Which to buy? iPhone XS, XS Max or XR: Ultimate review roundup

Thinking about upgrading to an iPhone XS, XS Max or XR? Not sure if the XS Max is worth the splurge, or if the XR holds its own given its lower price point? Get the answers you need to buy smart with these iPhone reviews from trusted journalists.

“Based on several days of testing, it looks like Apple made the right cost-cutting trade-offs with the XR…” – Anick Jesdanun, ABC News (iPhone XR makes the right trade-offs for a cheaper price)

“They’re both great devices, but if you want power and top-of-the-line specs you should get the XS, while budget-minded iPhone fans that don’t use their iPhones for everything can opt for the cheaper XR.” – Jennifer Jolly, Techish (iPhone XS VS iPhone XR: Who Wins, and Why?)

“The bottom line: For an iPhone buyer in the market for a replacement phone, the XR represents not only a smart option, but arguably, the smartest option, for at least many of you.” – Edward C. Baig, USA Today (iPhone XR review: Why you should consider the budget model over the pricier XS)

“Those determined (or able) to live on the cutting edge can opt for the iPhone XS series but for everyone else, the iPhone XR is the model to buy.” – Gordon Kelly, Forbes (Apple iPhone XS Vs iPhone XR: What’s The Difference?)

“The XR is good enough that I don’t miss the XS. Apple undercut itself, and we’re all better off for it.” – Alex Cranz, Gizmodo (iPhone XR Review: Affordability Done Right)

“With mostly incremental updates to the new iPhones, Apple leaves the door open for competitors to up the ante in the next 12 months.” – David Carnoy, CNET (iPhone XS and XR: What Apple didn’t give us)

“The new 2018 iPhones are named (and designed) to be tuned-up versions of last year’s iPhone X.” – David Pogue, Yahoo Finance (Three new iPhones reviewed: Faster, bigger, cheaper)

“Which is the best iPhone? Easily the iPhone XS. Which one should you buy? The iPhone XR.” – Andy Boxall, Digital Trends (Apple iPhone XS vs. iPhone XS Max vs. iPhone XR)

“The other huge difference is in battery life, where the iPhone XR beats both the iPhone XS and XS Max. If you want a modern iPhone design without splurging, it’s definitely the phone to consider.” – Henry T. Casey, Tom’s Guide (iPhone XS vs iPhone XS Max vs iPhone XR: What Should You Buy?)

“Price is probably the biggest consideration for most people, and the iPhone XR has the iPhone XS beat in terms of price.” – Dave Smith, Business Insider (The iPhone XR is coming soon: Here are 9 reasons you should buy it instead of an iPhone XS or XS Max)

“To me, the 128GB iPhone XR seems like the sweet spot and a great choice for a wide range of folks, but who am I to judge if a maxed-out (forgive me) 512GB iPhone XS Max is more your thing.” – Chris Welch, The Verge (How to pick between the new iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR)

“… overall, for what are largely incremental updates to last year’s iPhone X, Apple made all of its tweaks in the right places.” – Bree Fowler, Consumer Reports (Final Test Results: iPhone XS and XS Max)

“… the real game-changing innovations are all happening inside. So start paying more attention to them, because they’re ‘boring’ but will increasingly matter more.” – Raymond Wong, Mashable (iPhone XS and XS Max: Going for the gold)

“To be clear, Apple has done some fine work here, but once you’ve installed iOS 12, I don’t think you’re missing out on enough to justify the costs.” – Chris Velazco, Engadget (Apple iPhone XS and XS Max review: Pricey but future-proof)

“… if you want Apple’s real flagship then the iPhone XS (or the XS Max) is the only choice.” – James Rogerson, TechRadar (iPhone XS vs iPhone XR: how does Apple’s new cheaper handset compare to the XS?)

Decide which iPhone is right for you? Whether you prefer the extra-large XS Max, the flagship XS, or the cheaper XR, you can offset part of the cost by selling your old iPhone on Flipsy.com.