What are the major differences between the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR? Which is best for me?

Please note that the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR all have been discontinued. This Q&A has been updated with the latest iOS support details and more and can be quite useful to anyone buying one of these devices on the used market.

There are twelve different iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR models, but this EveryiPhone.com Q&A primarily covers collective differences to make it straightforward to decide which device is best for you.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Left to Right: iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR)

The iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, pictured above left to right, are very easy to mistake for one another (and for subsequent models). There are some important differences, though. There also are many similarities that are worthwhile to understand, too.

External Design & Functionality Differences

Although all three devices look practically identical -- effectively a rounded rectangle with a glass front and back and a nearly edge-to-edge display with a "notch" toward the top to hold cameras and sensors -- there are significant design and function differences.

The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max use a primarily "surgical-grade stainless steel" case and are waterproof to the IP68 standard (up to a depth of two meters for up to 30 minutes). The iPhone XR, on the other hand, uses an "aerospace grade" 7000 series aluminum case and has a wider black "lip" around the edge of its modestly lower quality display.

As mobile devices go, all three are rather large and heavy, with the iPhone XR sliding between the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max in dimensions and weight.

All three models also have stereo speakers, a Lightning port, and a side-mounted Nano SIM access panel on the right side for one or two physical SIMs (depending on model), and use "Advanced Face ID" authentication. They each support "wireless" -- really inductive -- charging with an optional charging base, as well.

	iPhone XS	iPhone XS Max	iPhone XR
Material:	Steel/Glass	Steel/Glass	Aluminum/Glass
Water Resistance:	IP68	IP68	IP67
Speakers:	Two	Two	Two
Security:	Face ID	Face ID	Face ID
Inductive Charging:	Yes (Qi)	Yes (Qi)	Yes (Qi)
Height x Width (In.):	5.65 x 2.79	6.20 x 3.05	5.94 x 2.98
Depth (In.):	0.30	0.30	0.33
Weight (Oz.):	6.24	7.34	6.84

Display Differences

The displays are one of the most significant differences between the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max and its less expensive cousin, the iPhone XR.

The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max both have a beautiful OLED HDR "Super Retina" display (458 ppi, 1 million:1 contrast ratio). The smaller iPhone XS has a 5.8" (2436x1125) display and the larger iPhone XS Max has a massive 6.5" (2688x1242) display.

The iPhone XR, by contrast, has a pleasant 6.1" LCD "Liquid Retina HD" display (1792x828, 326 ppi, 1400:1 contrast ratio), but it is not as high resolution or as high quality as the OLED displays in the other models.

Although it never reached its full potential in software, the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max also support 3D Touch, whereas the iPhone XR has more modest "haptic touch" capability.

	iPhone XS	iPhone XS Max	iPhone XR
Display Type:	OLED	OLED	LCD
Dimensions:	5.8"	6.5"	6.1"
Resolution:	2436x1125	2688x1242	1792x828
Pixel Density:	458 ppi	458 ppi	326 ppi
Contrast Ratio:	1 million:1	1 million:1	1400:1
3D Touch:	Yes	Yes	No

The OLED screen in the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max models is not only better quality, but also packs more viewable area in a comparatively smaller housing.

Housing Color Differences

All of these models have a black front, but different back colors are available. For the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, Apple offered three color options. The company provides six for the iPhone XR:

iPhone XS/XS Max	iPhone XR
Silver	White
Gold	Black
Space Gray	Blue (Royal)
	Yellow
	Coral (Salmon)
	(PRODUCT) RED

Camera Differences

The cameras in the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR are a significant point of differentiation. The front cameras are the same, but the rear cameras in the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are more capable.

Front Cameras

The front-facing camera on all three of these devices -- which Apple refers to as "TrueDepth" -- supports "Advanced Face ID" authentication, augmented reality (AR), still photos, and 1080p video:

	iPhone XS	iPhone XS Max	iPhone XR
Megapixels:	7 MP	7 MP	7 MP
Aperture:	f/2.2	f/2.2	f/2.2
Video:	1080p	1080p	1080p
Portrait Mode:	Yes	Yes	Yes
Portrait Lighting:	Yes	Yes	Yes

Rear Cameras

The iPhone XR rear camera has a single 12 megapixel wide angle camera that supports optical image stabilization and takes still photos as well as 4K photos and video.

The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, by contrast, have rear dual camera systems. One camera is a wide angle (f/1.8 aperture) and the other is a telephoto (f/2.4 aperture), both with 12 megapixel sensors and support for optical image stabilization, and 4K photos and video. With a combination of hardware and software functionality, the rear cameras provide "advanced depth segmentation," Smart HDR, improved bokeh quality, and dynamic retroactively adjustable depth of field:

	iPhone XS	iPhone XS Max	iPhone XR
Megapixels:	12 MP x2	12 MP x2	12 MP
Wide Angle:	f/1.8	f/1.8	f/1.8
Telephoto:	f/2.4	f/2.4	None
Pixel Size:	1.4µm	1.4µm	1.22µm
LED Flash:	Quad True Tone with Slow Sync	Quad True Tone with Slow Sync	Quad True Tone with Slow Sync
Lens:	Six-Element	Six-Element	Six-Element
Digital Zoom:	2x-10x*	2x-10x*	5x

* By combining an image from both rear cameras, the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max models emulate a 2x optical zoom and provide a superior digital zoom.

As it has been for the last few years, perhaps the most substantial improvements to the rear cameras are related to software and on-the-fly processing rather than hardware. For the capability of the iPhone XS/iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR cameras when used by a professional photographer, you may find a pair of reviews from Austin Mann helpful.

Identification Differences

Some iPhone XR models may be readily identifiable by color, but it can be challenging to differentiate between the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR models when they are not side-by-side as well as between these devices and earlier and later ones. It is not possible to identify specific iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR models by appearance alone, either.

One relatively easy way to uniquely identify these models is by the Model Number listed on the cardboard shipping box and within the iOS "Settings" app.

Consequently, for the purpose of this Q&A, it is sufficient to note that the following model numbers refer to these iPhone devices:

iPhone Model	Model No
iPhone XS (US/Canada/Hong Kong)	A1920
iPhone XS (Global)	A2097
iPhone XS (Japan)	A2098
iPhone XS (China)	A2100
iPhone XS Max (US/Canada)	A1921
iPhone XS Max (Global)	A2101
iPhone XS Max (Japan)	A2102
iPhone XS Max (China/Hong Kong)	A2104
iPhone XR (US/Canada)	A1984
iPhone XR (Global)	A2105
iPhone XR (Japan)	A2106
iPhone XR (China/Hong Kong)	A2108

EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iLookup feature also can precisely identify these iPhone models by Order Number (referred to as "Model" within the iOS "Settings" app under General > About), and their Serial Numbers, as well.

Battery Life Differences

All three of these models have impressive battery life, but the iPhone XR has longer runtime than the more expensive iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max models.

The iPhone XR has better battery life no doubt because it is not having to drive such a powerful display:

	iPhone XS	iPhone XS Max	iPhone XR
Talk Time:	20 Hours	25 Hours	25 Hours
Internet:	12 Hours	13 Hours	15 Hours
Video Playback:	14 Hours	15 Hours	16 Hours
Audio Playback:	60 Hours	65 Hours	65 Hours

Wireless Connectivity & Data Differences

There are notable differences in connectivity for different iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR models.

Most notably, all iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max models support faster Gigabit-class LTE (4x4 MIMO and LAA) whereas the iPhone XR models do not.

All configurations of all three models support FDD-LTE bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, and 66; TD-LTE bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, and 46; as well as UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); 2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0.

Supported cellular networks between specific models also varies accordingly:

iPhone Model	Identifiers	Differing Connectivity
iPhone XS (US/Canada/Hong Kong) iPhone XS Max (US/Canada) iPhone XR (US/Canada)	A1920 A1921 A1984	FDD-LTE 32, 71 CDMA EV-DO Rev. A
iPhone XS (Global) iPhone XS Max (Global) iPhone XR (Global)	A2097 A2101 A2105	FDD-LTE 28
iPhone XS (Japan) iPhone XS Max (Japan) iPhone XR (Japan)	A2098 A2102 A2106	FDD-LTE 11, 21, 28, 66 TD-LTE 42 CDMA EV-DO Rev. A
iPhone XS (China) iPhone XS Max (China/Hong Kong) iPhone XR (China/Hong Kong)	A2100 A2104 A2108	FDD-LTE 32, 71 CDMA EV-DO Rev. A TD-SCDMA 1900 (F), 2000 (A)

It also is important to note that all of these models support dual SIMs, but only the China-specific iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR models -- the A2104 and A2108 -- have dual hardware Nano SIMs. Models sold elsewhere have one hardware Nano SIM and one eSIM in software.

Internal Differences

Although specific parts often are different, the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR are practically identical internally in terms of underlying technology:

	iPhone XS	iPhone XS Max	iPhone XR
Clockspeed:	2.49 GHz	2.49 GHz	2.49 GHz
Processor:	Apple A12 Bionic	Apple A12 Bionic	Apple A12 Bionic
Cores:	Six	Six	Six
RAM:	4 GB	4 GB	3 GB
Architecture:	64-Bit	64-Bit	64-Bit
Neural Engine:	Yes	Yes	Yes
Storage:	64/256/512 GB	64/256/512 GB	64/128/256 GB
Apple Pay (NFC):	Yes	Yes	Yes

Note that from a performance standpoint, the only notable internal differences are that the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have 4 GB of RAM and the option of more storage.

iOS Support Similarities

The iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR all originally shipped with iOS 12. The also fully support iOS 13, iOS 14, and iOS 15.

All three models also support iOS 16, but they do not support the Accessibility Detection, Live Captions, improved Depth of Field, Visual Look Up, and Apple Music Sing (Karaoke) features; iOS 17, with the exception of the minor React with Your Hands; More Accurate Autocorrect in English, French, and Spanish; Inline Predictions (English); and Point and Speak features; and iOS 18 -- the current version of the iOS -- with the exception of the Apple Intelligence (AI), Messages via Satellite, Live audio transcriptions, Enhance Dialogue, Hands-free Unlock, Eye Tracking, and Music Haptics features.

iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max & iPhone XR Comparison Chart

These differences as well as other details and pricing information is summarized below:

	iPhone XS	iPhone XS Max	iPhone XR
Introduced:	Sep 2018	Sep 2018	Sep 2018
Discontinued:	Sep 2019	Sep 2019	Sep 2021
RAM:	4 GB	4 GB	3 GB
Orig. Storage:	64/256/512 GB	64/256/512 GB	64/128/256 GB
Curr. Storage:	Used Only	Used Only	64/128 GB
Battery Life (Hours):	12-60	13-65	15-65
Display Type:	OLED	OLED	LCD
Display Size:	5.8"	6.5"	6.1"
Resolution:	2436x1125	2688x1242	1792x828
Pixel Density:	458 ppi	458 ppi	326 ppi
Contrast Ratio:	1 million:1	1 million:1	1400:1
3D Touch:	Yes	Yes	No
Front Camera:	TrueDepth	TrueDepth	TrueDepth
Rear Camera:	2 (12 MP)	2 (12 MP)	1 (12 MP)
Material:	Steel/Glass	Steel/Glass	Alum/Glass
Water Resist.:	IP68	IP68	IP67
Colors:	Gold/Silver/Gray	Gold/Silver/Gray	Six Colors
SIM Card:	Nano/eSIM	Nano/eSIM	Nano/eSIM
Gigabit LTE:	Yes	Yes	No
Original iOS:	iOS 12	iOS 12	iOS 12
Maximum iOS:	iOS 18	iOS 18	iOS 18
Orig. Price* (US):	US$999 US$1149 US$1349	US$1099 US$1249 US$1449	US$749 US$799 US$899
Orig. Price* (UK):	£999 £1149 £1349	£1099 £1249 £1449	£749 £799 £899
Orig. Price* (CA):	C$1379 C$1589 C$1859	C$1519 C$1729 C$1999	C$1029 C$1099 C$1239
Orig. Price* (AU):	A$1629 A$1879 A$2199	A$1799 A$2049 A$2369	A$1229 A$1299 A$1479
Orig. Price* (JP):	¥112,800 ¥129,800 ¥152,800	¥124,800 ¥141,800 ¥164,800	¥84,800 ¥90,800 ¥101,800
Orig. Price* (CN):	RMB 8,699 RMB 10,099 RMB 11,899	RMB 9,599 RMB 10,999 RMB 12,799	RMB 6,499 RMB 6,999 RMB 7,899

* Note that these prices are for devices unlocked and paid in full upfront. Carrier subsidized options also were available. On September 10, 2019, Apple discontinued the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The company also discontinued the 256 GB option for the iPhone XR and dropped the price of of the remaining 64 GB and 128 GB configurations to US$599 and US$649, respectively. On October 13, 2020, Apple again dropped the price of the 64 GB and 128 GB configurations of the iPhone XR to US$499 and US$549, respectively. Finally, on September 14, 2021, Apple discontinued the iPhone XR entirely.

For pricing in dozens of countries, see the "Global Prices" on the specs page for each iPhone as well as the "By Global Original Prices" section of EveryiPhone.com.

So, which is for me? Should I buy an iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, or iPhone XR?

Ignoring subsequent devices, and only comparing these iPhone models to one another, the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max models are sleek, beautiful and -- at least if you are a fan of big phones -- perhaps the best iPhone models that Apple ever released at the time of their introduction.

Compared to the iPhone XR, the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have (1) waterproofing and a stronger steel frame, (2) higher quality displays, (3) more RAM, (4) a more advanced rear camera, and (5) faster Gigabit LTE. It also is worth noting that these models effectively are the same speed, and the iPhone XR actually has better battery life.

Originally, for those to whom money is no object and who always want the best iPhone possible, either the iPhone XS or the iPhone XS Max would be a great choice (although subsequent models now would be better). Just between the two, EveryiPhone.com prefers the smaller iPhone XS because it is easier to hold and transport, but all of these models can be unwieldy to operate with one hand, and the size is very much a personal decision.

For the majority of users, EveryiPhone.com originally recommended the iPhone XR over the iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max. Originally the iPhone XR was at least US$250 cheaper and the trade-offs were well worth the savings in our opinion. Of course, now on the used market, all of these devices cost less and can be a particularly good value, accordingly.

iPhone Purchase & Sale Options

There are no shortage of places to buy a used iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, or iPhone XR. However, buying your iPhone from a good company with an excellent reputation -- and quality after sales support -- will provide the best experience and save you money and time, too.

In the US, site sponsor Other World Computing sells used and refurbished iPhone models with free shipping. On the other hand, if you need to sell an iPhone, A+ BBB-rated Cash for Your Mac and GoRoostr will buy your older iPhone with an instant quote and prompt payment.

In Australia, site sponsor Mac City likewise has a variety of used iPhone models sold at low prices and available with a free warranty and fast shipping across Australia.

Site sponsor OWC also sells high quality NuGuard KX cases for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. Because these models largely are glass, a protective case is a particularly good idea.

Please also see EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iComparison feature to dynamically compare any iPhone model to any other iPod, iPhone, or iPad.