I held out for a long time. When Apple showed new smartphones in September 2022, I held my “ten” in my hand and felt completely calm.
There was no desire to run for the new Xs or Xs Max, and even more so for the iPhone XR, for a number of reasons, which were shared in a separate article.
A week ago I exchanged my black iPhone X for a red iPhone XR.
For what? The iPhone XR is worse than the “ten”! (No)
Yes, technically it is. If you take the hard numbers, the top ten has a better screen, lighter weight and...
All. In everything else, the iPhone XR is better, faster, more convenient ; starting from the processor, ending with screen sizes.
Yes, compared to the X, the screen of the iPhone XR has increased literally a little, but reading books, watching videos, playing and surfing the Internet has become really more comfortable.
The iPhone XR is the same size as the iPhone 8 plus. The difference is in the screen diagonal, which is much larger here.
There is no point in comparing the performance of smartphones - the X and the iPhone XR both work equally quickly . So there are no revelations here.
But what struck me with the iPhone XR, and what became one of the decisive facts that influenced the decision to upgrade to it, was the screen.
Battery
In terms of operating time, the iPhone XR is a more practical option
Cupertino residents traditionally keep silent about the volume of installed batteries. But both phones have long been disassembled by specialists, and here’s what is known: the “ten” has a 2716 mAh battery, and the XR has a 3174 mAh battery. It is clear that the latter has a larger body.
An IPS display takes up more charge than its OLED counterpart. With the same mode of use, both smartphones work until the end of the day, but by the evening the new device has 10–15% more charge left. At the same time, both models support fast charging, including wireless, but they come with a weak 1 W power supply.
The iPhone XR screen is worse than the iPhone X. But that's just in numbers
Hatred. Hater. Contempt. These are the emotions that the iPhone XR collects as soon as the review shows the comparative characteristics of its screen with the screens of not only the Xs, Xs Max and X, but also with the previous “pluses”.
Let me remind you: the iPhone XR has an LCD screen (like the iPhone 8 and earlier), and not an OLED (like the X/Xs). Its resolution is 1792x828 pixels, which is less than even that of the iPhone Plus , with their screen 1920x1080 pixels.
In simple words, the iPhone XR screen does not even reach Full HD , let alone anything more. The same iPhone Xs has a screen resolution of 2436x1125 pixels.
That's it, after this, the eyes become bloodshot, the fists clench, and the negativity towards the iPhone XR and Tim Cook personally begins to go off scale: he sold us some kind of monstrosity, not a screen, for a lot of money.
BUT!
After a year with the iPhone X, I picked up the iPhone XR and noticed absolutely no difference in picture quality. There was no bleeding from the eyes, no pixels were creeping out of all the cracks: a bright, clear screen with excellent color rendition.
Yes, there is no 3D Touch, but I didn’t use this feature of the OLED screen of the “ten”.
Really, the screen is excellent. No Full HD? Yes, if you really notice this in person, then you simply have an eagle eye. Or are you just a fan of X?
Other features
Both iPhones are water-resistant
Both phones have good IP67 protection, so both X and XR will survive splashes and short immersion in water without problems. However, if you somehow drown your smartphone, Apple will not recognize this as a warranty claim .
The new XR has two SIM cards, one of which is eSim, but it does not work in Russia. By the way, phones with two physical SIM cards are sold in China.
Camera. It's better, although without optical zoom
If the nominal number of “eyes” is important to you, then alas. The iPhone XR actually has one module less than the “ten”.
If the quality of photos and videos is important to you, you will be surprised just as I was surprised: the camera in the iPhone XR takes excellent photographs and shoots video in 4K.
I have already tested the camera of this smartphone, and among the pictures I inserted one frame taken on the iPhone X. You can look at the comments and make sure that no one guessed which picture was taken on the iPhone X and not on the iPhone XR.
Price
In February 2022, prices for some iPhone models, including XR, were reduced in Russia
iPhone X will be released in 2022. Today its price has already dropped slightly due to the presentation of new products. And the XR, released in 2018, was initially presented as a device in the budget segment (relative to flagships). Currently, these models, according to the Yandex.Market service, have the following prices.
Table: cost of iPhone X and XR in February 2022
| iPhone X | iPhone XR | |
| 64 GB | from 56,490 ₽ | from 51,190 ₽ |
| 128 GB | – | from 55,690 ₽ |
| 256 GB | from 66,850 ₽ | from 59,990 ₽ |
It is worth considering that last year's iPhone X has been officially discontinued by Apple, so its quantity in store warehouses is limited.
Last year's flagship is somewhat more expensive than the new product, and this is understandable: more expensive case materials and premium design do their job. But the difference is obviously not critical.
Killer feature. My iPhone is bright scarlet without any cases.
Color is what is missing from the boring white and black iPhone Xs, Xs Max and X.
Rose gold doesn't count - for me this color ranks next to white. It's not bright.
Choosing the new iPhone XR, I felt like a child in a toy store: my eyes wide open, which one should I choose? I’ve become unaccustomed to such problems of choice over the years with a black or white iPhone.
Having held all the colors in my hands, I chose the red PRODUCT (RED). At this point, those who consider red a “girly” color should urgently scroll down the rest of the article and immediately write a furious comment about my sexuality.
For more sensible readers, I will say that the red color of Apple smartphones can in no way be considered feminine. This is a noble scarlet color that looks harmonious in a man’s hand and turns a smartphone from a means of communication into a bright accessory.
I'm looking forward to summer days when my smartphone will literally burn in my hand in the sun.
Because of the color, I'm getting used to wearing my iPhone XR without a case. Hiding such a body even in transparent “clothes” is blasphemy. The aluminum frames are moderately rough, so far I have never dropped the gadget.
A separate plus is that the frames do not scratch, unlike the polished iPhone X.
Phone comparison - select the smartphones you want to compare
Comparison - Apple iPhone XR vs Apple iPhone X
Apple iPhone XR is a 2022 smartphone with a weight of 194 g and dimensions of 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm.
It has a 6.1-inch screen, 12 megapixel camera and 64/128/256 GB, 3 GB RAM. Its Hexa-core processor (2×2.5 GHz Vortex + 4×1.6 GHz Tempest) Apple iPhone X is a 2022 smartphone with a weight of 174 g and dimensions of 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm. It has a 5.8-inch screen, 12 megapixel camera and 64/256 GB, 3 GB RAM. Its processor is Hexa-core 2.39 GHz (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral)
For a detailed comparison of all features, see the table below. You can watch a video comparison of phones.
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| General characteristics | |||
| Make and model | Apple iPhone XR | Apple iPhone X | |
| Rating | (+5) | (+4) | |
| release date | 2018, September | 2017, September | |
| Dimensions (HxWxD) | 150.9 X 75.7 X 8.3 mm | 143.6 X 70.9 X 7.7 mm | |
| Weight | 194 | 174 | |
| Frame | Glass front and back, aluminum frame (7000 series) | Glass front and back, stainless steel frame | |
| Colors | Black, Red, Yellow, Blue, Coral, White | Space Gray, Silver | |
| Battery | 2942 mAh, Unchangeable, Li-Ion | 2716 mAh, Unchangeable, Li-Ion | |
| Battery life | Talk time - Up to 25 hours (3G) Audio playback - Up to 65 hours | Talk time - Up to 21 hours (3G) Audio playback - Up to 60 hours | |
| Approximate price | 850 EUR | 1000 EUR | |
| Display | |||
| Technologies | IPS LCD | Super AMOLED | |
| Touch screen | yes, capacitive | yes, capacitive | |
| Color depth | 16M | 16M | |
| Size (Diagonal) | 6.1″ (inches) | 5.8″ (inches) | |
| Screen area | 90.3 cm2 | 84.4 cm2 | |
| Ratio (height:width) | 19.5:9 | 19.5:9 | |
| Ratio (screen:body) | 79.0% | 82.9% | |
| Resolution (pixels) | 828 x 1792 px | 1125 x 2436 px | |
| DPI | 326 PPI | 458 PPI | |
| Screen protection | Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating | Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating | |
| Other | — True-tone -Wide color gamut -120 Hz touch-sensing | — Dolby Vision -HDR10 -Wide color gamut -3D Touch -True-tone -120 Hz touch-sensing | |
| Cameras and video | |||
| Rear camera, main | 12 MP, Single camera | 12 MP, Dual camera | |
| Characteristics | -12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, OIS, PDAF | -12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, OIS, PDAF -12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, OIS, PDAF, 2x optical zoom | |
| Functions | quad LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | quad LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama), panorama, HDR | |
| Video recording | [email protected] /30/60fps, [email protected] /60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. | [email protected] /30/60fps, [email protected] /60/120/240fps | |
| DxOMark main result | 101 | 97 | |
| DxOMark photo result | 103 | 101 | |
| DxOMark video result | 96 | 89 | |
| Front camera, selfie | 7 MP, Single camera | 7 MP, One camera | |
| Characteristic | -7 MP, f/2.2, 32mm (standard) | -7 MP, f/2.2, 32mm (standard) | |
| Functions | HDR | HDR | |
| Characteristic | [email protected] | [email protected] | |
| DxOMark selfie result | 71 | ||
| DxOMark photo result | 74 | ||
| DxOMark video result | 66 | ||
| Productivity | |||
| Operating system (OS) | iOS 12, update to iOS 12.1.3 | iOS 11.1.1, update to iOS 12.1.3 | |
| Chipset | — Apple A12 Bionic (7 nm) | — Apple A11 Bionic (10 nm) | |
| Central Processing Unit (CPU) | — 6 core (2×2.5 GHz Vortex + 4×1.6 GHz Tempest) | — 6 core 2.39 GHz (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) | |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) | - Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | - Apple GPU (three-core graphics) | |
| External memory card | No | No | |
| Inner memory | 64/128/256 GB, 3 GB RAM | 64/256 GB, 3 GB RAM | |
| Antutu 8 result | 414479 | 302245 | |
| Antutu 7 result | 346555 | 245200 | |
| GeekBench 5 Single Core result | 1108 | 910 | |
| GeekBench 5 Multi-Core result | 2575 | 2099 | |
| GeekBench 4 Single Core result | 4819 | 3226 | |
| GeekBench 4 Multi-Core result | 11408 | 11951 | |
| Communication and communication | |||
| SIM card | Nano-SIM, Electronic SIM card (eSIM) | Nano-SIM | |
| Net | GSM/CDMA/HSPA/EVDO/LTE | GSM/HSPA/LTE | |
| Show all network frequencies: | |||
| Frequencies | -2G - GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 CDMA 800 / 1900 -3G - HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO -4G - LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700), 13(700), 14(700), 17(700), 18(800 ), 19(800), 20(800), 25(1900), 26(850), 29(700), 30(2300), 32(1500), 34(2000), 38(2600), 39(1900 ), 40(2300), 41(2500), 66(1700/2100), 71(600) | -2G - GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 -3G - HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 -4G - LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700) /2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700), 13(700), 17(700), 18(800), 19(800), 20(800), 25 (1900), 26(850), 28(700), 29(700), 30(2300), 34(2000), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500), 66 (1700/2100) | |
| Internet speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (3CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | |
| GPRS | Yes | Yes | |
| Edge | Yes | Yes | |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot | |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | |
| NFC | Yes | Yes | |
| USB | 2.0, proprietary reversible connector | 2.0, proprietary reversible connector | |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE | |
| Harmful radiation | SAR - 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) | ||
| Music and audio | |||
| Radio | No | No | |
| Headphone jack | No | No | |
| Other | — Active noise reduction with a special microphone — Stereo speakers | — Active noise reduction with a special microphone — Stereo speakers | |
| Other Additions | |||
| Sensors | — Face recognition by Face ID, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass, barometer | — Face recognition by Face ID, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass, barometer | |
| Other Addons | — Fast battery charging: 50% for 30 min. -Qi Wireless Charging -Siri Natural Language and Dictation Commands - IP67 Water and Dust Resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) -Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX Certified) | — Fast battery charging: 50% for 30 min. -Qi Wireless Charging -Siri Natural Language and Dictation Commands - IP67 Water and Dust Resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) -Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX Certified) | |
| Versions | — Other names: Apple iPhone 10, Apple iPhone Ten Versions: A1865 (USA, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, China) A1901 (EMEA, UAE, LATAM, Canada, USA AT&T/T-Mobile, Singapore) | ||
Comparison Video - Click to view
Apple iPhone XR vs Apple iPhone X
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Camera
In 2022, users are not buying the iPhone XR for the camera. Although the most important thing in photography is still not the number of lenses and megapixels, but the skill and talent of the photographer. But still, in this parameter the XR loses again.
The smartphone has a single camera with a wide-angle module with a resolution of 12 megapixels. Thanks to its larger f/1.8 aperture compared to older iPhones (roughly speaking, a larger hole means more light enters the lens), the XR is capable of taking decent photos even in low-light conditions. By the way, it can also shoot 4K video.
An example of a night photo using an iPhone XR camera.
Previously, it was believed that good photographs with a blurred background could only be taken with devices with a dual camera. This is not true - XR can take pictures with a bokeh effect, in this case the neural network is responsible for blurring the background. Artificial intelligence often makes mistakes in the boundaries of the depth map, but in general it produces good pictures for social networks.
The iPhone 11 has noticeably improved - engineers added an ultra-wide-angle lens to the wide-angle lens. It is capable of expanding the boundaries of the image by 120 degrees, which is useful for shooting in tight conditions and landscapes - when you need to capture as much detail as possible in the frame.
Above - shooting with a wide-angle lens, below - with an ultra-wide-angle lens.
The iPhone 12 differs from its predecessor in two ways. Firstly, it has a brighter ultra-wide-angle sensor, thanks to which it is able to take clearer photos in low-light conditions. Secondly, the camera is capable of shooting in Dolby Vision HDR mode. This format is unlikely to be useful to the average user, but it shows progress.
All three devices do not have a telephoto lens and, accordingly, optical zoom - this feature was left for more expensive iPhones
Other differences
There is only a two-year difference between smartphones of the same line, but the following should be added to the differences described above:
iPhone 12 supports fifth-generation networks, can work with MagSafe magnetic wireless chargers and related accessories, and is equipped with a Wi‑Fi 6 module.
The geolocation unit supports work with Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou in addition to the common GPS and GLONASS systems.
The iPhone XR only has richer equipment on its side When purchasing from resellers, it is quite possible to find old boxes with chargers and headsets. When ordering on the Apple website, updated models will be sold exclusively with Lightning cords.
Who has better other features: although the new iPhone 12 has many additional advantages, most of them are not needed by the average user. 5G networks will start working in the distant future, not everyone has a Wi-Fi 6 router, and only a few will need specific GPS modules.
Whether owners of a new smartphone will buy suitable MagSafe accessories, only time will tell.
Shirik - so long-awaited and so controversial
Exactly the same story - the 11 Pro has the same camera, so both new devices shoot identically.
- resolution 12 MP
- aperture f/2.4
- grip angle - ultra-wide 120°
- focal length 13 mm
- 5-lens glass
- no stabilization or autofocus
The quality of the shirik is not bad. Especially if you shoot during the day when there is plenty of ambient lighting. HDR works very well, algorithms improve adequate white balance and so on.
11
Shirik
11
Shirik
11
Shirik
11
Shirik
However, there are problems with detail and artifacts in the corners of the frame, even in very good lighting. I analyzed this point in as much detail as possible using the example of comparison with Note 10+. Here's the link for all the details.
Processor and filling
The new iPhone 12 runs on the top-end Apple A14 processor, which is made using the most advanced technology in the mobile world at the moment. There is a fourth generation Neural Engine system.
The model received 4 GB of RAM, the battery capacity is 2815 mAh.
Models with 64, 128 or 256 GB will be available for sale.
The iPhone XR is powered by a much more modest Apple A12 processor with second-generation Neural Engine. The chip is 2 years older than the new one, which means two years earlier it will begin to cope worse with new iOS updates.
The older smartphone has 3 GB of RAM and a battery capacity of 2942 mAh.
There are only two modifications to choose from with 64 or 128 GB drives.
Who has better hardware: the new smartphone outperforms the old one in performance, has 1 GB more RAM, and its processor will remain relevant longer.
If now both gadgets cope with the user’s daily tasks without problems, then in a couple of years iPhone XR users may well lose the smooth operation of the system without lags and slowdowns.
The comparable battery capacity and more energy-efficient processor of the iPhone 12 allows the new product to get an extra hour of battery life when watching videos, which in everyday use will result in an approximately 10-15% increase in operating time without recharging.
The front camera is now the main one
Firstly, the resolution has increased: from 7 to 12 megapixels. Accordingly, the detail has become a little higher. Although, frankly speaking, I expected more.
11
XR
11 - wide angle
11 - bokeh
XR - bokeh
However, the main thing in the front camera is the new video recording modes: 4K at 60 frames per second and Slow Motion video at 120 frames per second.
Screen
iPhone 12 line received a flagship screen of fundamentally new quality (compared to the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR). Only the brightness differs from the top-end iPhone 12 Pro (by about 25%, which is barely noticeable even in a direct comparison).
The new smartphones are equipped with a 6.1″ OLED Super Retina XDR display with a resolution of 2532 × 1170 pixels. The density is 460 pixels per inch, the brightness in normal mode is limited to 625 cd/m², and the maximum in HDR mode is 1200 cd/m².
Top technologies HDR, True Tone and wide color gamut (P3) are supported.
The screen of the older iPhone XR is much more modest. The diagonal of the Liquid Retina HD screen is similar – 6.1″, but the resolution is only 1792 × 828 pixels and the density is 326 per inch.
The contrast is noticeably lower than 1400:1, the maximum brightness is no different from the new product - 625 cd/m².
There is support for True Tone and wide color gamut (P3).
Who has the better screen: the advantage of the new product is obvious. The screen is more progressive, the resolution and pixel density are noticeably higher. The contrast is significantly different, there is support for HDR.
With the same screen sizes and larger body, the iPhone XR has more pronounced bezels around the display.
Video from the main camera is in the top as always
The iPhone was and remains the best device for shooting video. Excellent image stabilization, cinematic picture, excellent detail, top-end HDR and so on.
Below is an example of Slow Motion video from both smartphones.
In terms of quality, the new product shoots exactly the same as XR. The difference is the additional wide-angle camera. You can switch to it directly while recording video. However, there is one limitation - only at the 4K 30 fps setting. Switching between angles is smooth and works due to software zoom. Let me remind you that physically there are only two focal lengths:
- 13 mm - width
- 26 mm - main camera
Everything in between is a digital approximation, and accordingly, the picture quality in these intervals deteriorates. In addition, at the moment of transition from zoom 0.8x to 1x, a jump is observed - the picture drawn by the software zoom changes to optical, already from the main camera.
If you switch the quality to 4K 60 FPS, the width becomes unavailable - only digital 3x zoom.
