September 24, 2023

Once we first reviewed the iPhone XS Max in September 2018, we got here away suitably impressed with Apple’s greatest iPhone until date. It wasn’t that onerous because the iPhone XS Max has virtually every little thing going for it: a stunning show, a power-packed processor and cameras that aren’t the perfect however nonetheless are excellent. We are saying virtually as a result of we had identified in our assessment that at a beginning worth of Rs 1,09,000 it was all the time going to be a tough promote for Apple. “Fact be informed, it’s onerous promote for anybody to persuade consumers to spend greater than Rs 1,00,000 on a smartphone,” is what we wrote in our assessment.

In that sense that commentary did turn into true as that is maybe the weakest iPhone yr Apple has seen when it comes to gross sales. Apple would possibly level out to quite a lot of exterior elements however the chilly, onerous reality is that worth is an enormous deterrent for even the premium Indian purchaser and the die-hard Apple fanboys to avoid the perfect iPhone Apple has ever made.

However how does the iPhone XS Max stand the – loosely talking – check of time? Now we have been utilizing the iPhone XS Max for the previous six months as our day by day driver.

What we are going to focus on this assessment are primarily two issues:

Does the day by day put on and tear bathroom down the efficiency of the iPhone?

The detailed digicam efficiency

Efficiency: How does it carry out after six months?

Many flagship gadgets – particularly the Huawei Mate 20 Professional, Google Pixel 3 and Samsung Galaxy S10 – have been launched after the iPhone XS Max. But, the iPhone XS Max manages to face out in relation to design.

The ace within the iPhone XS Max’s pack was all the time the A12 Bionic processor. Having used the Huawei Mate 20 Professional and reviewed the Google Pixel 3, we will safely say that Apple wins this handsomely. There have been a couple of iOS 12 updates for the reason that launch of iPhone XS Max and none have hampered the efficiency of this smartphone. It stays as quick because it was the day we began utilizing it. Not one of the apps appear to weigh on the iPhone XS Max. The A12 bionic is the shining star on this glittering iPhone and like a wonderful wine it appears to get higher with age.

Is there put on and tear on the iPhone XS Max? In fact, there may be. You do get a sure scratches on the perimeters, rear of the system and even the entrance. Right here we wish to make full a disclosure. Twice we by accident dropped the iPhone XS Max. First: when it really feel from a substantial top with none glass and there was not even a single scratch. Second time the cellphone fell with full pressure – with a display guard and our coronary heart sank – and but the show was totally protected. That speaks volumes concerning the sturdiness concerning the construct high quality of the iPhone XS Max. These weren’t deliberate “drop checks” however unintended drops and we should say that the construct high quality actually, actually impressed us.


That’s to not say that that it is a scratch-proof system. The sides do look a bit worn down however the gloss and shine is undamaged. Even after six months the iPhone XS Max (gold variant) does handle to look newish.

The iPhone XS Max additionally shatters the parable of glass again being fingerprint magnets. And that is one thing we skilled with the iPhone XR as nicely. Regardless of being glass backs, the iPhone doesn’t entice smudges as a lot as any aggressive iPhone. Right here once more, for the longest time, now we have used the iPhone XS Max with none again cowl and but it manages to retain its shine and glow to a big extent.

Gaming on the iPhone XS Max is an excellent expertise and the GPU does an amazing job. You may play Fortnite for hours on it and there’s not a single signal of the cellphone heating up.

Battery life hasn’t dropped one bit although it nonetheless bothers us massively to see this ultra-fast cellphone cost at a snail’s tempo. It’s good that the battery life is spectacular or else it will have been an enormous situation for Apple, who nonetheless doesn’t ship with a quick charger or a dongle for that matter.

Those that mourn the dying of the headphone jack will quickly discover themselves alone as not even for a minute we felt the necessity for it. Absence makes the center go fonder is definitely not true for the headphone jack. The earphones that ship with the iPhone lightning connector are greater than adequate. Or there are all the time the wi-fi earbuds/headphones that validate Apple’s determination to bid adieu to the jack.

Digital camera efficiency: Typically nice, virtually good each time

The previous maxim, “magnificence lies within the eyes of the beholder” can very nicely be modified to “magnificence lies within the arms of the smartphone holder.” Each actually and figuratively.

Smartphone cameras which have made point-and-shoot cameras defunct and are threatening the longevity of D-SLR cameras can merely with a press of few buttons could make one ‘stunning’. Apple with its iPhone would not hammer the sweetness mode down customers’ throats in contrast to quite a lot of different smartphones and that is why the digicam of the iPhone has all the time had a sure edge over others.

During the last six months now we have been acquainted pretty nicely with the digicam of the iPhone XS Max. It have to be mentioned that in relation to the digicam the iPhone XS Max is the Mr Reliable, very very like Rahul Dravid or an Andrea Pirlo. It is not going to provide you with an thrilling 10/10 each time however a stable 8 or 8.5/10 virtually each time. Prefer it was the case with Pirlo, there will likely be a second of exquisitely stunning that can depart you nodding your head in amazement. Or like Dravid, who amongst many “well-lefts” will hit a wondrous sq. minimize. The iPhone XS Max too will click on that one wonderful photograph that can depart competitors in its wake. However it doesn’t ship virtually each time.



In the case of daylight pictures, now we have by no means been dissatisfied with the digicam of the iPhone XS Max. There’s quite a lot of detailing within the photos, colors are vibrant – and extra importantly they’re correct and pure. Click on a picture with the iPhone XS Max and examine it body by body with Huawei Mate 20 Professional (the so-called champion of innovation in relation to cameras) and also you’ll discover that iPhone XS Max is nearer to ‘actuality’. Colors don’t look faux and actually come out and that is one thing the place the iPhone XS Max is at par with the Google Pixel 3. In the event you actually need to look into the main points of the photographs, simply zoom them after clicking and right here the iPhone XS Max does a wonderful job of it.


The important thing spotlight of the iPhone XS Max digicam was the Portrait Mode. Like some other smartphone, this one too has hits and misses. Happily, the misses are far and few in between however once they happen they’re actually unhealthy. At occasions, the Portrait mode on the iPhone XS Max simply doesn’t handle to blur. On the similar time, a few of the Portraits now we have clicked with the iPhone XS Max are completely top-notch. Now we have to say that adjusting the depth of subject impact nonetheless manages to excite us prefer it did on the primary day. There are different telephones who handle to do it however they aren’t higher than the iPhone XS Max.



The litmus check for cellphone cameras as of late is how they carry out throughout low-light pictures. Once more, it must be mentioned that at occasions the iPhone XS Max will click on an amazing low-light shot immediately however on the subsequent second it will likely be a unique shot. So it’s marred by inconsistencies however to not an amazing diploma that can depart you irritated.






Speaking about its entrance digicam and the selfies the iPhone XS Max clicks are just about in tune with the general digicam efficiency. The great a part of the iPhone XS Max digicam is that there little or no oversaturation or artificialness it brings to selfie which just about each Android cellphone price its salt does.


Video taking pictures capabilities of the iPhone XS Max are actually good. Picture stabilization is sweet and colors even within the movies come out. You may stroll round and shoot movies on the iPhone XS and nonetheless it manages to ship competent efficiency.

As we mentioned earlier, the digicam is Mr Reliable for the iPhone XS Max. Nothing extraordinary however there’s nothing abnormal about it both.


The six-month verdict

For a cellphone that prices north of Rs 1,00,000 you’d anticipate it to ship high notch efficiency. Now we have all the time maintained that the massive plus for Apple’s costly telephones is that they do last more with out affected by any efficiency points. The iPhone XS Max doesn’t decelerate and is as quick because it was on day one. That can not be mentioned about quite a lot of different telephones as they do find yourself affected by one situation or different (sure, we’re you Google Pixel).

Those that have been utilizing the iPhone X additionally would agree that some huge cash they spent has been fairly price it. iPhone XS Max stays a cracker of a cellphone and but after six months of utilizing it there’s a huge “however”. And that however has been there since day one, is there on the six-month mark and can stay until the subsequent iPhone comes alongside. What comes after this ‘however’ is a five-letter phrase that begins with P and ends with an E.

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