9 reasons you should buy the smaller iPhone XS instead of the iPhone XS Max

The iPhone XS and XS Max both feature the same OLED "Super Retina" display from last year's iPhone X — the same pixel density, same contrast ratio, same everything.

The only difference, screen-wise, between the iPhone XS and the XS Max, is the size. You're not losing out on quality.

For most people, the size of the iPhone XS is going to be more manageable. The iPhone XS Max might be perfect for people with large hands, or people who don't mind using their phone with two hands, since many reviews have noted that one-handed use is not very easy.

The iPhone XS, on the other hand, is much more manageable in terms of overall size, and still has a bigger display than most iPhones that came before it, including last year's iPhone 8 Plus.

You might not consider weight when purchasing a new phone, but it matters. You'll be carrying this device around all day in your hand, pocket, or bag, and you'll be lifting this thing and holding it to your face several dozen times a day. Weight matters.

The iPhone XS is 6.24 ounces, or 177 grams.

The iPhone XS Max is 7.34 ounces, or 208 grams.

This is a big one. Buying the larger phone does not mean you're getting better performance. The iPhone XS and XS Max are both powered by the same A12 Bionic chip from Apple, which includes a 6-core CPU, a 4-core GPU, and a next-generation neural engine that's dedicated to machine learning.

Check out this specs sheet from Apple. There are literally no differences between the rear camera systems in the iPhone XS and the larger XS Max.

Again, this specs sheet from Apple says it all. Your selfies should look identical regardless of if you're using the iPhone XS or the larger and more expensive XS Max.

Don't buy the larger phone because you think it's more water-resistant — that's not the case.

Both the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are equally rated IP68 by the IEC, which means you can submerge these phones down to two meters of water for up to 30 minutes, and you shouldn't have an issue.

All the new iPhones, including the iPhone XR, come with Apple's new dual-SIM feature, which lets people hold one physical nano-SIM card in their phone, as well as an electronic SIM card, or "eSIM."

Having two SIM cards in your iPhone lets you have two phone numbers and connect to multiple carriers or networks, which is ideal for traveling, or people who don't want to be bound to a single carrier.

China is getting separate versions of these iPhones that support two physical SIM cards, instead of the eSIM and nano-SIM combination every other country gets.

No matter which phone you get, the iPhone XS or XS Max, you're going to be getting the same version of iOS 12, the same App Store, and the same security fixes and future updates straight from the company.