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Last September, Apple announced the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro as updates from the iPhone XR and XS, respectively. The new phones have significantly improved cameras, an incredibly fast processor, and overall better build quality. To top it off, the iPhone 11, which starts at $ 699 (£ 729, AU $ 1,199), is $ 50 cheaper than the iPhone XR when it was first released. And just for your information, there is a new $ 399 iPhone SE for 2020.
Between the iPhone 11 and 11 ProIt can be difficult to determine which one to get. Both phones have the same processor, the same main cameras, ultra wide and selfie, and they work iOS 13. On the one hand, the iPhone 11 still represents one of the best values for a flagship phone you can buy today, and it has many of the same features as the 11 Pro. On the other hand, the iPhone 11 Pro has a few key additions that make it make it the best iPhone ever created. At $ 999 (£ 1,049, AU $ 1,749), it also starts at $ 300 more than the iPhone 11.
For six months I used the iPhone 11 as my daily driver and the 11 Pro as my work phone. I took lots of photos and videos with the new ultra wide angle camera, maxed out the A13 processor with games and photo edits, and explored everything iOS 13 has to offer.
For most people, including myself, the iPhone 11 is more than enough, and going one step further, I would actually pay $ 50 more for the 11 to upgrade storage from 64GB to 128GB. But here is the wrinkle: size. The iPhone 11 Pro is a bit smaller and lighter than the 11, which I personally love, and could be the reason for doing so. (FYI, if you want something bigger, with the longest battery life, the iPhone 11 Pro Max you are waiting to fill your pocket and empty your bank account).
Angela Lang / CNET
The heart of the iPhone 11 Pro is an iPhone 11. But with upgrades like a high-resolution OLED display, a matte glass finish, and a stainless steel sideband, it gets the VIP treatment. It has a third rear camera that, combined with Apple’s new Deep Fusion image processing, takes better zoom photos. But probably the most welcome update on the 11 Pro is how much longer the battery lasts than the previous-generation iPhone XS. In fact, the 11 Pro lasts almost as long on a single charge as the 11.
Read our iPhone 11 Pro review.
How we test
See this:
iPhone 11: 3 phones, revised. Which one do you choose?
10:05
Detailed comparison of iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max
|
iPhone 11 |
iPhone 11 Pro |
iPhone 11 Pro Max |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Screen size, resolution |
6.1-inch LCD liquid retina; 1,792×828 pixels |
5.8-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2,436×1,125 pixels |
6.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2,688×1,242 pixels |
|
Pixel Density |
326 ppi |
458 ppi |
458 ppi |
|
Dimensions (inches) |
5.94×2.98×0.33 in |
5.67×2.81×0.32 in |
6.22×3.06×0.32 in |
|
Dimensions (mm) |
150.9×75.7×8.3 mm |
144×71.4×8.1 mm |
158×77.8×8.1 mm |
|
Weight (ounces, grams) |
6.84 oz; 194g |
6.63 oz; 188g |
7.97 oz; 226g |
|
Mobile software |
iOS 13 |
iOS 13 |
iOS 13 |
|
Camera |
12 megapixels (wide angle), 12 megapixels (ultra wide angle) |
12 megapixels (wide angle), 12 megapixels (ultra wide angle), 12 megapixels (telephoto) |
12 megapixels (wide angle), 12 megapixels (ultra wide angle), 12 megapixels (telephoto) |
|
Frontal camera |
12 megapixels with Face ID |
12 megapixels with Face ID |
12 megapixels with Face ID |
|
Video capture |
4K |
4K |
4K |
|
Processor |
Apple A13 Bionic |
Apple A13 Bionic |
Apple A13 Bionic |
|
Storage |
64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
64GB, 256GB, 512GB |
64GB, 256GB, 512GB |
|
RAM |
Not disclosed |
Not disclosed |
Not disclosed |
|
Expandable storage |
None |
None |
None |
|
Drums |
Not disclosed, but Apple claims it will last 1 hour longer than iPhone XR |
Not disclosed, but Apple claims it will last 4 hours longer than iPhone XS |
It was not disclosed, but Apple claims it will last 5 hours longer than the iPhone XS Max. |
|
Fingerprint sensor |
None (face ID) |
None (face ID) |
None (face ID) |
|
Connector |
Flash of lightning |
Flash of lightning |
Flash of lightning |
|
Headphone jack |
No |
No |
No |
|
Special features |
Waterproof (IP68); dual SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging |
Waterproof (IP68); dual SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging |
Waterproof (IP68); dual SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging |
|
Price without contract (USD) |
$ 699 (64 GB), $ 749 (128 GB), $ 849 (256 GB) |
$ 999 (64GB), $ 1,149 (256GB), $ 1,349 (512GB) |
$ 1,099 (64GB), $ 1,249 (256GB), $ 1,449 (512GB) |
Smaller iPhone was better
Perhaps the most obvious and important reason to buy the iPhone 11 Pro over the iPhone 11 is size. They are phones of very different sizes and they fit in your hands differently.
With a 5.8-inch screen and weight of 6.63 ounces (188 grams), the iPhone 11 Pro is the smallest of the three iPhone 11 devices. (Although, If you are looking for a small phone, the new iPhone SE could be a better option, at 4.7 inches and 5.22 ounces.) The solid feel phone is the easiest to use with one hand. Weighing in at 6.84 ounces, the iPhone 11 is heavier than the 11 Pro but doesn’t feel quite as dense. The iPhone 11 is 0.2 millimeters thicker than the 11 Pro, which makes it feel a bit thick.
Each person’s hands and needs are different. I have big hands, but I prefer the slim feel of the 11 Pro. But if you are willing to compromise a bigger weight for a bigger screen, get the 11 and save $ 300.
Winner: Because of its small size, the 11 Pro is the way to go for me.
It’s nice to have a telephoto camera
The iPhone 11 Pro (and 11 Pro Max) has a third telephoto camera that the iPhone 11 does not. Sometimes it was nice to switch to the telephoto camera. And compared to the iPhone XS, the updated telephoto camera combined with Deep Fusion processing meant that I took photos with better image quality.
There were also times when I framed a better shot with the 11 Pro telephoto camera than the main camera. For example, when I took a top-down photo of a plate of food with the main camera, I could see the shadow of the phone on the plate. But when I switched to the telephoto camera and moved the phone away from the table, there was no shadow.
However, there are a couple of caveats to the iPhone 11 Pro’s telephoto camera. When taking 2x night shots, the 11 Pro doesn’t use the telephoto camera. Instead, take a crop from the wide-angle main camera. Also, the telephoto camera stands out in bright conditions, but when I took photos in medium to low light, I noticed better image quality when I took the same photo with the main camera and cropped it.
Overall, the telephoto lens is useful on the 11 Pro, but I didn’t miss having it when I used the 11. If you needed to zoom in, a 2x shorter photo I took with the main camera worked fine. I recommend looking at the photos you have on your phone. current and see how many were zoomed in and how many photos would look better if you could have zoomed in a bit. If you have a lot of photos where you wished you had a dedicated telephoto camera then you should consider an iPhone 11 Pro.
For more information on the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro cameras, check out our comparisons below:
Winner: The 11 Pro’s telephoto camera is nice if you value iPhone photography, but it’s certainly not necessary
IPhone 11 Pro has a beautiful OLED screen
The iPhone 11 Pro has a 5.8-inch OLED screen, while the 11 has a 6.1-inch LCD screen. When I look at the phones side by side, the 11 Pro’s screen looked better, brighter, and showed more detail. It is a joy to watch videos and edit photos on.
The OLED display on the 11 Pro supports HDR and has a contrast ratio (the ratio of the brightest and darkest colors on one screen) of 2,000,000: 1 compared to 1,400: 1 on 11. On paper, that means the iPhone 11 Pro is capable of darker black levels and more color saturation. That said, side by side, the differences between the two screens are sometimes hard to notice. In themselves, the colors on the iPhone 11 LCD screen are accurate and the videos look good.
Winner: The screen of the iPhone 11 is good, but that of the 11 Pro is even better.
Cracked screens and waterproofing
We put both the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro through a test where we drop them from different heights. After dropping them from 3 feet, 6 feet, and 8 feet from the ground, both phones survived without a single crack in their screens or glass backs. The only stain was a small scratch on the iPhone 11’s aluminum band and a few damaged pixels at the bottom of the 11 Pro’s screen.
As for water resistance, both phones have an IP68 rating. Apple claims that the iPhone 11 can withstand being submerged at a depth of 6.5 feet (2 meters) for up to 30 minutes, and the 11 Pro can survive a maximum depth of 13 feet (4 meters) for up to 30 minutes. However, In our water tests with an underwater drone, the 11 and 11 Pro survived Submerged for 30 minutes at 39 feet (11.9 meters).
Winner: Tie; Both the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro are some of the most durable phones you can buy today,
Color, finish and extras.
After six months of use without a case, the back of the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro still didn’t have a single scratch or scrape. The textured matte glass on the iPhone 11 Pro feels smooth, smooth, and durable. The phone is easy to hold and it never seems to get out of hand (although again, its smaller size helps with this). I’m happy to say that fingerprint smudges don’t easily accumulate.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 11 has a shiny glass back, which feels slippery in my hand, and the phone is also prone to smudges.
In terms of colors, the iPhone 11 does things better than the 11 Pro. You can buy an iPhone 11 in six bright and fun colors. The 11 Pro is less eye-catching and comes in four fairly serious finishes (space gray, silver, gold, or midnight green). In a perfect world, it could have the matte glass finish of the 11 Pro and the color options of the 11.
IPhones have wireless charging and support fast charging, but only the iPhone 11 Pro (and 11 Pro Max) comes with the 18-watt charger that is required for fast charging. It is aggravating that the 11 does not come with this charger and you will have to buy it separately if you want. To make matters worse, Apple charges $ 29 (£ 29, AU $ 49) for the 18-watt fast charger and $ 19 (£ 19, AU $ 29) for the cable, when cheaper compatible alternatives are available.
Winner: Only in colors, the iPhone 11 takes this.
See this:
iPhone 11 and 11 Pro: 2 months later, this is what …
10:12
