Specs Showdown: iPhone XS Vs iPhone XR vs Samsung Galaxy S9

Apple has announced three new phones this morning, and we’re here to put them to the test to see how much of an improvement they bring to what’s already on the market. We’re putting the upgraded iPhone XS and the ‘budget’ model iPhone XR to the test against Samsung’s most recent flagship, the Galaxy S9.

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2018/09/specs-showdown-iphone-xs-max-vs-samsung-galaxy-note9/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/09/xs-and-max-3-410×231.png” title=”Specs Showdown: iPhone XS Max Vs Samsung Galaxy Note9″ excerpt=”The iPhone XS Max is Apple’s supersized take on the iPhone X model, with a few upgrades under the hood. So how does it stand up to Samsung’s most recent release and plus-sized offering, the Note9?”]

By The Numbers

iPhone XS iPhone XR Samsung Galaxy S9
OS iOS 12 iOS 12 Android 8.0 Oreo
RAM 3 GB 4 GB 4 GB
Dimensions 150mm x 75mm x 7.3mm 150.9mm x 75.7mm x 7.7mm 147.7mm x 68.7mm x 8.5mm
Weight 177g 194g 163g
CPU A12 chip A12 chip Octa-core (2.7GHz, 1.7GHz)
Storage/Memory 64/256/512 GB 64/256/512 GB 64/256 GB
Display 5.8-inch Retina HD Display 6.1-inch Retina HD Display 5.8-inch dual edge Super AMOLED
Resolution 2436 x 1125‑pixel (458 ppi) 1792 x 828 (326 ppi) 2960 x 1440 (570 ppi)
microSD support No No Yes, up to 400GB
3.5mm Headphone Jack No No Yes
Camera Dual 12MP rear (wide-angle f/1.8, telephoto f/2.4), 7MP front (f/2.2) Single 12MP rear (f/1.8), 7MP front (f/2.2) Single 12MP rear (F1.5/F2.4 Dual Aperture), 8MP front
Colours Silver, Gold, Grey White, Black, Blue, Yellow Coral Lilac Purple, Midnight Black and Coral Blue
Price (64GB model) $1629 $1229 $1199

So how do they stack up? All the classic Apple vs Samsung distinctions are there – Apple’s lack of support for added storage, for example, or the missing headphone jack (and, notably, Apple is no longer including free lightning-to-3.5mm dongles with its iPhones). The S9 is also cheaper than both the XS and the ‘budget’ SR version.

For Apple devotees, however, these disadvantages are worth it for support for the Apple ecosystem, and the familiar iOS operating system (albeit with a bit of an upgrade). Both the XS and the XR also retain the iPhone X’s most hyped features, including the face scanning technology that enables Face ID authentication and unlock, and also fun timewasters like Animoji and Memoji.

However it’s notable that Samsung is already working on its next line of new phones, and rumour has it that they’re developing their own answer to Apple’s Face ID. Of course, we’ll be seeing how that new phone stacks up upon its release early next year.

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2018/09/samsung-galaxy-s10-all-the-facts-and-rumours-so-far/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/09/galaxy-S10-410×231.jpg” title=”Samsung Galaxy S10: All The Facts And Rumours So Far” excerpt=”All eyes may be on Apple for its iPhone event this week, but that doesn’t mean plenty of us aren’t still thinking about Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy S10 is one of the most anticipated phones of 2019, expected to be released early next year. If you’re eagerly holding out for news on the Galaxy S10, here’s everything we know (and think we know) about Samsung’s next phone.”]

It’s a little hard to compare iPhone’s latest announcements with existing phones, as the way they’ve done things this time is a little different. Take the XR, for example – the ‘budget’ model that is actually a size up on the regular one. This is pretty unusual in smartphones, where usually you see the extra size being used to cram in more high-end features, thus pushing the price up further. This may end up being the XR’s notable point of differentiation – though that being said, it’s only really considered ‘budget’ when compared to other Apple offerings.

So what do you think? Who’s the ‘winner’ in this never-ending game of technological oneupmanship? Tell us in the comments!


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