Apple iPhone XS

Apple iPhone XS Review

The Apple iPhone XS, launched on September 21, 2018, is a flagship device from Apple, boasting a premium design and powerful performance. It falls within the medium price range.

Build Quality

The iPhone XS measures 143.6 mm in height, 70.9 mm in width, and 7.7 mm in depth, with a weight of 177 grams. Its construction features a glass front and back, with a stainless steel frame, giving it a solid and premium feel. The phone is available in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold.

Screen Quality

The device sports a 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED display with a resolution of 1125 x 2436 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 458 ppi. The screen has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and a 120 Hz touch sampling rate. The display features HDR10 and Dolby Vision support, with a high brightness mode reaching 625 nits. Other features include full sRGB standard, Retina HD display, scratch-resistant glass, capacitive multi-touch, oleophobic coating, Force Touch, a blue light filter, and a frameless design with a wide screen notch. The OLED panel ensures vibrant colors and deep blacks.

Camera Performance

The iPhone XS features a dual 12MP rear camera setup. The primary camera has a 12.2 MP resolution, an f/1.8 aperture, 1.4µm pixel size, and a 1/2.5" sensor size with six element lens and Sapphire crystal lens cover and Optical Image Stabilization. The secondary telephoto lens, at 12MP with f/2.4 aperture, provides optical zoom and portrait capabilities. The rear camera setup is equipped with a Quad-LED True Tone flash. The front-facing 7.2MP selfie camera has an f/2.2 aperture and includes features like CMOS BSI sensor and 4K 60FPS video capabilities. Video recording capabilities include 4K at up to 60fps with HDR and stereo sound, as well as 1080p at up to 240fps for slow-motion. Camera features include digital and optical zoom, autofocus, touch focus, manual focus, continuous shooting, geotagging, panorama, HDR, face detection, and RAW capture.

Software Experience

The iPhone XS shipped with iOS 12 and is upgradeable to iOS 18. The operating system provides a smooth and intuitive user experience, known for its seamless integration with Apple's ecosystem and robust privacy features. The device has 4GB of RAM paired with either 64GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage options.

Battery Performance

The iPhone XS is powered by a 2658 mAh Li-Ion battery. The device supports fast charging, however the exact wattages for both wired and wireless charging are not specified. The battery is non-removable.

Connectivity

The iPhone XS includes:

• Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac with dual-band, hotspot, and MIMO support.
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0 LE with A2DP.
• GPS: GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, QZSS, and Galileo.
• SIM: Dual SIM Dual Standby (Nano SIM + Nano SIM/eSIM).
• USB: Lightning with USB 2.0 (no USB-C).
• NFC: Yes.

The device supports a wide range of 4G LTE bands, along with 3G and 2G bands.

Performance

The iPhone XS is powered by the Apple A12 Bionic chip, a 7nm Hexa-core processor (2x2.5 GHz Vortex + 4x1.6 GHz Tempest) with an Apple 4-core GPU. It achieved an Antutu score of 690980 (v10). The device is 64-bit. It includes sensors such as Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, and barometer.

Value for Money

The iPhone XS, while no longer the latest model, offers good value for money in the medium price range. Its build quality, impressive OLED display, capable camera system, and smooth iOS experience make it a solid choice for users seeking a premium experience without the high price of newer models. The various storage options cater to different user needs.