EDITOR'S NOTE:
Since its release in 2018, the iPhone XR has been replaced by newer iPhone models. The phone was discontinued in 2021, and the iPhone XR no longer receives or supports the latest iOS software updates.
The information below reflects the data and pricing at the time of the device's release, and availability will differ from when we first reviewed it. You can upgrade to a newer iPhone, or you may still be able to find used phones or refurbished models of this device through retailers such as Amazon or eBay.
iPhone XR Review: The Verdict
There's no need to beat around the bush: the iPhone XR is the best iPhone for most people. You might miss out on a few features when compared to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, but you save a significant chunk of cash.
What we love
- Excellent battery life
- Available in fun colours that aren't just black or white
- Pricing more reasonable than the iPhone XS
What could be improved
- Cheaper doesn't mean cheap
- No bundled fast charger or headphone dongle
- No secondary camera
The essentials
- Performance: Top tier.
- Battery: Between a day-and-a-half and two days depending on usage. The best battery life you'll find on an iPhone.
- Screen: Lower resolution than most premium phones, but pretty good nonetheless.
- Camera: Excellent! Some will miss having a secondary zoom lens though.
90/100
As the entry-level iPhone in Apple’s 2018 line-up, the questions surrounding the iPhone XR all revolve around what you miss out on, rather than what you get. What's the catch?
Even the name suggests the iPhone XR isn't quite on equal footing with the iPhone XS; R precedes S, alphabetically speaking. Thankfully, this is far from the truth.
Catch-free
I’ll get into the bits and bobs shortly, but there’s only one feature I’ve truly missed on the iPhone XR: the secondary camera lens. Everything else I can take or leave.
While the iPhone XR shares its excellent primary camera with the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, it doesn't have a secondary zoom lens. My smartphone is my primary camera, and I found myself longing for the versatility of zoom. Your mileage may vary. If you’re coming from an iPhone with only one camera, you won’t even know what you’re missing out on. If you’re coming from a Plus model with a secondary lens, it becomes a question of how much you use it.
The second (albeit less) significant difference between the iPhone XR and iPhone XS is display technology. The iPhone XR has a lower resolution LCD display similar to what you'd find in past iPhone models, whereas the iPhone XS has a newfangled OLED panel running at a higher resolution. There's also no 3D Touch.
In terms of resolution, the iPhone XR screen has a pixel density of 326 ppi, which is in line with every iPhone from the 6 to the 8. Both iPhone XS models are 458 ppi, so individual pixels are harder to make out than on the iPhone XR. But unless you’re explicitly looking (or smooshing your phone right up to your face), you shouldn't really notice a difference in terms of day-to-day use.
Since the iPhone XR uses a backlit LCD display, it can't go quite as dark as the iPhone XS' self-illuminating OLED panel; black looks more like dark grey. You don't get quite the same level of contrast as an iPhone XS and colours pop just a little less. But again, this is the kind of thing you'll only care about if you have the two devices side-by-side. Like past iPhones before it, the iPhone XR still has a lovely screen.
The lack of 3D Touch is easily the least significant screen omission. 3D Touch is Apple's pressure sensitive take on a long press; pushing down harder on your screen can be used for additional commands. Similar functionality is available through a replacement called Haptic Touch. Instead of pressing deeper, you'll long press and receive a small vibration when you activate a secondary feature.
Image: Alex Choros | WhistleOut
Every other difference is quite minor. The body is aluminium rather than stainless steel. The water-resistance is ever-so-slightly lower. The bezels are a little thicker. Sure, these small details add up and make the iPhone XR feel a little less lux than its $1,600+ siblings, but none actually change how you use the phone. It’s still a 2018 iPhone with almost identical hardware to the far pricier 2018 iPhones. Here's a quick comparison:
2018 iPhone specifications
| iPhone XR | iPhone XS | iPhone XS Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.1-inch LCD | 5.8-inch OLED | 6.5-inch OLED |
| Resolution | Retina | Super Retina | Super Retina |
| 3D Touch | No | Yes | Yes |
| Material | Aluminium | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel |
| Rear-Facing Camera | 12MP | 12MP + 12MP | 12MP + 12MP |
| Processor | A12 | A12 | A12 |
| Storage | 64GB - 256GB | 64GB - 512GB | 64GB - 512GB |
| Water-Resistance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Price | From $1,229 | From $1,629 | From $1,799 |
And while the iPhone XR might technically be missing a few features, it has some strengths of its own. Its 6.1-inch screen-size manages to feel 'just right'. It’s less imposing than the iPhone XS Max, while giving you just a little more space than the standard iPhone XS.
The iPhone XR is a clear winner when it comes to battery life, and lasts around a day-and-a-half per charge, if not more. Most people are unlikely to get two full days, but it's the best battery you'll find in an iPhone.
More importantly, the iPhone XR comes in a whole range of pretty colours. I don’t know about you, but I’m so bored of black and silver smartphones. Give me something colourful, something with personality. Maybe the iPhone XR’s palate of pastel colours isn't for everyone, but they speak to me on a spiritual level. You’ll pry my sky blue iPhone from my cold dead hands.
Coral is nice too though.
Image: Alex Choros | WhistleOut
What about the camera?
The iPhone XR shares the same primary camera as the iPhone XS, so it shouldn't be surprising to hear that it's pretty good. Much of the improvement over last year's models is driven by software, with Apple using artificial intelligence and machine learning to help you capture better photos and videos.
When you hit the shutter button, the iPhone XR creates a single image from a four frame buffer with several inter-frames while using a long exposure for shadow detail. This is often referred to as computational photography, but in simpler terms, your photo is a software generated image created by merging together multiple snaps.
The biggest real world benefits from this come when you're taking photos in adverse lighting. In direct sunlight, you'll get less blowout and better balance if you've got a harsh backlight. In lowlight, images are sharper, brighter, and exhibit less noise. The iPhone XR also preserves more detail when it comes to capturing bright objects such as streetlights and digital signage that would blowout on last year's iPhone 8 and iPhone X.
As aforementioned, the biggest difference between the iPhone XR and iPhone XS is the lack of the zoom camera. I tend to use zoom lenses on smartphones quite a bit, so I miss it.
On most smartphones, the secondary camera isn't just used for zoom, but also to measure depth for effects such as portrait mode. Portrait mode has been a recurring feature on dual camera iPhones since it was introduced with the iPhone 7 Plus. Using two camera lenses in tandem, iPhones can simulate DSLR-like 'bokeh', the tastefully out-of-focus background you get behind your subject when shooting with a high-end lens.
Despite the lack of a secondary lens, Apple has managed to bring over most portrait mode features to the single-camera iPhone XR thanks to some software tricks.
There are a few catches: you can only use portrait mode for people (not objects or animals), and portrait lighting effects that replace the background behind your subject aren't available. You can still however adjust the amount of blur behind your subject.
Missing odds and ends
The iPhone XR might be cheaper than the iPhone XS, but $1,229 still isn't cheap. It is however in line with what you'd previously pay for a 64GB iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone 7 Plus at launch. Better yet, opting for a 128GB model will only cost you $70 more, which is impressive given Apple's traditionally high memory upgrade prices.
But as comparatively reasonable as the iPhone XR may seem, there's a few niggles worth pointing out.
Much like every other recent iPhone, the iPhone XR no longer has a headphone jack. It comes with Lightning buds in the box, but no adapter for those who want to use their own 3.5mm headphones. The iPhone XR supports fast charging, but you don't get a fast charger. A headphone dongle will cost you $15, and you'll spend an extra $78 to give your iPhone XR the fastest charge possible.
You could argue that neither of these are strictly necessary, but not including these accessories in the box is an anti-consumer decision. One that's hard to forgive when almost all Apple's competitors include these as standard. Doubly so when you remember that iPhones are pretty much the most expensive smartphones on the planet.
Who is the iPhone XR for?
While the range of pastel finishes might suggest otherwise, the iPhone XR is the conservative iPhone. The sensible iPhone. The iPhone that doesn't quite cost an arm and a leg.
Sure, iPhone XR isn't quite cheap, but it's not unreasonable. It's less of a status symbol, and more of a smartphone. It’s 95% of an iPhone XS at 75% of the cost. 68% if you were considering the iPhone XS Max. And when you consider that it has the best battery life out of any iPhone to date, the iPhone XR isn't exactly a hard sell.
Unless you really want a zoom lens, the iPhone XR is the 2018 iPhone to buy.
iPhone XR camera samples
What else can I buy?
iPhone 11
If money is no object or you really want that second camera lens, the iPhone 11 is a great upgrade. The zoom lens and fancier OLED display sure are nice.
iPhone 7
If you're serious about saving money, the iPhone 7 is the cheapest iPhone around right now. It’s two years old now, but it's still a great phone, and Apple will keep supporting it with updates for at least the next two or three years. Maybe more.
Google Pixel 3
If you've decided to skip the iPhone this year and are keen to switch teams, the Google Pixel 3 is where it's at. The Pixel 3 is ostensibly an Android iPhone, with hardware and software designed in tandem by Google. If any phone could make the case for Android to an iPhone user, it's the Pixel 3.
Alex Choros
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