So tonight is the night for iPhone pre-orders, do you know which one you’re going to get already?

If not, I’ve put this little list together to help you narrow down your choices.

What are you getting?

No matter which new iPhone X (10) you pick this year, you are getting some of the same things.

• Processor: All three of the iPhones come with the exact same processor this year.  If you pick the iPhone Xs, Max, or Xr you are getting the same chip inside.  Apple is using its new A12 Fusion chip, and you can see what that’s all about in my event review coming soon.
• Main Camera: All three phones have the same main shooter.  In fact, the camera on this year’s phone is actually pretty close to the camera on the iPhone X released last year, however, the A12 chip helps provide a better shot through computations.  Since you’re getting the same chips, you’re getting the same normal shots.  (There’s more on this later!)
• FaceID: All the new phones come with the same FaceID sensor, which is supposed to be faster than it currently is on the iPhone X.  This also means that the front-facing camera is the same on every version.  You can also use the front facing camera to do the same portrait mode selfie on all devices
• The screens, while the type of screen differ, they still have true-tone (this tints the white balance of the screen based on what’s around you) and they both have a wide color gambit.
• Wireless charging: All three phones have wireless Qi charging, so if you already have a charger it will charge these phones.  It’s also supposed to be faster wireless charging!
• You can use a dual sim setup with all three if you need it. 

Who should get the iPhone Xr

The iPhone Xr comes in 64 ($749), 128 ($799), 256 ($899) gig sizes, which make it the cheapest of the group.

It comes in colors!  

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Get this phone if you:

• Just do social media and email.  
• Don’t need the latest or greatest.
• Want to save money.  
• Don’t need a camera with optical zoom
• Like colors

What it’s about:

It’s been a while since the iPhone came in some fun colors, and last time, it was such a bad run with the 5c.

So what do you get here besides color?

The iPhone Xr comes with a screen that sits in the middle of the spectrum at 6.1-inches.  Apple claims that it’s the best LCD screen they have ever made, but the black and dark colors of an OLED will probably be better most of the time.

I haven’t held one of these yet to compare the screens.  I’m just going off of what I know about technology, btw. 

The bezels are a little bit bigger on this phone than the others.

The band that goes around the phone is aluminum versus stainless-steel on the iPhone Xs.  

Finally, the while the main camera is the same as on the iPhone Xs this phone lacks the second camera.  So no optical zoom, and no dual camera bokeh effect.  The camera will still have digital zoom (which degrades the image the further you go) and it will have portrait mode though.  It uses software and the processor to create the effect.  You will even have a slider to increase or decrease the background blur effect like you will on the iPhone Xs.  You just won’t be able to zoom.

The last thing missing from this phone is 3D touch.  If you’ve had a phone since the 6s, you’ve had 3d touch.  The biggest issue is you might not know that you have it.  3D touch was actually pretty hit or miss.  I’ve known about it, and I have a few places were I really use it, but mostly I feel like it goes ignored.

If you have a workflow that uses 3D touch, you might consider going to the iPhone Xs. This phone does have a workaround though.  Apple designed what they call Haptic Touch, which is just a vibration when you do a long press.  They are hoping that this will replace 3D touch on this phone.

iPhone Xs

comes in 64 ($999), 256 ($1149), and 512 ($1349) sizes

You should get this one if:

• you like the iPhone X
• you want the camera with the zoom
• you like 3D touch.
• you like a better screen
• you like the smaller phone.
• Want an iPhone X in gold.

What this phone about:

This is the update to the iPhone X.  This phone is very underwhelming this year.  While everything is updated inside the phone, the outside only got a new color: Gold.  

Still, it’s a good phone.  It’s now the smallest of the new iPhones, even though the screen area is still larger than the old iPhone 8 Plus.  The screen is an OLED display, so the darks are really dark.  In fact, the just turn those pixels off, which can help save battery.

If you have an iPhone X, I probably would hold off on the upgrade unless you are on an upgrade program.  Everything will probably be a little faster, the camera might take a fraction better photos, and it might charge a little faster, but I wouldn’t go buying this phone if you upgraded last year and you buy your phones outright.

If you are coming from something different than an iPhone X, this could be a tempting phone though.  If you have the budget, and you like the nicer finishes and the zoom camera, and smaller size, this is the phone for you.

iPhone Xs Max

comes in 64 ($1099), 256 ($1249), and 512 ($1449) sizes

Get this one if:

• You want the biggest iPhone ever
• Need more battery life
• feel like the X is cramped

What it’s about

This is the same phone as the Xs but bigger.  The screen is a huge 6.5 inches across, the biggest that Apple has ever made.  

Everything I said about the iPhone Xs applies here.  If you liked the Plus sized phones of the past, this is the phone for you.  Having gone from the Plus to the X last year, I feel cramped when watching videos, playing games, or looking at landscape pictures.  

This phone looks to fix that.  

It does have the iPad like double columns when turned into landscape mode though, so whatever your feelings were about that on the Plus sized phone will probably remain.  You still get more useable area though.

This is the most expensive phone Apple makes are well.

When do I order

If you are planning on getting an iPhone Xs or Max phone, Pre-orders start at midnight Pacific Time August 14 and are available August 21.

The iPhone Xr pre-order starts October 19 and is available October 26.

If you can’t decide, I’d recommend holding off until you can see all the phones in the stores.  I’m not sure there will be a supply constraint this year since they have the X process down.  The only wild card is how much demand there will be for the Max.

What am I doing this year?

I’m in a bit of a pickle here.  I’m on the upgrade program, so it makes sense to upgrade.  

Right now, I’m planning on getting the 256 gig Space Grey iPhone Xs. It’s just like my phone right now.  I said this week that I’d get the max if the storage space and price were right.  As it is, the Max is more expensive than I’d want to spend on a phone.  But I feel like I’d have more to say about the Max since I’ve already had the X size for a while.

I also think the Xr is a great phone, and if my blog takes off and I start making money, I’d like to get one to review and try out.  I think it will be a great mass market phone, and it doesn’t really lack much from the other phones.  I feel like I’d have lots to say about it as well.  

What are you planning on getting?  Let me know in the comments.