Apple's iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro can be purchased starting today, about ten days after their presentation. Like practically every year, most of the reviews posted by major tech sites and US newspapers agree that the recently introduced ones are the best iPhones ever. The reviews are overall very positive, although some invite you to think about it before moving on to a new iPhone, especially if you have models purchased in the last couple of years. Those with an iPhone X, XS or XR don't have many reasons to change, while owners of older models might give it a thought.
iPhone 11
It is the least expensive model of the three presented by Apple and is basically the successor of the iPhone XR, the one that had the most success of the last batch : dimensions and design are basically the same, while several technical features have been improved thanks to the addition of a faster processor (A13) and a new camera system. Nilay Patel on The Verge says iPhone 11 “is the phone most people should buy” because it costs less than others, but still offers much of the experience you get with the more expensive iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro. Max: “It's great for the things that matter, and it's totally fine for everything else.”
Design
The new iPhone 11 has a 6.1-inch screen, a cross between that of the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro and the 6.8-inch of the Pro Max version. left some perplexed, like Wired's Lauren Good, because it could be a bit bulky, especially for those who don't have very large hands (or pockets). A similar problem had already arisen last year with the XR: for the “base” models, in fact, Apple does not provide different formats. The reviews instead agree on the higher quality of the materials compared to last year, which give the idea of an even more refined product, with a lower “toy effect”.
Camera
The iPhone XR's camera was good, but it didn't quite hold up to competition from other smartphones such as Google's Pixels and some models made by Huawei and Samsung. Apple has completely renewed the iPhone 11 and Patel speaks of a “giant step forward” compared to last year. On the iPhone 11 there are two cameras: one with a classic lens (f / 1.8) and another with a super wide angle (f / 2.4) to understand much more elements in the frame. Aside from the lack of optical zoom, available in the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, the iPhone 11 camera offers essentially the same results.
Apple has worked mainly to improve the color rendering, so that they are more faithful to what is being shot, especially in low light conditions. The new sensor offers a better balance between the light and shadow areas, making the result less artificial than other smartphones which instead push a lot to increase (via software) the brightness of the dark areas in the shots.
Brian X. Chen of the New York Times especially liked the new ability to take pictures with a super wide angle, and the system used by the Camera application to easily switch between magnifications, without noticing the jump from one lens. to the other. On TechCrunch, Matthew Panzarino wrote that the new iPhone 11's night mode is exceptional: “the best in its class” for this type of smartphone.
Screen
The screen of the iPhone 11 is the same as that of the XR, so it is an LCD with a resolution of 1792 × 828 pixels, what Apple calls “Super Retina”. For some, the screen could be the only real distinction, because the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max use an OLED type, of higher quality and which above all manages to offer better contrast. Patel and other reviews say that the problem doesn't really exist: the differences are only noticeable if you put the two phones side by side and observe the screens from particular angles. For normal day-to-day use, the LCD screen is more than sufficient, and Apple's are of higher quality than the competition.
Power
All reviews agree that the new A13 processor is extremely powerful and a further improvement on the previous version, already very fast and still not beaten by most of the competition. Chen writes that the A13 is twice as powerful as the processor in the iPhone Xs, a phone that was already extremely powerful for both app usage and photo processing, which requires a lot of resources.
Battery
Apple claims that the battery of the iPhone 11 lasts about an hour longer than that of the XR, which had already received positive reviews for their duration. With a rather intensive use of the smartphone, the charge turned out to be enough to cover a whole day, but with batteries it takes some time to understand their actual duration and therefore the reviews remain rather cautious on this point.
iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max
They are the most powerful models ever built by Apple and the first to have a camera with three lenses: they have many features in common with the iPhone 11, but they use a more defined screen and add some features. They are certainly the models that have impressed the most, with extremely positive reviews that all come to more or less the same conclusion: they are very expensive iPhones and the best you can buy, but for the less demanding the iPhones 11 are fine all the same and they save a lot of money.
Design
The iPhone 11 Pro have a 5.8-inch screen, therefore slightly smaller than the iPhone 11, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max have the now classic 6.8-inch large screen . Goode points out that it's a shame that Apple no longer offers a smartphone with a very small and cheaper screen like the iPhone SEs (the 4.7-inch iPhone 8s are still available). For the rest, the design of the two new most powerful iPhones is the same as that of last year's XS, except for the larger space dedicated to the camera on the back of the phone. Patel writes that in terms of size the two models are very slightly thicker (about half a millimeter) and that they weigh a few grams more than their predecessors, which are already quite heavy.
Camera
The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max have three lenses: a super wide angle (f / 2.4, 13mm), a small telephoto lens (f / 2.0, 50mm) and a more classic one (f / 1.8 26mm) . The yield of the photographs is very high and in several circumstances exceeds that of Google's Pixel 3, which had become the standard to be surpassed for competitors. The HDR system, which serves to better balance the areas of light and shadow, has been revised and offers more natural results: it has also convinced Patel, who last year was disappointed with the performance of the iPhone XS in some light conditions.
Panzarino writes that the new iPhones take photographs that are more realistic in the balance of lights and colors, and less “flat” than those obtained in some cases with the Pixel 3. Sensors and lenses are able to capture more details and keep them later the processing carried out by the algorithms, while in the case of the Pixel some details are lost.
In the Wall Street Journal, Joanna Stern wrote that she was very impressed with the quality of the night mode (although occasionally some malfunctions appear) and that she used the super wide angle more often than she imagined, noting that in many cases the addition of elements in the frame help complete the story of a scene. She was less impressed by the portrait mode, which tries to blur the background in relation to the subject in the foreground using the data provided by the different lenses on the depth of the image. The result is not always satisfactory and sometimes part of the subject is badly cut out, compared to what happens on the Pixel 3.
Screen
The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max use an OLED screen with a higher contrast than the LCDs of the iPhone 11. OLED screens are more expensive and therefore it makes sense that they are offered on the most valuable iPhones, but several reviews point out that many competing smartphones and less expensive than Apple's already use OLED solutions. Chris Velazco of Engadget writes that the new screens have the same size and resolution as last year's iPhone models, but with improved color management and increased brightness, which is especially appreciated when outdoors on a particularly sunny day.
Power
The A13 Bionic processor of the iPhone 11 is also present on the Pro and Pro Max and is much more powerful than the A12 used on the iPhone XS. Velazco writes, however, that the difference is almost never noticed, precisely because last year's processor was already very powerful, more than many competing smartphones that have been put on sale in recent months. It has a few more advantages in the case of particularly demanding tasks, such as editing and saving high-definition videos, but the iPhone X and XS already did a good job in this area and according to reviews they will continue to do so for a while longer. nice piece, compared to some competitors.
Battery
Patel writes that the iPhone 11 Pro Max have a “terrific battery life”, a result made possible by the larger size of the phone which can therefore accommodate a larger battery and by the fact that some changes in internal components. Even the iPhone 11 Pro are doing well and still offer “remarkable” results, again according to Patel's experience. Apple has worked to make the new A13 processor less greedy than its predecessor, and has also revised the functioning of the iOS operating system, which in its new version (iOS 13) has several measures to improve battery life and recharge times. The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max are also sold together with an 18-watt charger, which therefore allows for a much faster charging of the battery. The iPhone 11, on the other hand, is sold with the classic, and very slow, 5 watt charger.
What does it do for me? ?
Every year with the arrival of the new iPhones, the dilemma arises for those who want to change smartphones or are fond of Apple products and would like to always have the latest news. The choice this year seems to be less difficult, because the models presented are indeed a step forward, but they do not introduce huge changes compared to last year's iPhones. Review ratings reflect this condition.
Those who have an iPhone XS, XR or X can rest assured and continue to use the phone they already own, waiting for next year's models that should introduce some more significant innovations, starting with the ability to connect to 5G networks absent on the models. presented this year.
Those who have older iPhone models and are comfortable with it, might consider upgrading to the iPhone 11, spending a few hundred dollars less than the more expensive Pro and Pro Max. Apple has a trade-in program for used iPhones, which allows you to have fights up to 200 euros, depending on the age of the phone you give back and its condition.
Those who do not have an iPhone, have a recent Android model and are comfortable (accepting some compromise on privacy) probably has no reason to change and can continue on their way.
According to reviews, iPhones 11 are the best fit for most of the people. The only big difference is the screen, which is negligible for many, and the lack of an optical zoom. For the rest, as always, it depends on how much you want to spend and your needs. The iPhone 11 starts at € 839, the Pro versions from € 1,189.
