Apple iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max review roundup

18 September 2018
The first crop of reviews are out, but there's no consensus yet - the camera quality and battery life seem to be the most divisive issues.

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Jakers, 18 Sep 2018Whats sad about this? Its what makes android superior. How does all the cons listed make Android superior? It has the potential no doubt but what's a strength with no use?

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    • Anonymous
    • v3B
    • 20 Sep 2018

    Huh. Dunno why android users here keep shoving down their Android crap to Apple users who don't want/care and yet, they get mad/insult when people not interested.

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      • S6 User
      • mqx
      • 20 Sep 2018

      Anonymous, 18 Sep 2018We need more factors in the phone finder. Like with or with... moreYou can search in the Phone Finder for phones with or without the notch, look under Display, you will see a checkbox:
      NOTCH: Yes/ No.

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        • Duel
        • Scq
        • 20 Sep 2018

        Anonymous, 20 Sep 2018If you need stuff like Apple pay/iMessage then you're limit... moreThat was the whole point, it's just so stupid like i said that android people think everyone should want and need same what they do.

        I knew he can't answer to my guestion and that's exactly what happened so i think i proved my point there very well.

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          • Anonymous
          • n5S
          • 20 Sep 2018

          Duel83, 19 Sep 2018"Go use an android flagship thats nearabout same price of u... moreIf you need stuff like Apple pay/iMessage then you're limiting your choices to iPhones aren't you?

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            • Duel
            • Scq
            • 20 Sep 2018

            Anonymous , 19 Sep 2018Seems you r even more shallow and lack tech knowledge.the v... moreHey where did you go? did cat steal your tongue?

            I'm still waiting that phone you said i should buy instead iPhone offering all those things what i said i need.

              AnonD-558092, 19 Sep 2018It's much easier than it looks. It seems intimidating but a... moreI would like to buy a rugged phone as my secondary device. Then do all that what you mentioned earlier, that would be awesome.

              I could also ask a friend for help. He is into that stuff and he did that on his phones.

                AnonD-558092, 19 Sep 2018Yup. But still ancient and impossibly slow charging out of ... moreHaha, I'd pay to see that. Yeah, the charging should be faster, but one could argue that you could use an iPad wall adapter like I do

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                  • Anonymous
                  • gML
                  • 19 Sep 2018

                  .alpha, 19 Sep 2018A lot of these reviews are quite shallow and lacks technica... moreSeems you r even more shallow and lack tech knowledge.the very first row on the specs slab is enough to know how much apple upgraded their device and techs for 1500$!

                  Ipx, as everyone knows slow AF LTE...capped @cat 12 600/150 at times of cat 16.
                  Now ip xs is capped at cat 16 @1024/150 compared to 7 months old S9 on cat 18 @1200/200!

                  I won't even bother going into curbing its existing features and specs and stepping down battery with the claim of better yield due to optimization?!

                  Are you seriously that Dumb to believe that cutting down actual H/W capacity of the battery can be compensated by just S/W optimization and less draining SOC??!
                  iFanatics deserve an iSalute!

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                    • .alpha
                    • ytx
                    • 19 Sep 2018

                    A lot of these reviews are quite shallow and lacks technical testing. Only Tom's actually measured screen brightness and battery time I think. A number of the reviewers don't even seem to get how the new HDR works

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                      • AnonD-558092
                      • 45}
                      • 19 Sep 2018

                      Walter C. Dornez, 19 Sep 2018Ah I see. Though don't the new iPhones have a dual battery?Yup. But still ancient and impossibly slow charging out of the box.

                      Apple's moto should change to "Get Dongling"

                        AnonD-558092, 19 Sep 2018Yeah, higher amperage means higher current intensity (more ... moreAh I see. Though don't the new iPhones have a dual battery?

                          Softriceking, 19 Sep 2018Look at all these sour comments. I'm fine giving money to apple. I mean, my only problem is the insane price, but we'll get back to that, no fast charger, though the iPad charger could work, and the notch. In all honesty, I'd buy it, but why do that when we know Apple is saving the good stuff for next year. Otherwise, I'd buy the Max

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                            • Anonymous
                            • gML
                            • 19 Sep 2018

                            AnonD-558092, 19 Sep 2018What he said isn't scientific. It's what he feels, not the ... moreNot only battery but any electronic equipment degrades with time which is primarily affected by the usage pattern.
                            My S7 is almost 2.5 years old, battey did slide a bit in between. But with the last OS update and patches, its back to day1 performance. Im a heavy user..HD games, music,YT, FB, loooots of browsing/reading, camera(love editing pics n videos i click)..SOT-6hrs, no more idle/excessive drains. Optimization!

                            Now if you say that's a lie then could you account for
                            apple claiming 3gb ram and 720p lcd with 2900 mah yields better experience amd functionality with curbed features in 2018 compared to 8gb ram, 4K mah, qhd+ and million smart features coz they are optimized!?

                              Anonymous , 19 Sep 2018So let me get this straight..when apple fans bash others wi... more"Go use an android flagship thats nearabout same price of ur featureless apple and you might understand the value of money."

                              Again, not everyone want same thing, you Android guys mostly talk about how great for example Note 9 is, and you recommend it for everyone. Yet it's too big for most and that's why sales number are so low, but you just can't understand that because you think everyone want same.

                              You guys talking about this and this phone but in reality there isn't comparison phone for iPhone XS, compact phone filled with best in the class tech. That's what i want, not those phablet size phones.

                              So again what phone i should try which is competitive with iPhone XS and is same size?

                              I want it to have access to iTunes store and Appstore, have Apple Pay, face ID quality face recognition and then iMessage. Also phone has to have zero audio latency (this is very important) for music apps and i have to be able to plug my guitar and keyboard to it.

                              And then zoom for camera is must have.

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                                • AnonD-558092
                                • 45}
                                • 19 Sep 2018

                                nik.007, 19 Sep 2018What else do we need! He has an over 2 year old phone, has... moreWhat he said isn't scientific. It's what he feels, not the perfectly quantifiable reality.

                                Ok so for you, what you feel is more valuable than scientific facts? So why are we using balances when we can just feel the right quantity? Why do we count change instead of feeling the right amount of cash just by hand? Why do we make calculations to build buildings instead of putting the foundations wherever feels right?

                                With people thinking like you, that building will collapse before it's finished and people lived there because it felt like it was safe to live in and all those people will die.

                                Some things are objective. Some are subjective. Battery degradation isn't like a subjective value like a benchmark that can change according to cheating and optimization. Battery degradation is a fact. Objective and quantifiable.

                                Besides there is no battery benchmark app. The battery itself notes it's degradation and the number of charge cycles it went through. The app I mentioned only go fetch those values.

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                                  • AnonD-558092
                                  • 45}
                                  • 19 Sep 2018

                                  Realistic1, 19 Sep 2018I see what you want to say. But I don't really know hoe to ... moreIt's much easier than it looks. It seems intimidating but after a bit of reading, videos and all, you'll find it easy as pie.

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                                    • Anonymous
                                    • gML
                                    • 19 Sep 2018

                                    Duel, 19 Sep 2018Why you are so obsessed? seriously you just wrote all that ... moreSo let me get this straight..when apple fans bash others with false claims and unearthly logics..its enlightening a boy to wake up.
                                    But when a Droid users takes to response back to such BS, its obsession!!!

                                    Im not suprised having seen the defense mechanism iFans use when logically torn down or real facts are brought up.

                                    Its not obsession/hate. When smth happens or smth new is introduced in the world, people with tech knowledge have an affinity to checkout the product regardless of brand.
                                    Don't you checkout new cars, bikes, gadgets, progress in science or follow the happenings and developments around?

                                    If its smth good, people appreciate, admire the pros and share/discuss with others.
                                    If not, criticize/point out the flaws as feedback/discussion for awareness.

                                    It's not just Apple, but any new article in GSMA or elsewhere! Stop pretending like a helpless teen being bullied! Grow a pair below that fugly notch!
                                    Checkout android GSMA articles, you will be thrilled to see the derogatory comments from iFans.

                                    Best one yet: android users are too poor to buy apple and they cry outta envy!

                                    Droid users are smart to invest in smth that actually provides what its worth. 4x feature(both H/W+ S/W wise, funcionalities) note 9(considered best among latest flagships) costs lot less than ip xr offering 1/4 its features and H/W+ S/W.


                                    "We know it very well what Apple is and what is not. You don't have to tell those things to us"

                                    Sadly u don't, rather blinded by apple delusion or other better OEMs would be making 1000$ profit/device too by overpricing the mediocrity and boast of being trillion $$ inc who charges user for fixing their own manufacturing defects(logic boards,battery, screen etc).
                                    Other OEMs have the fair policy offering replacement or cashback!

                                    It's always compromise to buy a phone, there isn't perfect choice, every of them have flaws. "Do you want me to list all the reason why i wouldn't buy android phone?"

                                    That is only applicable for apple for holding off new techs and innovations from users then waiting a decade to implement age old tech. Shedding existing features. Thus ip xs triads promo advert starts off with "uncompromised new fones" for they always have been such limited and capped!
                                    Also had there been a list u would have written it instead of bit**ing about nothing. Everyone knows the mind boggling logic shattering stuff iFans make up to justify as below.

                                    "but still you feel like everyone should care about same stuff than you do, it's common with you android fans, you think everyone want OTG bluetooth sharing, super sharp screen on paper, widgets, themes, customazition etc. never thought that we iOS users might value some other things over all those?"

                                    Value what other things? All those features u mentioned, apple never offered yet are standard for every other OEMs..including 300$ mid rangers!

                                    Cavemen or people who can't afford never got to know the use/comfort/facilities of AC,Fridge, TV etc in their lives. They never complain coz they satisfied with whatever they have/had. But they didn't pay 1500$ for just ceiling fans /radio as well!

                                    The apple pit u living in is distorting ur grey matters severly to the point of delusion.
                                    Go use an android flagship thats nearabout same price of ur featureless apple and you might understand the value of money.

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                                      • Anonymous
                                      • gML
                                      • 19 Sep 2018

                                      Scram, 19 Sep 2018Finally someone that gets it. Funny thing is Samsung has... moreNot sure wat u guys crying over? Apple eco system is a penitentiary where users are forced with crap like iTunes, but no cross platform/outside access.
                                      If you justify that as security then i wont bother triggering ur tiny brain again.

                                      Why android needs an eco system? You can share, connect and access any device with nfc/wireless/wired. Heck there's otg as well and DEX for seamless access.

                                      Android ditched pc suite(iTunes) years ago for ease coz when you step out of ur House(colorful pretty Apple Pit decorated with 1000$ age old accessory techs) you encounter a variety of devices with different OS.
                                      What's the use of non compatibile eco system then for interaction? Btw, not all work place uses apple products and also no Corporate allows wireless/usb access to workstations. Guess why apple users always have another device?!?

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                                        • Duel
                                        • Scq
                                        • 19 Sep 2018

                                        Anonymous , 19 Sep 2018Really? Send me a small file over bluetooth or big files vi... moreWhy you are so obsessed? seriously you just wrote all that about device which you don't care or want. Can you explain why you android users are so obsessed with Apple that you have to visit every Apple article?

                                        You didn't like the fact that reviews like these phones a lot just like we users?

                                        We know it very well what Apple is and what is not. You don't have to tell those things to us.

                                        It's always compromise to buy a phone, there isn't perfect choice, every of them have flaws. Do you want me to list all the reason why i wouldn't buy android phone? what's the point because you clearly don't care those if you are android user, but still you feel like everyone should care about same stuff than you do, it's common with you android fans, you think everyone want OTG bluetooth sharing, super sharp screen on paper, widgets, themes, customazition etc. never thought that we iOS users might value some other things over all those?