It’s easy to assume that the latest iPhone is also ‘the best’ one and leave it at that. But with Apple now releasing three 'latest' iPhones every year, that water's getting muddy. You could try to choose based on price but prices are rising. And really, it all depends what 'best' means to you. Does it mean best new features? Or maybe best camera? Or best value? Or something else entirely?
Everyone's different, but no matter what your definition of 'best', we've got an iPhone for you.
Best upgrade: iPhone XR
Want a genuine upgrade that won't cost the earth? We think you'll love the iPhone XR.
If your old iPhone is retiring and you're looking for great new features at an affordable price, the iPhone XR could be the phone for you.
It's just come out alongside the iPhone XS and while both phones have the same processing power and the same software, the iPhone XR costs several hundred dollars less. Score.
So what's the big difference between the two new phones? The iPhone XR doesn't have a rear dual camera configuration or the new OLED display. But that just means you miss out on a few fancy camera features like optical zoom. And all the older iPhone models shipped with iPhone XR's LCD display which still looks pretty damn good.
With the iPhone XR you also get:
- A 12MP rear-facing camera with smart HDR feature for better photos
- The new and improved A12 Bionic six-core processor
- An almost full-screen display
- Face ID
- IP67 water resistance
- An exciting new choice of colours: black, white, blue, yellow, red or coral
iPhone XR comes with 64GB, 128GB or 256GB of storage. For more information, read our iPhone XR review.
Want more options? iPhone 8 and iPhone XS are also good choices for upgrading.
Best features: iPhone XS
Love playing with new gadgets? Gotta have the latest and greatest? iPhone XS could be your dream come true.
The
iPhone XS is Apple's new crown jewel and comes with a price tag to match. It may be the second most expensive iPhone yet (behind the iPhone XS Max) but it boasts a Super Retina OLED display, 3D
Touch technology and two rear-facing cameras with smart HDR for better photos.
However, perhaps the biggest upgrade you'll get with the iPhone XS is under the hood. The XS, as well as the iPhone XR, comes with Apple's new A12 core processor. Dubbed the A12 Bionic, the six-core processor is Apple's first 7-nanometre chip, and it's said to run 15% faster than last year's A11. The corresponding Neural Processing Unit has also had a big upgrade, and can now complete 5 trillion operations per second, up from 600 billion. This helps with real-time machine learning, which in turn facilitates experiences like Animoji where your phone has to analyse your face and map objects on the fly.
With the iPhone XS you'll also get:
- A 5.8-inch edge-to-edge display
- Improved Face ID
- Upgraded portrait mode on the camera
- IP68 water-resistance
- The option for a gold stainless steel finish
iPhone XS comes with 64GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage. For more information, read our iPhone XS review.
Want more options? iPhone XR and iPhone XS Max also have great features on offer.
Best camera: iPhone XS
Looking for a kick-arse camera? We think you'll be impressed by the smart HDR and dual 12MP rear cameras of the iPhone XS.
Yes, we know, we already just talked about the iPhone XS, but there's a reason why this device is Apple's new flagship. The camera looks to be pretty excellent.
That's thanks to some cool new tricks Apple's added in. The first is smart HDR, a new feature that will create a single photo from a four-frame buffer with several interframes while using a long exposure for shadow detail. Essentially, your new iPhone will intelligently stitch together multiple photos to get a sharper, more detailed image.
Portrait mode is also better on the iPhone XS than previous models: you'll be able to adjust the depth of field of a photo after you've taken it, with a range of f/1.4 to f/16, giving you more control over just how blurry or sharp you want the background behind your subject to be.
As well as the fancy camera tricks the iPhone XS will also get you the fast new A12 Bionic core processor, a Super Retina OLED display, 3D Touch technology and IP68 water-resistance.
iPhone XS comes with 64GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage. For more information, read our iPhone XS preview.
Want more options? iPhone XR, iPhone XS Max and iPhone 8 Plus also have fabulous cameras.
Best value: iPhone 8
Want the full iPhone experience for a little less? We think the iPhone 8 is a great buy.
Apple's iPhone 8 may be a year old now, but it's still a fabulous phone, and more now more affordable thanks to the recent $100 price drop from $1,079 to $979. The iPhone 8 is a fast, slim phone that offers the familiar comfort of the older iPhone functionality and style, including the home button (gone from newer models).
While the iPhone XS is a faster phone, most users will be more than satisfied with iPhone 8's performance, which is still flagship fast and more than enough for everyday use. The iPhone 8 camera takes extremely rich and sharp photos and handles adverse lighting conditions like harsh sunlight and low light. Its gorgeous True Tone display adapts to your surroundings making the screen easier on the eyes.
The iPhone 8 also includes a glass back for wireless charging and IP67 water resistance. In 2017 it was just about the best phone money could buy and still more than holds its own.
iPhone 8 comes with 64GB or 256GB of storage. For more information, read our iPhone 8 review and our iPhone 8 vs iPhone 7 camera showdown.
Want more options? iPhone 7 is also a great budget buy.
Best small phone: iPhone 7
Do you prize pocket-size over other factors? The iPhone 7 might be a good fit.
Apple's smallest model, the iPhone SE, has been discontinued. But never fear! The iPhone 7 is still a great choice if you like your handsets on the smaller side.
The iPhone 7 comes with a 4.7-inch display and storage starts at 32GB. It's new price tag of $749 outright is also a lot smaller than what you'll find on other iPhone models.
Newer models may have fancier specs but the iPhone 7 has still got some tricks up its sleeve. The camera includes optical image stabilisation and a wide aperture (f/1.8) for low-light photography. The iPhone 7 is also water-resistant. It doesn't include a glass back, but if you're prone to breaking your phone, that could be a positive.
iPhone 7 comes with 32GB, 128GB or 256GB of storage. For more information, read our iPhone 8 Plus review and our iPhone 8 vs iPhone 7 camera showdown.
Best big phone: iPhone XS Max
Do you think bigger is better? iPhone XS Max will meet your needs.
Whether it's for watching videos, or just a larger view of webpages and documents, many iPhone lovers prefer the advantages of a big screen over other factors. And at 6.5-inches with an edge-to-edge display, the iPhone XS Max is massive. In more ways than one. Like the iPhone XS it comes with a choice of storage up to 512GB.
It also comes with all the top-notch features of the iPhone XS: a Super Retina OLED display, 3D Touch technology, two 12MP rear-facing cameras with smart HDR for better photos and Apple's new faster A12 Bionic processor under the hood.
With the iPhone XS you'll also get:
- A 5.8-inch edge-to-edge display
- Improved Face ID
- Upgraded portrait mode on the camera
- IP68 water-resistance
- The option for a gold stainless steel finish
iPhone XS comes with 64GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage. For more information, read our iPhone XS preview.
Want more options? iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus are also plenty big with a lot of great features to offer.
Alex Choros
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