The iPhone XR

iPhone XR: The Skinny on the iPhone XR You’ll notice from the names the iPhone XR is the direct successor to the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus and that means plenty of key upgrades on the specs front. It’s also a lot less expensive than previous models – coming in at £749 in the UK (64GB) and $749 (256GB). Let’s start with the screen, which is a 6.1-inch LCD ‘Liquid Retina’ panel with HDR support and an extra LED-backlit layer providing deeper blacks. The resolution has been shrunk from the XS and XS Max, but it doesn’t mean it’s smaller. Compared to the XS Max, it doesn’t have as many pixels – 326ppi compared to 458ppi – but it still has the same 2323 x 1242 resolution and HDR support, which makes it bright, colourful and with wide viewing angles.

The Design of the iPhone XR

The iPhone XR has a similar shape to the XS but sports a smaller 6.1″ LCD display. It also uses an LCD rather than an OLED display so the blacks are deeper and colours are richer, especially when the brightness is turned up. While it’s not a true edge to edge display, the bezels at the top and bottom are noticeably smaller than those on the XS, and while the notch on the display can be hidden or completely avoided, a small one remains. The iPhone XR comes in six colours with the glossy finish on the rear available in black, blue, yellow, coral and red. It has a single camera on the rear as opposed to the dual cameras on the XS. Battery Life The iPhone XR packs a 3,000mAh battery, giving it one of the longest battery lives available on an iPhone.

The Storage and Battery Life

The iPhone XR comes with 64GB or 128GB of storage and, surprisingly, both models support wireless charging. The memory on this phone is quite adequate, and if you need more there’s the option to upgrade. The battery life is good. One of the advantages of an LCD screen on an iPhone is the ability to use all-day battery charges. A brief use around the home and office, and I had 30% battery left at around 9pm. I also find the LCD screen much easier to use when your hands are a bit sweaty and clammy, or if you’re tired or stressed. The iPhone XR and iPhone XS have the same 12 megapixel rear camera with a wide-angle lens and better low light shots. The A12 Bionic chip is more powerful than the iPhone X, and it’s fast enough to process HDR (high dynamic range) images.

iPhone XR Performance

Apple claims the A12 Bionic is 15% faster than the A11 chip found in the iPhone X, but I didn’t notice much of a difference in daily use. It doesn’t feel particularly faster, though you can certainly feel the difference if you’re upgrading from an iPhone 7, which lacks 3D Touch. There are two sets of hardware that powers the iPhone XR: a six-core CPU and an eight-core GPU. Apple states the single-core performance is 25% faster and the multi-core performance is 70% faster. Interestingly, it also claims that single-core and multi-core performance are 70% better on the XR. These results are made possible by an Apple-developed dual-core CPU that handles lighter loads and a dedicated quad-core GPU that handles heavier loads, according to Apple.

iPhone XR

Is it a good value for money?

Now we’re getting on to the crux of the matter. The iPhone XR is worth the money for anyone looking for a really good iPhone for under £500. Why? Because it’s so much better value for money than the iPhone XS. When the iPhone XS came out, I thought the XS was a fine phone. But what you have to remember is that the £600 starting price was a long way off from the £1,000 you’d pay for the iPhone XS Max (to get 512GB of storage and a 512GB + 512GB version). In other words, for £1,000 you were getting the most high-end smartphone the iPhone XS could offer, but the iPhone XR is more affordable. The iPhone XR doesn’t have the fastest CPU or the best camera, but the general performance and camera experience is also very good. There are no raucous beeps and boops when you unlock the phone.

The iPhone XR is the New iPhone for Those Who Don’t Need the Latest and Greatest

The iPhone XR is now available to order online and in stores across the US. Customers who don’t need the latest and greatest iPhone model will find the XR a very attractive option, especially at the new price of $749 (£749, AU$1,229). Read on for everything you need to know about Apple’s new iPhone. Luxury Book iPhone 7 Plus Case In addition to the more affordable price, the iPhone XR has a lot to offer, especially on paper. In fact, it beats the iPhone XS Max on some key hardware specs. iPhone XR Processor The iPhone XR has the same A12 Bionic chip found in the iPhone XS. This is the first time the new chip has ever been used in an iPhone. iPhone XR Display Apple calls the 6.1-inch LCD display on the iPhone XR “Liquid Retina.” But, unfortunately it still isn’t OLED.

Conclusion

The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max feature the most powerful and high performance processors found in any smartphone. The iPhone XR is the most affordable offering and has a slightly lower resolution display. Given the lower resolution display and battery performance the two iPhones are likely to be better options for a lot of people, but the iPhone XR is definitely worth considering if you want a cheaper option, but want a more powerful smartphone than the iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max. The smartphone market has become extremely competitive over the last few years and as such, the iPhone has evolved with a focus on the design and the features that people actually want.