iPhone XR I got the XR. But now I have second thoughts.

[bushman4]

So finally I got my XR this morning! And I find myself happy with almost everything, including the display which I consider not goid, but gorgeous.

However: It’s quite big. And heavy. Coming from the 6S, this is a really different animal. I have large hands and am used to handle my phone with one hand. Impossible with the XR. This bulkiness of this thing becomes even more obvious when I use it with a case. I know many people won’t, but to me, the phone is just too slippery without a case and actually even harder to handle.

So the question is: will I get used to this? Or should I get the XS? Money is not even the biggest concern here, I really preferred the XR for its less polished look and most importantly, the battery life.

All 3 2018 iPhones have gained weight because of the different materials being used in manufacturing however they still feel solid .
As for ‘one handed’ use it’s becoming harder
And Indont think Apple intention is one handed operation I even though they include features like reachability

 

[tks900]

Reachability is actually better without the home button, but I don’t want to rely on it. What I did is I just ordered the XS. This way, I‘ll have more than a week to test XR and XS side by side. As this thread shows, experiences with larger phones are highly individual, so you can only ever find out yourself.

 

[Nitefly]

I don’t find it too much of a problem using it one handed, but it is big. I carry the weight of the phone and balance it on my little finger, which I presume is normal. Typing is obviously nicer when two handed. To reach the control centre I first tilt the phone flat, remove my little finger and then reach up with my thumb to swipe down. Would be a big stretch otherwise!

 

[Mac2019]

iPhone 6/7/8 plus users who have gone to an XR - thoughts on the size?

I’ve talked myself out of the xs due to price and storage limitations so xr is the logical option. However, I am concerned about the size as I tried an 8plus for a week a while ago and I found it ridiculously big, like absurdly. Been to a couple of phone shops today and it looks fine but they’re all locked down so can’t be picked up and handled - meh.

I’m going from a 6 FYI.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I don’t find it too much of a problem using it one handed, but it is big. I carry the weight of the phone and balance it on my little finger, which I presume is normal. Typing is obviously nicer when two handed. To reach the control centre I first tilt the phone flat, remove my little finger and then reach up with my thumb to swipe down. Would be a big stretch otherwise!

Download the Control Center 2 Siri shortcut. No more need to swipe down from the right corner. You can easily access Siri shortcuts from the today widget via the Siri app suggestions. Easy one thumb use.

 

[Mackinjosh]

In theory, 6.1 inches for a phone sounded great. In practice, I think I hate it due to the format that its in. The notch results in videos with large black pillars on either side, which means the real estate the video is playing in is much smaller than much smaller phones I've owned in the past. The long and skinny nature of the phone also means websites in portrait mode aren't as readable due to much smaller font size (despite upping the screen and text sizes). I compared my new 6.1 inch phone to my neighbors older 5.7 inch Galaxy Note 5 and everything felt much bigger on it.

 

[ssledoux]

In theory, 6.1 inches for a phone sounded great. In practice, I think I hate it due to the format that its in. The notch results in videos with large black pillars on either side, which means the real estate the video is playing in is much smaller than much smaller phones I've owned in the past. The long and skinny nature of the phone also means websites in portrait mode aren't as readable due to much smaller font size (despite upping the screen and text sizes). I compared my new 6.1 inch phone to my neighbors older 5.7 inch Galaxy Note 5 and everything felt much bigger on it.

Hasn’t that been a complaint about the X/XS as well? That the screen was narrower and longer? I have definitely noticed that with the XR, but I’m really just gonna try to adjust since I can’t imagine there’s gonna be a drastic change in the next few years and I’m ready to downsize from my + phone just a tad.

Of course for me, because I live in a rural area and only have data to rely on, I don’t watch a lot of videos, so it’s not gonna affect me in that regard. The text size does affect me though, and I need to make some adjustments to that so I can see how much difference it makes.

 

[ghanwani]

Reachability is actually better without the home button, but I don’t want to rely on it. What I did is I just ordered the XS. This way, I‘ll have more than a week to test XR and XS side by side. As this thread shows, experiences with larger phones are highly individual, so you can only ever find out yourself.

If you wait till Nov 15 to buy, you could get 2 months to test.

Would be curious to hear what you decide. In my case, neither phone excites. I would not even be looking at them but my SE feels noticeably slower since moving to iOS 12.

 

[OTACORB]

I just used Safari and the text is small. I generally don’t use Safari. I have used Chrome or Opera and the text is larger so this seems to be a Safari issue. Which is not shocking. I freaking hate Safari.

 

[Ravi_MR]

So finally I got my XR this morning! And I find myself happy with almost everything, including the display which I consider not goid, but gorgeous.

However: It’s quite big. And heavy. Coming from the 6S, this is a really different animal. I have large hands and am used to handle my phone with one hand. Impossible with the XR. This bulkiness of this thing becomes even more obvious when I use it with a case. I know many people won’t, but to me, the phone is just too slippery without a case and actually even harder to handle.

So the question is: will I get used to this? Or should I get the XS? Money is not even the biggest concern here, I really preferred the XR for its less polished look and most importantly, the battery life.

The only reason I went for Xs instead of XR is because I wanted the smallest form factor with lightest weight! Personally, I find even the Xs a tad bigger than I would prefer. But I have learnt to live with it since iphone X. I got small hands. I could never get used to plus size phones and I doubt XR will be different, for me. The weight itself is a big no since I use my phone single handed.

 

[arkitect]

If you wait till Nov 15 to buy, you could get 2 months to test.

Would be curious to hear what you decide. In my case, neither phone excites. I would not even be looking at them but my SE feels noticeably slower since moving to iOS 12.

My SE feels noticeably faster since moving to iOS 12.

The wonder of internet anecdotes.

 

[WhiteWhaleHolyGrail]

You’re absolutely not allowed to have second thoughts. Didn’t you get the memo? The XR is just better than the XS for less and so it’s better better in fact. Don’t think about your needs just know it’s better. Just accept this magnificent (and better) communion from the Apple gods until your unworthy brain cannot distinguish OLED, camera, RAM or any other feature because you my friend have been selected to be...better for better less.

 

[rillrill]

Do give it some time. I'm on record in another thread saying I wanted to return my XS Max for the smaller XS. It took me almost a full two weeks before I got use to the size. Now I look at my wife's XS and think it's too small. You will have to adjust how you handle the phone though. I, personally, do not attempt many one handed gestures now.

 

[Nhwhazup]

XR is very heavy, starting feeling pain in hand. Just spent about couple of hours. It’s thick too.

You have do what’s right for you. I had Plus phones for the last 4 years and love the big screen with a minimal case.

However the Max this year felt just too bulky and heavy. I would have kept it if not for having connectivity problems. I ended up with an X and love it. The smaller size just feels better - no more pinky pain.

Although the XR is smaller than the Max, it is pretty thick. To each his/her own. Find a good working phone that hits your sweet spot.

 

[tks900]

You’re absolutely not allowed to have second thoughts. Didn’t you get the memo? The XR is just better than the XS for less and so it’s better better in fact. Don’t think about your needs just know it’s better. Just accept this magnificent (and better) communion from the Apple gods until your unworthy brain cannot distinguish OLED, camera, RAM or any other feature because you my friend have been selected to be...better for better less.

From what I am reading, almost as many people here defend the XR as are those insisting on the superiority of the XS. I am in neither camp. I am at this point looking for the phone with best form factor for me personally. All other differences between the two I can handle either way.

 

[WhiteWhaleHolyGrail]

From what I am reading, almost as many people here defend the XR as are those insisting on the superiority of the XS. I am in neither camp. I am at this point looking for the phone with best form factor for me personally. All other differences between the two I can handle either way.

That’s the best way to be! I agree with you.

Just poking some fun at the po-faced nonsense coming from this debate. Would be great to talk about the tech and not what one’s choice of purchase says about the person as an individual.

 

[roxysdad]

That’s the best way to be! I agree with you.

Just poking some fun at the po-faced nonsense coming from this debate. Would be great to talk about the tech and not what one’s choice of purchase says about the person as an individual.

One choice is not better than another. It is all a matter of opinion. But like politics, this becomes a debate which nobody really wins. I like options, liberty, freedom. I’m glad to see Apple give us some choices in their product offering, as I prefer to stay with them due to other reasons (mainly ecosystem and interoperability). So I dig their efforts in giving us new phones, and a modern OS that makes the older phones less obsolete.

 

[AlthePal]

I also had the 6S and upgraded from that to the Max which is even bigger than the XR. You’ll definitely get use to the limitations of what you can reach with one hand, and the things you now need two hands for. Although I have to admit, when I was at the Apple store playing with the display units, the XS felt so much more familiar and comfortable to use as it’s similar in size as the 6S. I usually hold the phone in my left hand while using it and noticed my hand or fingers occasionally getting a bit sore. This is probably from the added weight and me flexing my fingers too much and in more awkward positions than when I had the 6S. The only times I feel the Max is inconveniently large is when I really only have one hand available to use, like when I’m trying to text or type in an address when driving..which I shouldn’t be doing anyways lol. Overall for my usage, I do prefer the larger screen.

 

[AlexJoda]

The only reason I went for Xs instead of XR is because I wanted the smallest form factor with lightest weight! Personally, I find even the Xs a tad bigger than I would prefer. But I have learnt to live with it since iphone X. I got small hands. I could never get used to plus size phones and I doubt XR will be different, for me. The weight itself is a big no since I use my phone single handed.

Just put my wife’s iPhone 7 on a balance and it weighted 30 grams more than my new XR because she uses a lether case with it. So weight seems not that much of a problem...
[doublepost=1540744596][/doublepost]

You have do what’s right for you. I had Plus phones for the last 4 years and love the big screen with a minimal case.

However the Max this year felt just too bulky and heavy. I would have kept it if not for having connectivity problems. I ended up with an X and love it. The smaller size just feels better - no more pinky pain.

Although the XR is smaller than the Max, it is pretty thick. To each his/her own. Find a good working phone that hits your sweet spot.

For me the X and XS are no improvement to my 6 because it has the same width as the 6. Phone sizes are mainly different on the width. The Plus and the Max having a greater width but are too bulky to me. So the XR with the same point resolution in width than the Max but smaller body seems the best compromise for me...

 

[cornerexit]

I guess I’m just shocked that half an ounce really makes that much difference, but obviously for some it does.

Well weight does matter, a lot. Many of us don’t carry bags or purses so the phone is in a pocket, on a belt, etc. And we’ve already got other stuff on us that we carry as well. Even the Xs is heavier and larger than my 7. Xr or Max? No way. Big, bulky, and heavy. I want a smaller phone and light weight. I don’t want a phablet phone. Portability is at the top of the list.

I find it hilarious that now we have a company making a small phone that is meant to be your phone’s phone (Palm). That is a sad state of affairs when phones have become so large you have people buying companion phones. Just silly.

Apple where is the 5” iPhone? Many of us do not want to carry around phablets. What is next, 7” will be the smallest offered?

 

[ssledoux]

Well weight does matter, a lot. Many of us don’t carry bags or purses so the phone is in a pocket, on a belt, etc. And we’ve already got other stuff on us that we carry as well. Even the Xs is heavier and larger than my 7. Xr or Max? No way. Big, bulky, and heavy. I want a smaller phone and light weight. I don’t want a phablet phone. Portability is at the top of the list.

I find it hilarious that now we have a company making a small phone that is meant to be your phone’s phone (Palm). That is a sad state of affairs when phones have become so large you have people buying companion phones. Just silly.

Apple where is the 5” iPhone? Many of us do not want to carry around phablets. What is next, 7” will be the smallest offered?

I can understand that. I honestly LOVE the feel of the 6-8, and would love to use a smaller phone, but the older I get, the worse my eyes are. I’m only 50, but I struggle with the small print for sure. And I also struggle with smaller keyboards.

Getting old is hell, especially when your mind is still 25. ;-p

 

[tks900]

Well weight does matter, a lot. Many of us don’t carry bags or purses so the phone is in a pocket, on a belt, etc. And we’ve already got other stuff on us that we carry as well. Even the Xs is heavier and larger than my 7. Xr or Max? No way. Big, bulky, and heavy. I want a smaller phone and light weight. I don’t want a phablet phone. Portability is at the top of the list.

I find it hilarious that now we have a company making a small phone that is meant to be your phone’s phone (Palm). That is a sad state of affairs when phones have become so large you have people buying companion phones. Just silly.

Apple where is the 5” iPhone? Many of us do not want to carry around phablets. What is next, 7” will be the smallest offered?

I hear you. I remember when the 5 came out, someone at the Keynote, possibly Phil Schiller, said something like this is as big as it gets because this is as far as the average person can reach with one hand. This was thus forgotten with the 6, which is already to big for many, hence the SE.

I myself have big hands, so no problem with the 6. My impression though is that many people use even the 6 (or 7 and 8) with two hands, so for them it makes no difference to have an even larger phone. For me however, the XR continues to feel large. I am somewhat getting used to it as I am testing it over the weekend, but I’m glad I will be able to test the XS as well next week. Will it be too big as well, when coming from the 6S? Or will it hit that sweet spot I‘m looking for. We‘ll see.

 

[burgman]

Too heavy, too large. I’d take it back. It’s a phablet phone. Hit the pause button and wait for the 2019 phones.

Why?

 

[jeremiah256]

Sounds like no brainer to get XS. Enjoy the better screen, better form factor, better cameras, and less pain.

Agreed. You have a medical condition that may get aggravated by large form factor phones.

 

[ATC]

It's funny that some are taking the weight difference in linear terms and absolute values, as though we're talking about dumbbells. But for those like myself who are coming from an iPhone 7 for example, the XR, being 40% heavier, the weight difference is very noticeable, probably more so than the size difference. Having said that, I am loving the battery life on this thing. It more than makes up for the weight increase.