iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max: Here’s why Apple loyalists should consider the smaller iPhone

Apple's new iPhones go on sale in India today. iPhone XS and XS Max will be available via online platforms and authorised resellers. iPhone XS starts at ₹99,900 for the base model, while the bigger iPhone XS Max crosses the 1 lakh mark.

The base model of iPhone XS Max is priced at ₹109,900. iPhone XS Max offers a larger display, in fact the largest on an iPhone with a 6.5-inch screen. While you do get more screen on the iPhone XS Max, the smaller iPhone XS seems a more viable choice.

iPhone XS, however, is not only more affordable but also retains the ethos of Apple's traditional compact form factor. Apple's iPhones were known and loved for its compact form factor. The Plus versions were started with the iPhone 6 for the big screen fans.

iPhone XS features a 5.8-inch Super Retina HD display. Although a large screen size, iPhone XS doesn't compromise on the form factor with a notch and edge-to-edge display.

Here's why you should consider iPhone XS

Storage configuration
iPhone XS is available in the same storage variants as the XS Max. iPhone XS with 256GB storage is priced at ₹114,900, and the 512GB model carries a price tag of ₹ ₹134,900. iPhone XS Max goes up to ₹144,900 for the 512GB model.

Display, form factor
Highlighting its compact size again, iPhone XS has a bigger display than the iPhone 8 Plus' 5.5-inch display but is smaller in size and form. In comparison with the XS Max, it has the same OLED display but with a slightly lower resolution of 2436×1125 pixels. The two iPhones however offer the same pixel density of 458 ppi.

iPhone XS is also thinner at 70.9mm and lighter weighing 177g. There's a notch on both the iPhones housing the same 7-megapixel TrueDepth camera for Face ID.

Camera
Even in the overall camera department both phones have the same configuration and features. At the rear, iPhone XS has 12-megapixel dual wide-angle and telephoto cameras. Features like dual optical image stabilisation, digital zoom up to 10X, Portrait mode with advanced bokeh, and smart HDR are available on both the Phones.

Processor
Under the hood iPhone XS and XS Max are powered by Apple's latest A12 Bionic processor. The new A12 chip is built on the 7nm process. The A12 Bionic is equipped with a neural engine which uses machine learning to deliver the best performance, Apple says.

Battery
Apple doesn't reveal the battery size of its iPhones but gives an idea on its performance. The iPhone XS's battery lasts up to 30 minutes hour longer than the iPhone X. The bigger iPhone XS Max does have some advantage here as its battery lasts up to 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone X.