Apple iPhone 11 vs Pro vs Max: all major differences to expect

Apple is introducing and releasing three phones at once for the first time this year – the iPhone 11, the Pro and its Max version – and we are priming you with all the major differences between the three new 2019 iPhone models.
Despite the trio of phones, the “tick-tock” design cycle that Apple introduced with its bi-annual “s” marks after the iPhone number is still going strong, and this year is a “tock” one. Well, without the “s” notation, so there is a new naming paradigm but the principle stays the same – no radical design changes but enhanced photography aided by new processor will be in store, as usual.
Apple iPhone 11 vs Pro vs Max design and displays
Despite the phones keeping the same 5.8″, 6.1″ and 6.5″ diagonals of their predecessors, there are new design entries still, happening at the rear. when you flip over the 11, Pro and Max, one immediately notices the elevated square camera area in the top left corner.
Apple iPhone 11 vs Pro vs Max specs, battery, memory and chipset
Under the hood, however, a powerful A13 chipset makes the phones tick, and you can imaging the benchmark scores of the iPhone 11 with its HD display resolution, coupled with Apple’s scorching new processor made with advanced second generation 7nm process. By advanced we mean that analysts peg Apple A13 as being slightly larger than the A12 yet managing to cram 10 billion transistors, a whopping 40% increase.
Apple A12 (left) vs Apple A13 benchmark comparison
All in all, the A13 will likely decimate everything out there in terms of performance benchmarks. Again. Apple is also upping the RAM amount in the iPhone 11, even though there will be no 5G connectivity needing more memory and battery to operate in the 2019 iPhones.
Specs | iPhone 11 (successor to iPhone XR) |
iPhone 11 Pro (successor to iPhone XS) |
iPhone 11 Pro Max (successor to iPhone XS Max) |
---|---|---|---|
Platform | iOS 13 | iOS 13 | iOS 13 |
Size | 150.9 x 76.1 x 7.8 mm | 143.9 x 71.4 x 7.8 mm | 157.6 x 77.5 x 8.1 mm |
Colors | Yellow, Green, Purple, Red, Blue | Gold, Silver, Dark Gray | Gold, Silver, Dark Gray |
Screen | 6.1-inch LCD, 60Hz, no 3D touch | 5.8-inch OLED, 60Hz, no 3D Touch | 6.5-inch OLED, 60Hz, no 3D Touch |
Resolution | HD+ (828 x 1792 pixels) | Full HD+ (1242 x 2688 pixels) | Full HD+ (1242 x 2688 pixels) |
Biometrics | wide-angle Face ID | wide-angle Face ID | wide-angle Face ID |
Processor | – Apple A13 Bionic – 2.66 GHz hexa-core (2x Vortex + 4x Tempest) – TSMC second-gen 7nm (N7+) process ~10 billion transistors |
– Apple A13 Bionic – 2.66 GHz hexa-core (2x Vortex + 4x Tempest) – TSMC second-gen 7nm (N7+) process ~10 billion transistors |
– Apple A13 Bionic – 2.66 GHz hexa-core (2x Vortex + 4x Tempest) – TSMC second-gen 7nm (N7+) process ~10 billion transistors |
RAM | 4GB | 6GB | 6GB |
Storage | 64GB / 256GB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB |
Expandable memory (microSD support) | No | No | No |
Battery | 3110 mAh | 3174 mAh | 3650 mAh |
Charging | Fast (up to 18W) charger in the box Reverse wireless charging support |
Fast (up to 18W) charger in the box Reverse wireless charging support |
Fast (up to 18W) charger in the box Reverse wireless charging support |
A slight bump in battery capacities is warranted, though, and the iPhone 11 battery pack orders are reportedly granted to China’s ATL (Amperex) which are the same guys that got the order for non-exploding Galaxy Note 7 packs after the infamous Samsung SDI batteries started catching on fire. The new battery capacity is 3110 mAh, which makes the iPhone XR’s successor with the largest single-cell battery pack in an iPhone ever. Here’s the full rundown on the specs differences.
Apple iPhone 11 vs Pro vs Max cameras
Apple added one extra camera on the back of the iPhone 11, Pro and Max compared with their predecessors. Besides the obvious advantages of having “optical” telephoto zoom trickle down to the cheapest 2019 iPhone, the ultra wide-angle 12MP cameras on the more expensive ones is a first for Apple, and allows it to do its computational photography magic in a three-pronged manner.
Specs | iPhone 11 (successor to iPhone XR) |
iPhone 11 Pro (successor to iPhone XS) |
iPhone 11 Pro Max (successor to iPhone XS Max) |
---|---|---|---|
Main Camera | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
Secondary Camera | 12MP 2X telephoto zoom | 12MP 2X telephoto zoom | 12MP 2X Telephoto zoom |
Third Camera | x | 12MP ultra-wide | 12MP ultra-wide |
Front Camera | 10MP 2nd Gen | 10MP 2nd Gen | 10MP 2nd Gen |
All the cameras on the Pro and Max collect information in their respective sensors in different ways, including zoomed and wide-angled, which is merged in real time so each of the cameras backs the other two in every scenario.
This has allowed Apple to introduce better low-light, zoom shots and straightened-up wide angle shots, avoiding the Achilles heel of each scenario if it only used one of the sensors at a time. Needless to say, you need an incredible computational power to do this on the fly, and the new Apple A13 chipset couplet with the dedicated ISP deliver.
This raw processing power also allows Apple to offer real-time video editing, background-ing and effects adding for a formidable photo- and videography package.
Apple iPhone 11 vs Pro vs Max prices and release
Apple’s business model has never been “at cost,” but it was masking the prices of its iPhones well while US carriers were eating the difference. Well, the subsidies days when you could get the new iPhone for $200 are long gone, and carriers kept the pricing, so people are much more hesitant to upgrade than they were before, keeping their handsets for three instead of two years on average now.
That’s precisely why Apple circled the wagon around all price points, and its iPhones are now starting from $749 which seems only a bit more than the previous low point, but has expanded the price bracket northwards, and this year won’t be any exception. If you want all that wonderful computational photography with main, wide and zoom lens, as well as the brilliant OLED displays, darling, you’ll have to pay for it.
128GB | 256GB | 512GB | |
---|---|---|---|
Apple iPhone 11 (9/20 release) | $749 (projected) | $849 (projected) | – |
Apple iPhone 11 Pro (9/20 release) | $999 (projected) | $1099 (projected) | $1199 (projected) |
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max (9/20 release) | $1099 (projected) | $1199 (projected) | $1299 (projected) |