iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 11 Pro Buyer's Guide

[smulji]

OLED screen + 1 more lens = $300 (%42 increase)

It’s all about insane margin on the 11 and even more insane margin on the 11 Pro



Samsung has been releasing sub$500 phones with OLED screens for many years.... so OLED doesn’t justify that difference.

Not all OLED screens are created equal

 

[bluespark]

The colors are beyond terrible this year... yuck.

Funny — I particularly like this year’s colors.

 

[HVDynamo]

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.

Seriously, I am on the fence about upgrading this year, but a product red 11 Pro would sell me on it.

 

[kittycat40]

The original Post of the thread fails to mention that the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max have a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1

iPhone XS and XS Max the contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1

Also the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max have up to 12,000 nits brightness

iPhone XS and XS Max has 625 maximum nits of brightness

https://www.apple.com/iphone-11-pro/specs/

 

[Brandhouse]

That really has nothing to do with apple, thank your govt/regulations for that. Its not just for apple, but pretty much every company doing business with other countries.
[doublepost=1568336667][/doublepost]

Yeah, no. Don’t try and complicate the lineup, apple is never going to waste money to appease a few people on a product size that the entire industry has moved away from.

How do you think that it is the government that have anything to do with Apple deciding on price points for their product?

 

[beermode]

I'm actually more excited about the "tock" cycle iPhone events more than the "tick" cycles. I prefer refining a good product with more features. I think in this day and age, my expectations for anything radically new is gone.

 

[anthonymoody]

Not sure how any such assessment can be made without more attention paid to size. I know this is a well beaten and super dead horse but for people with hands of XYZ size or smaller, they can’t reach the top of the screen of the 11 Pro with a thumb swipe. That’s a problem and I don’t care what sort of clever workaround Apple found to pull the screen down. It’s kludgy at best.

 

[smulji]

I’m an iPhone X owner and I knew there probably wouldn’t be a compelling reason to upgrade to the iPhone XS line given the price and feature set of the iPhone X.

The X was put out there for iPhone fanatics to see what future iPhone lines would be like. I actually bought mine thinking I’d sell it to make a profit and that I’d hate the lack of a headphone jack, that I’d hate Face ID over Touch ID and that I’d hate the notch that came with it. I also thought I wouldn’t be impressed by the edge-to-edge (minus the notch) display nor the difference between an OLED display and an LCD display.

Oh man was I an idiot. When my iPhone X arrived I unboxed it and tested it fully believing I’d be selling it on eBay shortly thereafter. As I used the device I discovered how much I really liked it. All of my negative preconceived notions were quickly dispelled.

My only complaint is that I used to be the kind of user who came home from work and picked up my iPad for the larger display. I bought the 9.7” iPad Pro prior to the iPhone X coming out. That proved to be a huge mistake. I’ve found that the screen on the iPhone X is big enough that I don’t feel compelled to use my iPad unless I’m doing a lot of typing and want to use the Smart Keyboard.

I was hoping the iPhone 11 line would provide a compelling reason to upgrade but it hasn’t. I can see why someone heavily into photography and/or videography might want to upgrade but for users like me, who think the quality of the images and videos taken on their iPhone X are more than enough, there really isn’t a compelling reason to upgrade.

I’ve said it for a while and I think it continues to ring true. We’ve reached peak smart phone. When the iPhone was first released it seemed like there was a compelling reason to upgrade on a one or two year cycle. I owned the original, the 3Gs, the 5, the 5s and the 6s. The 7 and 8 felt like place holders for the X/XS/11 lines. If the 2020 line does include Face ID and Touch ID under the screen and can read a fingerprint from any part of the display that may be compelling enough to look into an upgrade but outside of that I can’t think of anything else that might make me want to buy another iPhone. I think that’s why Apple is really making the push into services. Smart phones have gone from a 1 to 2 year upgrade cycle to a 3 to 4 year upgrade cycle joining the land of desktops, laptops and tablets. They know they need something to make up for that lost revenue stream.

You do have a point. At this point, the smartphone is essentially a glorified computational camera.

 

[AvisDeene]

64 GB at this point is just offensive. How long are they going to milk this upselling strategy

Apples always been this way with most of their products. Just look at their computer configurations, they give you as little as they can with the base models in hopes you'd upgrade to the beefier stuff at a steep cost.
Just be happy they don't start at 8 or 16GB.

 

[JosephAW]

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.

You'd think by now Apple would embed Advanced Color ePaper (ACeP) underneath the back glass so the user could choose from thousands of colors.

 

[Mactendo]

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.

All iPhones got ultra wide camera. What’s missing on 11 is the telephoto (2x zoom) camera.

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.

11 Pro Max and base 11 (XR) have the same software resolution, so there’s no much point in that bigger Max screen because in most instances it got the same content but just slightly bigger (icons, buttons, etc).

 

[sransari]

128GB should be standard on the Pro.

Absolutely...I get that apple is trying to maximize profits by underscoring the standard capacity size, but I’d rather them charge $50 more and bump it up to 128 GB

 

[koruki]

do I want 2 bulges on a bulge or do I want 3 bulges on a bulge.. so hard to decide

 

[monkey28rb]

iPhone pro supports gigabit class LTE and 4x4 MIMO. The standard iPhone 11 doesn’t support 4x4 MIMO.

 

[devman]

No 5G, no buy.

“On a hot Las Vegas morning, my two Galaxy S10 5G phones kept overheating and dropping to 4G. This behavior is happening with all of the millimeter-wave, first-generation, Qualcomm X50-based phones when temperatures hit or exceed 85 degrees. We saw it with T-Mobile in New York, with Verizon in Providence, and now with AT&T in Las Vegas. It’s happened on Samsung and LG phones, with Samsung, Ericsson, and Nokia network hardware.”

https://stocktwits.com/calvingrinder/message/177454847


“Right now, there’s no such thing as a 5G phone that supports all the 5G bands and technologies that carriers and device makers ultimately want. Qualcomm is still on its first-generation 5G modem, and companies like Samsung are making headway of their own.


But a multirung strategy that factors in low-, mid-, and high-band spectrum is crucial to making 5G connectivity feel whole, and none of the devices on the market currently will be able to meet that vision when the carriers pursuing it are ready. By next September, Qualcomm will almost certainly have introduced a more capable and future-proofed 5G modem that will better unlock all the potential we keep hearing about. But this first wave of 5G devices is not that.”

https://stocktwits.com/calvingrinder/message/177454392

 

[upandown]

Obviously the pro. LCD barf
[doublepost=1568344611][/doublepost]

Apple have reached the point of stupidity. In Oz an iPhone 11 Pro is A$2,349.00. Just plain ludicrous.

It’s the same price as in the US. Just with your countries conversion rate

 

[JosephAW]

I'd rather have 4x zoom than wide angle

 

[Dick Whitman]

The cameras on the pro are absolutely atrocious.

Remember when all the leaks were coming out and some people kept saying don't worry the final design will be much more subtle like the X and Xs where the camera housing is smooth and flush and encased in a single piece of glass? Looks like they were wrong.

 

[maverick2007]

Yeah, I think they're both going away next year...at least in the "Pro" models. I'm keeping my XR until then.

I doubt, apple will build next generation lightning cable. They will not leave lightning for phone as it’s lucrative accessory business for them

 

[ckhris1613]

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.

I hope your right, but I really doubt it.

 

[azentropy]

Most of the improvements the 11 pro has over the 11 I really don’t care about and certainly not with $300 to me. However the 11 (and the Xr before it) are just way too bulky for me. I think the 11 Pro is too bulky too, so will most likely be skipping again this year holding out for a smaller Pro version next year.

 

[Mactendo]

Is it really that much better?

Refresh rate, that would've been something.

It’s not really that better. OLED may be a bit brighter and have more saturated colors but technologically it’s worse. OLED screen will deteriorate over time regardless if the user wants it or not (burn in), OLED screens on iPhones have a flickering issue with sensitive users having headaches due to that. LCD iPhones have no such issues and will last for many years. So you can use it for yourself or give your old phone to a family member or resale it at a higher price.

The image attached below shows what happens to an OLED screen after a year of static image being displayed (home screen). iPhone X at a store. It’s an extreme case, but it shows the technological issue of OLED and what happens to the screen slowly everyday.

OLED is a marketing gimmick which shouldn’t be used in consumer products at all due to its issues. Only if someone doesn’t consider phones as disposable toys. And it looks like that’s what the companies want you to believe these days. And make you replace your phone nearly every year.

https://m.imgur.com/a/faQQxSo

 

[Greenmeenie]

I am really digging the camera upgrades. Wish Apple added usb-c tho. Especially if they are calling it a “Pro” iphone now. Otherwise I am happy. I like the Green color iphone pro too.

 

[DarwinOSX]

So whats so Pro about the 11 Pro and Max?

It’s a marketing term.
[doublepost=1568346437][/doublepost]

Why bother looking at the tech specs? The iPhone 11 does 99.99% of the things the Pro does for nearly half of its RRP price less then the small 64GB Pro costs!

It’s a shame they have ditched 3D Touch as my XR doesn’t respond as well with the bodged implementation they’ve come up with.

Anyway all the 11 needs is a Qualcomm modem and an OLED screen, 1080P will do so long as it keeps that zoomed screen mode. It would be even more awesome if they made it a bit smaller and lighter!

No. It doesn’t. Not even close. Compare the specs and features.
[doublepost=1568346530][/doublepost]

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.

OLED looks much better than lcd.
[doublepost=1568346591][/doublepost]

Sorry, but those prices are disgusting.

All the top android phones have the same prices and prices are down over last year. Maybe you should get a flip phone.
[doublepost=1568346625][/doublepost]

Why are you apologizing? You’re obviously not the target demographic for this phone. Apple has other options in their lineup that are far cheaper than the iPhone Pro that will suit your budget.

Exactly.

 

[smulji]

It’s a marketing term.
[doublepost=1568346437][/doublepost]

No. It doesn’t. Not even close. Compare the specs and features.
[doublepost=1568346530][/doublepost]

OLED looks much better than lcd.

There are three things that makes the iPhone 11 Pro stand out from the iPhone 11:

• 3 cameras on the back instead of 2
• The OLED “Super Retina” display
• Slightly faster LTE

The iPhone 11 will support Night Mode & the new Deep Fusion camera technology coming out later this Fall. That’s not much of a difference between the two models