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Is 11 Pro worth the extra $300 vs 11?

  • Yes, the 11 Pro is worth the extra $300

    Votes: 166 57.8%
  • No, get the "regular" 11 and save some money

    Votes: 121 42.2%

  • Total voters
    287

dmk1974

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 16, 2008
2,486
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So comparing both as the 64gb models, is the 11 Pro (not the Pro Max) worth the extra $300 vs the "regular" 11?

Benefits of 11:
  • Cheaper
  • ~1 Hour Better Battery Life
Benefits of 11 Pro:
  • Sharper OLED Screen
  • Adds Telephoto Camera
  • Slightly Smaller and Lighter in Hand
  • Slightly Better Water Resistance
  • Comes With 18W Adapter
 
Last edited:
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So comparing both as the 64gb models, is the 11 Pro worth the extra $300 vs the "regular" 11?

Benefits of 11:
  • Cheaper
  • ~1 Hour Better Battery Life
Benefits of 11 Pro:
  • Sharper OLED Screen
  • Adds Telephoto Camera
  • Slightly Smaller and Lighter in Hand
  • Slightly Better Water Resistance
  • Comes With 18W Adapter

I prefer the smaller screen of the pro then the 11. I also hate that bezel. Best Buy has a deal currently going on so it’s not as cut and dry as $300 difference. Both are on sale. Just got my 11 pro for a total of $849 with sprint installments which isn’t bad. $15 more then my X lease with the credit of $20 going towards it until now which is why I upgraded ($42 a month to keep my X ) I prefer the OLED screen
 
I prefer the smaller screen of the pro then the 11. I also hate that bezel. Best Buy has a deal currently going on so it’s not as cut and dry as $300 difference. Both are on sale. Just got my 11 pro for a total of $849 with sprint installments which isn’t bad. $15 more then my X lease with the credit of $20 going towards it until now which is why I upgraded ($42 a month to keep my X ) I prefer the OLED screen
Thanks. I have T-Mobile and on an old plan that isn't eligible for the add-a-line or upgrade deals :(
 
Most reviewers have come to the same conclusion: get the iPhone 11.

There are specs on paper and then there's actual usage. Most people won't notice the OLED. Much of the time, the iPhone uses zoomed photos taken from the main camera and crops it, because the main sensor is better than the telephoto.
 
Most reviewers have come to the same conclusion: get the iPhone 11.

There are specs on paper and then there's actual usage. Most people won't notice the OLED. Much of the time, the iPhone uses zoomed photos taken from the main camera and crops it, because the main sensor is better than the telephoto.

Errr what ? Actually Austin Evans retracted and said the pro




As to the second part not true... 2 times optical zoom is better then digitize
 
Needs a third option: "I'm keeping the phone for one year and it's worth the $150."

I love the third lens for photos and the 11 Pro is drastically better with battery life than my XS was. Completely worth it for me.
 
In my opinion no. But its a subjective thing, some people may think it is.
 
Errr what ? Actually Austin Evans retracted and said the pro




As to the second part not true... 2 times optical zoom is better then digitize

Most reviewers, like The Verge, MKBHD, and Wired. One guy named Austin doesn't change the convergence of opinions favoring the iPhone 11.

The telephoto lens needs plenty of light, otherwise iPhone simply takes a zoomed photo using the main lens and crops it.
 
I went with the 11 pro but I don't think there are enough features to justify the price difference. I think the lcd on the 11 looks really good and would have no problem with it. It was solely a size thing for me. If the 11 was the same size or smaller than the pro I would have gotten it. I use my phone 1 handed so the 11 is just too big to do that comfortably for me.
 
I personally prefer the iPhone 11 so wouldn’t suggest paying the extra is worth it. There’s just not enough difference to justify the cost for me and I’d rather buy an Apple Watch with the change. Everybody is different though.
 
How long are you keeping this phone? If it's 2+ years, I'd get the 11 Pro. I think the $300 increase is worth it. You left out build quality as another clear advantage.
 
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Most reviewers, like The Verge, MKBHD, and Wired. One guy named Austin doesn't change the convergence of opinions favoring the iPhone 11.

The Verge said the 11 is good for most people BUT they also said this: "Yes, they’re expensive. And yes, I think most people should probably buy an iPhone 11, which has most of the same features, including the same basic camera system, for $300 less. But if you want to pay more to have the best display and the best camera, the iPhone 11 Pro is worth the premium over the iPhone 11."
 
The Verge said the 11 is good for most people BUT they also said this: "Yes, they’re expensive. And yes, I think most people should probably buy an iPhone 11, which has most of the same features, including the same basic camera system, for $300 less. But if you want to pay more to have the best display and the best camera, the iPhone 11 Pro is worth the premium over the iPhone 11."
‘If’ being the operative wording there though. We are now in an era where smartphones are mature and not everybody wants what is technically the best iPhone on the market. These minor specification differences divide opinion due to price differences and evaluating what the user really values from the experience. I think the iPhone 11 provides all the important elements of the range whereas the 11 Pro provides a few ‘nicer’ bits that a lot of consumers may feel they can live without...
 
Most reviewers, like The Verge, MKBHD, and Wired. One guy named Austin doesn't change the convergence of opinions favoring the iPhone 11.

The telephoto lens needs plenty of light, otherwise iPhone simply takes a zoomed photo using the main lens and crops it.

Lol the verge ...... smh. The iPhone 11 Pro is a better phone period



My iPhone X rarely did that ..... same would hold true with the 11 pro
 
Errr what ? Actually Austin Evans retracted and said the pro

As to the second part not true... 2 times optical zoom is better then digitize
Meh I'd probably agree if it was a 3x zoom camera, with modern resolutions up to 2x digital tends to do just fine though. As JPack said, the other trade offs of that lens make it of limited utility.
 
Meh I'd probably agree if it was a 3x zoom camera, with modern resolutions up to 2x digital tends to do just fine though. As JPack said, the other trade offs of that lens make it of limited utility.

There really isn’t that much of a trade off .... you’re more likely be in a bright area artificial or natural then isn’t unless you’re a vampire who hates the sun or work nights.
 
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For me, it is the size. I prefer a smaller device and the 11 Pro is about at the top limit for as large as I want to go. The 11 is larger than I prefer. Could I live with it if I had to? Yes, but as long as I have the choice, I'm willing to pay a bit more for a size that fits how I like to use my phone.

I am actually looking forward to the rumored iPhone 12 that may be even smaller than the 11 Pro (5.4 inches I believe)
 
To me I think the Pro is worth it. My last 2 phones were the Galaxy S9 and XS Max so it would be hard for me to go back to LCD from OLED. The Pro has better build quality and feels better in hand IMO. I also like the size of the regular Pro after having the Max I want to go smaller on my next phone and the Pro is a perfect size.
 
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When I upgraded my phone this year, I choose the 11.

Although I prefer the iPhone 11 Pro size, I felt that it wasn't worth the $300 more that I had to pay to get it. I'm also satisfied with the LCD screen. My previous phone (an SE) also had an LCD screen, but if your last phone was OLED, you may notice some difference.

In terms of the camera, I think the ultra wide and regular lens are good enough. Pictures are clear and look good, and normally I am able to move closer to the object I want to photograph so I don't have much use for the telephoto lens.

In addition, the 11 and 11 Pro have the same specs (A13 chip, 4GB RAM) so they will perform very similarly. Having a cheaper phone that performs as well as the flagship definitely helps with its longevity (the iPhone 11 will be supported as long as the 11 Pro series).

I believe the 11 Pro is a good choice if it fits your budget and you like the size, but I think that the 11 is a better value for the price.
 
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To Simplify things, OLED is not a selling point for consumers, they don’t care what OLED is and they probably don’t even know the difference between LCD/OLED is. The main reason somebody would want the Pro, is simply for the triple lens camera.

Consumers want value, considering Apple reduce the price by $50, that’s also another attractive point For the 11.
 
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