Now that the latest iPhone 12 models have been launched by Apple, a lot of people are itching to upgrade. However, these newer models don’t come cheap. Is it really worth the price? Can you just opt for the iPhone 11 instead of heading straight to the iPhone 12? Or should you just wait for an iPhone 12? Before you take the plunge and place an order for the latest iPhone line, find out the key differences between the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 so you know what you’re getting yourself into.
Size
The latest line of iPhone comes in four different models: iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Comparing the standard iPhone 11 and iPhone 12, the latter is considerably much smaller, thinner, and lighter. The iPhone 11 is 5.94 inches long, 2.98 inches wide, and 0.33 inches thick. On the other hand, the iPhone 12 is 5.78 inches long, 2.82 inches wide, and 0.28 inches thick.
Design and Durability
In terms of appearance, you can easily tell that the iPhone 12 line got a makeover from its predecessor. The iPhone 11 comes in a rounded design while the iPhone 12 sports flatter sides. The design of these new iPhone models can be likened to that of the iPad Pro 2020. All the iPhone 12 models come with trimmed bezels surrounding its displays, which results in a bigger screen-to-body ratio.
Moreover, the iPhone 12 is also designed with a “ceramic shield.” The front cover is also designed to be flushed with the edge of the iPhone 12. These designs reportedly result in the iPhone 12 being four times more durable than its predecessor. Color options for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini are black, white, blue, product red, and green. On the other hand, color options for the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are gold, silver, graphite, and pacific blue.
Speed and Performance
If there’s one big reason that you may want to wait for or upgrade to the iPhone 12 is its speed and performance. For one, the iPhone 12 supports the latest and super-fast 5G. If you live in an area where 5G is already available, this feature is definitely a gamechanger. However, because 5G is not yet universally available and if your area isn’t covered yet, you won’t be able to use this feature anyway.
Of course, the latest iPhone 12 models also come with the latest A14 Bionic chip. Manufactured by TSMC, the newest Apple chip is supposed to perform 15% faster than the iPhone 11 while utilizing 30% less power. It is also the first 5nm chip by Apple. Compared to the 7nm chip for the A13 Bionic, which the iPhone 11 sports, the A14 Bionic will certainly work more efficiently.
Screen Display
Another upgrade in the newest iPhone models is the screen display. The iPhone 11 features a Liquid Retina HD LCD display while the iPhone 12 sports a Super Retina XDR OLED display. What’s the difference, you might ask? Well, an OLED display provides deeper blacks and wider viewing angles compared to an LCD display. Plus, you also get to see more vibrant colors with an OLED display. If you’re upgrading from an iPhone 11 to an iPhone 12, you’ll certainly see the difference once you use the latest model.
Cameras
One of the main features that iPhone users check out is the camera specs. The iPhone 11 has an amazing camera that features a great Night Mode as well as an incredible Smart HDR. In addition, it also features a standard wide and ultra-wide lens that would really improve your phone photography game. If you’re using an iPhone 11 Pro, you also get to enjoy a telephoto zoom.
The iPhone 12 also features two lenses, just like the iPhone 11. If you’re opting to go for the iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 12 Pro Max, you’re getting three lenses as well as a new LiDAR scanner, an advanced time-of-flight sensor. What does this sensor do? It helps with not just autofocus but also subject detection when you’re taking a video. Plus, it also assists in those areas even when using Night Mode. This results in better and clearer shots no matter what time of the day.
Price
Last but not least of your considerations is the price. The iPhone 11 came out with a $699 price tag. However, because of the launch of the iPhone 12 line, it now only starts at $599. If you’re tight on the budget, you might have to opt for the iPhone 11.
On the other hand, the regular iPhone 12 currently retails for $799. That’s quite a jump from the current price of a standard iPhone 11. This price comes with 64GB of storage and if you want to upgrade to 128GB, that’ll cost an extra $50. If that storage space is still not enough, you can opt for the 256GB, which costs an additional of $150.
The cheapest of the line is the iPhone 12 mini, which starts at $699. As for the iPhone 12 Pro, it starts at $999 and comes with 128GB of storage. Lastly, the iPhone 12 Pro Max starts at $1,099 and also comes with 128GB of storage.
Ultimately, it depends on the budget that you have as well as what you’re using it for. If you have a fixed budget and you don’t really need the upgrades, the iPhone 11 would probably be enough for your daily usage. It’s not really a “compromise” considering that it still packs a ton of incredible features. On the other hand, if budget is not an issue, the better option would, of course, be the iPhone 12, as it’s the newest model with all the upgrades.