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iPhone XS vs. iPhone XR: Design, Tech Specs, and Price Comparison

kazmac said:
Very helpful article MacRumors. Refuse to pay full price on any X model though, amongst other things. If a trade in offer is acceptable to me, and no Android options I want are available in December, perhaps I will consider an XR.

I need to stop reading Apple brass BS doublespeak though.
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I have an Essential PH-1.
If Essential does not make a second phone, my next phone will be an Xr.
I don't particularly like OLED and over saturation. I prefer a good LCD.
Camera just has to be good enough. I own three APS-C cameras so I'm not looking for a phone to replace them.
Other than that, the Xs/X max cost too much. After about $700 for a phone, you lose me.
Not because I can't afford it; I just refuse to pay it.
 
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TimSHB said:
Any idea how much memory is in each phone yet or do we have to wait for an ifixit teardown? There could be another difference there.
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The iPhone XR has 3GB RAM and both iPhone XS models have 4GB RAM:

https://www.iphoneincanada.ca/news/iphone-xs-max-iphone-xr-benchmarks/

I doubt you're gonna notice a difference in performance due to the lower RAM on the XR simply because it has a much lower resolution screen vs the XS so it doesn't have to push as many pixels around
 
jcshas said:
I agree 100% and which I why i'm second guessing the decision to pre-order the Xs this morning. For most the Xr is worthy upgrade, but for me going from an X to Xr feels like about a half-step backwards.
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The XR is for those that want the all-screen design / FaceID but don't need the all top-end features of the XS, which is probably most people.
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Masteric said:
The 3GB/4GB of RAM might make no difference really. You The XS/XS Max is driving a higher resolution display and, perhaps, the extra memory would make a difference there. The XR is driving fewer pixels, same processor, 25% less RAM... honestly, XR could appear faster.

I still have my iPhone 7 and have ZERO regrets about not buying the iPhone X last year. Until then, I've purchased every iPhone since the iPhone 4. If I get anything this year, I am fairly certain I would be content with the iPhone XR.
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Exactly!
 
JPack said:
Most people walking into an Apple Store will not ask for PPI or RAM or 3D Touch.

What they will notice is the XR having a thin-bezel display, Face ID, and does not disappoint in build quality. They'll also notice the Xs Max is nearly 50% more expensive.

I think it's pretty clear the XR is a winner for Apple.
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6.1" is the average display size for new smartphones in 2018.
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I don’t doubt that most people have no idea and don’t care about tech specs. But the screen is the centerpiece of smartphone interaction. The first videos didn’t really convince me that the “downgrade” of a streched low PPI 6,1” won’t be noticeable.

The point i tried to make was more about european pricing, because it is quite frankly a high price tag for such omissions. This leaves previous Plus owners between a rock and hard place, either loose features or pay even more for XS Max. This might happen or they don’t buy it and simply keep their phone a little longer. But we will find out soon if people like it. The techbubble clearly hypes it (for no apparent reason).

BC2009 said:
Yes, ArsTechnica did a hands on and they said the Xr DOES have the Plus-style landscape mode.
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Yes, see my previous comment. Check my comment above.

Here is a link:
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/09/hands-on-with-the-iphone-xs-iphone-xs-max-and-iphone-xr/

and the quote....
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Good know, so the Verge just had bad luck or rotation lock or whatever problem with their unit.
 
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wdwpsu said:
No one is talking about this, but you can NOT get an unlocked Xr, only Xs/XsMax. That can be a deal breaker to many including myself.
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You’re confusing unlocked with sim-free. All iPhones purchased full price or on the iPhone Upgrade Program are unlocked. But they include a sim for one of the four major providers. Doesn’t mean you have to use it with that provider though. The sim-free option for the Xr will probably come a few months after launch.
 
Outside of the different DRAM numbers & the different "Usable" DRAM numbers, the most-important new Spec, & which is applicable to both is:

● Extended dynamic range for video up to 30 fps

NOT Rocket Science to those Skilled in the Art, but ...

... it basically means that Both the Front & Back Cameras in ALL three of the new 2018 iPhones do in-deed support (limited) 10-bit (Color) Capture !

BTW, the Smart HDR feature uses ~ 512 MB of "Dedicated Burst Photo DRAM" to perform it's function ... enough to hold 14 Full-Res 12 Mpx photos.
 
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If I was upgrading I'd get the XR, for the same reason I got the 8 last year. £1000 is just too much to pay for a smart phone IMO. And the £1500 price tag of the 512GB XS Max is just ludicrous. O2 my cell carrier are now doing 36 month plans in order to get the monthly payments into a more affordable bracket. That's a three year commitment to buy a mobile phone.
 
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redheeler said:
Or even my iPhone 6s Plus from 2015. The lack of 3D Touch and lower pixel density make the iPhone Xr a partial downgrade from a three-year-old iPhone...
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Has the same ppi as 7 and 8 pluses. Has more resolution due to it being taller as well.
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ssl0408 said:
I think the screen will look bad, but have to see it first. It certainly isn’t an option for me as I have an X already. The XS is mildly tempting but they haven’t really improved Face ID so I might stick with the X.
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Is the screen in the 7 plus bad? The 8 plus bad?
 
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I agree, the XR is a perfect fit and I also like the blue version. It has what I want the most, better battery life! Plus everything except 3D Touch which I hardy ever use and I have a real camera so a no brainer for me!
 
techwhiz said:
I have an Essential PH-1.
If Essential does not make a second phone, my next phone will be an Xr.
I don't particularly like OLED and over saturation. I prefer a good LCD.
Camera just has to be good enough. I own three APS-C cameras so I'm not looking for a phone to replace them.
Other than that, the Xs/X max cost too much. After about $700 for a phone, you lose me.
Not because I can't afford it; I just refuse to pay it.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately it has been confirmed Essential will not make another phone. My tastes are similar to yours, I am not a power user by any stretch of the imagination and do not need all the bells and whistles. I can afford these phones too, but $749 is a bit much (to say nothing about the premium X models) and that doesn’t include AC.
 
UnionVGF said:
Has the same ppi as 7 and 8 pluses.
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Nope.

iPhone 6s Plus: 1080x1920, 401 PPI
iPhone Xr: 828x1792 (subtract rounded corners and notch), 326 PPI
iPhone Xs Max: 1242x2688 (subtract rounded corners and notch), 458 PPI

This page is a useful resource for comparing iPhone screen res / PPI.

For context, although the iPhone 4 had a smaller screen, the PPI is no better on the Xr. And Apple just introduced a brand new iPhone in 2018 with a lower screen PPI and resolution than an iPhone that was introduced in 2014 - at the exact same price point.
 
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The difference between the Xs and Xr is even bigger if you are comparing more reasonable models. E.g. if you need more than 64 GB of storage you can choose the 128 GB model with the Xr but there is no 128 GB model of the Xs! So you have to choose the 265 GB model which brings the difference to a mind blowing 410€ here in Germany! For that money you can nearly get a iPhone 7 on some locations here in Germany...

So to me the Xr is a no brainer...
 
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jcshas said:
I pre-ordered an iPhone Xs (256 GB Silver) this morning, but after reading the technical comparison of Xs vs. Xr, I wonder if I should have just waited for the Xr next month. I own an iPhone X which I love, but giving up OLED display and 3D touch is not exactly a deal breaker for me. Especially when you consider the price difference.
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I pre-ordered a Xs 64GB GLD, no regrets. 64GB is ample for my usage as I have 2TB of cloud storage. I was considering the Xr, however I do quite a bit of photography and video work, don’t really care for the AMOLED. 3D Touch I use it if the device supports, its neither a make or break. The biggest difference was the screen resolution and the second camera.

The question is will I notice, possibly considering the display is the device. I have to see it in-person to know for sure. I love the colour options. I am not looking to upgrade for another 2-4 years, so I hope this serves me well.
 
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AlexJoda said:
The difference between the Xs and Xr is even bigger if you are comparing more reasonable models. E.g. if you need more than 64 GB of storage you can choose the 128 GB model with the Xr but there is no 128 GB model of the Xs! So you have to choose the 265 GB model which brings the difference to a mind blowing 410€ here in Germany! For that money you can nearly get a iPhone 7 on some locations here in Germany...

So to me the Xr is a no brainer...
Click to expand...

I feel many Europeans and Canadians could highly consider the XR over the XS due to the price in their respective localities. $1029 vs $1379 CAD for the XR or XS. That's insane before the GST (sales tax) is considered. VAT difference is also a huge cost prohibitor too.

Thank goodness for Google Photos for extra storage. It economizes 64gb storage.
 
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Some of XR colors remind me of old Lumias. My old 1520 was red. Tbh I always felt they looked cheap as do the Xr's. Just mho
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JPack said:
Most people walking into an Apple Store will not ask for PPI or RAM or 3D Touch.

What they will notice is the XR having a thin-bezel display, Face ID, and does not disappoint in build quality. They'll also notice the Xs Max is nearly 50% more expensive.

I think it's pretty clear the XR is a winner for Apple.
[doublepost=1536956235][/doublepost]

6.1" is the average display size for new smartphones in 2018.
Click to expand...
If they're coming from Android they'll notice that crappy XR screen immediately. I haven't had a LCD phone in 5yrs now.
 
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Narcaz said:
It might be my eurocentric perspective, but i don’t think the Xr is a clear winner. While some specs looks very good, the price is not „cheap“ for the omission of a state of the art display PPI, 3D Touch and Dual Cameras. There is potential for buyers remorse for those, who can’t or don’t want to afford an XS Max.
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While I can agree the initial price is not cheap, I don't think it's exorbitant. When compared to the S and the Max, the value prop shines imo. OLED is state of the art? 2015 maybe. 3D Touch? An under-supported feature that's only going to become eve more obsure. Dual Cameras? Apple took pages from Google and Samsung to accomplish (hopefully) better photos though software and a single lens. The R is so close to the S/Max that the supposed differentiating features really don't differentiate that much. Imo, the only true difference is the screen res. If the consumer is coming from a 5-8 (none plus), the R's resolution is an upgrade.

To me the R is an off-the-wall triple. A little higher res would have made it a home run. The S is a single - bog standard s year iteration. The Max is a single + stolen base cuz 1.5 hr battery improvement and screen size.

UnionVGF said:
Has the same ppi as 7 and 8 pluses. Has more resolution due to it being taller as well.
Click to expand...
Don't the 7 and 8 pluses have 1080p screens? Isn't the R around 828p?
 
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