Upgrading your phone every year can be fun and exciting, but it can also be very expensive. The expense may be the obvious reason to avoid upgrading every year, but there is another, perhaps more important reason. Smartphones are more powerful than ever, and in most cases, your day-to-day usage needs can be meet with a model that isn’t brand new.
Today we’re taking a look at the iPhone Xr and the iPhone Xs. These models were originally released in late-2018 — but despite these models being nearly two years old, they are both very capable and should be considered if you are trying to spend less on your next phone purchase.
iPhone Xr vs Xs spec comparison
The iPhone Xr and Xs were released as part of the 12th generation of the iPhone lineup. Being part of the same generation means they share some common features, such as the A12 Bionic chip. But there are some key differences in the hardware that may have you favoring one over the other. The chart below outlines the hardware specs for the iPhone Xr and Xs.
| iPhone Xr | iPhone Xs | |
| Display | 6.1-inch Liquid Retina HD True Tone display (1792 x 828) | 5.8-inch Super Retina HD True Tone display (2436 x 1125) |
| Chipset | A12 Bionic chip w/ Second-generation Neural Engine | A12 Bionic chip w/ Next-generation Neural Engine |
| RAM | 3GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Battery | 2,942 mAh | 2,658 mAh |
| Wireless Charging | Yes (Qi) | Yes (Qi) |
| Fast Charging | Yes (Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 18W adapter) | Yes (Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 18W adapter) |
| Size | 5.94 (H) x 2.98 (W) x 0.33 (D) (inches) | 5.65 (H) x 2.79 (W) x 0.30 (D) (inches) |
| Weight | 6.84 ounces | 6.24 ounces |
| Water Resistance | IP67 (Dust, Splash, Water Resistance) | IP68 (Dust, Splash, Water Resistance) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) | Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) |
| Front Camera | 12MP wide-angle | Dual 12MP wide-angle and telephoto cameras |
| Rear Camera | 7MP TrueDepth camera | 7MP TrueDepth camera |
iPhone Xr
The iPhone Xr was priced lower than the iPhone Xs. That lower price meant the iPhone Xr had a few features that were missing or downgraded compared to the iPhone Xs. For example, the iPhone Xr display is a slightly larger, 6.1-inch LCD. However, the Xr has a lower display resolution than the iPhone Xs. The iPhone Xs also offered up to 512GB of internal storage, while the iPhone Xr topped out at 256GB.
But on the plus side, the iPhone Xr had a bigger battery and more color options. Unlike the iPhone Xs, which was available in three colors (silver, space gray, and gold), the iPhone Xr was available in six different colors: black, white, blue, yellow, coral, and (PRODUCT)RED.
iPhone Xs
The iPhone Xs is higher-end than the iPhone Xr. This means the specs are a bit better in some areas, but it also means that the iPhone Xs was more expensive at launch. When buying new at retail pricing — that higher price likely kept some people away. But when buying newish, the iPhone Xs should definitely be considered.
The iPhone Xs display is a 5.8-inch OLED. This is slightly smaller than the screen on the iPhone Xr, but the Xs has a much higher 2436 x 1125 display resolution with a greater contrast ratio and more vibrant colors. Both models were touted as having an “all-screen” display, which is often referred to as being an edge-to-edge screen.
And, while most buyers will be happy with 64GB or 128GB of storage space, the iPhone Xs was available with up to 512GB of internal storage. The iPhone Xs also has 4GB of RAM, as compared to the 3GB of RAM found in the iPhone Xr.
Other differences include the iPhone Xs having a better camera setup and being a little smaller and lighter than the iPhone Xr.
iPhone Xr vs Xs camera
The iPhone Xr received overall favorable reviews regarding its camera quality. DXOMARK rated the iPhone Xr camera at 101, and concluded that it was the “top-ranked single-lens phone.” In contrast, the iPhone Xs offers an additional camera lens, allowing for more flexibility when composing your shots.
| iPhone Xr | iPhone Xs | |
| Camera | 12MP wide-angle | Dual 12MP wide-angle and telephoto |
| Aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.8 wide-angle and f/2.4 telephoto |
| Digital Zoom | Up to 5x | Up to 10x |
| Optical Zoom | No | Up to 2x |
| LED True Tone Flash | Yes | Yes (quad-LED) |
Shared features include support for optical image stabilization, auto-image stabilization, auto-focus, smart HDR, Live Photos, Panorama, and Burst Mode.
Shifting over to the front-facing camera and you’ll find the same lens, which is a 7MP TrueDepth camera with an f/2.2 aperture. The front-facing camera setup features support for Portrait Mode, Portrait Lighting, Smart HDR for photos, Live Photos, retina flash, auto-image stabilization, and burst mode.
iPhone Xr camera
The iPhone Xr features a single rear camera. As a result, it uses a modified version of Portrait Mode. Due to the missing the telephoto lens, the iPhone Xr uses artificial intelligence to calculate subject distance and simulate depth of field background blur. This doesn’t mean the iPhone Xr can’t capture good portrait images, it just means they are a bit lower resolution compared to the iPhone Xs.
iPhone Xs camera
The included telephoto lens on the iPhone Xs means you get an improved Portrait Mode experience. Part of the improved experience was due simply to the portrait being higher resolution. Although both the iPhone Xr and Xs offer advanced bokeh with Depth Control for Portrait Mode, the Xs has two additional lighting effects. The iPhone Xr features Portrait Lighting with Natural, Studio, and Contour effects. The iPhone Xs adds Stage and Stage Mono.
iPhone Xr and Xs image formats
Both the iPhone Xr and Xs are capable of capturing images in HEIF or JPEG. You may be familiar with JPEG, but you may not be as familiar with HEIF. The HEIF (High-Efficiency Image File Format) format was introduced with iOS 11 as a way to save on storage space. Essentially, the “high-efficiency” portion means the format offers better image compression, and in turn, that means you should use less storage space on your iPhone.
iPhone Xr and Xs video recording
The iPhone Xr and Xs are both capable of capturing video in 4k, 1080p, and 720p using the rear-facing camera.
- 4k video recording at 24, 30, or 60fps
- 1080p video recording at 30, or 60fps
- 720p video recording at 30fps
- Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 or 240fps
Shared video recording features include optical image stabilization, time-lapse video with stabilization, continuous auto-focus, stereo recording, playback zoom, and the ability to capture 8MP still photos while recording 4k video.
Both models have a digital zoom and a True Tone flash, however, there are some small differences between the two models. The iPhone Xr features 3x digital zoom, and an LED True Tone flash, while the iPhone Xs features 6x digital zoom (along with a 2x optical zoom), and a quad-LED True Tone flash. Both models can record 1080p video at 30 or 60fps using the front-facing camera.
iPhone Xr vs Xs size
The iPhone Xr features a slightly larger display, and in turn, it ends up being a slightly bigger phone in terms of the dimensions and weight.
iPhone Xr
- 6.1-inch display (at 1792 x 828)
- 5.94 (H) x 2.98 (W) x 0.33 (D) -inches
- 6.84 ounces
iPhone Xs
- 5.8-inch display (at 2436 x 1125)
- 5.65 (H) x 2.79 (W) x 0.30 (D) -inches
- 6.24 ounces
The differences in the size and weight of these two phones are obvious when looking at the exact measurements. But while the iPhone Xs is smaller and lighter, the differences may not be enough to be the sole deciding factor.
iPhone Xr vs Xs battery life
The iPhone Xr and the Xs each have a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and both support wireless charging using the Qi standard, and fast-charging. The fast-charging allows you to get a 50% charge in 30 minutes using an 18W adapter.
The iPhone Xr has a 2942 mAh battery, and the iPhone Xs has a 2658 mAh battery. Essentially, this means that you should expect a bit longer battery life with the iPhone Xr. According to Apple, the iPhone Xr will get up to 25 hours of talk time, 15 hours of internet usage, 16 hours of video playback, and 65 hours of audio playback. The iPhone Xs battery is rated at up to 20 hours of talk time, 12 hours of internet usage, 14 hours of video playback, and 60 hours of audio playback. Of course, as we find with any rechargeable battery — there will be some battery degradation over time.
The bottom line is that both the iPhone Xr and Xs are capable phones, even in 2020. When these were originally launched, the iPhone Xr was favored and often recommended due to the lower price. For reference, the iPhone Xr started at $749, with the iPhone Xs starting at $999. But looking at the two models as part of the newish market, you’ll find a slimmer price difference between the two models — and a much lower price point as compared to the original retail pricing. You can check out the current pricing and availability for each of these models below.
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Read more about how the iPhone Xr compares to the iPhone XS in our comparison guide.
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