Written by Dewy
Edited on
13 October 2025
ยท
14:29
Expert review Apple iPhone Xr
Refurbished Apple iPhone Xr is a smartphone from 2018. The most noteworthy is that you can choose between different colors. But there's a lot going on behind these bright colors. For example, the iPhone Xr has a bezel-less design and a battery that lasts 16 hours. You can read more about it in this expert review.
Design
The new LCD screen of the iPhone Xr takes up almost all of its front. The back is made of metal and has an aluminum finish. This feels a bit more tacky than the glass that I'm used to from other iPhone devices. The metal back is one of the reasons why the iPhone Xr is more affordable. On top of that, the iPhone Xr feels more thick due to the metal. On the other hand, it does make the device less fragile. The glass at the front is the same strong glass used for the iPhone Xs.
The screen
I think the Apple iPhone 8 Plus and the Xs Max are too large, but the iPhone 8 or Xs are too small for me. The 6.1-inch size of the iPhone Xr is perfect for me. The LCD Liquid Retina display is slightly less clear than an OLED screen. The LCD screen has a higher contrast than I'm used to with other LCD screens. The iPhone Xr has the same pixel density as the iPhone 6 until 8, but it has more subpixels than the iPhone Xs. This means I hardly notice a difference in terms of how clear it is.
No 3D Touch
Having a new LCD screen also means lacking 3D Touch. 3D Touch means a menu opens or an app is activated when I press the screen harder. This function doesn't work any longer. This doesn't mean the functions I used to activate with 3D Touch don't work either. They just work differently. Now, I have to press the screen longer to activate the same functions. Pressing the screen harder has been replaced by pressing it longer.
Camera
The first thing I notice is that the iPhone Xr doesn't have a dual camera. Compared to other models, such as the iPhone 8 Plus, X, and Xs, a telephoto lens is missing. Despite the fact that this lens is missing, the iPhone Xr does feature a portrait mode. I can take beautiful portrait photos and adjust the depth-of-field effect later. With portrait mode, I can only take pictures of people, not of animals or objects. The software on the iPhone Xr can't identify objects as easily with only a single sensor.
Face ID
Thanks to Face ID, I can unlock the iPhone Xr with my face. I've used Face ID before, so I know how useful it is. It's super safe and always works, even if my hair is different or if I'm wearing glasses. Touch ID didn't always work, for instance because my finger was moist. With Face ID, I no longer have to worry about this. If I'm very critical, I do notice that Face ID doesn't work as fast as on the iPhone Xs, for example. This is only a minimal difference, something most people probably won't even notice.
Battery life
The battery life of an iPhone is extremely important to me. I don't like lugging chargers and power banks around if I'm out for the day. With the iPhone Xr, I no longer have to. The Apple iPhone Xr has a good battery life. Compared to the battery life of the iPhone 8 Plus, it's 90 minutes longer. This means that I can go out for the day with my iPhone without having to worry about its battery. Keep in mind that the device doesn't include a charger, so you have to buy one separately.
