We are far enough into the new year that anyone who received a tech upgrade as a holiday gift knows whether or not they are pleased with their present (or wish they could have spent a little more, or less, to really get what they wanted). One of the big hits this season was certainly the new iPhone in both it’s 11 and 11 Pro models. Did you get gift cards for the holidays?
Are you still waiting for a big birthday to invest in your next phone? Here are the key differences new users have already noticed when it comes to the two newest models in the Apple lineup.
Price
Let’s start at the most basic level, if you’re looking at the new line of iPhones price will be the first difference you notice. The standard 11 comes in at $699 for the model with the lowest storage capacity where the Pro version will cost you at least $300 more, at $999.
That’s not all, the iPhone 11 Pro has a special “Max” model as well. So if you want the iPhone 11 Pro with a larger screen that will set you back at the very least $1,099. That’s quite a chunk of change to be carrying in your pocket every day.
Design/Color
If you’re looking for a little more fun in your phone design the iPhone 11 offers a few more color options than the more expensive iPhone 11 pro. The regular 11 comes in green, yellow, purple, and red (to name a few) where the Pro version only offers “professional” tones like army green, gray, silver, and gold. iPhone cases of course can make the actual color of any iPhone invisible, so it may not matter to some.
In other news, the iPhone 11 Pro Max offers the largest screen size where the iPhone 11 Pro (not the regular 11) offers the smallest size option.
Display
As mentioned above if you want the largest screen possible for your iPhone the 11 Pro Max is for you. If it’s the tech specs you’re more interested in then you should know that both versions of the iPhone 11 Pro offer Apple’s new OLED display where the regular iPhone 11 is still sporting LCD tech.
No matter which phone you get your display will be spectacular, it’s just that the OLED display is the newest and known for a greater resolution and deeper colors in general.
Performance
The entire line of iPhone 11’s offers customers the A13 Bionic processor. Basically, any iPhone 11 you invest in should be about the same in terms of its processing.
There may be a difference over time in the iPhone Pro’s because the same processor is supporting OLED displays rather than LCD displays, but no one has yet reported any issues. At the basic level the new iPhones are more similar than they are different.
Front Camera
A lot of the excitement surrounding the release of the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro has focused on new camera capabilities. First, we’ll look at the front-facing camera (selfies anyone?). Here, much like the A13 Bionic processor any iPhone 11 you invest in will be about the same.
Selfies will look the same whether you shoot them on the regular or pro model. Both the standard model and the Pro and Pro Max offer TruDepth and Face ID, and the same 12MP, f/2.2 aperture.
Rear-Facing Camera
The rear-facing camera is probably where the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 11 Pro differ the most. The iPhone 11 sports a dual-camera array where the iPhone 11 Pro offers a triple camera array. What does this mean for users?
This means the Pro model offers telephoto camera options where the regular model does not. The three-camera array also means Pro users will get extra calibration and better white balance in any photos they take so, if you’re a serious camera person, the Pro may be worth the extra investment. But both phones offer Apple’s new Night Mode for taking pics in extremely low light as well as an updated portrait mode.
Battery
If your biggest worry is battery life then the iPhone 11 Pro Max may be the model worth investing in. All 11 models offer extended battery life (the 11 at least 1 more hour than all XR models, and the Pro up to 4 hours longer than XS models).
The iPhone 11 Pro Max offers 5 hours more battery life than Apple’s old XS-Pro model. That also means up to 17, 18, or 20 hours worth of video playback between charges. That’s pretty impressive no matter which model you’re leaning towards. So the battery life is something to consider if you find yourself traveling a lot or going quite some time between plugging in.
Water Resistance
No one will ever suggest you swim for hours with your iPhone on you or drop it in the toilet, but if you accidentally jump in the pool with your phone in your pocket, or it does slip out in the bathroom, safety measures have been put in place. All three iPhone 11 models come with water resistance. The 11 is safe in up to six feet of water, the Pro in up to 12. That’s quite the upgrade from earlier iPhone incarnations where a spilled glass of water could send anyone crying to their nearest Apple store.
There could be some underwater photos in your future, as long as you’re submerged for less than 30 minutes that is.
Storage
Last, but certainly not least, is the storage capacity of each of the new iPhone 11’s. If you’re looking for the greatest GB capacity then the Pro or Pro Max certainly offers a large upgrade (for a price). Both the 11 and the 11 Pro have 64GB models, but that’s where similarities end. The iPhone 11 can be upgraded to 128GB or 256GB.
The pro skips 128 and jumps straight to 256GB or, for max available storage, a 512GB model as well. If you want the largest screen with the largest storage capacity it will set you back an extra $700 compared to the lowest priced model of the standard 11 (meaning you could get two iPhone 11 at 64GB for the price of one iPhone 11 Pro Max with tip storage capacity). That’s something to think about when you start thinking about making any final decisions.
