The Apple iPhone XS, released on September 21, 2018, is a sleek and powerful smartphone that offers users a premium experience. With its stunning design, impressive performance, and advanced features, the iPhone XS remains a solid choice for Apple fans and smartphone enthusiasts.
In this comprehensive review, we will delve into the specifications, features, performance, camera quality, battery life, and more, helping you determine whether the iPhone XS is still a worthy option in 2025.
Apple iPhone XS Key Specifications
Table of Contents
- Design and Build Quality
- Display: Stunning Super Retina OLED
- Performance: Powered by the A12 Bionic Chip
- Camera: Dual 12MP Setup for Stunning Photos
- Battery Life: All-Day Power with Fast Charging
- Software: iOS 12 and Beyond
- Storage Options and RAM
- Pricing and Value
- Comparison: iPhone XS vs iPhone SE (2nd Generation) vs iPhone 11
- Pros:
- Cons:
- Conclusion: Is the iPhone XS Still Worth It?
Design and Build Quality
The Apple iPhone XS boasts an elegant design with a glass front and back, framed by a stainless-steel body. It has a compact size with dimensions of 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm, weighing just 177 grams. This lightweight design ensures comfort while holding the device. The iPhone XS is IP68 rated, making it resistant to dust and water, capable of withstanding up to 2 meters of water depth for 30 minutes.
Available in three color options—Space Gray, Silver, and Gold—the iPhone XS offers a visually appealing and premium aesthetic. The display is protected by scratch-resistant glass, ensuring durability despite everyday wear and tear.
Display: Stunning Super Retina OLED
The iPhone XS features a 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED display with a resolution of 1125 x 2436 pixels, resulting in sharp and vibrant visuals. This display is HDR10 and Dolby Vision certified, providing users with an immersive viewing experience, especially when streaming HDR content.
The screen also has a peak brightness of 625 nits, ensuring that it remains legible even under bright sunlight. The 82.9% screen-to-body ratio ensures a nearly bezel-less experience, further enhancing the overall display quality.
Performance: Powered by the A12 Bionic Chip
At the heart of the iPhone XS lies the Apple A12 Bionic chip, a 7nm architecture processor that is still impressive by 2025 standards. The A12 chip features a hexa-core CPU with two high-performance cores clocked at 2.5 GHz and four energy-efficient cores clocked at 1.6 GHz. The GPU is also powered by the Apple-designed four-core graphics processor, ensuring smooth and fluid performance even when running graphics-intensive apps and games.
In benchmark tests, the iPhone XS delivers exceptional results. It scored 346,379 in AnTuTu (v7), 11,472 in GeekBench (v4.4), and 47 fps in GFXBench (ES 3.1 onscreen), demonstrating its ability to handle multitasking and demanding applications with ease. The A12 chip also ensures efficient energy consumption, optimizing battery life without compromising performance.
Camera: Dual 12MP Setup for Stunning Photos
The iPhone XS features a dual-camera system on the back, comprising two 12 MP sensors. The primary camera has an f/1.8 aperture and a 26mm wide lens, while the telephoto camera offers an f/2.4 aperture with a 52mm lens for 2x optical zoom. Both cameras are equipped with optical image stabilization (OIS) and dual-pixel PDAF for faster autofocus.
The iPhone XS excels in low-light conditions, producing vibrant and sharp images with excellent detail and color accuracy. The HDR and quad-LED dual-tone flash further enhance the image quality, making the iPhone XS a strong contender in the camera department. On the video front, the iPhone supports 4K video recording at 24/30/60 fps, along with 1080p recording at 30/60/120/240 fps, ensuring smooth and high-quality video capture.
The front-facing camera is a 7 MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture, capable of recording 1080p video at 30/60 fps. It also features a 3D depth sensor for facial recognition (Face ID) and enhanced selfies.
Battery Life: All-Day Power with Fast Charging
The iPhone XS comes equipped with a non-removable Li-Ion 2658 mAh battery, providing decent all-day battery life. In real-world use, the battery easily lasts through a full day of moderate use, including web browsing, video streaming, and social media browsing.
In terms of charging, the smartphone supports 15W wired charging and PD 2.0, allowing the device to charge up to 50% in just 30 minutes. It also supports wireless charging via Qi-enabled chargers, making it convenient for users who prefer a wireless charging experience.
Software: iOS 12 and Beyond
When the iPhone XS was released, it ran on iOS 12, which was a significant update at the time, bringing performance improvements, enhanced security, and new features like Screen Time and Group FaceTime. The device is now upgradable to iOS 18.3, ensuring that users continue to receive software updates, security patches, and new features.
Apple’s ecosystem is one of the iPhone’s best features, offering seamless integration with other Apple devices like the iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. Features like iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, and Apple Pay make the iPhone XS a powerful tool for productivity and entertainment.
Storage Options and RAM
The iPhone XS offers three storage variants: 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB. While it does not have a microSD card slot for expandable storage, the internal storage options provide plenty of space for apps, media, and files. The 4GB of RAM ensures smooth multitasking, allowing users to switch between apps without any noticeable lag.
Pricing and Value
At the time of its release, this model started at $999, making it a premium device. However, in 2025, the price has significantly dropped, with the iPhone XS available for as low as $165.11 (depending on the market). Despite being a few years old, the iPhone XS remains a powerful and capable smartphone at a fraction of its original price, offering excellent value for money.
Comparison: iPhone XS vs iPhone SE (2nd Generation) vs iPhone 11
| Feature | iPhone XS | iPhone SE (2nd generation) | iPhone 11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | Silver, Space Gray, Gold | Black, White, Product Red, Purple, Yellow, Green | Black, White, Product Red |
| Display | 5.8-inch Super Retina HD OLED | 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD | 6.1-inch Liquid Retina HD LCD |
| Display Resolution | 2436 x 1125 pixels, 458 ppi | 1334 x 750 pixels, 326 ppi | 1792 x 828 pixels, 326 ppi |
| Chip | A12 Bionic with 6-core CPU | A13 Bionic with 6-core CPU | A13 Bionic with 6-core CPU |
| Camera | Dual 12MP (Main & Telephoto) | Single 12MP (Main) | Dual 12MP (Main & Ultra Wide) |
| Optical Zoom | 1x, 2x Optical zoom options | 1x Optical zoom | 0.5x, 1x Optical zoom options |
| Face/Touch ID | Face ID | Touch ID | Face ID |
| Battery Life | Up to 14 hours video playback | Up to 13 hours video playback | Up to 17 hours video playback |
| Charging | Lightning, Qi wireless charging | Lightning, Qi wireless charging | Lightning, Qi wireless charging |
| Water Resistance | IP68 (2m for 30 min) | IP67 (1m for 30 min) | IP68 (2m for 30 min) |
| Storage Options | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 128GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
| Front Camera | 7MP TrueDepth, 1080p video | 7MP FaceTime HD, 1080p video | 12MP TrueDepth, 1080p video |
| Audio | Stereo recording, Spatial Audio | Stereo recording | Stereo recording, Spatial Audio |
| 4G LTE Support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Operating System | iOS 12, Upgradable | iOS 13, Upgradable | iOS 13, Upgradable |
| Weight | 177g | 148g | 194g |
| Size | 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm | 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm |
| Processor Performance | 4-core GPU, 8-core Neural Engine | 4-core GPU, 8-core Neural Engine | 4-core GPU, 8-core Neural Engine |
| Battery & Charging Features | Fast charge (50% in 30 mins) | Fast charge (50% in 30 mins) | Fast charge (50% in 30 mins) |
| Portrait Mode | Yes, with Depth Control | Yes, with Depth Control | Yes, with Depth Control |
| Video Recording | 4K at 24/30/60 fps | 4K at 24/30/60 fps | 4K at 24/30/60 fps |
| Special Features | Animoji, Memoji | — | Night Mode, Deep Fusion |
| Fast Charging Support | Yes (20W adapter required) | Yes (20W adapter required) | Yes (20W adapter required) |
| Price Range (at launch) | Premium pricing | Mid-range pricing | Mid-range pricing |
This comparison highlights the key differences and similarities between the iPhone XS, iPhone SE (2nd generation), and iPhone 11. From design and display features to performance, camera capabilities, and battery life, each model has unique offerings suited to different needs.
Whether you’re looking for a premium experience with the iPhone XS, a more affordable option with the iPhone SE, or a feature-packed choice with the iPhone 11, this guide helps you choose the best iPhone based on your preferences.
Pros:
- Beautiful Super Retina OLED display
- Powerful A12 Bionic chip for smooth performance
- Dual 12MP rear cameras with excellent photo and video quality
- Face ID for secure biometric authentication
- All-day battery life with fast charging support
- iOS 18.3 for continued software support
Cons:
- No 3.5mm headphone jack
- No expandable storage
- Smaller battery compared to newer models
Conclusion: Is the iPhone XS Still Worth It?
The Apple iPhone XS remains an outstanding smartphone in 2025. While it may not have the latest hardware or cutting-edge features like the iPhone 13 or iPhone 14, its sleek design, powerful performance, and impressive camera system make it a worthy option for users who are looking for a reliable and premium device at a more affordable price.
Whether you’re upgrading from an older iPhone model or switching to iOS for the first time, the iPhone XS offers excellent value for money and continues to provide an exceptional user experience.
FAQs: Apple iPhone XS Review: Specs, Features and Verdict
How Old Is an iPhone XS?
The iPhone XS was released on September 21, 2018, making it over 6 years old in 2025. While it may not be the latest model, the iPhone XS still holds up well due to its solid performance, camera quality, and premium design.
Is the iPhone XS Still Good to Buy?
Yes, the iPhone XS is still a great choice in 2025. It offers a powerful A12 Bionic chip, a beautiful Super Retina OLED display, and a dual-camera setup capable of capturing high-quality photos and videos. With the latest iOS updates available, the iPhone XS continues to deliver excellent performance, making it a worthy option for those seeking a premium phone at an affordable price.
How Long Will the iPhone XS Be Supported?
The iPhone XS will continue to receive software updates and security patches from Apple until at least 2026 or beyond. Apple typically supports devices with updates for 5-6 years, so the iPhone XS is likely to remain supported with iOS versions and security updates for a few more years.
Why Is the iPhone XS So Expensive?
When the iPhone XS was first released, it was priced as a premium device due to its high-end materials, cutting-edge technology, and exceptional performance. With features like the A12 Bionic chip, Super Retina OLED display, and dual 12MP cameras, the iPhone XS was designed for users who wanted the best in smartphone technology. While its price has dropped in 2025, it still holds its value due to its durability, design, and long-term software support.
Is the iPhone XS Waterproof?
Yes, the iPhone XS is water-resistant with an IP68 rating. This means it can withstand submersion in water up to 2 meters deep for 30 minutes. However, it’s important to note that it is not completely waterproof, and it's still advisable to avoid exposing it to water for extended periods.
