The 6 biggest differences you need to know about when switching from an older iPhone to the iPhone XS Max (AAPL)

iPhone XS Max

Apple's newest crop of phones is here, which means you may be thinking about finally upgrading from your older iPhone.

During the past few years, it hasn't been easy to justify shelling out for a new phone if you're using an iPhone 5S, 6, or 6S. The design has been similar, the camera hasn't seen a major upgrade, and the battery life hasn't necessarily been such a major jump from older devices.

But now that the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max have arrived, it feels like time to consider a new phone, especially if you're on an iPhone 6S or earlier.

If you haven't bought an iPhone in the last year, however, you're going to be in for a few major changes, especially if you opt for the extra-large iPhone XS Max, which is a pretty big departure from iPhones of years past.

Here are the six biggest things you'll notice when making the switch:

1. The screen

The most notable thing about the iPhone XS Max is the screen — the big, beautiful screen.

First and foremost, the XS Max has an OLED display, which no older iPhones have, save for the iPhone X. Blacks look blacker, whites look whiter, and the whole display is just more gorgeous and immersive than what you're probably used to on an LCD screen.

Besides being a better display, it's also going to be much bigger than what you're used to. It's the largest display of any iPhone, ever, and goes nearly edge-to-edge (save for the notch at the top, and some thin bezels along all four sides).

2. The size and weight

Beyond having a great big screen, the XS Max has a great big body, too. It's the biggest, heaviest iPhone Apple sells, and also the largest phone it's ever made.

Here are the specs:

Height: 6.20 inches (157.5 mm)
Width: 3.05 inches (77.4 mm)
Depth: 0.30 inch (7.7 mm)
Weight: 7.34 ounces (208 grams)

Compare that to the iPhone 6, which is 5.44 inches by 2.64 inches and weighs just 4.55 ounces, and it's pretty striking. If you're used to your small, lightweight phone, you may be in for a bit of a shock.

3. The camera

When I compared my iPhone 6S to the iPhone 8 Plus last year, I was taken aback by how little difference there was between the two cameras, which were two generations apart. While the 8 Plus won in a few situations, there wasn't enough of an improvement to warrant buying the new device for the camera alone.

One year later, that's no longer the case.

I've been using the XS Max for about a week, and every time I switch back to my own phone, I'm disappointed by how my photos look. The camera isn't as sharp, it doesn't perform half as well in low light, and the colors look dull. Plus, my old phone can't do things like portrait mode on both the front and rear cameras.

It's officially gotten to the point where the 6S (and, I imagine, the phones that came before it) feel outdated, camera-wise.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider