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For Apple devotees, the iPhone is the only phone that matters. The biggest choice fans have to make is whether they need to get the newest iPhone right now, grab a bargain on an older model, or hold off in the hopes of an even newer iPhone being launched.
However, simply going for the newest iPhone doesn’t always mean you’ll get the best deal. Often, the older iPhone models are just as slick and feature-packed as the newer ones. Put simply, there are no bad iPhones out there if you go for a model from the past couple of years.
You could buy any of the six iPhones currently on sale, whether that's a brand new $1,099 iPhone 11 Pro Max or the cheaper iPhone 11, and bag one of the best phones on sale. You could even buy a $549 iPhone 8 Plus and get a very decent phone.
But how do you know you're getting the right iPhone for you? We've taken an in-depth look at all the iPhones on sale, so you can quickly and easily find out which one is right for you.
Which Is The Best iPhone?
These are the best Apple iPhone models you can buy. Though it’s still possible to track down older ones second-hand or refurbished, we’d advise sticking to one of the iPhones below:
- iPhone 11 Pro – The best iPhone on sale: The iPhone 11 Pro is, in our mind, the best iPhone you can buy at the moment. Its smaller size makes it easier to use than the 11 Pro Max, while its OLED screen is streets ahead of the regular iPhone 11. Plus, you get some of the best phone cameras on the market.
- iPhone 11 – A great option for almost everyone: While it doesn't have an OLED screen and has to make do with an 828p LCD display, the iPhone 11 will still be perfect for most people. Plus, at $699, you're saving a not-inconsiderable amount of money compared to the iPhone 11 Pro. It also comes in loads of fancy colors, which is nice.
- iPhone 11 Pro Max – The one with the big screen: At the risk of sounding reductive, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is only really meant for people who just want more. You get a larger screen and a larger battery, which makes it great for playing games or for people who need to work on their phones. But the $1,099 price tag still seems steep to us.
- iPhone SE – The cut-price iPhone returns: The iPhone SE allows you to get the iPhone experience for less. It costs just $399, but packs in the latest A13 Bionic processor and impressive camera tech. However, it looks seriously dated compared to new iPhones and similarly priced Android phones.
Don't forget, though, that the iPhone 12 series is expected to arrive in September. It won't be a milquetoast incremental upgrade this time, either – Apple is expected to overhaul the series with new sizes, OLED screens, and 5G connectivity.
Price |
Screen size |
Screen type
OLEDs are generally better but LCDs are cheaper.
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Screen resolution
The higher the numbers, the better — generally.
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Operating system |
Battery size
Measured in milliampere hours. The larger the number, the better.
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Processor |
RAM
Measured in gigabytes, more RAM allows phones to handle more tasks at once.
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Verizon Plans
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AT&T Plans
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iPhone SE | iPhone 11 | iPhone 11 Pro | iPhone 11 Pro Max | ||||||||
$399 | $699 | $999 | $1,099 | ||||||||
4.7 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 6.5 | ||||||||
LCD | LCD | OLED | OLED | ||||||||
750×1334 | 828×1792 | 1125×2436 | 1242×2688 | ||||||||
iOS 13 | iOS 13 | iOS 13 | iOS 13 | ||||||||
1821 | 3110 | 3046 | 3969 | ||||||||
A13 Bionic | A13 Bionic | A13 Bionic | A13 Bionic | ||||||||
3GB | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
iPhone 11 Pro Review
The iPhone 11 Pro looks like a return to form from Apple, following the iterative upgrade from iPhone X to XS. Indeed, the iPhone 11 Pro has some tangible improvements over its XS predecessor.
iPhone 11 Pro cameras
Early reports suggest that the new triple camera setup, the first of its kind on an iPhone, is a resounding success. This would put the latest iPhone cameras back into the fray with Google, Samsung, and Huawei's top models.
The front camera has also seen a resolution bump from 7Mp to 12Mp, something which will no doubt delight selfie enthusiasts. This should also help make portrait mode selfies better, as the extra resolution will help improve clarity.
iPhone 11 Pro performance and processor
However, Apple has made its biggest changes under the hood. The new A13 Bionic processor keeps the iPhone 11 Pro at the forefront of the smartphone speed skirmish, meaning snappy app switching and multitasking, as well as impressive gaming performance. However, the new processor is smarter, allowing for faster face-unlocking and improved computational photography tricks.
iPhone 11 Pro battery life and price
The iPhone 11 Pro also gets a significantly larger battery than the old XS. The new phone has a 3,046 mAh battery, while the older model had to make do with a 2,658 mAh power pack. This should hearten iPhone users who are over-accustomed to reaching for the charging cable.
It's still an expensive phone, of course. Plus, with prices starting at $999, but just 64GB of storage as standard, one feels Apple is being a bit stingy.
Verdict: The best iPhone you can buy at the moment.
Pros
- Significantly improved cameras
- Beautiful screen quality
- Smart and powerful processor
- High quality design and build
Cons
- Expensive
- Paltry storage
iPhone 11 Review
The iPhone 11 is the baby of the new Apple phone lineup, costing $699 from new. For reference, that's $50 cheaper than the iPhone XR that it replaced – who said Apple isn't a consumer friendly company!
iPhone 11 screen
While the iPhone 11 would be a great option for almost anyone, we still have major quibbles about its display. Unlike pretty much all phones at this price point, the 11 has to make do with an LCD, rather than an OLED display. This means it won't be as good in the sun, while colors might not seem as sharp as they do on the 11 Pro, or even the old XS.
What's more, the iPhone 11's screen isn't even a Full-HD panel. That's right – you pay $699 for a brand new iPhone, and you don't even get a 1080p display. Instead, you get an 828 x 1792 resolution.
If you're looking at the iPhone 11 as a replacement for an old iPhone X or an Android phone with an OLED screen, we'd caution against it.
iPhone 11 cameras
The iPhone 11 gets an additional rear camera compared to the iPhone XR it replaced, as well as an improved front camera. This means it should get a more well-rounded set of photography skills.
The new ultrawide rear lens will make for some stunning shots, as well as more stable videos. The improved front camera, meanwhile, will likely give your selfies extra clarity. What's more, the new A13 Bionic processor means that it'll be able to keep up with anything that you throw at it.
Verdict: A very good phone, but its LCD screen is a letdown.
Pros
- Improved front and rear cameras
- Speedy processor
- Beautiful range of color options
- Larger battery should make it easier to live with
Cons
- Expensive
- Paltry storage
iPhone 11 Pro Max Review
Let's move from the cheap-ish and cheerful iPhone 11 to the expensive and enormous iPhone 11 Pro Max. The new range-topping Pro Max model starts at $1,099, but can be specced-up to a fairly ridiculous $1,449.
iPhone 11 Pro Max design
However, you do get a lot of phone for your money. The Pro Max comes with a large 6.5-inch display, and weighs a whopping 226 grams. That's 30 grams more than the larger Samsung Note 10 Plus, for example.
Even if you have hands like dinner plates, you'll probably find the Pro Max a bit of a behemoth.
iPhone 11 Pro Max battery
You also get the largest battery that Apple has ever squeezed into an iPhone – a 3,969 mAh unit. That should be enough to keep it running easily for a day and a half.
However, it's still a lot smaller than a lot of similarly priced Android phones. Samsung's Note 10+ has a 4,300 mAh battery, while its new S20 Ultra has a 5,000 mAh unit.
iPhone 11 Pro Max cameras and performance
You also get the new triple camera set-up and A13 Bionic processor, for great photos and speedy performance.
All told, we want to like the 11 Pro Max, but it's just a bit too rich, and too large, for our tastes. Think very carefully about whether you truly need this much phone before reaching for your wallet.
Verdict: The sheer size and price of the 11 Pro Max make us lean towards the 11 Pro.
Pros
- Large screen is great for watching films and playing games
- Smart and speedy processor
- Improved cameras
- Large battery to keep it running for over a day
Cons
- Very expensive
- Paltry storage
- On the large side for us
iPhone SE
The iPhone SE costs just $399, and gives people a genuinely viable cheap iPhone option. Expect them to sell like hot cakes.
iPhone SE performance
Perhaps the iPhone SE's biggest selling point, aside from it being an iPhone, is its processor.
It uses the same A13 Bionic processor as the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max. This means it is more powerful than any other Android phone on sale, and will help you power through tasks.
However, the iPhone SE does lose out when it comes to battery life. That powerful processor can seriously drain the tiny 1,821 mAh battery.
iPhone SE screen
The iPhone SE's biggest drawback is its screen. It has a 4.7-inch LCD display, which is the same as the old iPhone 8. It's a good LCD display, but its not a patch on similarly priced Android phones with OLEDs.
That said, if you've been using iPhones for the past five years or so, you won't notice much difference.
iPhone SE Camera
The iPhone SE has a 12Mp rear camera, and it takes surprisingly good shots. In fact, it's considered to be one of the few sub-$500 phones than can compete with the Google Pixel 3a series.
It also takes by far the best videos of any phone at this price.
Pros
- Cheap
- Small and handy
- Impressive camera for the price
- Faster than all other phones in its class
Cons
- Small, low-resolution screen
- Small battery
iPhone 11 Pro vs iPhone 11 Pro Max
The two most expensive iPhones going head-to-head. Frankly, if you want the last word in iPhones, the 11 Pro Max is the phone for you. Its screen is significantly larger with a higher resolution, but no loss of sharpness. You also get a noticeably bigger battery.
However, both phones feature the same camera tech, the same processor, and the same software. So, is the 11 Pro Max's bigger screen and longer battery life worth the extra $100? Well, lets put it this way. You're already spending a grand on a phone – if price is an issue, should you really be looking at the 11 Pro? There are loads of good, cheap phones out there.
There is one more caveat, though. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is significantly larger than the Pro model. The 6.5-inch screen is enormous, sure, but the real issue is the Pro Max's extra weight. At 226 grams, or almost eight ounces, it's a hefty piece of kit to have in your pocket or bag at all times. Given that the iPhone 11 Pro doesn't lose out on performance or camera tech, we'd save ourselves $100 and leave the heavy lifting for the gym, and buy the cheaper phone instead.
Verdict: Both phones are fantastic, but we'd find the 11 Pro easier to live with every day.
iPhone 11 Pro vs iPhone 11
The 11 is Apple's new “budget” iPhone, coming in at a reasonably low $699. Given its similarities in appearance to the iPhone 11 Pro, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the regular iPhone 11 was one of the bargain phones of the year.
The 11 gives you a larger, but less sharp screen than the 11 Pro, and you have to make do without the 11 Pro's third rear camera – you get an ultra wide and wide angle lens on the 11, while the 11 Pro gets a telephoto lens for better zooming and detail. However, you get the same 12Mp depth-sensing front camera on both phones.
And yet, you pay $300 less for the iPhone 11 than the iPhone 11 Pro – that's a lot of money. Think of all the lovely things you could take slightly poorer pictures of with that $300…
Verdict: The 11 Pro is a great phone, and you'll notice the improved screen quality – but that $300 could be enough to make you think twice
Which iPhone Has the Best Camera?
iPhones nearly always have good cameras, so we're pretty confident that whichever iPhone you get will be able to take decent pictures. However, there was a sense that Apple had fallen behind the likes of Google and Huawei in the photography stakes – can the addition of the a telephoto lens bring the latest iPhones back up to speed?
Rear cameras
Here's the lowdown on the cameras on the latest iPhones.
The 11 Pro and Pro Max have the exactly the same rear cameras: A telephoto lens for better zoom and detail shots, a wide angle lens for run of the mill photography, and an ultra wide lens for capturing broad vistas or adding an arty fisheye effect to your latest Instagram post.
The iPhone 11, on the other hand, has to make do with just the wide and ultra-wide angle lenses.
Front cameras
The iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max all have exactly the same front camera: A 12Mp depth-sensing lens that will take care of everything from FaceID unlocking to cringe-inducing Snapchat videos on a night out, plus fancy Portrait Mode shots.
Until now, we hadn't really seen a huge update on iPhone front cameras since Apple introduced the 7Mp depth sensor lens on 2017's iPhone X. So, if you're really into selfies, the iPhone 11 lineup is the way to go.
Which iPhone has a Dual Camera?
The dual rear camera was introduced to the iPhone lineup in recent years, but not all models have it. Don't forget, though, that the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max have three rear cameras.
Treble cameras:
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
Dual cameras:
- iPhone 11
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XS
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 6s Plus
Single cameras:
- iPhone XR
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone SE
Which iPhone has the Best Battery Life?
iPhones normally get slandered for their battery life compared to leading Android models. However, Apple decided to increase the size of the batteries on the latest iPhones quite significantly.
So, this is how the current generation (plus the iPhone XS from last year) square up in the battery life stakes.
iPhone 11 Pro | iPhone 11 Pro Max | iPhone 11 | iPhone SE | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Battery size (mAh) | 3,046 | 3,969 | 3,110 | 1,821 |
Video playback | Up to 18 hours | Up to 20 hours | Up to 17 hours | Up to 13 hours |
Audio playback | Up to 65 hours | Up to 80 hours | Up to 65 hours | Up to 40 hours |
Confusing, right?
The iPhone 11 Pro has a smaller battery than the iPhone 11, but manages to squeeze out an extra hour of battery life. How?
It's down to the iPhone 11's screen. At 6.1 inches, it's slightly larger than the 5.8-inch display on the iPhone 11 Pro. Plus, it uses an LCD display, which are less power efficient than OLED displays.
However, if you want to get the iPhone with the best battery life, you should get the 11 Pro Max. Its battery is significantly larger than any other iPhone on sale, and it consequently has a much longer battery life.
The iPhone SE, on the other hand, has a very small battery by 2021 standards. It's cheap, sure, but you're investing in tech that is slightly behind the times in some areas.
Which iPhone is the Best Value for Money?
We reckon the best value iPhone you can buy at the moment is the iPhone XR. You'll get a good-looking phone with snappy performance, a decent screen, and strong cameras.
But, for $100, you could get the newer iPhone 11. This is the problem with iPhones – they're all so close in specs and price that without thinking, you can find yourself heading down the slippery slope towards a $1,099 iPhone 11 Pro Max.
If you want to spend as little as possible and still have an iPhone, though, you'll need to get an iPhone SE – these now start at just $399. It's not a bad phone, but it does feel behind the times in some areas.
In truth, you need to consider what you need from an iPhone. If you just want a new iPhone, we'd recommend the iPhone XR. However, if we were buying an iPhone, we'd probably go for the newer iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro to take advantage of the improved battery life and upgraded cameras.
Verdict: All told, the XR is almost certainly the best value iPhone on sale today. However, with the improved iPhone 11 not costing too much more, it might be the better option.
Is a Refurbished iPhone Worth It?
There are a bunch of phones available on Apple's certified refurbished scheme. These models are a fair bit cheaper than they were at launch, and some look fairly tempting:
- iPhone X 64GB – $599
- iPhone XS 64GB – $699
At $699, the iPhone XS is far from a bad deal. However, the newer iPhone 11 costs the same. The iPhone X is a pretty solid deal for $599, but be mindful that you're buying a two year-old phone that might start to see some issues with performance down the line.
We'd also steer clear of the iPhone 8 models – if you're buying one of these refurbished, you might as well buy an SE.
Here's some more info on the older iPhones if you're interested in picking one up.
iPhone XR Review
The iPhone XR was effectively replaced by the iPhone 11, although you can still buy it directly from Apple.
iPhone XR design
The XR follows the same basic design as the iPhone 11, with a 6.1-inch LCD display, complete with the notch for the front camera and slightly wider bezels than the pricier OLED 11 Pro and Pro Max models.
Like the iPhone 11, the XR didn't receive a Full-HD screen. This means that images won't be as sharp or as colorful as they are on the iPhone XS or 11 Pro.
iPhone XR price
However, as the XR is now effectively old hat, it's received a price cut. When it debuted, the XR cost $749 – which by our reckoning was slightly too expensive. It now costs a far more reasonable $599.
But for $100 more, you could get the new iPhone 11 with a faster processor, larger battery, and extra rear camera, as well as an improved front snapper. We like saving money here at Tech.co, but if we're honest, we'd choose the newer iPhone 11 over the XR.
Verdict: The price cut makes it enticing, but we'd rather have the upgraded iPhone 11 for not that much more.
Find out more: iPhone XR full review
Pros
- Better value than iPhone 11
- Good screen quality for an LCD
- Premium design
- Range of color options
Cons
- Single camera, rather than dual camera of the iPhone 11
- ‘Notch' screen design is divisive
- LCD, rather than OLED display
iPhone XS Review
You can't buy the iPhone XS directly from Apple any longer. However, it is still available at loads of different carriers.
iPhone XS price
The XS is still a very good phone – a year might seem a long time in tech, but the XS hasn't aged poorly at all. It still oozes quality from its hardware, right through to its software and AI smarts. Being a year old, the iPhone XS has seen a $100 price cut, bringing it down to a slightly more reasonable $899.
iPhone XS cameras
Compared to the newer iPhone 11, the iPhone XS has one less rear camera and a lower-resolution front camera. You'll still be able to take some very impressive pictures, however.
iPhone XS performance and battery life
It also has a smaller battery, and uses the older A12 Bionic processor. It won't be noticeably slower than the iPhone 11 — iPhones are always pretty speedy — but you'll likely miss the improved battery life.
Verdict – It's still great, but for $100 more, we'd choose the iPhone 11 Pro (notice a theme developing here?)
Find out more – iPhone XS Review
Pros
- Great cameras
- Incredibly powerful
- Fantastic screen
Cons
- Still expensive
- Might be a touch too big for some
iPhone XS Max Review
The XS Max is essentially the iPhone XS, but bigger. You get a bigger screen, a bigger battery, and a bigger price tag – naturally.
iPhone XS Max design
However, for a lot of people, the XS Max will simply be too big to handle. Reaching to the top corner of the XS is already a struggle at times, and with an extra 0.7 inches of screen real estate, the XS Max is akin to using a small tablet. It doesn't use the extra screen well, either – icons and notifications, for example, are simply bigger, rather than more numerous or more information-rich. It felt like a missed opportunity last year, and it still feels like one today.
iPhone XS Max price
Like the iPhone XS, you can't buy the XS Max directly from Apple any longer, although it is still well-supported by carrier networks. And, like the XS, it has also had a $100 price cut in the wake of the iPhone 11 Pro Max's launch, bringing it down to a $999 – not exactly great value. So, should you buy it? Not in our mind. It's too big, and crucially, too heavy for our tastes.
Verdict: Big, bold, but lacking the subtleties needed to make it a great phone.
Learn more – iPhone XS Max full review
Pros
- Huge screen
- Great cameras
- Speedy processor
Cons
- The screen might be too big
- Enormously expensive
- Fails to make the most of its big screen
iPhone 8 Plus
The 8 Plus is two years old now, but you can still buy it directly from Apple for a respectable $549. Admittedly, it's hardly cutting-edge tech any longer, with large bezels all round, no FaceID, and an LCD screen rather than a more modern OLED display.
iPhone 8 Plus cameras
However, despite its ageing looks, the hardware should still stand up to scrutiny. With dual rear cameras, the 8 Plus can still take a perfectly decent picture.
The front camera, though, has a 7Mp lens. It should take perfectly good selfies, but you might be disappointed with the videos – it can only record 1080p at 30fps. No 4K or slo-mo trickery here.
iPhone 8 Plus performance and battery life
Plus, its A11 Bionic processor should still be sprightly enough to handle the latest apps and games. You can also take heart in knowing that you'll be supported with iOS software updates for years to come.
One area you will feel the pinch, though, is battery life. The 8 Plus, despite its size, only has a 2,691 mAh battery – tiny by modern standards.
Verdict: Feeling its age, but a decent phone for $549.
Pros
- Decent-sized screen
- Processor is still speedy
- Will continue to be supported with software updates
Cons
- Small battery
- LCD screen
- Ageing design
iPhone 8
Like the 8 Plus, but smaller and cheaper. A new iPhone 8 will set you back $449, which if we're honest, is a lot of money for a phone this dated.
iPhone 8 design
By the standards of modern smartphones, the iPhone 8 is tiny. It has a 4.7-inch screen, with a lowly 750×1334 resolution. Compare it to any similarly priced Android phone, and the iPhone 8 will likely look like a kids toy.
iPhone 8 cameras
The iPhone 8 only has a single rear camera – but that doesn't mean it's bad. However, you won't get the range of abilities that you would find on, say, an iPhone XS or iPhone 11.
Round the front, you get the same serviceable but unremarkable 7Mp front camera as the iPhone 8 Plus.
iPhone 8 battery life
The iPhone 8's battery is tiny. It's an almost comically small 1,821 mAh unit.
For reference, Google was battered from pillar to post last year for releasing the Pixel 4 with a 2,800 mAh battery.
If we're honest, we'd look at choosing an Android phone at the same price point over the iPhone 8 – it's seriously fallen behind the times since its launch two years ago.
Verdict: It might only cost $449, but we'd buy the Google Pixel 3a over the iPhone 8 in a heartbeat.
Pros
- Cheap
- Small and handy
Cons
- Small, low-resolution screen
- Small battery
- Single rear camera
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