The iPhone XS Max (pronounced “Ten S Max”) was the largest smartphone Apple had ever launched when it launched in September 2018. With a 6.5-inch display, hardly a screen bezel and the now iconic top-screen notch, a dominant presence was in hand.
Sure, it’s no longer Apple’s newest “Max” product, superseded by the iPhone 11 range in 2019 and the iPhone 12 in 2020 as the newest flagship of the iPhones – including the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which boasted a 6.7- Inch display covers the same size frame. Regardless, the iPhone XS Max is still an impressive part of the kit: it’s fast, has great cameras, and a longer-lasting battery than most Apple products.
The new set of Apple smartphones prompted the tech giant to remove the iPhone XS Max from its stores to simplify the range of products. However, it is still available from retailers and carriers – and at a lower cost than when it was first launched.
While the iPhone XS Max, with its 6.5-inch display, was the largest and most expensive iPhone to launch, it was surpassed in size and cost by premium Android flagships. The phone still dominates your pocket, which was a bold statement from a company that refused to expand the screen size of their phones on the same massive scale as their Android competitors.
For those looking for more screen for video and gaming on the go, the iPhone XS Max’s expansive display (and the newer iPhone 12 Pro Max) is a welcome addition to Apple’s lineup, while those looking for a premium experience without the oversized dimensions wish to take advantage of the convenience it offers alongside the smaller iPhone XS – but if you want to be small, the iPhone 12 mini is the smallest iPhone in years.
And while the iPhone 12 Pro Max misses out on the really impressive night photography, the iPhone XS Max retains almost all of the perks that its replacement brings. You can still get an oversized iPhone at a lower cost with the best iOS deal (with all the benefits of iOS 14) and a great display for Binging media.
Check out our 48-hour review of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max video below
iPhone XS Maximum price and availability
- iPhone XS Max 64GB Price: $ 1,099 (GBP 1,099, AU $ 1,799)
- iPhone XS Max 256GB Price: $ 1,249 (GBP 1,249, A $ 2,049)
- iPhone XS Max 512GB Price: $ 1,449 (GBP 1,449, A $ 2,369)
iPhone XS Max specifications
Weight: 208 g
Dimensions: 157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm
Operating system: iOS 12
Screen size: 6.5 in
Resolution: 1242 x 2688
CENTRAL PROCESSOR: Apple A12 Bionic
R.A.M: 4GB
Camp: 64/256/512 GB
Battery: 3,174 mAh
Backup camera: 12MP + 12MP
Front camera: 7MP + ToF
Apple no longer sells the iPhone XS Max, but it charged a lot when it did. Fortunately, you can still find the handset at other retailers, carriers, and networks.
As we indicated earlier, this is a premium phone with an even higher premium price tag. The iPhone XS Max started at $ 1,099 (£ 1,099, AU $ 1,799) for the 64GB model, which is $ 100 (£ 100, AU $ 170) more than the iPhone XS.
If you need more internal storage, the 256GB iPhone XS Max was priced at $ 1,249 (£ 1,249, AU $ 2,049) while the most expensive 512GB version is a staggering $ 1,449 (£ 1,449, AU $ 2,369).
At the time of launch, there wasn’t a mainstream smartphone that cost more than the 512GB iPhone XS Max, making it a league of its own in terms of price. Now there are more expensive mainstream phones out there, but that’s still a lot of money for a handset.
Plus, the introduction of the iPhone 11 family brought the price down. At the time of our last update to this review, the 64GB handset was priced at around $ 600, £ 1,000, or AU $ 900, so discounts in some markets were more thorough than others.
design
- Same design as iPhone X, but bigger
- A touch shorter and narrower than the iPhone 8 Plus with a larger screen
The iPhone XS Max design is deceptive. Take it off and the rounded sides of the handset make it feel noticeably thick.
The result is a phone that isn’t as comfortable in the hand as it could be. Given the size and cost of the XS Max, it’s a phone you’ll want to keep safe. However, this is only half the story.
We compared the iPhone XS Max to a number of phones during our in-depth test, including the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (6.4-inch screen), the OnePlus 6T (6.41-inch), and the Sony Xperia XZ3 (6-inch) ) The iPhone felt thicker and less hand-planted than anyone else.
The funny thing, however, is that the iPhone XS Max is thinner than all of these phones at just 7.7mm.
The reason for this is simple: tapered edges. Samsung, Sony, and OnePlus all taper their trailing edges, creating the impression of a thinner device while allowing them to sit a little better in the curve of your hand.
The iPhone XS Max has a completely flat back that’s a little more awkward to hold, and we’ve found that a tactfully placed pinky on the bottom of the phone is a must for one-handed use.
What’s more impressive is that the XS Max manages to squeeze a huge 6.5-inch display into a case that, at 157.5 x 77.4 mm, is a bit shorter and narrower than the iPhone 8 Plus, which only has a Features 5.5 inch display.
While the iPhone XS Max feels a little clunky in the hand, there’s no question that you’re packing a large amount of display real estate into a form factor that does well to keep usable.
The steel frame on the outside and the new glass formulation on the front and back, which is harder than the glass on the iPhone X, give the iPhone XS Max a premium appearance while also being resistant to dust and water has been improved.
Apple has increased the protection to IP68, so the iPhone XS Max can be submerged to a depth of two meters for 30 minutes without any adverse effects. Apple claims it tested protection in a number of liquids including salt water, chlorinated water, milk, wine, and beer, although we wouldn’t recommend deliberately exposing the handset to any of these liquids.
It’s worth noting that, like all phone manufacturers, Apple’s warranty does not cover damage from liquid contact. So if the iPhone XS Max’s fluid resistance fails, you are not covered.
The iPhone XS Max does not have a headphone jack. The port is now completely dead after Apple ended the launch of the iPhone 6S and iPhone SE after the iPhone XS (the last two handsets with the 3.5mm jack that were available on the company’s website). This means that in addition to the speaker, you get a central Lightning connector and microphone holes on the base of the iPhone XS Max.
The packaging of the iPhone XS Max contains two Apple EarPods with a lightning connector. However, if you plug this into the lightning connector on the base of the phone, you won’t be able to connect the charging cable to it at the same time.
Fortunately, the iPhone XS Max also supports wireless charging. So if you have a charger on hand, you can charge the handset while listening to wired headphones.
The power button is on the right side of the XS Max and can be easily pressed with your thumb or forefinger, while the volume buttons are located below the physical mute switch on the left of the handset.
Press and hold the power button to bring up Siri. Whenever you turn off the iPhone XS Max, you need to press and hold the power button until a prompt appears on the screen.
The SIM card tray is still under this key, but there’s a new feature in the iPhone XS Max (and XS). The handset is dual-SIM capable, and an eSIM is integrated in the handset.
In this way you can insert a SIM card from a network operator of your choice and then activate the eSIM in another tariff or network operator. It’s worth noting that not all network operators support eSIM technology and availability varies by region. So check this before signing in.
Overall, though, Apple hasn’t strayed far from the design of the iPhone X with the iPhone XS Max other than stretching it a little. However, there is a new color option above the X.
Apple introduced a new gold finish for both the iPhone XS Max and XS that is slightly richer than the more subtle gold finish option for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. If you find the gold a little too much, the iPhone XS Max is also available in silver and space gray.
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Source link : https://www.techradar.com/reviews/iphone-xs-max-review/
