Apple iPhone XR Smartphone Review

[Redaktion]

Apple positions the iPhone XR between the two XS models' size-wise but equips the device with a lower resolution LCD display and only a single rear-facing camera. There are a few other minor drawbacks too, but does the XR do enough to be crowned the best overall iPhone? Read on to find out.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-iPhone-XR-Smartphone-Review.346971.0.html

[Joaquin]

Could you explain in more detail how is the iPhone XR's display sharper than the XS? And how did you come up with the XS/XS Max "effective" PPI of 302 instead of 458?

[andrew]

There's a small error in the calculation of ppi for iPhone XS. Subpixels of pentile displays have 2/3 the number of pixels compared to RGB across a 2D area, so (2/3)^0.5 times the number of pixels across each 1D axis.

iPhone XS should have a ppi of 463*(2/3)^0.5 = 378 ppi instead. This is higher than iPhone XR.

[andreuwz]

I suspect the reviewrs meant that the XR has sharper display than XS because XS's oled panel has "PenTile" pixel matrix arrangement, if i am not mistaken, plus the matrix of the XS is far more stretched to cover the whole panel (because of the bigger display). Whereas the LCD display doesnt have the PenTile pixels arrangement, combined with the fact that the display itself doesnt need to be so streched (its a smaller dispaly), we can expect smooth images on the XR screen as well.

[Nitesh]

The XR has a 6.1-inch IPS display that runs at a 1,792 x 828 native resolution and pixel density of 324 PPI. The iPhone XS and XS Max both have a 463 PPI, but strictly speaking, the XR has a sharper display. The more expensive iPhones have a PenTile OLED matrix display with 2 sub-pixels per pixel compared to the XR's 3. Hence, the iPhone XS and XS Max effectively have a pixel density of 302 PPI because of their fewer sub-pixels.

This block is suspect. It's 326PPI first off, and pentile OLED works based on the fact that we see a lot more resolution in the green spectrum than in red and blue, even with lower PPI counts in red and blue the X is visibly sharper side by side.

The XS has 458PPI on green, and 324 on red and blue. This looks sharper to us than 326ppi on all channels in the 4-XR.

[nukmichael]

So.....Where is the gps test result?

[JG]

Is there anything to suggest that the XR has a worse screen than previous Apple LCDs (Aside from PPI)? I'm having a weird issue with the XR, the screen makes my eyes very fatigued after barely any use & makes them sting. I have no issues with any of my other devices, so it must be something with the XR.

From what you've seen while reviewing the phone, is there anything that stands out as to what may be the cause?

[adam scinto]

It could be TrueColor or I think I read it has 120hz something or other; Maybe the display changes the refresh rate? It's an IPS LED backlit LCD, so if anything it should be easier on the eyes then pentile.