iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro Buyer's Guide

[dannyyankou]

This is the first year I'll "downgrade" because it's the better option. Coming from an XS Max

OLED vs LCD is not relevant - it's a sales gimmick at this size IMHO. When you can't notice the pixels, there's no practical difference. It's really somewhat arrogant to compare a screen that barely covers your hand in pixel density. If you don't notice the pixels, there isn't much of a point.

So that really leaves power consumption of OLED vs LCD and I agree, OLED is less. But that's not worth it alone. I'm still going to gain battery life, and I still don't run out of charge. The idea of X more hours of charge only has value when it's non-incremental.

Everything else is honestly buying a gigantic camera. It really is the "Pro" that got me. I cannot remotely fathom that I'd need a super-ultra-mega-wide photo that costs me so much more in camera cost that I can't just freaking step back a few feet. Sometimes these visual tricks are great, but sometimes the zoom can be replaced by taking a step forward too. Maybe you can/can't, in some cases, but you're really spending hundreds of (insert monetary value here) for a niche reason.

I like the midnight green though. I think the frosted back plate would be more slippery than the glossy.

About the only thing I would miss slightly is the large screen, but the XR and 11 already have the mid-sized screen compared to the Pro. I'm getting kinda tired of the huge phone in the pocket. That's just me.

You know what, I’m actually considering the same. Also XS Max owner. I held someone’s iPhone 7 yesterday and realized how much I missed the light aluminum design. Maybe I’ll hold on for one more year, but I’ll definitely go with the non pro version next year.

 

[ZipZap]

Does the SIM free model have 2 eSIMS?

 

[SDJim]

This is the first year I'll "downgrade" because it's the better option. Coming from an XS Max

OLED vs LCD is not relevant - it's a sales gimmick at this size IMHO. When you can't notice the pixels, there's no practical difference. It's really somewhat arrogant to compare a screen that barely covers your hand in pixel density. If you don't notice the pixels, there isn't much of a point.

So that really leaves power consumption of OLED vs LCD and I agree, OLED is less. But that's not worth it alone. I'm still going to gain battery life, and I still don't run out of charge. The idea of X more hours of charge only has value when it's non-incremental.

Everything else is honestly buying a gigantic camera. It really is the "Pro" that got me. I cannot remotely fathom that I'd need a super-ultra-mega-wide photo that costs me so much more in camera cost that I can't just freaking step back a few feet. Sometimes these visual tricks are great, but sometimes the zoom can be replaced by taking a step forward too. Maybe you can/can't, in some cases, but you're really spending hundreds of (insert monetary value here) for a niche reason.

I like the midnight green though. I think the frosted back plate would be more slippery than the glossy.

About the only thing I would miss slightly is the large screen, but the XR and 11 already have the mid-sized screen compared to the Pro. I'm getting kinda tired of the huge phone in the pocket. That's just me.

I feel the same way! I went up to the 7 Plus for the updated camera, but then back to the X because I liked the smaller form factor (without sacrificing the nicer camera). Of course, I got suckered into the Xs Max to experience all that screen, but I find myself missing plopping it into my breast pocket without it breaking my neck. Now I am using an old 6 on the side and I think with the 11 Pro having every feature of the 11 Pro Max, I have to give up the massive screen for my preferred daily usability. I am a frequent 1-hander, and even with my giant mitts, the Max is just too big, especially with a case on. I also agree that the giant phone in the pocket is a nuisance. I'm not sure if it's still true, but back when the Plus phones were first out, they were hugely popular with women, which I attribute largely to them having a purse to put them in rather than a pocket.

 

[CarlJ]

I wish they would make iPhone's in the colors of the old iPod nano 4th gen lineup in addition to the standard Space Grey, Silver, and Gold colors.

Now THAT is the purple that I wanted.

 

[GuruZac]

2 x Pros for the Wife and I, 2 x 11's for the kids.

I want that green Pro with a purple case.

Nice. I want to see pics of the green with purple case.

 

[tracker_oz]

Same here, post-2015 Apple devices seems to be made to break after the 1 year ( uk ) limited warranty.

Really? I have yet to have any of my families iPhones 'break'. That is a total of 7 iPhones in the last 4 years.

You do know that they are not rocks don't you?

 

[michael31986]

Will both pro and regular be able to use all the cameras at once like was demoed?

 

[tracker_oz]

Apple's pricing (at least in Aus) has come to the point that even I cannot continue to defend it. The ridiculous decision to go with an ultra-wide camera versus the telephoto in the iPhone 11 will ensure I do not upgrade; I have no intention of paying more for my phone than for my Mac laptop!

Apple leadership, please get a grip. At this rate, the next iPhone will need to be called the iPhone 12 'Rich'!

 

[D.T.]

Really? I have yet to have any of my families iPhones 'break'. That is a total of 7 iPhones in the last 4 years.

You do know that they are not rocks don't you?

I literally laughed out loud at the bold ...

I have a collection of iPhones for testing, 5/6/7, S and Plus variants, they're all in very good condition, they all work, some are 6 years old (granted the battery life is pretty diminished on the older phones, but that's to be expected).

 

[tracker_oz]

this is not Apple, it’s because the pound collapsed in the last few months.

From a loyal Apple buyer from 1987 and a shareholder since 1999!

Um, no. It is Apple! Look at the pricing in Australia as well. Apple keeps degrading the lower versions and trying to lure consumers into buying the more expensive models.

I wonder if they realize that this will work against them. I simply won't upgrade, while other family members are actively looking at Android alternatives for the first time.

Apple, get a grip!

 

[Breaking Good]

I agree! Ever since the 5C their color options have been meh, with the exception of red. I think these bold colors would be extremely popular so I can’t see why they don’t offer them.

Millennials don't want bold colors. They want muted colors. You can expect to see these colors in next year's automobiles.

This isn't a dig on millennials. The same thing happened with baby boomers. Marketers cater to the largest demographic with disposable income. It's just the way the world works.

 

[Blackwell]

No USB C? Still has the notch? Mmmm looks like I am keeping my iphone 6s for a little while longer.

And you have a head phone jack!

 

[Wowmail]

Keeping my X for another year. 4 k video is uhh 4k. The phone is better then me already. Next year with 5G Il pull the trigger and re-gift my X to a family member.

 

[kognos]

Is it really that much better?

No it's not.

Here's the real test. Go into the store. Arm yourself with a 5-year-old child. Show them a LCD or OLED screen playing Super Mario Run. Ask them which one is better.

There is absolutely nothing explicitly better in this iPhone context about OLED except in technical detail except the slightly backlit full black screen and more power consumption. But that "more power consumption" doesn't mean much at this scale. Going from last-gen OLED to this-gen LCD, you're still saving power, because everything else makes up for it. And it's not like this is a movie screen, I don't need my freaking 6 inch screen to have super-amazeballs pixel clarity. I'm not watching Avengers Endgame for the special effects on a 6 inch screen without a magnifying glass.

This same argument was made about "retina" displays. At some point you just stop seeing the pixels, and after that point it's not like the screen magically gets more clear. Your brain is being fooled by propaganda.

Try doing a scientific test where you can't see anything but 1 square inch of an OLED or LCD screen and test yourself to see if you can really tell the difference. You might be surprised. There's an amazing amount of effort (coughMarketingcough) being put into the "Super Retina XDR Sexiness" that makes you absolutely want it, just because it has "Sexiness" in the name and feels somehow better than last year's model that didn't have "Sexiness". And everyone will talk about "Sexiness" because Apple said so.

But it doesn't really make it better. Really better. Like usable better.

Refresh rate, that would've been something.

Actually now that I've said all that, Nits has a factor in the OLED vs LCD argument, but I'm a geek and avoid the sun, so there's that.

 

[decypher44]

Really hoping they use that green on the “Pro” again next year!!! Skipping this year.

 

[Mimiron]

Sorry, but paying 800€ for LCD and 326 PPI in 2019 is fn ridiculous. I’d upgrade from the X for the sake of battery life if 11 had OLED.

 

[Stoke]

Anybody tested/knows whether landscape mode for the homescreen works again on the 11 Pro Max?

 

[1rottenapple]

Sounds great and I'd probably upgrade to that as well, but if they did that who would pay an extra $300-400 for the Pro iPhone line?

People who want the best camera that’s for sure. Maybe pro-motion display in the higher end pro model.

 

[dazz87]

Iphone 11 even comes in ugly colors........

 

[Cavepainter]

Not having the telephoto lens but rather wide in iPhone 11 was the total instant deal breaker for me.

Was going to wait until next year to upgrade my X, but iPhone 11 at cost with trade in would have been worth it, but I dont care about wide (I love panorama though,) I need telephoto for clearer zoom, way more important. I think that was a boneheaded move on Apples part. Plus the "new feature" should have been on the pro from a marketing perspective. Next year Ill just buy the best top of the line.

Agreed- I'm not sure why we have to spend $1000 for a iphone to get a 2x optical zoom when cheap entry level digital cameras had this feature 15 years ago. This is not innovation.

But this wasn't a boneheaded move- it was done on purpose, of course. Apple dropped the X and is also dropping the Xs because these legacy models had features, like the optical telephoto, that would pilfer sales from their current premium products. They were "too good", so to speak. If they put that 2x camera zoom on the entry level 11, they'd probably lose 25 percent of their sales of their much more expensive 11 Pro.

I would have bought the entry level 11 if the dual lens had an optical telephoto, which is very useful. But then how many sales would Apple lose of their top end Pro models? I'm upgrading to the Xr and I think that's a nice balance of features and price. (and I'll stick with my Canon 6D for more demanding photography instead of Apple's Pro iphones.) Apple wants to up-sell you into their high end models of everything they have. That's why they carried archaic and unreliable spinning hard drives on many of their computers for years after they should have gone to SSD. And that's why they offer 64gb as the base model of a $1000 "PRO" phone.

 

[aksala]

Does it bother anyone else off that they just completely skipped over iPhone 9?

In some sense, they kind of cheated to get to 11. Really, this current iPhone generation would have been the iPhone 9 if they had continued with a consistent 's always follows' model. This is assuming that what we now know as the iPhone 8 would have been the 7s, the iPhone X would have been the 8, and the iPhone Xs would have been the 8s, thus leaving the iPhone 11 Pro being the iPhone 9.

In an alternate timeline, there was a 9, and it was great.

 

[rosegoldoli]

I wish they would make iPhone's in the colors of the old iPod nano 4th gen lineup in addition to the standard Space Grey, Silver, and Gold colors.

would absolutely snatch the pink one

 

[MauiPa]

I just want to say Thank You to the authors at MacRumors by finally hearing those of us that are not Americans and mentioning "in the United States" after pricing. Without that, it always felt like a slap in the face to every country outside the US.

While the iPhone 11 may feel iterative, it's got tons of tech beyond what the XR has that consumers will benefit from. Overall, it's an upgrade without a price increase.

I think we are just seeing the start of a new phase at Apple, now that their new campus is done, and there's a shift in management in the design department. I just hope that they don't lose sight of User Experience principles that always set Macs and iPhones apart from the competition.

why should you feel shamed with ""in the United States" after pricing"? they weren't quoting prices in pounds, pesos, loonies, yen, renminbi, or what not.
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So whats so Pro about the 11 Pro and Max?

Cameras, camera AI, XDR screen (aka reference monitor specs). But for that matter what is so plus about the Galaxy note +?

you did take a marketing course at any time in your life, right? its called branding. beyond that doesn't mean much. Ever been to a place called lakeshore estates and there is no lake to be found?
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Now THAT is the purple that I wanted.

and yet any sane person buys a case anyway.

 

[Rocko99991]

These are a hard pass for me.

 

[Macpro2019]

Intel modem. Nowadays it isn't about camera or just screen. It's about experience like having useful features.
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64 GB at this point is just offensive. How long are they going to milk this upselling strategy

People still want it.