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About Apple iPhone 11 - Review, Specs + more

The iPhone 11 is here, fresh and ready for pre-order now. Just to clarify the new lineup for those that are confused, there is now the following models:

1. iPhone 11
2. iPhone 11 Pro
3. iPhone 11 Pro Max

For the sake of this review, we shall refer to the iPhone 11 as the entry-level model and therefore it is in-line with the previous iPhone XR model that Apple released the year before. Let's compare them side-by-side and see if the new iPhone 11 is worth upgrading to, or should you stick with the XR?

Contents

• Not much has changed
• iPhone 11 - Cameras
• Under the bonnet of iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 - Verdict

Not much has changed

Let's start with the similarities, of which there are many. The colours at launch of the iPhone 11 are the same as those seen in the iPhone XR in that they also come in six colours, although they are not quite the same as its predecessor. This time round it's available in White, Black, Green, Yellow, Purple and Red (ProductRED) in the UK. The LCD (RetinaHD) screen continues to measure 6.1 inches in the  diagonal and has the same values as the iPhone XR here too:  large P3 colour gamut, true-tone display and a brightness of 625 candelas.

According to Apple, the strength of the glass on the front and on the back has improved. In addition, the iPhone 11 is classified to IP 68 and can survive 30 minutes to a depth of two metres. The device dimensions and weight have not changed compared to the iPhone XR - although the iPhone 11 Pro Max by comparison is the heaviest model that Apple has ever released.

iPhone 11 - Cameras

When recording video, you can switch between both cameras during recording. And if you want to quickly record a video, you no longer have to switch from photo to video mode. All you have to do is press the trigger, which Apple calls QuickTake.

Apple has improved the HDR mode and the portrait mode now works with pets. Also new is the night mode for shooting in low-light situations - this turns on automatically. The front camera now also has 12 megapixels so with this one can now shoot 4K video recordings and slow motion shots with ease.

Under the bonnet of iPhone 11

Inside the iPhone 11, the A13 Bionic chip works with a third-generation so called Neural Engine, which offers both better CPU and graphics performance than the A12 chip in the iPhone XR/XS before it. The processor has 8.5 billion transistors and uses less power than its predecessor as well, so that should mean up to one hour longer battery life than the iPhone XR too according to this review.

In terms of wireless technology, the iPhone supports 11 Gigabit-capable LTE and the 802.11ax Wi-Fi standard with MIMO, as well as Dolby Atmos for sound output.

iPhone 11 - Verdict

So is the iPhone 11 worth getting on monthly contract? With 2 cameras, and a faster processor, but very similar looks to the previous generation of iPhones, we prefer the looks of the new iPhone 11. It seems to be less bulky in appearance, and for looks alone it's worth upgrading to.

It's unfortunate that Apple has left out things like 5G, and that notch still exists whereas many rivals (which are way cheaper) have better specs and no notch at all. A good example is the P30 Pro from Huawei, which is about £400 less than the iPhone 11. But ultimately Apple has that brand cachet that Huawei does not, and most Brits won't consider any other brand for their next smartphone.

The iPhone 11 is available now in the UK, but you may want to consider the iPhone 11 Pro. For many people, the iPhone 11 is an excellent smartphone, even in comparison to some of the more powerful features of the iPhone 11 Pro.

While you miss out on the triple-lens camera setup, you still get the ultra-powerful A13 Bionic processor as well as features like Portrait mode and Smart HDR.

And the pricing is quite varied too - the iPhone 11 costs about £25 per month on pay monthly contract in the UK.