Apple iPhone XS Max review

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Introduction

The iPhone X was not just a milestone for Apple. It also turned out to be the cornerstone the next generation of iPhones is being built around. And while the anniversary iPhone wowed everyone, many people voiced their wish for a Plus size model after the excitement had worn off. And this year Apple is righting this wrong with the iPhone XS Max.

We have to admit we used all of our jokes on the iPhone XS review. But coming up with the iPhone XS Max name is probably the biggest joke anyway. Two letters, but one is a Roman numeral - we learned to deal with that. But the Max moniker after the XS name, well, this is funny everywhere on the globe.

The iPhone XS Max is a wish come true for all of you who wanted an X Plus. The Max has a massive 6.5" bezel-less OLED display, the fastest chipset on the planet, an improved dual-camera, louder speakers, and the largest battery the iPhones have seen to date.

The iPhone XS didn't seem to pack enough punch to make a reasonable iPhone user upgrade, but the Max is an entirely different story. If you wanted an X with a bigger screen you've probably pre-ordered and you have a tracking number in your mailbox already.

Nobody doubted that a bigger iPhone would have costed more. But the iPhone XS Max is not just the most expensive iPhone yet. It's the most expensive smartphone there is right now. And despite what we'd expect, this didn't turn down the fans, quite the opposite - the iPhone XS Max is massively outselling the XS.

Well, we have the Apple iPhone XS Max in our office, so let's see what the fuss is all about, shall we?

Apple iPhone XS Max specs

• Body: Stainless steel frame, reinforced glass front, and rear, IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. Space Gray, Gold and Silver color options.
• Screen: 6.5" bezel-less OLED screen of 1242 x 2688 px resolution, 458ppi. HDR video support, wide color gamut. True Tone adjustment via a six-channel ambient light sensor, 3D Touch.
• OS: Apple iOS 12
• Chipset: Apple A12 Bionic chip (7nm) - Hexa-core 2.49GHz (2x Vortex + 4x Tempest) Apple CPU, four-core Apple GPU, 4-core Apple NPU 2-gen
• Memory: 4GB of RAM; 64/256/512GB of internal storage (non-expandable)
• Camera: Dual 12MP camera: wide-angle F/1.8 with OIS + telephoto F/2.4 with OIS, live bokeh effects (including Portrait mode and Portrait Lightning, adjustable blur), 2x lossless zoom, quad-LED flash with slow sync, phase detection auto focus, wide color gamut capture
• Video recording: 2160p@60/30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps video recording with wider dynamic range
• Selfie: 7MP F/2.2 front-facing camera with BSI sensor and HDR mode, 1080p@30/60fps video, digital video stabilization, depth detection for Portrait mode and animoji
• Connectivity: Dual SIM, 4G LTE (1 Gbps); Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac; Bluetooth 5.0; Lightning port; GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS; NFC (Apple, NFC tag reading)
• Battery: 3,174 mAh battery, wireless charging (Qi compatible)
• Misc: Face ID through dedicated TrueDepth camera, stereo speakers, Taptic Engine

Apple introduced a new Gold paint job with the XS series. It's the one thing that will make an XS stand out next to an X model. Of course, the XS Max doesn't need this kind of help, as its size is enough of a distinguishing feature. But we missed the opportunity to show you the new Gold color on the XS, so we made sure to get the Max in this hue.

We've already established that the iPhone XS employs the best features the market has to offer today - the fastest mobile chipset, the best display, class-leading speakers, flagship-grade camera experience. Now let's see if anything is different on the iPhone XS Max.

Unboxing the Apple iPhone XS Max

Well, this iPhone may deserve the Max moniker, but its retail bundle is eXtra Small for a flagship. Just like the XS, the XS Max comes packed with Apple's tiny 5W charger, a Lightning cable, and a pair of EarPods. That's it.

The iPhone XS Max supports both wireless charging and fast wired charging, though obviously, you can't benefit from either out of the box. This year Apple has also ditched the 3.5mm-to-Lightning adapter, so if you need one - that'll be extra $9.

The good news is the iPhone XS Max is compatible with all Qi-certified chargers, so you have plenty to choose from.

The bad news is if you want to use fast wired charging, you'll have to buy both the charger and the USB-C-to-Lightning cable from Apple. And that'll be extra $70, you're welcome!

We can all agree it's a bummer that Apple isn't shipping its most expensive smartphones with a fast charger, but there is one very good explanation why. It's simple - Apple doesn't want you to fast charge your iPhone.

Unlike Oppo, Apple doesn't have VOOC-like tech and relies on the regular USB-C Power Delivery chargers bundled with the latest MacBooks. Using such chargers will likely shorten the battery's overall lifespan.