Optus Mobile Review ALDI Mobile Review Amaysim Mobile Review Belong Mobile Review Circles.Life Review Vodafone Mobile Review Woolworths Mobile Review Felix Mobile Review Best iPhone Plans Best Family Mobile Plans Best Budget Smartphones Best Prepaid Plans Best SIM-Only Plans Best Plans For Kids And Teens Best Cheap Mobile Plans Telstra vs Optus Mobile Optus NBN Review Belong NBN Review Vodafone NBN Review Superloop NBN Review Aussie BB NBN Review iiNet NBN Review MyRepublic NBN Review TPG NBN Review Best NBN Satellite Plans Best NBN Alternatives Best NBN Providers Best Home Wireless Plans What is a Good NBN Speed? Test NBN Speed How to speed up your internet Optus vs Telstra Broadband ExpressVPN Review CyberGhost VPN Review NordVPN Review PureVPN Review Norton Secure VPN Review IPVanish VPN Review Windscribe VPN Review Hotspot Shield VPN Review Best cheap VPN services Best VPN for streaming Best VPNs for gaming What is a VPN? VPNs for ad-blocking However, unlike the iPhone SE which preceded it, the XR is actually very similar to the flagship devices in the parts that matter - it has the same processor, the same design style, FaceID, wireless charging and the same main camera on the back. It’s even got what we think is the absolute sweet spot in screen-size for the iPhone, at 6.1-inches - bigger than the Xs, but smaller than the Xs Max to be just right. In fact, all it’s really missing that matters is the second telephoto lens, IP68 waterproof rating and a high res screen. Sure, there are a few other little things like force touch and a steel band around the edges, but hardly dealbreakers. This means that during your day to day, the XR actually feels basically the same as the high-end iPhones but for quite a bit less. Starting at a substantial $400 less, the iPhone XR is for someone who wants the essentials of a great phone without paying the price often needed to in today’s flagship market. Plus you have six bright colours to choose from, compared to the two on the Xs devices. Price-wise aside, it’s actually a very capable phone. Apple’s A12 chipset inside (which is the same in the other devices) is blazingly fast, with no noticeable delay or lag in using the device. The camera on the back takes great shots, and the battery life is easily the best of any iPhone ever made. We easily get a full day out of the XR off a charge, including listening to music, taking pictures and your normal day to day activities on your phone. But as you start to play, there are a few things that become apparent the devices. Let’s start with that’s the same between them all:
Apple’s A12 Bionic chipset FaceID and selfie camera Main rear camera Wireless charging capable Full screen design style
And here are the things you miss out on with the iPhone Xr versus the Xs and Xs Max:
Second telephoto lens High-resolution OLED display IP68 waterproof rating Force Touch Premium steel band around the edge of the device
Of the things you miss out there, the most noticable is easily the display, but the trade-off there is that because of the lower resolution of the Xr, we find you achieve almost double the battery life of the standard iPhone Xs. The iPhone XR’s camera, while perhaps a little behind that of the top Android devices at the moment, is still a massive upgrade over the iPhone 7 and any iPhone before that, especially in low-light. In fact, since Apple uses a similar single-lens portrait mode to the Google Pixel 3, portrait photos actually look better than the Xs and Xs Max in low light due to it using the main lens and not the telephoto lens which isn’t as sensitive in low light. It costs $229 at the time of purchase, and gives you two years of accidental cover. This means it will cost $45 for a screen replacement or $149 if you need something else fixed or a replacement device. If you’re someone who likes having the peace of mind, it could be worth your time, especially on the major damage repair side. However, if you’re just getting it for the screen replacing side, you might be better off just taking a punt, as once you factor in that initial cost, you’re still going to be paying a minimum of $274 for a replacement screen, which is about the same as you would without AppleCare+. It’s also worth noting that AppleCare+ is not a warranty, and you still receive a standard Apple and Australian Consumer Law that covers any defects on your phone that aren’t caused by yourself.
