr 128Gb — 26414 UAH

Our decision that the iPhone X would be the best option is further strengthened by the cost. iPhone X is cheaper than Xr by 2000 UAH.

The difference between iPhone X and iPhone Xs is 6,000 UAH. This is almost 20%. For my tastes, the upgrades to the Xs are pretty cosmetic for the price, so that's what I'd do.

And there is one more important note. Apple has discontinued the iPhone X. This was not the case before; usually a successful model was produced for several more years; in this case, for some reason, it was not so. This doesn't mean they won't support this model, it just looks a little weird. And this is a minus towards the iPhone X.