Hands-On With Apple's New 6.5-Inch iPhone XS Max

It's officially iPhone launch day, which means iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max models are in Apple retail stores and have been delivered to customers all around the world. The first pre-orders began arriving this morning in the United States and millions of customers now have the new devices.

We got our hands on one of the new iPhone XS Max models this morning to check out that huge new screen, the new 6.5-inch size, the camera improvements, and the faster internals.


The iPhone XS Max's display measures in at 6.5-inches, and it features the biggest screen that Apple's ever introduced. Size wise, the iPhone XS Max is a good bit larger than the iPhone X and XS, but it's smaller in size than the iPhone 8 Plus despite the bigger display. It's bigger than the iPhone X, and smaller than the latest Galaxy phone.

Though large, the iPhone XS Max feels surprisingly light in the hand, perhaps due to its thin 7.7mm body and clever weight distribution by Apple. The bigger display looks incredible, as should be no surprise, and it's amazing for watching videos, looking at photos, or playing video games.

Face ID is slightly faster in the iPhone XS Max thanks to the improved A12 Bionic chip and neural engine, and the camera, though using the same 12-megapixel dual-lens system as the iPhone X, has some internal improvements that produce noticeably better photos.

We'll be doing a much deeper dive into the camera and comparing it with the iPhone X camera so stay tuned for that, but suffice it to say the iPhone XS Max camera is a solid upgrade over the camera in the iPhone X.

The A12 processor is 15 percent faster than the A11, which isn't super noticeable, but it does result in much better battery life. iPhone XS Max lasts an hour and a half longer than the iPhone X.

Many Apple retail stores had iPhone XS and XS Max stock available for walk-in purchases this morning, and stock should be replenished regularly. Orders placed today on the website won't ship out until October, though, so the store is your best bet if you didn't pre-order.

Pricing on the iPhone XS starts at $999 and pricing on the iPhone XS Max starts at $1,099.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
xiaomi apple ad india

Apple and Samsung Push Back Against Xiaomi's Bold India Ads

Friday August 29, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging." Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 17's 'Awe Dropping' Accessories

Friday August 29, 2025 8:12 am PDT by
Following the announcement of Apple's upcoming "Awe dropping" event, on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show we talk through all of the new accessories rumored to debut alongside the iPhone 17 lineup. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos We take a closer look at Apple's invite for "Awe dropping;" the design could hint at the iPhone 17's new thermal system with ...

Top Rated Comments

BootsWalking Avatar
91 months ago
Cliff notes: It's bigger.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarpalMac Avatar
91 months ago
Feels a lot like mobile device design has seriously plateaued. Now the remaining model sizes have gone "full screen" which was the last big thing Apple had left to do, be interesting to see where the iPhone goes over the next couple of years. I suspect just having an even speedier CPU and slightly better camera is not going to cut it. Not at this now astronomic price bracket.

Others are talking about foldable devices but I am not convinced that will work out as well as I hope they will. AR, not convinced by that either.

Guess it explains why the watch is seeing greater development steps being taken and the big shift to services too.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rmoliv Avatar
91 months ago
The Xs Max takes ages to charge. Apple should definitely have included a fast charger in the box.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Crow_Servo Avatar
91 months ago
Say only people who cant afford the Xs
Why say something like that? Talk about a toxic comment. Let’s shame people for having less money. Go ahead and flame me too. I can afford any phone I want, but I’m not going to shame others for not having the funds.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
44267547 Avatar
91 months ago
The Xs Max takes ages to charge. Apple should definitely have included a fast charger in the box.
This is Just my method, but I always use my 10W iPad charger. It’s sufficient for my needs.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
happyslayer Avatar
91 months ago
Just got mine all setup and I am really liking it so far. I had a 7plus before I got last year’s X. And I missed the large form factor. Definitely love the bigger screen with its bigger text and icons and all that, especially since I turned the magic age of 48 this year and now seem to need reading glasses for many things. The larger font is a definite plus for me.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)