This year’s iPhone XS not only brings a larger Size Max, but also a 7nm process A12, an eight-core Neural Engine, IP 68 waterproof, Smart HDR, Bokeh adjustment, and dual-card dual standby that the Chinese are looking forward to for many years.

1. Design

According to the iterative rule that the appearance of the two years has changed a lot, the industrial design is still the same as the iPhone X last year, but the golden stainless steel middle frame looks more radiant. Just like the 5s local gold, 6s rose gold, no new color, how do you know that I changed the new iPhone? In addition, the iPhone XS series also uses the hardest Corning glass in history.

Although Max doesn’t seem to be a large version, it’s still barely one-handed, knowing it can be a 6.5-inch screen phone. In addition, the accessories need to pay attention to one detail, that is, the position of the XS dual-lens lens is offset, which means that the old and new protective shells of the small version may not be universal.

iPhone XS measurements: 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm, XS Max measurements: 157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm, the large version can also achieve the same thin thickness I did not expect. The weight of XS 177 grams, Max 208 grams, the former is more dexterous in the hand, the latter even if put on the official leather case is actually not as deep as expected.

The layout of the button interface is exactly the same as that of the iPhone X. The upper and lower dual speakers are dual microphones, but the frame process has changed significantly. A new six-segment injection antenna strip has been added. The sides and the top are better, but the bottom antenna strip breaks the symmetry and the left side has three holes less than the right side. This is a compromise for industrial design to ensure antenna performance.

However, the protection is on a step that supports IP68 dust and water resistance and can stand for 30 minutes under 2 meters of water. The iPhone XS is not only able to “suffocate” underwater but is immune to waves, swimming pools, juices, and beer. You can even rinse with water and air dry, but please note that you don’t need to plug in the water for 5 hours, but you can still use your phone or even wirelessly charge during this process.

The small XS is still the same 5.8-inch OLED screen as last year’s X, with a resolution of 458 ppi super retina at 2436 x 1125. Compared to the 5.5-inch screen Plus model, the body is smaller, which is the biggest benefit of the full-screen design – to enhance the display area while maintaining a friendly body grip.

If we further stretch the iPhone XS to a 6.5-inch screen, we can get the iPhone XS Max with a resolution of 458 ppi at 2688 x 1242. It’s amazing. Almost the same size as Plus, but with an extra 1 inch diagonal, this is the Plus Plus Plus Plus, and is the iPhone’s largest display area to date.

Both support the Dolby Vision and HDR10 standards, providing the better dynamic range for both images and video. And 1000000:1 contrast ratio, 120Hz touch sampling rate, True Tone original color, global color management, wide color gamut coverage, which is one of the best displays of all Apple devices.

Finally, we measured the screen ratio by the “PS pixel subdivision method”, which is 84.08% for iPhone XS and 85.54% for XS Max. In addition, the actual display area of the latter is 1.22 times that of the former. After using the Max for a while, the iPhone X is small. If you were a 4.7 / 5.5-inch screen user, the gap will be further enlarged.

All in all, the XS series after a year brings more refined craftsmanship and more comprehensive protection. As for some matte gold, I still feel that the deep space gray is more stable. However, it cannot be ignored that the “bangs” where the original deep sense lens is located in the forehead area still exists, and the full-screen iPhone is still a perfect “defect”.

2. Performance

The original deep-sensing lens module was skipped, and this hardware upgrade focused on Neural Networks neural network computing. We can separate the A12 chip as a core foundation for supporting all hardware and software. According to the actual delivery time of the arriving users, the A12 Bionic is the first 7nm process SoC with 7 billion transistors.

The CPU is still the same “2 big + 4 small” core as last year’s A11. Although the architecture has not changed, Apple officially claims a 15% performance increase and a 40% reduction in power consumption. In contrast, GPUs have a greater breakthrough, increasing from 3 cores to quad cores and allocating more memory bandwidth, resulting in 50% better graphics performance. But the most embarrassing is the Neural Engine, which runs directly from dual-core to eight-core, and machine learning can reach 5 trillion convolution operations per second.

In fact, the evolution of Apple SoC every year is not for these percentage changes, the fundamental purpose is to make the iPhone a better tool. So we still have to look at the evolution of the experience brought about by the A12, such as 3A games, AR augmented reality, ISP real-time rendering, Apple even called these applications “next generation apps.”

Take two demo game application examples at the conference, one is the first person perspective game Blades, and the other is the Multi-Play AR game from Directive GAMES. In Blades, after passing somewhere, you can even see the movement of light and shadow on the sword clearly; Directive increases the number of interactions with the scene AR to 3, more than the double bricks on WWDC this year. one person.

After talking about so much, you are probably still dissatisfied. After all, compared with last year’s A11, the A12 has little improvement in CPU and GPU. Although the Neural Engine directly works on the eight cores, it does not necessarily run on GeekBench. It is reflected in the points, so the following running points data is only used as part of the performance reference. In addition, you can see that this year’s Memory is 4GB.

The National Bank version of iPhone XS (A2100 model) and iPhone XS Max (A2104 model) support three networks, covering Gigabit FDD-LTE and TD-LTE bands, and have 4×4 MIMO and LAA technologies. Wi-Fi wireless network (802.11ac) with 2×2 MIMO technology, supports Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology and NFC in reader mode.

In fact, the above is no more than one sentence: “Good news! Good news! The iPhone finally supports dual card dual standby!” The bigger good news is that China has exclusive dual SIM card! However, the small iPhone XS is still a single SIM card slot, only the large Max supports dual cards, but I believe this can already make some Chinese consumers have no brains to pay.

I used the National Bank version, XS Max, to insert two local calling cards (ATT, T-mobile) in the US, and smoothly read the SIM signal and realize dual card dual standby. In the upper right corner, the trapezoid icon is the main card, and the lower four points are the secondary cards. You can also customize the main and secondary cards to display labels, such as “Congratulations”, “Fortune”, “Li Jie” and “Long live”. After switching cellular data traffic, the primary and secondary card settings are automatically reset.

Both XS, S have improved in terms of battery life compared to X, and even retain a portion of the power after shutdown, supporting the 5-hour “swipe mode” standby state. In addition, the top flash memory capacity has been increased to 512GB, many people say that 64GB is enough, but I used a whole year of 256 GB iPhone X, when the material is out of the experience area, the prompt is full.

Although many people feel that the performance is not improved, there is no doubt that the iPhone XS / XS Max is definitely one of the most powerful “ultimate devices” on the star. More than just powerful hardware, it is a platform for all applications and services.

3. Cameras

After talking about the hardware performance, I will talk about the camera. In fact, the camera part on the smartphone is a systematic project in which the software and hardware are independent but closely cooperated. The hardware engineer is responsible for controlling the process from light into the lens to the ISP operation process, and then the imaging information obtained by the dual camera (wide-angle lens and telephoto lens) is sent to the software engineer for algorithm optimization.

The iPhone XS sensor’s unit pixel area has increased from 1.22 um to 1.4 um, resulting in more comprehensive and deeper photographic performance. Other lens parameters feel little change, or dual 12MP pixels, wide-angle end f/1.8 aperture, telephoto end f/2.4 aperture, and dual OIS optical image stabilization. The front 7MP pixel original deep-sensing lens also supports portrait mode and five portrait light effects.

In fact, at the press conference, the camera link ” blew” two things: Smart HDR and Bokeh. I didn’t have anything special at the time. I might have noticed that the official sample should be so good. But after actually pressing the shutter, especially in contrast to the iPhone X, I want to say that even if there is no dual card dual standby light this year, I have to change the new machine.

The following is a comparison sample of the iPhone XS Max and iPhone X under the same exposure conditions. I don’t know if it is the relationship of the display area. The picture taken by Max is slightly larger than the XS / X view range. But it does not affect our comparison

The original intention of Smart HDR is to allow professional users to take professional-level photos. The principle of HDR is known to achieve high dynamic range effects through multi-frame synthesis. But almost all mobile phone HDR features have a very serious problem, that is, the machine can not judge the photographer’s understanding of the relationship between light and dark.

From the technical point of view, Smart HDR records the pictures before and after the photo time in addition to the frames with different exposure parameters. I didn’t quite understand what it meant at the time. I guessed that this might be to reshape the real light level of this moment so that the HDR effect is closer to the light and dark relationship saw by the naked eye. It seems that in the “good-looking” and “real” line, the iPhone XS once again chose the latter.

But if it’s the only thing that can’t be called Smart, then it’s the turn of the Neural Engine from A12. Let’s compare the two multi-frame composite maps on the Keynote. When there are only 7 ISPs, it will become 10 after the addition of the neural network engine. The three extra frames are face recognition, facial feature recognition, and depth map drawing.

Can you understand it? That is to say, with the eight-core Neural Engine portrait mode and even the portrait light effect, it also supports HDR. Coupled with the 30 fps video extension dynamic range, Smart HDR can be said to be global HDR, and the high dynamic range rendering is still real-time, and it is already in the operational analysis state before you press the shutter.

Bokeh is the so-called bokeh or out-of-focus imaging. Photographers often highlight the portrait subject by blurring the background, which is also the source of the iPhone dual-camera mode. Although the large aperture blur effect on the mobile phone is accomplished by algorithms, most of them generally stay on the idea of how to “scratch”.

But have we ever thought that this is not the way the illuminating part of the light is illuminating, the mobile phone is only to judge the face and depth of field, and then blur the original clear background into a blur effect. In fact, this late manual iris adjustment function has well restored the essential process of digital Bokeh.

Apple’s camera software engineers have different ideas. The first study of how professional optical lenses work, or “How light works,” and then use mathematical algorithms to reproduce the process. This may also be the reason why Apple has increased the manual iris adjustment after two years of portrait mode launch.

Some people may not know about video shooting. Today’s bubble wallpaper is shot with XS in 4K@60fps. But what impressed me the most is the official bicycle video sample, some of which are better than the scene to reflect the effect of Smart HDR. Video capture HDR implementation is similar to multi-frame synthesis, except that each frame has only two frames of different exposure durations, but considering ISP real-time rendering is also a very large amount of computation.

Regarding the video part, we will follow the detailed sample analysis into the evaluation video of the camera section. How to say it, the improvement in this photo can be said to be a breakthrough, perfect to make up for the low-light imaging shortboard. Under the condition that the optical hardware part receives the physical limitation, ISP + A12 + Neural Engine uses an algorithm to explore another way of shooting.

4. Battery

The packaging accessories specifications of the iPhone XS series may not match such a million machine, even if you sell more expensive with a fast charge set? Even more “trick” is that even the Lightning to 3.5mm adapter cable is also saved (single purchase costs 69 yuan), which is estimated to be one of the ways Apple leads users to buy AirPods, it is not clear that the wireless charging box and jump When did AirPower vote for more than a year?

According to official data, XS usage time is 30 minutes longer than X and XS Max is up to 1.5 hours. Internet usage can be up to 12 / 13 hours, and video wireless playback can be up to 14 / 15 hours. Both support fast charging and can charge up to 50% in 30 minutes.

However, we used the original 5W “stable charge” and spent 220+ min for more than three and a half hours before fully filling the XS Max. Why is it called “steady charge”, because the charging speed of 3% power per 5 min is really too stable, but it does not feel the heat of the fuselage at all?

In contrast, with the MacBook Pro 61W charging head, with the Lightning to USB-C original line, fast charging efficiency is a world of difference. In particular, the first 60% speed is surprisingly less than 35 minutes, and it takes about 2 hours to fully fill. If you already have MBP, then you can get a very efficient fast charging experience by paying for a fast charge line.

We will also give the iPad charging head (power 10W) and the MacBook Pro charging head (61W) fast charge curve, including all three data of XS for your reference. Anyway, I can’t stand the speed of the original 5W stable charge, be sure to buy a Lightning to USB-C cable and then with the corresponding PD charging head.

As for the power consumption level, there will also be a “half-hour endurance test” data pie chart. I first ate a chicken with Max, and the ratio of the power failure was 8% for half an hour. Although there is no disassembly of the machine and do not know the specific battery capacity, but the use of Max for the two days of life is still very reliable.

Although the appearance is “fried cold rice”, if you really experience the iPhone XS / XS Max, you can’t help but say “sweet!” Now between Wang Jingze and fried rice, it may only be possible to refresh the historical high price again. So this is also the necessity of the iPhone XR release. I don’t know if anyone regrets not buying an iPhone X that has been removed before the press conference.

In an interview with the Nikkei News, Cook said: “We want to serve everyone. We understand that consumers need a wide variety of goods, and people are willing to pay a wide range of prices.” For the most expensive XS in history Max, Cook believes: “If you provide a lot of innovation and value, there will be some people willing to pay for it. For us, this is a large enough group, we can get a reasonable income from it.

In the iPhone’s nostalgic trilogy before departure, I said that in the post-Steve Jobs era, people would feel that it was a bit “not cool.” If the iPhone 4S (and the previous device) was a modified car, then today, with iOS devices reaching 2 billion, this product line seems to have become a luxury Airbus.

The racing Jobs can be specially designed for himself. As a product pioneer of the current technology and humanities crossroads, as long as he feels satisfied, he will be able to pay for it. But Cook needs to find a balance between Wall Street and user demand, so building a large luxury Airbus for everyone is probably the most robust option.

For the 2018 flight, there is a business class like the iPhone XS / XS Max, a 512GB top-of-the-line class, and a relatively cheap Super Economy class for the iPhone XR. The non-full-screen 7 / 8 two-generation products play the role of a common economy class. You might think that this iPhone Airbus has too few seats in the economy class, but think about the sentence in the Jobs movie: “First class and economy class can send you to your destination. First class is better than the economy. The cabin is more comfortable.”

Also Read: iPhone 9, iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max Plus Listings: Possible Specifications

According to the average two-year life cycle of an iPhone, if you are a traveler, there may always be a first-class ticket. For the flight experience all the way, also for the different scenery in the eyes of everyone.