Apple iPhone 11 review by itechcore

The iPhone 11 is the successor to the excellent iPhone XR and it is the best overall iPhone you can buy this year.

 iPhone 11 takes the iPhone XR, keeps the design virtually unchanged and alters the internals. There are now two cameras on the back, for example, and the same A13 chipset you’ll find in the Pro model.

Below we’ll talk about the new iPhone’s camera, display, performance, design and battery life. We’ve been using the iPhone 11 since its release so that’s several months now, and as you would hope it is standing up well.

It has received several iOS updates that have sorted several early software issues we had with – notably the system-wide search functions properly again – and our review unit hasn’t picked up any obvious dings or dents even though it’s not being used with a case.

Since the iPhone 11 hit shelves, we’ve also seen the pixel 4 debuts. Even though in some situations Google’s flagship takes better pictures, the versatility of the iPhone camera shines through.

How much does the iPhone 11 cost?

Apple is selling the iPhone 11 for $699 in the US, but a much steeper £729 in the UK.  See below for the price variations depending on how much storage you need.

• iPhone 11: £729 (64GB); £779 (128GB); £879 (256GB)
• iPhone 11: $699 (64GB); $749 (128GB); $849 (256GB)

Camera – The iPhone 11 camera is an excellent improvement in so many ways

As the camera is such a vital part of the new iPhone 11 series, and because it is just so darn good, we’ve got a dedicated iPhone 11 camera page featuring an extended, in-depth look at the duo of cameras on the back of this phone – along with a look at how it compares to two of our favorite competing for Android phones.

The shorter verdict is that these new rear cameras are excellent. Even though the iPhone 11 is a lot more affordable than the Pro models, it retains exactly the same wide-angle 12-megapixel optical image stabilized (OIS) main sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and the same 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera (f/2.4).

The only thing you’re missing out on is the telephoto, 2x ‘optical’ zoomed camera that sits on the Pro. I’d take ultra-wide-angle over zoomed any day, so it’s a fair trade in my eyes. When comparing photos from the Pro and 11 I can’t see any differences at all.

There are two cameras on the back of the iPhone 11

This ultra-wide camera lets you cram so much more into your shots and it’s ideal for landscapes, however, it’s a smaller sensor with a slower lens so it can’t match the main sensor for pure quality. Still, the versatility it adds is fun to shoot with and I have constantly been jumping to it when I think there’s an interesting shot available.

iPhone 11 (left) vs Pixel 3 (right) (drag the slider to compare the two photos)

It’s far from a new thing for phones to pack such a sensor, but it’s great to see Apple adding one here anyway. Apple has also added 4K60 video recording, made improvements to its Smart HDR feature that was introduced last time around and has finally built a Night mode into the camera app for much better shooting when the light is poor.

Snaps taken with the Night mode automatically enabled are, on the whole, fantastic. You get clean, the crisp photo which matches – and can exceed – the Pixel 3 and P30 Pro. There seems to be more detail retained with the P30 Pro, but that’s something which is only hugely noticeable at larger sizes than a phone screen.

iPhone 11 (left) vs Pixel 3 (right) (drag the slider to compare the two photos)

Pictures taken in less taxing environments are predictably excellent. Detail has been dramatically upped from the previous iPhones and, to my eye, dynamic range is better – giving you a clearer definition between the lightest and darkest elements of the picture.

Other phones might be able to match the iPhone 11 in terms of general picture quality, however, the iPhone’s video capabilities are head and shoulders above the rest. You can shoot on both cameras up to 4K60fps and the colors and tone are well-balanced across both.

The front camera now boasts 12 megapixels and can now capture, erm, ‘selfies‘. These slow-motion selfies are surprisingly fun but also a bit gimmicky. You’ll likely use it once and then forget it’s there.

Design – The DNA of the iPhone XR lives on and that’s a good thing

Apple seems more settled than usual with the designs of its trio of iPhones. The iPhone 11 Proline has been virtually unchanged since the iPhone X arrived and just about killed the bezel, while the iPhone 11 keeps the same look and feel like the iPhone XR.

It still weighs the same, at 194g, keeps the 8.3mm thickness, and were it not for the redesigned camera module on the back and slightly more muted array of colors, it would look identical to the phone it’s replacing.

That means you’ve got a device that feels a lot sturdier than the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max with a rigid aluminum frame and a glass back. Apple claims that the glass used here is the ‘toughest glass on a smartphone’ thanks to a“ dual ion-exchange strengthening process“, and this covers both the front and back.

What that really means for you, if you accidentally drop your shiny new phone on a stone floor, remains to be seen. I have already seen plenty of examples of cracked iPhone 11s. Surprisingly, Apple’s case line for the iPhone 11 is weak, with the leather and silicone options reserved for the pricier Pro – in its place you’ve got a fairly cheap-feeling plastic case.

The IP water resistance rating has also been upped to IP68, matching the iPhone XS. This means protection in water up to 1.5m deep for up to half an hour.

Where the design differences are most obvious is the new, larger camera housing. The iPhone 11 adds a second camera into the mix, making both sensors physically larger in the process. These are cameras that really stand out and become part of the phone’s design, rather than blending in.

Even though they look quite bulbous in pictures, the cameras don’t jut out too much from the back of the phone and I actually like the way they look. There’s even a nice contrasting matte square housing the camera sensors and flash that adds a bit of flair. You will notice the phone doesn’t sit flush to a surface if you put it on a table, making it a bit annoying to type without holding the phone.

iPhone 11 mirrors the XR in terms of looks

The iPhone XR introduced bright colors to the iPhone line for the first time since the often derided iPhone 5C and they remain here. For the iPhone 11, Apple has muted some of the brighter colors, giving them more of a pastel finish. I’ve been using the purple hue and I am a big fan – having a more saturated purple would have looked gaudy. You’ve also got a green that reminds me of a seventies bathroom suite, a light yellow and more traditional colors like white and black. A deep Product(RED) version rounds off the selection.

A year on from the iPhone XR, and two from the iPhone X, I do have to say this design is starting to feel slightly in need of a refresh. While the iPhone 11 remains a good-looking phone, the overly-large notch and slightly thicker-than-expected bezel look dated when compared to Samsung galaxy S10and One plus 7pro. If you’re coming from an older, pre-iPhone X device then you’ll see huge improvements. This is a much more manageable device than, say, the iPhone 8 plus and it crams a bigger screen into a smaller overall footprint.

I find the iPhone 11’s size the best out of any iPhone: more screen to play with than the 11 Pro without feeling overly bulky and heavy. It’s the perfect mix and I wish the 11 Pro came in this size.

(drag the slider to compare the two photos)

Screen – The iPhone 11 screen is its least impressive trait

The screen remains the same as the iPhone XR too, likely to the dismay of many people. The 6.1-inch ‘Liquid Retina LCD’ still falls below the competition in terms of resolution and it would have been nice to see the 1792 x 828 panel upgraded to a 1080p version.

Does it make that much of a difference? Not really, no. If you go pixel-peeping with an iPhone 11 Pro and a high-end Android phone next to it you will notice a little less sharpness, but this is a bright and color-rich display that comes in at the perfect size.

True Tone is onboard for altering harsh hues depending on your environment and you can bring the screen to life by raising it or tapping. 

Even more than a resolution boost, I would have liked Apple to go full-on OLED across the whole iPhone range. The deeper colors and inky black of the iPhone 11 Pro are hard to return from and this remains the biggest weakness with the iPhone 11’s display.

The screen can’t match the iPhone 11 for resolution

Battery life – The iPhone 11 battery life isn’t the range’s best, but it’s close

The iPhone XR seriously impressed when it came to endurance, outlasting the ‘Plus’ model iPhones and comfortably sitting as the Apple flagship with the best battery life.

The iPhone 11 Pro Max might have bagged that award with its massive improvements over the iPhone XS Max, but the iPhone 11 is still a really long-lasting phone that I found went slightly further than its predecessor on a single charge.

Apple’s claim of ‘all-day battery life’ feels completely genuine and throughout the review process, there were a few days when I took the phone off charge one morning and didn’t plug it back in until midday at my desk the following day. That’s even with the slightly heavier usage that comes with getting to grips with a new phone. Some other days I was hitting the red by 10pm and I noticed the battery drains a lot faster when you’re shooting a lot of photos and video.

Apple phones have always impressed me more than Android counterparts when it comes to battery drain during intensive tasks like gaming and streaming. I’ve been getting deep into the excellent Apple Arcade titles and 30 minutes of Oceanhorn 2 ate through 8% – pretty impressive going.

What’s less impressive is the 5w charger you’ll find in the box. Not including a fast charger is clearly a cost-cutting measure and it remains a real downer against this phone. The included charger has always felt slow and that feeling is even more obvious now that the iPhone 11 Pro models come with an 18w charger.

In 30 minutes of charging the iPhone 11 with the included plug and Lightning cable it went from dead to just 13% – hardly ideal if you’re in a rush and forgot to plug your phone in the night before. In the same amount of time, charging with the 18w plug you’ll find in the Pro’s box, it got to 38%. I’d suggest that – if you’re willing to spend a bit more – you should pick up the Apple 18w plug (£29) and USB-C to Lightning cable (£19) alongside the iPhone 11.

Wireless Qi is charging too (7.5w) which is actually faster than the basic plug – so long as you’ve got a compatible pad.

The battery life on the iPhone 11 is impressive, no doubt, but it’s far from the overall battery champion. If you really care about the battery and aren’t put off by the move to Android, then phones like the Huawei P30 pro  – along with far cheaper options like the Moto G7 Power – are far more impressive.