9 reasons you should buy the $1,000 iPhone XS instead of the more affordable iPhone XR (AAPL)

iphone xs xr

Apple's 2018 iPhone lineup includes the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.
The iPhone XR is more affordable than the iPhone XS, but there are several good reasons to consider the more expensive phone.

The striking design of the iPhone X changed the smartphone landscape in 2018. It's tough to find a new Android phone that doesn't have a "notch," for example.

To follow up the iPhone X, Apple announced not one, but two new smartphone designs: The iPhone XS and XS Max continued the tradition of the iPhone X, while a new model, the iPhone XR, shared similar qualities as the iPhone X, but featured an LCD screen. The LCD would be less costly for Apple to build, and less expensive for customers to buy. Win-win, right?

While the iPhone XR is an appealing option for anyone looking to have an iPhone X-esque experience for less than $1,000, there are several reasons to consider the more expensive iPhone XS, if you're on the fence.

1. The iPhone XR is only available in one size. The iPhone XS is available in two sizes.

If you like the look and feel of the iPhone XR, you can only get it in one size, with its 6.1-inch display.

If you like the iPhone XS, however, you have two size options to choose from: You can get the 5.8-inch model, or the 6.5-inch "Max" size, which costs $100 more than the standard iPhone XS.

2. The screen on the iPhone XS looks significantly better than the iPhone XR.

Your phone screen is important. It's the main window for all of your content: your files, documents, photos, videos, and more.

The iPhone XS features a "Super Retina" OLED display, while the iPhone XR features a "Liquid Crystal" LCD display.

OLED displays, in general, are brighter, show more accurate colors, and can achieve far better contrast than LCD displays. The iPhone XR has one of the best LCD displays in a smartphone, but it still doesn't come close to the iPhone XS display, which, thanks to HDR support, is the better way to view high-definition photos and videos. OLED displays can actually turn their pixels off, instead of just dim them like LCD displays, so black actually looks like black on the iPhone XS, and images look much more vivid.

The iPhone XR screen is also a little less great since the bezel, or border around the edge of the display, is thicker than it is on the iPhone XS.