iPhone · Retina & Beyond · 2018
iPhone XS Max
The first "Max": a 6.5" OLED giant that pushed the iPhone toward (and past) the four-figure price line.
Largest iPhone display yet, and the first to break the $1,099 ceiling.
iPhone 11 (2019)
iPhone XS Max: key facts
When was the iPhone XS Max released?
The iPhone XS Max arrived on September 21, 2018. Apple discontinued it in September 2019.
How much did the iPhone XS Max cost?
The iPhone XS Max launched at $1,099 in 2018, about $1,374 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Apple A12 Bionic at 2.49 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, 6.5" Super Retina OLED, 2688×1242 display.
Why does the iPhone XS Max matter?
Largest iPhone display yet, and the first to break the $1,099 ceiling.
Full specifications
| CPU | Apple A12 Bionic · 2.49 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 6 |
| Memory (RAM) | 4 GB |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| Display | 6.5" Super Retina OLED, 2688×1242 |
| GPU | Apple 4-core GPU |
| Ports | Lightning |
| Weight | 208 g |
| Dimensions | 157.5×77.4×7.7 mm |
| Operating system | iOS 12 |
| Released | September 21, 2018 |
| Discontinued | September 2019 |
| Launch price | $1,099 |
How the iPhone XS Max compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 4.0× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 2.49 GHz, the clock is roughly 1.3× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 16,400 modern phone photos, a respectable library even today.
Launched at $1,099 in 2018, about $1,374 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Method note: clock comparisons use frequency only; price conversions use US CPI.
Sources
Specs checked against Apple technical specifications archive, EveryMac, Mactracker, Wikimedia Commons image credits.
Did you know?
Its name was widely mocked, then widely copied across the industry.
Related iPhone models
Open the iPhone XS Max in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11