Apple’s newest iPhones have arrived. Three new phones were announced at Macworld on September 12th – the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. While the iPhone XS and XS Max look almost identical to their predecessor, the iPhone XR is cheaper and more colorful, with only a few drawbacks. Starting at $749, the iPhone XR is definitely the most approachable iPhone for new users. In the middle, there’s the regular iPhone XS starting at $999, and finally, the giant XS Max starts at $1,099.

As with previous iPhones, this year’s iPhones have mainly hardware upgrades. This includes a better display, camera, stereo system, improved water resistance, and faster Face ID technology. Each of the three new iPhones also contains Apple’s newly unveiled A12 Bionic processor, which provides a boost in performance due to a new six-core chip.

Apple CEO Tim Cook called the devices “by far the most advanced iPhone we have ever created.”

One of the most anticipated releases out of the three new iPhones was the introduction of the iPhone XS Max. While it isn’t instantly apparent because of its tiny frame, the iPhone XS Max’s massive 6.5-inch screen makes it one of the biggest screens in the market, beating out its competitor Samsung Galaxy Note 9’s 6.4-inch screen.

Junior William Li was surprised by the announcement of the new iPhones.

“I didn’t know there was a new iPhone, but the iPhone XS Max looks amazing,” Li said.

Unlike Apple’s previous “budget” phones like the iPhone SE and iPhone 5C, the new iPhone XR brings in much more to the table. Although not cheap at $749, its price is relatively much cheaper than the other two new iPhones while still sharing most of the design and specs. The iPhone XR also comes in a wider range of colors: white, black, blue, yellow, coral, and red. Perhaps the most surprising difference is that the iPhone XR has a 6.1-inch screen, which is significantly larger than the 5.9-inch screen of the iPhone XS.

Computer Science teacher Charles Nichols voiced his excitement and opinion about the new iPhones.

“I’m actually very excited about the new iPhones, I’m still waiting for the XR to become available so I can get one!” Nichols said. “I currently have a loaner phone and have been counting down the days until it’s release.”

Although the iPhone XR has a slightly larger screen, everything else about the iPhone XR is worse than the XS. It’s slightly bulkier and has larger bezels. The biggest compromise in buying the cheaper iPhone XR is the screen. The iPhone XR downgrades from an OLED to an LCD screen, significantly lowering native resolution and brightness. Thus, the iPhone XR won’t display as accurate and vibrant colors. However, a small loss of quality in the screen won’t be a dealbreaker for the vast majority of users.

Sophomore and iPhone user Suyash Tewari shares which phone he would most likely purchase.

“I think I would buy the XR,” Tewari said. “I like the lower price and the cool new colors.”

If you’re thinking of buying one of these phones but are not willing to empty your bank account, the iPhone XR may be the best fit, as it has the perfect balance of performance and price. Not only does it have almost all of the features of the other two iPhones, but it’s also $200 cheaper than the XS with a larger screen as well. However, if you want a premium, good looking phone and you have the money, the iPhone XS Max is a great choice because of its gigantic screen and incredible performance.

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