Apple iPhone XS vs Apple iPhone XS Max
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Apple iPhone XS and the Apple iPhone XS Max, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Apple iPhone XS | Apple iPhone XS Max |
|---|
| Our rating | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Battery | 2,658 mAh | 3,174 mAh |
| Wired charging | 18W | 15W |
| RAM (max) | — | 4 GB |
| Storage (max) | 512 GB | 512 GB |
| Screen size | 5.8 in | 6.5 in |
| Main camera | 63 MP | 12 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 177 g | 208 g |
| Released | Sep 2018 | Sep 2018 |
Summary: Apple iPhone XS is ahead on our rating, wired charging, main camera, weight (lower is lighter). Apple iPhone XS Max is ahead on battery, screen size.
★ Which should you buy? Apple iPhone XS is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs.
Researched with AI assistance by infozme.com from manufacturer and retailer sources — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Apple iPhone XS | Apple iPhone XS Max |
|---|
| Type | Super Retina OLED, HDR, 625 nits (typical) | Super Retina OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM) |
| Size | 5.8 inches | 6.5 inches |
| Resolution | 1125 x 2436 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) | 1242 x 2688 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Protection | Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating | Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating |
| Features | True Tone, Wide color gamut, 3D Touch | — |
Platform
| Apple iPhone XS | Apple iPhone XS Max |
|---|
| OS | iOS 12, upgradable to iOS 18.7 (as of 2026) | iOS 12, upgradable to iOS 18.7 (as of current date) |
| Chipset | Apple A12 Bionic (7 nm) | Apple A12 Bionic (7 nm) |
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x2.5 GHz Vortex + 4x1.6 GHz Tempest) | Hexa-core (2x Vortex + 4x Tempest) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| Neural Engine | 8-core Next-generation Neural Engine | — |
Memory
| Apple iPhone XS | Apple iPhone XS Max |
|---|
| RAM | 4GB | — |
| Internal Storage | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB (NVMe) | — |
| Card Slot | No | — |
| Card slot | — | No |
| Internal | — | 64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM |
Main Camera
| Apple iPhone XS | Apple iPhone XS Max |
|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom | — |
| Features | Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama), Panorama (up to 63MP), Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, Smart HDR | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Video | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. |
| Modules | — | Dual 12 MP |
| Wide | — | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Telephoto | — | 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom |
Selfie Camera
| Apple iPhone XS | Apple iPhone XS Max |
|---|
| Single | 7 MP, f/2.2, 32mm (standard) | — |
| Features | HDR, Portrait mode | HDR |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30/60fps |
| Modules | — | Single 7 MP |
| Standard | — | 7 MP, f/2.2, 32mm (standard) |
Battery
| Apple iPhone XS | Apple iPhone XS Max |
|---|
| Type | Li-Ion 2658 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3174 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 15W wired, 50% in 30 min (advertised, with 18W adapter sold separately); Qi wireless charging | 15W wired, 50% in 30 min (advertised); Qi wireless charging |
| Endurance | Talk time: Up to 20h; Internet use: Up to 12h; Video playback: Up to 14h; Audio playback: Up to 60h | — |
Body
| Apple iPhone XS | Apple iPhone XS Max |
|---|
| Dimensions | 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30 in) | 157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm (6.20 x 3.05 x 0.30 in) |
| Weight | 177 g (6.24 oz) | 208 g (7.34 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), stainless steel frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), stainless steel frame |
| Water & Dust Resistance | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 2m for 30 mins) | — |
| SIM | — | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM and eSIM) |
| IP Rating | — | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 2m for 30 min) |
Comms
| Apple iPhone XS | Apple iPhone XS Max |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| Radio | — | No |
Launch
| Apple iPhone XS | Apple iPhone XS Max |
|---|
| Announced | September 12, 2018 | 2018, September 12 |
| Status | Released September 21, 2018. Discontinued September 10, 2019. | Available. Released 2018, September 21 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Apple iPhone XS or Apple iPhone XS Max?
Apple iPhone XS Max — 2,658 mAh for the Apple iPhone XS versus 3,174 mAh for the Apple iPhone XS Max.
Which is lighter, Apple iPhone XS or Apple iPhone XS Max?
Apple iPhone XS — 177 g for the Apple iPhone XS versus 208 g for the Apple iPhone XS Max.
Is the Apple iPhone XS or the Apple iPhone XS Max rated higher?
We rate the Apple iPhone XS 8/10 and the Apple iPhone XS Max 7/10.
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