Why You Can Trust CNET iPhone XS Max: Biggest screen, battery and iPhone price tag ever
Apple's new supersized smartphone costs up to $1,449.
Like the iPhone XS, only bigger.
Apple wasn't kidding when it called this phone the iPhone XS Max. When you see it in person, there's no question that this hulking behemoth deserves its name. It looks strikingly similar to an iPhone 8 Plus -- already a big phone -- that grew an even larger, better screen.
How large? We're talking about a 6.5-inch OLED display that's a hair bigger than the Galaxy Note 9's 6.4-inch screen. The XS Max (that's "10-S," not "excess") isn't just Apple's largest iPhone ever. It's also its most expensive -- by a long shot -- and has the highest-capacity battery on any iPhone. With such a massive, power-sucking display, it has to.
Shop for Apple iPhone XS Max (64GB, space gray)
See all pricesThe iPhone XS Max starts at $1,099 for the 64GB version and climbs from there. That price tag is already $100 steeper than last year's iPhone X and the brand-new 5.8-inch iPhone XS.
While the iPhone XS Max contrasts most starkly with the lower-rent iPhone XR, all three new iPhones for 2018 have the basics in common: iOS 12 software running the show, Apple's new A12 Bionic chipset within, at least one 12-megapixel camera with a few new camera tricks and a 7-megapixel front-facing camera with Face ID to unlock the phone. (See below for all the specs and prices.)
Preorders start Friday and the XS Max goes on sale Sept. 21.
How the iPhone XS Max differs from the iPhone XS
Size: The iPhone XS Max is physically larger, standing at over 6.2 inches tall with a 6.5-inch screen. The Max XS literally hulks over the iPhone XS -- see for yourself in the video above.
Display resolution: The XS Max has a whopping 2,688x1,242-pixel resolution for its OLED display, versus the iPhone XS' 2,436x1,125 resolution screen. Don't be fooled, though. Both phones have the same pixel density of 458 pixels per inch. That means whatever you watch on either screen will look sharp.
Weight: Larger phones are heavier phones. The Max weighs 7.3 ounces (nearing half a pound!), compared to the iPhone XS' 6.2-ounce weight.
Battery life: Apple says that the XS Max will last an hour and a half longer than the iPhone X did. The XS, however, promises 30 more minutes of battery life.
For more details: iPhone XS vs. iPhone XS Max vs. iPhone XR: What's the difference?
Also read: iPhone XR, XS, XS Max: Everything you need to know about Apple's three new iPhones
See also
iPhone XR, XS, XS Max specs
| iPhone XS | iPhone XS Max | iPhone XR | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution | 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED; 2,436x1,125 pixels | 6.5-inch Super Retina OLED; 2,688x1,242 pixels | 6.1-inch LCD Retina Display; 1,792x828 pixels |
| Pixel density | 458 ppi | 458 ppi | 326ppi |
| Dimensions (Inches) | 5.7x2.8x0.3 in | 6.2x3.0x.3 in | 5.9x3.0x0.33 in |
| Dimensions (Millimeters) | 143.6x70.9x7.7 mm | 157.5x77.4x7.7 mm | 150.9x75.7x8.3 mm |
| Weight (Ounces, Grams) | 6.24 oz; 177g | 7.3oz; 208g | 6.8oz; 194g |
| Mobile software | iOS 12 | iOS 12 | iOS 12 |
| Camera | Dual 12-megapixel | Dual 12-megapixel | Single 12-megapixel |
| Front-facing camera | 7-megapixel with Face ID | 7-megapixel with Face ID | 7-megapixel with Face ID |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Apple A12 Bionic | Apple A12 Bionic | Apple A12 Bionic |
| Storage | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
| RAM | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Expandable storage | None | None | None |
| Battery | N/A, but Apple claims it will last 30 min longer than iPhone X | N/A, but Apple claims it will last 90 min longer than iPhone X | N/A, but Apple claims it will last 90 min longer than iPhone 8 Plus |
| Fingerprint sensor | None (Face ID) | None (Face ID) | None (Face ID) |
| Connector | Lightning | Lightning | Lightning |
| Headphone jack | No | No | No |
| Special features | Water-resistant (IP68); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging; Face ID, Animoji | Water-resistant (IP68); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging; Face ID, Animoji | Water-resistant: IP67, dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging; Face ID, Animoji |
| Price off-contract (USD) | $999 (64GB), $1,149 (256GB), $1,349 (512GB) | $1,099 (64GB), $1,249 (256GB), $1,449 (512GB) | $749 (64GB), $799 (128GB), $899 (256GB) |
| Price (GBP) | £999 (64GB), £1,149 (256GB), £1,349 (512GB) | $1,099 (64GB), $1,249 (256GB), $1,449 (512GB) | £749 (64GB), £799 (128GB), £899 (256GB) |
| Price (AUD) | AU$1,629 (64GB), AU$1,879 (256GB), AU$2,199 (512GB) | AU$1,799 (64GB), AU$2,049 (256GB), AU$2,369 (512GB) | AU$1,229 (64GB), AU$1,299 (128GB), AU$1,479 (256GB) |