Consumer Reports Biggest Changes For Iphone Xs And Xs Max Are Faster A12 Chip And Camera Improvements

Consumer Reports is out with its initial take on the iPhone XS and XS Max. The consumer focused publication calls out the new A12 Bionic chip and camera upgrades as the most notable improvements over the iPhone X.

Up front, Consumer Reports highlights the incremental nature of this year’s iPhone updates. It gives a recommendation that the new iPhones will be most appealing to those with older smartphones.

As for size, CR notes a few differences between the XS Max and Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9, giving the new 6.5-inch iPhone better marks for reachability/usability.

However, it does also warn users with small hands that it will be worth trying one out in person before buying one.

When it comes to improvements with the XS and XS Max, CR says that the upgraded bokeh effect capabilities and Depth Control feature are notable changes.

However, overall image quality is notably improved with the new Smart HDR feature and more. Check out our comparison between the iPhone X and XS Max.

The other standout upgrade CR notes is the new A12 Bionic processor.

As for the new and improved OLED displays, Consumer Reports head of TV testing program, Caludio Ciacci says there’s not much of a difference between the X and XS, but the 6.5-inch display of the XS Max offers more detail than ever.

Consumer reports plans to dive into battery life and durability with its full review coming soon.

Because the XS Max has such a large display, though, it has significantly more pixels than the older iPhones. And, Ciacci says, that gives it the ability to show more detail than phones with similar specs.