The iPhone 11 Pro is here, but it will set you back a pretty penny. If the $1,749 starting price seems a bit steep, you might be wondering if you should go for last year's iPhone XS.
Officially speaking, the iPhone XS has been discontinued, but based on what happened with the iPhone X last year, we'll still see it floating around for a few months. If you're tossing up between the two, here's what you should know.
iPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone XS
While opting for last year's iPhone XS can save you around $200, the iPhone 11 Pro makes meaningful improvements in every other single way.
iPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone XS: Price
An older iPhone is always going to cost less than a model that's fresh off the press, but buying last year's iPhone XS might not save you as much as you think.
Right now, the iPhone 11 Pro starts at $1,749 while the iPhone XS starts at $1,579. However, the iPhone XS originally launched at $1,629, which means you're really only getting a discount of $50. That's pitiful for a phone that's a year old.
While the weaker Australian dollar is presumably the culprit here, buying last year's phone at pretty much full price (it's a 3% discount) is hard to recommend. If you want to save money, go for the iPhone 11 or iPhone XR instead.
iPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone XS: Camera
When it comes to camera, the iPhone 11 Pro is the clear winner thanks to greatly improved lowlight performance and an extra lens.
The move to a triple lens rear-facing camera setup is arguably the biggest change on the iPhone 11 Pro. The primary wide-angle lens and 2x zoom lens are joined by a 120-degree ultra-wide lens. This has a 0.5x zoom factor when compared to the primary lens, letting you zoom out rather than zoom in.
What's impressive is the sheer consistency between the three lenses. Photos from the ultra-wide and zoom lens are a little darker at night than what you get from the primary lens, but otherwise, going between lenses is seamless. Colour and quality are uniform no matter what lens you're using, which isn't something we've really seen on any other multi-lens smartphone.
Improved lowlight performance is another key new iPhone 11 Pro camera feature.
Part of this is thanks to a night mode, similar to what we've seen on smartphones like the Huawei P30 Pro and Google Pixel 3a. In dark environments, night mode can be used to take multiple images over a longer period of time to stitch them together into a brighter photo. This results in surprisingly detailed shots with a minimal amount of noise.
Ultra-wide angle lenses aside, the primary lens and the 2x zoom lens are both better than what you'd get on the iPhone XS. Especially when it comes to lowlight.
iPhone 11 Pro Camera Gallery
Check out these camera samples taken on the iPhone 11 Pro. Click or tap on any photo to see a larger version.
iPhone XS Camera Gallery
Check out these camera samples taken on the iPhone XS. Click or tap on any photo to see a larger version.
iPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone XS: Design
The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone XS are similar from a design perspective, but there are some key changes. The iPhone 11 Pro wins out here thanks to stronger glass, improved water-resistance, and being less of a fingerprint magnet.
The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone XS don't look too different at a glance. However, there are a few interesting differences. The most noticeable is a new matte finish on the iPhone 11 Pro's rear-facing glass, which is also more fingerprint resistant. And of course, the camera bump on the back of the iPhone 11 Pro is larger to accommodate the third lens.
There are a few more design changes that go beyond aesthetic. Apple says the iPhone 11 Pro's glass is the strongest its used in a smartphone yet, so it should hopefully be a little more resistant to any accidental drops. The iPhone 11 Pro is also more water-resistant. It can survive depths up to 4 metres for up to 30 minutes, whereas the iPhone XS can only handle 2 metres.
Lastly, the iPhone 11 Pro is available in an all-new deep green finish, in addition to the standard black, silver, and gold.
iPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone XS: Display
The iPhone 11 Pro display is slightly nicer than the iPhone XS, and handles direct sunlight better thanks to being a bit brighter.
The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone XS displays are pretty similar across both standard models and larger Max models. The iPhone 11 Pro has the same size 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED display as the iPhone XS, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max has the same size 6.5-inch Super Retina OLED display as the iPhone XS Max.
However, there are two key differences.
Firstly, the iPhone 11 Pro display is brighter and richer than what you'll find in an iPhone XS, which also makes it easier to see in direct sunlight.
Secondly, none of the 2019 iPhones have 3D Touch. 3D Touch is Apple's pressure sensitive take on a long press; pushing down harder on your screen can be used for additional commands. However, these are still accessible through Haptic Touch. As with the iPhone XR - which also lacks 3D Touch - you'll just press longer and receive haptic feedback when you activate a button's secondary feature.
iPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone XS: Performance
As a newer device, the iPhone 11 Pro is naturally faster than the iPhone XS.
Unsurprisingly, Apple says the iPhone 11 Pro's A13 processor is the fastest processor its ever put into a smartphone. Not only that, the company claims its the fastest processor in any smartphone, full stop. Apple went as far as to say its 2019 iPhones are two times faster than the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+.
In our own testing, we've certainly found the iPhone 11 Pro to be damn zippy.
That being said, the iPhone XS processor is no slouch and still one of the fastest smartphone chips around.
iPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone XS: Battery
The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are the longest lasting iPhones to date, making them clear winners once again.
Battery life is one of the iPhone 11 Pro's key improvements. Apple says the iPhone 11 Pro should last four hours longer than the iPhone XS per charge.
In reality, this means you should be able to comfortably get around a day-and-a-half per charge on both the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max with fairly standard usage. Even heavier use should still leave you with a comfortable buffer at the end of the day.
Either way, for the vast majority of people, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are devices you should never have to think about topping up during the day.
Alex Choros
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