Oliver Haslam on September 12, 2018, 7:14 am

Apple iPhone Xs Max Vs iPhone Xr Vs Samsung Galaxy Note 9 [Size Comparison]

Smartphones continue to get larger and larger – that’s a trend that has been growing for a number of years now and while it has to stop at some point, it hasn’t happened yet. Apple will announce three new iPhones during its big September 12th event, and two of those will have screens larger than 6 inches for the first time yet.

Both of them are what anyone would consider large, but just how large are they compared with their biggest contemporary – the Samsung Galaxy Note 9?

We’ve been able to take some photos showing the actual Samsung Galaxy Note 9 alongside dummy units representing an iPhone Xs Max and an iPhone Xr/Xc and you can see the size difference for yourselves.

For comparison, the Galaxy Note 9 has a 6.4-inch OLED display whereas the iPhone Xs Max is expected to feature 6.5-inch OLED while the Xr/Xc will boast a 6.1-inch LCD. Taking the iPhone Xs Max as the best example, it’s clear to see just how much physically taller the Galaxy Note 9 body is while still having smaller display than Xs Max. That’s something that anyone with smaller, or even average-sized hands will notice when trying to reach the top corners, especially when using the device one-handed.

Apple’s minimal bezels and the use of that notch are likely what makes the biggest difference here as that helps the screen on Xs Max stretch to the corners with no forehead or chin bezel unlike on Note 9, and looking at the sheer size differences, we find it hard to argue against that design decision. We all want larger displays, but not if it makes smartphones more difficult to handle or even keep in a pocket. We’d say Apple has this round in sheer size alone, but as always, there are many other reasons to choose a smartphone.

Front view of Galaxy Note 9 (left) vs iPhone Xs Max dummy unit (right)

Rear view of Galaxy Note 9 (left) vs iPhone Xs Max dummy unit (right)

Front view of Galaxy Note 9 (left) vs iPhone Xr/Xc dummy unit (right)

Rear view of Galaxy Note 9 (left) vs iPhone Xr/Xc dummy unit (right)

Apple will announce its new 2018 lineup on September 12th and we’ll be reporting on the big new hardware reveals right here.