If you have an iPhone X, should you switch to iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max?

The pre-orders for the iPhone XS and XS Max have just started and some people may be wondering if it's worth it to order one if they already own an iPhone X. It's a question that was asked to AppleInsider, so let's talk about it.

In my case, I have an iPhone 8 Plus and I am in the process of updating. My cohort Max has an iPhone X and he also moves to new models by ordering iPhone XS Max.

Although there are many differences between the iPhone 8 and the iPhone XS, there are fewer when you compare the iPhone X with the latest versions. It is worthwhile to review everything that is different between the iPhone X and the iPhone XS, to see if the value is enough for the migration to be worth it.

Polls and reviews

Whether they like to admit it or not, a lot of people want to make sure others can know if they have the latest iPhone, and on the outside, the only thing they do not have is the iPhone. iPhone XS is virtually identical to the iPhone X, with the exception of a new golden finish. , which seems to be the most popular model based on a survey AppleInsider ran on his YouTube channel.

It is also likely that most people upgrading from an iPhone X will go with the XS Max simply because it's bigger. The poll, released on YouTube as soon as pre-orders began, revealed that most were opting for the XS Max, while the iPhone XS was the least-wanted model, probably because it was physically identical to the iPhone X .

"Honestly, I will just stay with my iPhone X," said one of them. "I can not justify spending 2000 Canadian dollars for a bigger gold duplicate."

Of course, this is only one review, so let's look at the real differences between the iPhone X and the iPhone XS.

The big picture

The biggest advantage of the iPhone XS is probably the new dual camera system. It has new sensors with deeper pixels that will allow you to better shoot in low light conditions, with a new True Tone flash. The optical stabilization of the image is at stake on both lenses, but the iPhone X has already done so, as well as the quick lens openings.

The image signal processor now works with the neural engine to refine the software side of the cameras, making things look like more accurate portrait blur. However, the iPhone X has seen massive improvements in portrait blur just by running the beta of iOS 12.

Nevertheless, the improvement of the software should be noticeable.

The biggest novelty is Bokeh and Depth Control, which lets you adjust the blur and depth of the background after taking pictures. This feature alone will convince many people to upgrade, simply because the photos are significantly improved.

There is also the addition of Smart HDR which, with the new sensor, will increase the dynamics by 60% and reduce motion blur thanks to zero latency. On the video side, there is better dynamic range and software enhancements, while finally allowing you to record stereo audio.

The improvements are certainly welcome, but the iPhone X already takes incredible pictures that suit almost everyone.

No massive jumps

Apple has touted the Super Retina display and its wide color gamut, HDR10 and Dolby Vision, but the iPhone X already supports all that. The displays are literally the same.

There are also performance improvements in Face ID on the iPhone XS, but something that many people might not know, is that the Face ID speed is improved on the iPhone X with iOS 12, which will be released on September 17. There is not enough improvement to make it a pretty big deal for the upgrade.

Of course, there is the new A12 processor. To be honest, the iPhone X is already one of the fastest phones, and it can easily run anything on the App Store, so even if there is has a performance improvement on the XS, the iPhone X will not hold you in any case.

In terms of autonomy, the iPhone XS only lasts 30 minutes longer than the iPhone X, which is not a trivial matter. The iPhone XS Max, meanwhile, lasts an hour and a half longer, which could certainly spark the interest of someone.

Water resistance has also been increased to IP68, but many might not know that this only increases the underwater depth by 2 meters. The iPhone X can last the same 30 minutes, but one meter deep, just over 3 feet under the water.

In short, this means that the iPhone XS will be protected when it is deposited closer to the deep end of a pool, in the same way that the iPhone X would be perfect in the shallow end. Each case is a fairly rare situation for most people.

The iPhone XS is more durable and scratch resistant, but we hear the same thing almost every year, and the glass of the iPhone is still able to crack. It's glass!

Apple also mentioned that the speakers have a wider stereo feel, but all this is due to software changes, and I think the speakers of the iPhone X are already among the best of all smartphones.

The iPhone XS allows faster wireless charging, but Apple does not specify how much, so it does not appear to be a major improvement, otherwise they would have mentioned it. The iPhone X supports 7.5 W wireless charging, and people think that the iPhone XS supports up to 10 W, but no one will know it as much as it can. Apple did not ship it.

There is also Dual SIM, which is good for a small market, but it is not enough for it to be worth updating.

There are also LTE speed improvements, but in the real world, most people will probably not notice much. The new models all support T-Mobile's 600Mhz spectrum, also known as band 71, which could do that. This could give iPhone XS users in cities better signal strength compared to the iPhone X.

So many of these improvements may not be worth it, but together they can attract attention.

Questionable update

In my opinion, if you already have an iPhone X, it's not worth it, unless you really want to have that golden color. Financially, it's not worth it, just because the iPhone X is already pretty good in almost every area.

If money does not bother you, the decision to upgrade is a lot easier.

Now, if you like to have a giant screen, it's definitely worth it to switch to the XS Max, but you pay especially for the display and get all the other small improvements.

Upgrading to an iPhone XS from a similarly colored iPhone X also has few tangible benefits because they will look identical. Generally, people want to perceive a difference when they are spending money, and switching from the iPhone X to the iPhone XS is precisely the kind of situation that may seem disappointing.

You can definitely feel the difference with the XS Max, justifying the purchase for a lot of people.

If you only look at internal improvements and nothing outside, then no, iPhone XS and XS Max are not worth upgrading if you already have an iPhone X.