iPhone XS Max

My favorite phone ever was the Motorola Moto X 2nd generation from 2014. It allowed a plethora of customizations for a truly unique appearance that could be tailored to the individual - not to mention the various customization options available for Android. The problem was more with how Motorola at the time, having just been sold away from Google, was suddenly being run. I had some issues, met with terrible customer service and eventually returned the phone for a full refund.

But that phone was pure gold.

At the time, I went back to the iPhone and stayed there until I tried the Pixel XL. I ended up sending that back not because of the feature set, but simply because it didn't feel fully baked yet. I would probably have been much happier with the Pixel 3 XL from this year, but by the time that was announced, I had made the decision to stop hopping around in mobile space and just stick with Apple.

A big part of that decision came from two experience I had with the company. First was that due to a continual issue with my previous iPhone, Apple sent me an iPhone 7 for free with a plethora of apologies for the situation. Then, when the iPhone X came out, I just stuck with my 7 because it was still pretty damn good.  What finally moved me to the iPhone XS Max was the display and the camera.

When I hold my iPhone XS Max it is reminiscent of the Moto X. While I customized the Moto with a  red leather back, I had to buy a red leather case for the iPhone XS Max - but they feel remarkably similar in the hand (even if the Max is significantly bigger than the Moto).

Next, the display on the pocket computer is absolutely stunning. While True-Tone is nice (the feature that adjusts the hue of the display based on the ambient lighting), I often turn it off because I spend a good deal of time working on photos on my phone. This was something I never thought I would be able to do effectively. No, I'm not making fine-tuned edits on my phone, but the edits sync, and then I can do the fine detail work on my laptop later. It's a huge benefit and timesaver.

Let's talk again about photos, only this time we'll discuss the photos that the phone itself can take. The iPhone is spectacular with photography. Having played with photos from both the most recent Pixel and my iPhone XS Max, I can tell you that I prefer the photos from the iPhone.

Some people won't, and that's fine. The photos from the Pixel generally look better right out of the camera with very little post-processing, however I find that while the photos from the iPhone sometimes lack the "pop" that the Pixel photos have, they retain more detail in the shadows, meaning you can get a more beautiful photo than the Pixel by putting in just a little bit of work with a basic editor.

Then there's the fact that the Max is FAST. Super insane ridiculous fast. It boots up fast, it logs you in fast with FaceID (another miracle of technology, despite my initial misgivings on it), launches apps super fast, and manages photo edits at incredible speed.

In short, despite the high cost of the phone, I would highly recommend shelling out for it. If the $1,100 price tag is too high, then at least consider the iPhone XR. It lacks some of the camera features, but unless you're a photographer, you probably won't miss them.