1. The iPhone 11 is significantly cheaper than the iPhone 11 Pro models.
- iPhone 11 starts at $699
- iPhone 11 Pro starts at $999
- iPhone 11 Pro Max starts at $1,099
In other words, you can save at least $300 by choosing the standard iPhone 11 instead of a "Pro" 11, especially since all three new iPhones have the same starting storage of 64 GB.
Keep this in mind as we examine the other differences.
2. The iPhone 11 comes in more colors than the Pro models.
The iPhone 11 Pro models come in just four colors: space gray, silver, gold, and midnight green.
The iPhone 11, however, comes in six colors: purple, yellow, green, black, white, and red.
3. The iPhone 11 has the ideal screen size: Not too big, but not too small.
Here are the new iPhone 11 sizes, from smallest to largest:
- iPhone 11 Pro: 5.8-inch display
- iPhone 11: 6.1-inch display
- iPhone 11 Pro Max: 6.5-inch display
While I personally love the 5.8-inch screen, I think the 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 11 will be best for most people. The Pro Max display is massive, while the normal Pro is solid, but potentially a little small for some people.
4. The iPhone 11 doesn't have an OLED screen like the "Pro" models, but its Liquid Retina display is still fantastic.
OLED screens, like those in the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, produce richer colors and deeper contrast so blacks, in particular, really look inky and not gray.
While the LCD screen in the iPhone 11 can't pull off the same OLED effect, the Liquid Retina display still provides high-quality picture and accurate colors. It's one of the best LCDs in any smartphone.
5. The iPhone 11 and Pro models have identical rear camera systems, with one exception — but the one difference isn't a dealbreaker.
The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro models have a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens. The Pro models also have a 12-megapixel telephoto lens for zooming.
A telephoto lens is only good for optical zooming, which doesn't lose any detail compared to digital zooming. But it's not a must-have feature. In fact, if you really care about smartphone photography, you shouldn't be using the zoom feature much to begin with.
6. The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro models have identical front-facing cameras.
The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro models have a 12-megapixel selfie camera that supports 4K video up to 60 frames per second. They also have the same TrueDepth camera system that allows for Face ID, which can unlock your phone and help you make purchases.
7. All three new iPhones have the same brains: Apple's A13 Bionic chip.
This is a big deal. Apple's chipset — which contains the CPU, GPU, and neural engine to make your smartphone nimble and power-efficient — is the same across all three iPhones. So you shouldn't see any dip in performance by opting for the cheaper phone.
Also, the A13 Bionic is a monster.
- Apple's A11 Bionic that powered the iPhone X was capable of 600 billion operations per second.
- The A12 Bionic inside the iPhone XS and XR could power 5 trillion operations per second.
- The new A13 Bionic, though, is capable of 8.5 trillion operations per second.
8. The iPhone 11 is going to have incredible battery life.
Last year's iPhone XR had the best battery life in any Apple smartphone ever, with the ability to get about 15.5 to 16.5 hours in a single charge.
The iPhone 11 is expected to get one more hour of life compared to its predecessor, for about 16.5 to 17.5 hours.
The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro also have big batteries. The standard 11 Pro should have about the same 16.5 to 17.5 hours of life, but the 11 Pro Max should get a whopping 18.5 to 19.5 hours of life, according to Apple.
9. The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro models share many of the same specs.
All three models include the same:
- splash and dust resistance rating (IP68)
- spatial audio with Dolby Atmos support
- Bluetooth, WiFi 6, and LTE support
- Dual-SIM support
- Photo and video features like Night mode, QuickTake, and Deep Fusion
- the new U1 chip for direct AirDrop file transfers
While the iPhone 11 Pro has a few advantages over the standard 11 — a superior display, a telephoto lens, slightly more water resistance, and slightly faster cell connectivity — those differences probably don't justify a $300+ price difference for most people.
If you're on the fence between these phones, opt for the more affordable iPhone 11.
This may be the last year of the "notch" — that blocked-out portion of your iPhone's display that allows room for the front-facing camera system — and you might want to upgrade once the iPhone adopts a cleaner look. Plus, 5G support is rumored for next year's iPhones, and you might want a piece of that action in just 12 months from now.
Unless you haven't upgraded in years and you desperately want the best Apple can offer, most people are going to be very happy with the standard iPhone 11. It means you can spend less money now on a quality phone, and save more money for the future when you're really ready to invest in an all-new experience.
You can learn about Apple's new iPhones, and preorder them, on Apple's website. All the new iPhone 11 models will release to the public on Friday, September 20.
