One of my personal favorites over the years, the iPhone XR has proven to be a real powerhouse. Seven years after its release, it still serves its purpose. Released in September 2018, the iPhone came with a lineup of the iPhone Xs and the iPhone Xsmax.
This brings us to the question: Should you buy the iPhone Xr in the year 2025?
Over the past few years, apple has released quite an incredible amount of devices with different functionalities and designs, but one seems to stand out among others, which is the iPhone XR, and even in 2025, it still seems to pack a punch for an old device I mean not all android phones can seem to put up such a fight lets dwell into the specs.
The iPhone XR comes equipped with the A12 bionic chip and a very powerful 12MP rear camera, which at its prime was absolutely the talk of the town; it also comes in 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB storage types.
So why should you buy the iPhone Xr in the year 2025
Design: single rear camera? Yes, that was an absolute banger then and even now. The design of the iPhone Xr is superb even in 2025; I call it one of the most portable iPhones ever created. With design specs as follows
Height: 5.94 inches
Width: 2.98 inches
Depth: 0.33 inches
Weight: 6.84 ounces
Frame: Aerospace-grade aluminum
The iPhone Xr’s notch design is a sight to behold, but it still upholds Apple’s true intent for the design.
Colors include
White
Black
Blue
Yellow
Coral
(PRODUCT)RED Being one of my favorites
Performance
The iPhone XR comes equipped with the A12 bionic chip, which, as of today, still packs a punch and a bang for a buck. The iPhone XR can still perform many tasks and supports Apple updates, which is quite amazing. As regards performance, the iPhone XR can still run most apps on the Apple Store and even play games like Call of Duty and Free Fire
The iPhone XR performance specs are as follows
- A12 bionic chip
- 4 core GPU
- 6 core CPU
- 3gb ram
- Storage or 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
Camera Quality
When we speak on the iPhone, we speak on the camera. Many users today get iPhones mainly because of their amazing camera quality and features. However, in 2025, will the iPhone Xr camera still hold up?
Equipped with a 12 mp single-lens rear camera, the iPhone XR still holds its ground as one of the best iPhones with a camera
The camera specs of the iPhone Xr include
Rear camera
- 12 MP wide-angle lens
- ƒ/1.8 aperture
- Optical image stabilization (OIS)
- 5x digital zoom
- Smart HDR for better dynamic range
- Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control (even with a single lens)
- Portrait Lighting effects (like Studio, Contour, and Stage light)
- 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
- 1080p slow-motion video at 120 fps or 240 fps
Front Camera
- 7 MP
- ƒ/2.2 aperture
- Portrait Mode & Portrait Lighting
- 1080p video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
- Animoji & Memoji support
You can confirm this camera quality with the pictures taken below.
Battery
One thing about iPhone batteries is the fact that they get detrotraited over time. Let’s say you got an iPhone XR in 2018. The battery health as of 2025 would have significantly deteriorated by now, but most XRs you get in the market today are probably refurbished, which means most batteries have been replaced with a better battery
The iPhone XR battery specs are as follows
- 2,942 mAh battery
- Can do a talk time of up to 25 hours
- An internet time of 15 hours
- A video playback time of 16 hours and an audio playback of 26 hours
The battery of the iPhone XR still packs a punch even in 2025
Display
The iPhone XR comes with a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina HD display a resolution of about 1792 x 828 haptic touch, and also true tune, which still pretty much holds up till now.
But you have to consider the fact that the screen of this phone might be replaced, losing its original colors or quality, as most units are refurbished. So be careful and take note of the display when getting one.
Affordability
How much does the iPhone Xr go for? In the Nigerian market, the iPhone Xr goes for around N245,000, that’s around $165, which is a very reasonable price for an entry-level iPhone so; as regards price, you should get the iPhone XR.
In conclusion
The iPhone XR is a great budget iPhone for entry-level users, with its unique design and because it still supports most iOS updates even after 7 years of its release. The iPhone XR is still a good pick.