The iPhone 11 was unveiled at the beginning of September 2019 during Apple's traditional back-to-school Keynote. It did not come alone, but with the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max models. It differs from the latter, however, in terms of size, but also in some other technical details. It is also less expensive than its “Pro” labeled cousins, in fact truly establishing itself in the iPhone range as the successor to the iPhone XR.
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On the other hand, while the latter presented itself as a more accessible version of the iPhone that it is simply called iPhone 11.
Here is what the latter has in his stomach and if he deserves his status as a figurehead.
The main features of the iPhone 11
Design and case: no surprises
The design of the iPhone 11 case isn't really surprising. It has exactly the same lines as the iPhone XR case. It therefore comes in the form of a terminal with rounded corners, measuring 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm, for a weight of 194g. Its dress is made of glass and aluminum, and the finish is exemplary, as with every Apple product.
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On the front, we find the typical notch of the iPhone X/XR/XS/XS Max necessary for Face ID and also present on iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.
In fact, the only visual change is on the back of the smartphone. The latter now integrates a set of 2 sensors positioned in a square shape with blunt corners. This is a nice development, whereas the iPhone XR only has one sensor.
Note also that the apple logo is now located right in the center of the case at the back, and no longer shifted upwards as on previous models. Finally, IP68 water resistance is guaranteed, corresponding to waterproofing of the case during immersion up to 2 meters deep for a maximum of 30 minutes.
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Screen: LCD without 3D Touch
Concerning the screen, the iPhone 11 is entitled to a Liquid Retina HD LCD panel, 6.1 inches diagonal. It displays the following resolution: 1792 x 828 pixels at 326 ppi. The contrast is 1400/1 and the True Tone is there. On the other hand, no 3D Touch for the iPhone 11, but the return to Haptic Touch, simulating a physical feedback during a long press. Overall, 3D Touch and Haptic Touch allow access to the same shortcuts in iOS.
Processor and RAM
The A13 Bionic processor is the brains of the iPhone 11, featuring a new 3rd generation Neural Engine. We know the power of Apple Ax chips, this new version should not tarnish the reputation of the Cupertino company in terms of mobile chip design. The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max also incorporate the same model.
For RAM, you need 4 GB on the iPhone 11, like on the Pro models.
Autonomy: very good
The iPhone 11 battery is capable, according to Apple, of offering an hour of additional battery life compared to the iPhone XR. And the latter was already a reference in the field. Here is an overview of the battery life of the machine depending on use: up to 26 hours of talk time, up to 16 hours of internet browsing time, up to 17 hours of video playback time and up to 65 hours of audio playback time.
Wireless charging is available, as is fast wired charging, which allows 50% charging in 30 minutes with an 18 W adapter (not included).
Connections
The iPhone 11 features a Lightning connector, Bluetooth 5.0, and new Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax with MIMO2x2. LTE supports the Gigabit standard. NFC is also included, as well as a new Ultra Wideband chip for new indoor positioning features, among other things. Dual-Sim with eSim is also present.
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The photo and video capabilities of the iPhone 11
Front camera
The iPhone 11 has a 12-megapixel front sensor, capable of taking advantage of new Smart HDR technology in addition to Portrait mode with bokeh effect, for even better defined photos than its predecessor, the iPhone XR. In video, the front sensor also does better, with recording possible in high definition, up to 4K at 24, 30 or 60 fps.
Rear camera
On the back, the iPhone 11 has a dual 12-megapixel camera as well. One is a wide-angle sensor with an f1.8 aperture, the other is an ultra-wide-angle sensor with an f2.4 aperture.
The True Tone Flash and Portrait Lighting Mode functionalities are complemented by the new Smart HDR mode, but also a new Night mode and new video capabilities, for zooming on sound and image, and shooting up to 60 fps. The iPHone 11 can also take videos quickly from the camera with the new QuickTake feature.
Capacity, colors and price
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Colors and storage: a wide choice
The iPhone 11 is available in 5 different colors, black, green, yellow, purple, red (ProductRED) and white, making it the iPhone with the largest choice of colors currently on shelves at Apple, after the iPhone XR and its 6 colors. Three storage capacities are currently offered by the Californian firm for the iPhone 11, 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB.
Price list
The price of the iPhone 11 obviously depends on the choice of storage. With 64 GB, the iPhone 11 costs 809 euros, with 128 GB, 859 euros, and with 256 GB, the device rises to 979 euros. From telecom operators, you can obtain these devices at a more advantageous price by opting for a mobile subscription with commitment (each person is free to take it or not). Our colleagues from Presse-citron made acomparator to find your mobile plan, with commitment or not.
Conclusion and opinion
The iPhone 11 is a nice evolution compared to its predecessor, the iPhone XR. See to be convincedour iPhone XR vs iPhone 11 comparison. The latter now benefits from a good dual-lens camera and displays some more discreet, but no less important, improvements, including Wi-Fi 6, Dolby Atmos support, LTE Gigabit and its Ultra Wideband chip and waterproofing. IP68. In addition, it gains in power with a latest generation processor and 4 GB of RAM in total.
Obviously, it is less well equipped than the Pro models and their triple photo lens. See our comparison on this subjectiPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone 11. The non-Pro model also does not have an OLED panel and displays a lower resolution all the same, its autonomy does not have to be ashamed of the Pro models, nor its raw power.
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In the end, the iPhone 11 is truly a good vintage. It is in a way an improved iPhone Pro Max, but it remains the least expensive of the three and will greatly satisfy the majority of needs, both in photo and video, or even in video games, internet browsing, etc., all of which is perfectly supported by iOS.
On the other hand, great photographers and videographers might prefer the best and in this case, turn to the Pro models. But you will have to be willing to pay the price. The iPhone 11 nonetheless remains an excellent phone, capable of taking very high quality shots, which will be more than sufficient for everyday photography, with family, friends, while traveling, or even for social networks.
The iPhone 11 is our favorite from Apple's 2019 range.
