The battle of the big phones, the iPhone 12 Pro Max takes on the iPhone XS

If you’re looking for a small, easy-to-grip phone then this isn’t the comparison for you, but if you want to see how these two big beauties shape up, read on.

iPhone XS -  a great screen and easier to grip

Big phones mean bigger screens, and we love them. They’re great for watching all the videos we love, from TikTok to Netflix, and gaming is so much better this way. But bigger phones can be harder to grip, so a smaller-sized big phone can be better. The iPhone XS measures 143.6 x 70.9 mm and has a 5.8-inch screen. It weighs 177 g. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is a beast of a phone, weighing almost 50 g more at 226 g and measuring 166.8 x 78.1. You do get a screen that’s almost an inch bigger though, it's 6.7 inches, but for some, this isn’t worth the payoff. Both phones have OLED screens with 458 ppi so you get a great experience on either, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is brighter than the iPhone XS.

iPhone 12 Pro Max – a fast phone with 4 camera lenses

The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the newer of these two phones, so naturally, it has a newer, faster processor. It runs on an A14 bionic chipset compared to A 12 bionic on the iPhone XS. It also has a much longer battery life, around 35 hours compared to 22. You also get more memory  with 6 GB compared to 4 GB and all of this is what makes the phone that much heavier. If you love your photography, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is a great choice with 4 x 12 MP rear cameras, 2.5 X optical zoom, an ultra-wide lens, and a 12 MP front camera with 4K video. The iPhone XS has 2 X 12 MP rear cameras, 2 X optical zoom, and a 7 MP front camera with HD video.

Which is best?

Both the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the iPhone XS cost around €1,000 when they were first released. You can also save around a third on either phone if you opt for a refurbished model. The iPhone XS will suit you if you don’t want something quite as big but still want a great screen. If you’re in the “bigger is better” camp get the iPhone 12 Pro Max, in addition to the size you get better cameras and a faster longer lasting phone.