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iPhone XS vs. Note 9, LG V30 and OnePlus 6

How does Apple's latest iPhone XS stack up against its Android rivals spec-by-spec?

Lynn La Senior Editor / Reviews - Phones
Lynn La covers mobile reviews and news. She previously wrote for The Sacramento Bee, Macworld and The Global Post.
Lynn La
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The new iPhone XS.

Apple

In addition to the iPhone XS Max and the more affordable iPhone XR, Apple unveiled its latest flagship iPhone XS phone Wednesday at a keynote event in Cupertino, California.

The new phone (pronounced "10-S", not "excess") features a 5.8-inch OLED HDR display, a faster and more efficient A12 Bionic chip along with improved photos and video technology. Preorders start Friday and the phone goes on sale Sept. 21. 

Watch this: iPhone XS and XS Max: Bigger, faster, plus better battery life

While its new hardware may be tempting, it's also not the only powerful phone available on the market. Apple's biggest rival, Samsung, has the generously sized Note 9, with an embedded S-Pen stylus and lots of internal storage.

The LG V30 is another top-tier phone with a headphone jack (something the iPhone doesn't have anymore) and an AI-powered dual-rear camera setup that includes a wide-angle lens.

Finally, there's the OnePlus 6, which has comparable specs to its heavyweight rivals, but a much cheaper price tag. (Its successor, the rumored OnePlus 6T, is expected in October.)

To see how these premium phones compare, check out our spec chart below.

iPhone XS vs. Note 9, LG V30 and OnePlus 6 specs


iPhone XSSamsung Galaxy Note 9LG V30OnePlus 6
Display size, resolution 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED; 2,436x1,125 pixels6.4-inch Super AMOLED; 2,960x1,440 pixels6-inch; 2,880x1,440 pixels6.28-inch OLED; 2,280x1,080 pixels
Pixel density 458 ppi516 ppi538 ppi402 ppi
Dimensions (Inches) 5.7x2.8x0.3 in6.37x3.01x0.35 in6x3x0.29 in6.13x2.97x0.31 in
Dimensions (Millimeters) 143.6x70.9x7.7mm161.9x76.4x8.8mm151.7x75.4x7.3mm155.7x75.4x7.75mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams) 6.24 oz; 177g7.09 oz.; 201g5.57 oz; 158g6.2 oz; 177g
Mobile software iOS 12Android 8.1 OreoAndroid 7.1.2 NougatAndroid 8.1 Oreo
Camera Dual 12-megapixelDual 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (telephoto)16-megapixel (standard), 13-megapixel (wide)16-megapixel standard, 20-megapixel telephoto
Front-facing camera 7-megapixel8-megapixel5-megapixel16-megapixel
Video capture 4K4K4K4K
Processor Apple A12 BionicQualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor or Samsung Exynos 9810Qualcomm Snapdragon 835Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Storage 64GB, 256GB, 512GB128GB, 512GB64GB, 128GB64GB, 128GB, 256GB
RAM N/A6GB, 8GB4GB6GB, 8GB
Expandable storage None512GBUp to 2TBNone
Battery N/A4,000mAh3,300mAh3,300mAh
Fingerprint sensor None (Face ID)Back of phoneBack of phoneBack of phone
Connector LightningUSB-CUSB-CUSB-C
Headphone jack NoYesYesYes
Special features Water-resistant (IP68); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging; Face ID, AnimojiWater resistant (IP68); wireless charging; S-Pen with Bluetooth connectivity; Iris and facial scanningWater resistant (IP68), wireless charging, wide-angle camera, Floating Bar tab, Gigabit LTE-readyPortrait mode, notifications toggle, dual-SIM, Dash Charging
Price off-contract (USD) $999 (64GB), $1,149 (256GB), $1,349 (512GB)$1,000 (128GB), $1,250 (512GB)Unlocked: $830; AT&T: $810; Verizon: $840: T-Mobile: $800; Sprint: $912$529 (64GB), $579 (128GB), $629 (256GB)
Price (GBP) £999 (64GB), £1,149 (256GB); £1,349 (512GB)£899 (128GB), £1,099 (512GB)£800£469 (64GB), £519 (128GB), £569 (256GB)
Price (AUD) AU$1,629 (64GB), AU$1,879 (256GB), AU$2,199 (512GB)AU$1499 (128GB), AU$1,799 (512GB)AU$1,199AU$702 (64GB), AU$769 (128GB), AU$835 (256GB)

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