Apple IPhone XS Review

The 3-Minute iPhone XS Review

Apple Makes a Splash with the New XS

By Graeme Messina | September 25, 2018

The Specifics:

Features & Design: 4/5 ● Performance: 4/5 ● Value: 4/5 ● Sound Quality 4/5

The Best:

Apple has come out swinging with this year’s range of new iPhones, and the results are exciting. The new processor line up focuses on speed and energy efficiency, with new Augmented Reality features that it focuses on. Much like the iPhone XS Max, the XS sports the same camera, same CPU and same screen technologies.

The Bugs:

The camera, although very good, is not much of an upgrade from previous models. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as iPhones have generally always had superior imaging sensors when compared to their competitors. An all glass design is a fingerprint magnet, so that is another small niggle that you might not like.

Is it for you?

Apple knows who its users are, and Apple knows what they want. The iPhone XS is proof that Apple has been taking notes and building a device for the masses to snap up. For those that want a bigger device, the XS Max is pretty much an identical phone but with a larger battery and overall size. If you are new to the iPhone concept then this could be the Apple for you.

Meet the Apple iPhone XS

There is a general air of quality about this phone, from the all glass design, to the OLED display, which has an impressive DPI for the form factor. If you also consider the CPU enhancements, battery improvements, and the near bezel-less design of the XS, then you have a phone that still manages to set the bar quite high in the Apple product desirability scale.

What we like

The XS is fast, and the CPU shows off its speed by cutting through tasks with ease. The camera is top notch, and shows that taking serious still photos and videos can be done with nothing more than the smart phone in your pocket.

Build quality and weight shows that this device is a premium product with a specific customer in mind. The Max version of this device doesn’t hold any specific advantages over the standard XS model, which is also refreshing in the mobile phone market.

The only people that might not want to upgrade to the XS at this point are owners of Apple’s iPhone X unit, which has only been available for around a year anyway. All other iPhone users will get a kick out of the improvements that this device has over its predecessors.

What we don’t like

Maybe the biggest quirk is the all glass design. It seems like small issue to most people, but if you are always cleaning your phone because of unsightly smudges and fingerprints, then it could be a little annoying.

The fact that the camera isn’t a huge improvement over previous models might also be a negative for some users, although Apple generally produces some of the best photos with their range of iPhones, so it is somewhat of a moot point.

Should you buy it?

It is still an iPhone at the end of the day, which means that if you are not already an Apple user, or a fan of the Apple ecosystem, then you might find that this kind of smart device is not for you. Having said that, however, there has never been a better iPhone than this current crop, and based on the performance and overall product experience, it might be a good time to try it out if you haven’t already.