iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro: Is it worth buying today? (2023)

VonMatthew Bolton

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Tom May

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We compare iPhone 11 specs and performance to iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max so you can choose the best option today.

iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro: Is it worth buying today? (1)

iPhone 11 vs iPhone 11 Pro might still be a comparison you want to make if you don't need the latest updates and want to get an iPhone for less. The iPhone 11 range is now three years old, and Apple stopped direct sales when the iPhone 14 was released in September 2022. That doesn't mean it's not still an option, as you might find it at other retailers for a good price.

Most iPhone upgrades in recent years have been relatively incremental. In any case, the 2022 update is a case of that, at least the entry-level device. Given that Apple phones tend to be durable and typically get longer software support than Android phones, a 2019 iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro is still worth considering if you can find a good price and don't need thatbest camera phoneor the fastest processing available.

Apple's latest iPhone comes in four versions, but the iPhone 11 only had three: the standard iPhone 11, the high-end iPhone 11 Pro, and the larger iPhone 11 Pro Max (so not a mini like we've seen with the iPhone 12 and 13, and iPhone Plus like the new iPhone 14). Below we compare the specs, features, performance and price of iPhone 11 to iPhone 11 Pro and Max to help you decide which is best for you.

You might also want to compareiPhone 11 vs iPhone 12and check out our And if you're considering Apple's latest phone, check out ouriPhone 14 Testand our summary of theBest iPhone 14 prices.We have also made our choiceBest iPhone 14 Cases.

If you decide to get an iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro, check out our roundup of theThe best iPhone 11 dealsor the price list below in our iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro comparison. See our selection of more optionsbeste Smartphonesand theBest iPhone for photography. In the meantime, here is our iPhone 11 vs iPhone 11 Pro vs iPhone 11 Pro Max comparison.

iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro: Design

The iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro clearly share the same design philosophy, but in the end it's clear why the Pro is more expensive. Both phones have an all-screen design with no buttons on the front, a notch in the display for the Face ID facial recognition camera, and curved metal edges that wrap around the flat back of the phone. However, the iPhone 11 has slightly larger bezels around the screen edge and aluminum sides instead of stainless steel. It also has a smooth, glossy glass back, while the 11 Pro and Pro Max have a frosted, matte-textured glass back.

Despite this, the standard iPhone 11 still looks and feels like a premium Apple device. But the iPhone 11 Pro is significantly more refined, even before we get into the internals. However, you get more color options with the standard iPhone. The iPhone 11 comes in black, white, yellow, green, purple, and red, while the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max are limited to black, silver, gold, and green.

iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro: Display

iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro: Is it worth buying today? (3)

One of the main battlegrounds in iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro is the screen, both in terms of technology and size and resolution. Starting with the size, the iPhone 11's screen measures 6.1 inches (same as the phones 12 and 13). The iPhone 11 Pro is slightly smaller at 5.8 inches and the iPhone 11 Pro Max is 6.5 inches. The difference between the latter two, which share the same internals, makes the Pro reasonably one-handed while the Pro Max is definitely a two-handed device. However, the iPhone 11 has wider bezels than the 11 Pro, so the 6.1-inch iPhone 11 and 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max are pretty close in overall size.

But there's more to consider than just size. The iPhone 11 has a resolution of 1,792 x 828 and a pixel density of 326 ppi. That's perfectly decent, but not cutting edge for details. The 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro has a significantly sharper 2,436 x 1125 display at 458ppi, and the 6.5-inch Max has a resolution of 2,688 x 1,242, again at 458ppi.

Also, the iPhone 11 has an LCD screen while the iPhone 11 Pro uses OLED, which offers better contrast and more vivid colors. It's brighter: typically 800 nits compared to 625 on the iPhone 11 (625 is plenty, but for best visibility, especially outdoors, brighter is better). Both screens excel in color accuracy, and all iPhone 11 models support the P3 color space and Apple's True Tone technology to adjust color temperature based on the ambient lighting around you.

The 11 Pro's screen is also great for HDR, reaching a peak brightness of 1,200 nits in HDR video. The iPhone uses Dolby Vision video, so you're getting true HDR performance from the OLED. The iPhone 11's screen doesn't do HDR at all.

If weWe tested the iPhone 11 Pro, we did find that the OLED screen suffers from a bit of a color cast when viewed from an angle, but since you're mostly looking at a phone head-on, that's not a huge issue. So in detail, the pro wins. And once you've made that decision, your choice between Pro and Pro Max comes down to size.

It's worth noting that when it comes to the display, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduce a new feature in the form of "dynamic island". This area contains notifications and provides quick access to apps.

iPhone 11 vs iPhone 11 Pro: Battery Life

iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro: Is it worth buying today? (4)

We can sum this up pretty succinctly. The bigger the iPhone, the longer the battery life. This means the smaller iPhone 11 Pro has the shortest battery life of the trio, although it should still give you a full day of use under normal conditions. The iPhone 11 performs better thanks to its larger body (so a physically larger battery) and lower-resolution screen. You get several extra hours from the Pro, but the iPhone 11 Pro Max performs even better, offering the most battery capacity to last two days with careful use.

Of course, this varies greatly depending on usage. Downloading files over 4G uses a lot of battery power, as does taking lots of pictures and videos, or editing multi-layered images, but the 11 Pro Max gives you the most flexibility to do all of this and still check social media before bed .

iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro: Kamera

iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro: Is it worth buying today? (5)

The cameras are then a factor that many people will be here for, and this is often where we expect the most improvements in any iPhone. The iPhone 11 has a dual-lens rear camera system, while the iPhone 11 Pro has a triple-lens system. All models have an ultra-wide lens and a wide-angle lens, but the 11 Pro also adds a telephoto lens.

To make the comparison between iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro easier, the ultra-wide and wide cameras are the same on all three devices. The ultra wide-angle lens is f/2.4 with a 120° field of view and a 12-megapixel sensor, giving you a 0.5x zoom compared to the wide-angle. The distance is f/1.8, again with a 12MP sensor.

There are plenty of features that combine hardware with software, including Night mode for detailed shots in extremely low light, Portrait mode for adding artificial depth of field, and Apple's Smart HDR and Deep Fusion systems for blending data from multiple images with each press of the button button to create sharper and better exposed shots.

The big difference between iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro in terms of cameras is that the Pro and Pro Max models add a telephoto lens that has a 2x zoom with an f/2.0 aperture compared to the wide angle. This makes for another notable difference, which is that the Pro can shoot in Portrait mode with anything as a subject, using its wider range of lenses to create a true depth map and detect edges in 3D; The iPhone 11 can only take Portrait Mode shots of people and pets because it uses software-based detection to detect edges and estimate the depth map.

The front cameras of the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro are also identical - a 12-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 lens. You can record 4K video at 60fps on any camera of any iPhone 11 model. There's no true HDR video capture, but Apple uses "Extended Dynamic Range" to better capture difficult exposures in scenes. It's like shooting in HDR, but outputting to SDR with the extra information captured for a stronger balance.

Both iPhones are capable of raw shooting, which may be applauded by some photographers but doesn't mean much to anyone not doing post-production work. The newer 12 Pro introduced a "ProRaw" file, which outputs a RAW photo after Apple has applied its HDR and Deep Fusion technology, offering the best of both worlds. Don't miss oursCamera tips for the iPhone Proto get the most out of your camera.

iPhone 11 vs iPhone 11 Pro: Performance

iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro: Is it worth buying today? (6)

All three iPhone 11 models use Apple's A13 Bionic processor with the same speed and the same 4GB of RAM. This was the fastest phone processor in the world when the phone launched and wasn't surpassed until Apple's successor, the A14 processor in the iPhone 12. It remains a very strong chip, almost laptop strong in terms of performance. It can handle 4K video editing, handle large files, open and edit complex images with real-time changes and, well, messaging and such, is that what phones used to be for?

The only limitation you're likely to run into is RAM, and even then the only issue we've ever seen is the inPhoto editing apps, the maximum number of layers you can have depends on the canvas size - multiplying the two can fill up RAM. But you have to 1) do a lot more than just mid-level photo edits, and 2) be slightly insane to want to get itTheinvolved on a phone screen.

iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro: Fazit

iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro: Is it worth buying today? (7)

When it comes to capabilities and performance, the iPhone 11 Pro is undoubtedly the better option, especially for creatives, thanks to its more flexible triple-lens camera system and OLED screen that offers superior brightness and sharpness. The Pro Max adds the benefit of the best battery life of the three phones, which can be crucial for intense workdays away from the office or at home.

However, both iPhone 11 Pro options are significantly more expensive than the standard iPhone 11. Considering that the iPhone 11 offers the same on-screen color accuracy, runs apps just as well and can open large files for viewing, and offers better battery life than that smaller 11 Pro, it's still a good buy. Either way, these phones are no longer made, so your choice may depend on the prices you find for the models on offer - in most cases they're likely renewed models.

We believe that most people will decide which to go for based on the budget they have in mind. In all cases, you get a powerful phone with great screen quality and quality cameras. Of course, the iPhone 12 and 13 offer upgrades in many areas, and it sounds like the iPhone 14 will add more. Many people will prefer to pay for it, but if you're bargain-hunting, the iPhone 13 still offers a solid smartphone. Take a look at today's best prices for the iPhone 11, iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max below.

Continue reading:

  • The iPhone 15 is said to feature an alluring MacBook Pro design
  • iPhone 12 vs iPhone 12 Pro: Which one is right for you?
  • iPhone 13 im Test

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Matt has been testing technology for over a decade, working in Apple trade publications as well as general technology and creative journalism. During the day you can find him on T3.com as a home tech editor for TV, audio, smart home gear and more. At night he's probably upgrading or pairing or installing a new piece of technology in search of the perfect setup.

With contributions from

  • Tom May

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Apple

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Photo

Digital Art

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IPhone

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