The iPhone XR, first released in 2018, is the direct predecessor to the iPhone 11, which was released in 2019. Both offer impressive technical specifications, although as you might expect with a newer model, the iPhone 11 tends to come out on top in most departments. In truth, though, we're big fans of both phones here at X2TECH and they are two of our most popular models.
In this guide, we will be comparing some key statistics between the two phones, including battery life, processing power, camera quality and colour options, so that you can best decide just which phone is right for you. First, though, let’s look at the metric that people are probably most interested in – and that’s the price.
The iPhone XR is available in a great range of colours but if you like Green or Purple, the iPhone 11 is the one for you!
Price: Which is Cheaper?
Of the two phones, the iPhone XR is the cheaper option – hardly surprising given that it’s the slightly older model. A refurbished iPhone 11 from X2TECH, for instance, can cost you from as little as £279.95 whereas a refurbished iPhone XR in similar condition might only cost you £179.95. (Prices correct at the time of writing)
In other words, if you look to purchase a refurbished option (and realistically, there’s no real reason not to) then there’s around £100 difference between the two models. If you’re working on a budget, then the XR is the iPhone for you. As we’ll see with other performance features, however, if you can afford that little bit extra, then the 11 is well worth considering.
Chip: Which Has More Powerful Processing Power?
One big difference between the two phones is the chip that they use; both use Apple’s own in-house designed chips, however the XR uses the A12 Bionic Chip, whereas the 11 uses their A13 Bionic Chip. Practical differences between a newer computer chip iteration and its predecessor often only seem slight.
In this case, however, it’s thought that the A13 Bionic Chip offers as much as a 20% improvement on CPU performance, whilst at the same time offering that at 40% lower power consumption. Simply put, the iPhone 11 offers significantly greater computing power than the iPhone XR. What that means, in practical terms, is quicker performance, reduced lag and delay, an improved ability to run multiple resource-intensive tasks concurrently, and a reduced risk of overheating.
Camera Quality: Are You a Budding Photographer?
If your phone’s camera is an important feature to you, then you should unquestionably go for the iPhone 11 out of the two models. iPhones are renowned for their camera quality, and neither the iPhone XR nor the iPhone 11 let the tech giant down in this regard. The iPhone XR’s 12-megapixel rear-facing camera is able to record in 4K at 24fps, 30fps and 60fps, whilst its 7-megapixel front-facing camera is more than adequate for most people’s selfie needs!
The iPhone 11 also features everything listed above (though its front-facing camera is 12-megapixel not 7-megapixel). In addition, however, the 11 also has an ultra-wide camera lens, as well as its own Night Mode for low-light photography. The iPhone 11 takes sharper, more defined photos, though there’s not as huge of a difference as you might expect. If you’re a camera-buff, then you’d definitely want the 11. For the layperson, however, the XR will also do you just fine.
Out on Display: What Sizes are the Screens?
They’re identical! This is pretty much the only category other than capacity/memory in which the two models boast exactly the same technical specs. Both phones have a 6.1” Liquid Retina HD Display (Apple’s own-marketed LCD display) which provides a ‘paper-like’ effect on the screen in terms of appearance, with 326 pixels per inch (ppi) and a contrast ratio of 1,400:1.
Whilst less impressive than the Super Retina XDR displays found in the most recent Apple products, these are still high-quality screens that give a good quality of screen image, particularly in terms of both brightness and colour. On the topic of size, it’s also worth saying that both models only weigh 194g in total.
What Was I Saying Again? Ah Yes, the Memory
As alluded to just before, memory capacity is the only other area that both the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR match up identically. Both offer several options in terms of capacity, including 64GB, 128GB and 256GB. If you don’t think you’re going to be using your phone to store much, either in terms of files (perhaps you backup everything on the cloud, instead) or the apps you download, then the 64GB option should do you just fine. If you particularly envisage yourself storing files, documents and images on your device, however, then we’d suggest going for the 128GB, or even the 256GB option.
Final Thoughts…
Both of these Apple iPhones are very high-quality; a result of their both being less than five years old, and the fact that Apple is synonymous with quality and standard-setting in the technology sector. As hinted at in the introduction, the iPhone 11 does tend to come up trumps in most departments because it’s the newer model. But that’s not to say that the XR isn’t still a very capable phone in its own right, and it should by no means be sniffed at.
