Why I bought iPhone XS instead of an iPhone XR?

While the world is discussing a lot about failures and success of Apples latest introductions of X series, for me it was decision to spend $750 to buy iPhone XR or spend $1000 to get hands on high end XS? So I thought it will be interesting for you to know Why I bought iPhone XS instead of an iPhone XR?

There are many aspects which I though on before going for my final selection and contender was also the iPhone XS Max, again if I should get it by spending $100 more than XS?

Finally I went for XS with logic of what I get by spending $250 more as compared to buying XR, also I though on saving that I would get by dropping my decision to buy new DSLR worth $450. Lets see …

Why I bought iPhone XS instead of an iPhone XR?

First lets start by looking at the Specs comparison table showing the strengths and weaknesses of XR vs XS vs XS Max

1) Size comparison of XS vs XR

Of course phone size was not my main selection criteria, but it was one of the factor to know for, at least what is available in the pocket.

So the XR display size is 6.1 inches as against XS which is available either in 5.8 inch or 6.5 inch (in the Max model)

Means you get 0.7 inches more screen size by spending $100 more on iPhone XS.

Ignoring the price only when I look at size my acceptance was somewhere around 6 inches, so that it fits into my pockets easily for daily use, which means either I can go for  XR or XS but surely not XS Max.

2) Display Quality of XS vs XR

Now when I talk on display quality, my benchmark was One Plus series of models where the display quality is super which turns out to be one of the determining factor for higher sells in India than iPhones (of-course price is one more criteria)

Its real fight in between LCD versus OLED display quality which is something you must experience with your own eyes.

OLED display shows super sharp pictures with true colors as well as achieve high contrast far far better than LCD display. Just to compare iPhone XS OLED display delivers 1000000:1 contrast ratio as against just 1400:1 contrast ratio of XR which has LCD display.

There is one more secret of true colors of OLED display, the BLACK color. Yes, on LCD display black color is achieved by dimming of pixels, whereas OLED displays switches OFF the pixels representing TRUE BLACK color, obviously the displayed images looks much more VIVID on iPhone XS.

Well, although XR boasts one of the best LCD displays in market, but since here the competition is with Apples own XS model with OLED display with HDR support, XR comes nowhere close to XS while viewing high definition photos and videos.

So finally, the iPhone XS with its “Super Retina” OLED display, proves himself far better than the iPhone XR with standard “Liquid Crystal” LCD display.

Also the XR screen has bezel (or border) around display edge, which looks slightly thicker than XS display.

Since I need to spend most of the time in business travel, I do keep watching movies, news, serials which means XS will really pay-off in short time with super quality display. So my vote goes to XS even spending more for this luxury.

3) Gold or Silver? which one looks rich?

Color is something that is more dependent on who is buying? I mean you or your girl?

Girls may like more XR than XS due to more color options. You can get Red, Blue, Yellow, Black, White and Coral when you buy the XR. This is something which to me more feminine to get matching colors!

For me Gold looks more rich than any other color, again that is my personal opinion.

But I think the Gold or Silver colors of XS looks far richer than any color of XR. And it you wish you can get one more color that is Black

The iPhone XR is available in six beautiful colors, but if you want silver or gold, those are only options with the iPhone XS.

4) Hand-Holding for longer time?

While you watch movies while you travel its important to look for how comfortable you will be holding the phone for longer duration.

Comfort is related to the phone size as well as phone weight.

Just to compare, XS is surprisingly lighter than XR, it will really make a difference especially while you use the phone during travel.

If you make a math, XR weighs somewhere around 194 grams as against 177 grams of XS. Although its only 17 grams in terms of numbers, if you look its around 10% weight difference which is huge.

Of-course if you go to XS Max then you will get super high weight of 208 grams

5) Wow! DSLR Quality professional photography

Over the years smartphone cameras has improved so much that people have stopped buying DSLR cameras!

While my Canon 600D with 18-135 mm lens is lying since last one year reminds me of old days of carrying 700 grams of stuff on my holidays, now feel like a dream to me!

My smartphone has replaced DSLR with benefits of sharing on social media in real time.

So coming back to which one goes best in photography, XR or XS?

iPhone XS provides super zooming capabilities with its duel-cameras at back as against XR with single camera tries to makeshift using its digital imagination.

So XS performs optical zooming as against XR can only imagine digital zoom. The second telephoto lens on XS does the magic. Obviously optical zooming provides you details without loosing image quality, no blur or pixelated photos at all.

Which means zoomed photo when printed from XS phone will provide super sharp enlarged print ability.

So practically iPhone XS can achieve 10X digital zoom for photography, 6X digital zoom for video shooting and finally 2X optical zooming for photos and videos.

Whereas iPhone XR can only get to at the most 5X digital zoom for photography and 3X digital zoom for video shooting without any optical zoom (I mean only 1X)

So if you ask me, whatever I save in buying a new DSLR camera say Nikon D5300 pricing around $500 (check it yourself) I can surely bargain for getting XS instead of XR by spending just @250 more.

I mean when you will photograph object on some distance yourself using iPhone XS you will realize what I am saying, surely its worth spending $250 more to get XS.

6) How much Memory for Photos, songs, videos and apps

What it means while it comes to storage capacity?

With more powerful camera luring to capture videos and photos of high resolution demands for powerful storage.

Further you want to load games and apps which again demands for more and more memory on device.

In this case the XR limits itself to 256 GB as against XS can stretch itself to get you double than XR i.e. 512 GB!

Wow with XS I will never ever need to think twice before clicking a video of street foods 🙂

More room, more videos, more photos, music, movies, games, apps and much more … no worries at all.

7) Who is more Waterproof?

Now coming to one of the main selection parameter, especially for me when I love to be outdoors mainly camping with my kids.

Already I have decided to put in $250 more to get duel camera, gives me an added advantage of increased water resistance in iPhone XS as compared to XR.

The iPhone XS is more powerful in waterproofing with rating of IP68, (read more on waterproofing of smartphones) proving that XS can sustain 2 meters depth of water for about 30 minutes.

While the XR have slightly lower waterproof rating of IP67, meaning it can survive for depth of about 1 meter for about 30 minutes.

Although both models have pretty good IPX rating and surely you need not worry on water splashes or drizzling rains, the XS will score more protection than XR.

So my vote goes to XS, so with powerful camera I get bonus IPX rated phone.

8) Power of 3D touch!

Till now I have talked more on technical features, here I am now thinking on user interface design.

The XS with its 3D touch provides a super ability to get functions activated by simply pressing the display.

You can activate menu options inside App using the 3D touch feature in XS.

Apple 3D Touch available in iPhone XR, facilitates touch and hold the finger to the screen to perform some special actions, however it does not provide the haptic feedback (vibration) like you get in the iPhone XS.

Its really a small thing but surely it adds sweetness of sugar, giving more satisfaction of spending $250 more 🙂

9) One GBPS speeds in XS

Within no time the world is pushing speeds of 4G and once you experience it, then no way you can go back in time.

So while the XR can support only the “LTE Advanced” in select areas and through select carriers, XS can push itself to “Gigabit-class LTE” where available.

What it means in terms of numbers?

LTE Advanced in XR can get you to 4G speeds of around 100 MBPS.

and Gigabit-class LTE in XS can get you to 1 GBPS – approximately 10 times the speed of XR

No doubt, the speed is totally operator and region dependent, which are further dependent upon the operator capability, but looking at the lightening speed of technology it might happen to get the advantage next month in your area! who knows!!

Anyway you are spending just $250 to get a powerful camera, more storage, and now more speeds.

Bottom line

Now by this time, the comparison is not $750 versus $1000, but

but you need to think what is that the additional $250 is going to give.

What is the value for $250 more?

As per me iPhone XS by spending just $250 more is going to give much more powerful phone in many areas, mainly the photography (remember you save buying a $450 DSLR camera) … or you get more storage .. or you get a waterproof phone … you get capability to head down outdoors …