Both the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 11 Pro, are seriously high-quality mobile phones. The former, first released back in September 2019, garnered positive reviews for its battery life and overall performance, and remains popular today. In fact, they remain two of our most commonly bought phones on our website.


The iPhone 11 Pro was launched around the same time (to similarly positive reviews) as the more premier of the two phones. But which one should you buy, and why? Luckily for you, the team at X2TECH has put together this guide to answer exactly that. Let’s first jump in at one of the most important considerations: the price.


Price


Of the two phones, the iPhone 11 Pro (as you might expect given the name) is the more expensive. Launched with RRPs of £729 and £1,049 (for the 11 and 11 Pro respectively) it has to be said that these two phones, when bought new, would have set you back a pretty penny. Fortunately, though, we have refurbished iPhone 11 from £279.95 and refurbished iPhone 11 Pro from £329.95.  So, if you’re working on more of a budget, then the standard iPhone 11 comes out top in this category because they are both great phones.
 


Processing Power and Storage Capacity
 
When it comes to processing power and memory, both the regular iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro perform impressively. In fact, they house exactly the same chip (Apple’s proprietary A13 bionic chip), with both boasting a 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU and 8-core Neutral Engine.
 
In terms of storage capacity, both options start with a minimum of 64GB. The standard iPhone 11 maxes out at 256GB, however, whereas the Pro has a maximum storage capacity of 512GB. Half a terabyte in one phone? Do you need that much? Yes, some people do!
If you use your phone purely for personal use, then 256GB is normally enough. If, however, you have maxed out the storage of a 256GB phone – lots of document sharing, files, photos, videos, etc. – then it’s probably safer to go for the Pro with its half a terabyte storage. After all, it’s better to have too much memory and not use it, than not enough when you need it.
 


Colours



The iPhone 11 is available in a great range of vibrant colours (see above) and the iPhone 11 Pro has a more sophisticated but limited range (see below).


Size
 
For some people, size doesn’t matter. For others? It’s the most important thing. With that in mind, how do the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro match up against each other when it comes to screen size? If you’re looking for a sizable screen (but don’t want to go all the way up to a Pro Max) then the standard model is your choice here. The iPhone 11 display clocks in at a hefty 6.1”, whilst the iPhone 11 Pro offers a slightly smaller (and it is only just slightly, it must be said) display at 5.8”. If neither of these are big enough, take a look at the 11 Pro Max.
 


Battery Life (and Charging)


Regarding battery life, differences between the two phones are negligible. The iPhone 11 offers 17 hours of video playback, whilst the iPhone 11 Pro provides one hour more, with 18 hours of video playback. Both models also support wireless charging.
 


Display
 
One of the two truly distinguishing features between the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro is their displays. The former features a (still impressive) Liquid Retina HD display, whilst the latter (as well as the Pro Max) features a Super Retina XDR display. In real terms, the difference between the two is that the standard iPhone 11 has an LCD display whilst the Pro has an OLED display; the terms Apple use – Liquid Retina and Super Retina – are merely marketing terms.
 
What this means is that the Pro has a higher pixel density than the standard iPhone 11, which makes for sharper and more accurate images overall. In addition, the Pro has a far greater contrast ratio when compared with the standard iPhone 11. A far greater contrast ratio, in fact. 2,000,000:1 compared with the standard iPhone 11’s comparatively meagre 1,400:1. Don’t get us wrong, though, the standard iPhone 11 still comes with a seriously nice-looking display!
 
Greater contrast ratios make for deeper blacks, and more clearly defined grayscale detail; for instance, if you’re watching a scene from a movie taking place in the dark, you’ll be more easily able to make out shadows, figures, etc.
 


Camera
 
The second major distinguishing feature between the regular iPhone 11 and the iPhone 11 Pro is the cameras they both have at their disposal. The iPhone 11 features a dual-lens camera system, which includes both a Wide and Ultra-Wide lens. The iPhone 11 Pro also features these two cameras, however in addition it also features a Telephoto lens.
 
What’s a Telephoto lens we hear you say? Essentially, the opposite of a wide lens. Telephoto lenses appear to bring objects closer into the foreground. In other words, this lens captures a distant image and makes it appear larger. Wide lenses, by comparison, make objects in the background appear further away than they, in fact, are. The iPhone 11 Pro can also offer 4x optical zoom, whilst the standard iPhone 11 only offers 2x optical zoom.
 


Final Thoughts…
 
So, there you have it. If you’re operating on more of a budget, and memory isn’t as much of an issue for you, then why not consider a refurbished iPhone 11? On the other hand, if you’ve got a bit more money to spend and would like something with a better display and an additional camera, then a refurbished iPhone 11 Pro is the phone for you.