iPhone 11 Pro Long-Term Review: Compact, Premium, Capable

Introduction to the iPhone 11 Pro: A Premium Flagship Experience

Released in September 2019, the iPhone 11 Pro marked a significant leap in Apple’s smartphone lineup, offering premium features, enhanced performance, and advanced camera capabilities. Positioned above the iPhone 11, the iPhone 11 Pro comes with a sleek design, a stunning Super Retina XDR display, and a powerful A13 Bionic chip that ensures lightning-fast performance.

What truly sets the iPhone 11 Pro apart, however, is its impressive triple-camera system, featuring ultra-wide, wide, and telephoto lenses, enabling users to capture stunning photos and videos with incredible detail and color accuracy. It also introduced Night Mode for improved low-light photography, elevating the smartphone photography experience.

The iPhone 11 Pro is built with durability in mind, featuring a textured matte glass back and stainless steel frame, making it both elegant and sturdy. Its 5.8-inch display is perfect for users who prefer a compact, yet powerful, device, and the device also boasts long-lasting battery life, providing up to 4 hours more battery than its predecessor.

Overall, the iPhone 11 Pro is a flagship device that combines style, power, and cutting-edge technology, catering to users who demand the best in performance and camera capabilities.

iPhone 11 Pro: Specs at a Glance

• Display:
  5.8-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 2436 x 1125 resolution, 458 ppi, HDR10, Dolby Vision
• Processor:
  A13 Bionic chip with 64-bit architecture, Neural Engine
• Camera System:
  Triple 12MP system:
  • Ultra-wide (f/2.4 aperture, 120° field of view)
  • Wide (f/1.8 aperture)
  • Telephoto (f/2.0 aperture)
    Night Mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR, 4K video at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
• Front Camera:
  12MP TrueDepth camera with Night Mode, Smart HDR, and 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
• Battery Life:
  Up to 18 hours of video playback, Fast charging (50% charge in 30 minutes with 18W adapter or higher)
• Storage Options:
  64GB, 256GB, 512GB
• Operating System:
  iOS 13 (upgradable to later versions)
• Build:
  Textured matte glass back, Stainless steel frame, IP68 water and dust resistant (maximum depth of 4 meters up to 30 minutes)
• Connectivity:
  4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) chip, NFC
• Face ID:
  Enabled by TrueDepth camera for facial recognition
• Colors:
  Midnight Green, Space Gray, Silver, Gold

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These specs showcase the iPhone 11 Pro as a premium, high-performance device with standout features in display, camera, and overall power.

Unboxing the iPhone 11 Pro: What’s Inside

When you unbox the iPhone 11 Pro, the experience is as sleek and refined as the device itself. Here’s what you’ll find inside:

1. The iPhone 11 Pro:
   The star of the show, the iPhone 11 Pro, is elegantly packed with the textured matte glass back and stainless steel frame. It’s compact, yet powerful, with a premium feel.
2. Apple Stickers:
   As always, Apple includes a set of their signature white Apple logo stickers for personalization.
3. Apple Documentation:
   A small envelope containing a quick-start guide, warranty information, and safety instructions.
4. Lightning to USB-C Cable:
   A high-quality Lightning to USB-C cable is included, allowing for faster charging when paired with the 18W USB-C power adapter.
5. 18W USB-C Power Adapter:
   A significant upgrade compared to previous iPhones, the 18W USB-C adapter allows for fast charging, giving you up to 50% charge in just 30 minutes.
6. EarPods with Lightning Connector:
   Unlike the AirPods, this box contains standard wired EarPods with a Lightning connector, so you can still enjoy wired audio out of the box.

What’s missing? A traditional 3.5mm headphone jack adapter (which has been discontinued in recent models) and wireless charging pad.

Overall, unboxing the iPhone 11 Pro provides a straightforward and high-quality experience, focused on getting you quickly set up and ready to enjoy your new phone.

Design of the iPhone 11 Pro: Premium and Refined

The iPhone 11 Pro offers a sleek and sophisticated design, combining luxury with durability. The device features a 5.8-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with vibrant colors and deep blacks, providing an immersive viewing experience. Despite its compact size, the display’s resolution (2436 x 1125) and HDR10 support make it ideal for media consumption.

The build includes a textured matte glass back and a polished stainless steel frame, offering a premium, sturdy feel. The matte finish reduces fingerprints, ensuring the device stays clean and elegant. The back is also wireless charging-enabled, and the iPhone 11 Pro is IP68-rated, meaning it’s water- and dust-resistant up to 4 meters for 30 minutes.

The standout design element is the triple-camera system housed in a square module. This provides versatility, offering wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses for better photo quality. Face ID is housed in the front notch, offering secure and seamless biometric authentication.

Available in four colors—Midnight Green, Space Gray, Silver, and Gold—the iPhone 11 Pro has a modern, refined design. Overall, its premium materials, sleek look, and advanced functionality make it a standout device in both form and performance.

Controls and Connectivity of the iPhone 11 Pro

The iPhone 11 Pro combines intuitive controls with advanced connectivity features, ensuring a smooth user experience.

1. Controls:
   • Face ID: The primary method of authentication, Face ID uses the TrueDepth camera system for secure facial recognition. Simply glance at the device to unlock it, use Apple Pay, or authenticate apps.
   • Side Button: The side button, located on the right, is used to power the device on/off, invoke Siri, or activate Apple Pay with a double tap.
   • Volume Buttons: Located on the left side, the volume buttons allow for adjusting sound levels, while a long press can trigger Siri if the side button is held simultaneously.
   • Silent Switch: Also on the left side, this switch quickly toggles between silent and ring modes.
   • Display: The device uses a 5.8-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display for touch input, supporting multi-touch gestures for navigation.
2. Connectivity:
   • Wi-Fi 6: The iPhone 11 Pro supports Wi-Fi 6, offering faster speeds and better performance in crowded networks.
   • Bluetooth 5.0: For pairing with accessories like wireless headphones or speakers.
   • 5G (not available): The iPhone 11 Pro supports 4G LTE connectivity, ensuring fast data speeds.
   • Ultra-Wideband (UWB): Apple’s U1 chip provides precise location tracking, enhancing features like AirDrop and finding nearby devices.

In summary, the iPhone 11 Pro offers intuitive controls and robust connectivity options, ensuring seamless interaction with the device and fast, reliable connections.

Lab Tests: Display of the iPhone 11 Pro

The iPhone 11 Pro’s display is a standout feature, and lab tests confirm its exceptional performance in various categories.

1. Brightness and Color Accuracy:
   The iPhone 11 Pro’s 5.8-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display achieves impressive peak brightness, reaching up to 800 nits for typical usage and 1200 nits for HDR content. This makes the display highly readable even in bright outdoor environments. Lab tests show that it offers excellent color accuracy, with a wide color gamut (P3) and 100% sRGB coverage, making it ideal for photo editing and media consumption.
2. Contrast and Black Levels:
   OLED displays are known for their perfect blacks, and the iPhone 11 Pro excels here. It provides an infinite contrast ratio, which results in deep blacks and vibrant colors. Lab tests indicate that the display has excellent performance in dark environments, contributing to an immersive viewing experience for movies and games.
3. HDR and Dolby Vision:
   The iPhone 11 Pro supports both HDR10 and Dolby Vision, enabling enhanced contrast and colors in compatible content. Lab tests confirm that HDR content looks vivid and dynamic, with bright highlights and detailed shadows.
4. Resolution and Sharpness:
   The 2436 x 1125 resolution at 458 ppi ensures pixel-perfect sharpness, making text, images, and videos look incredibly crisp. This is well above the standard threshold for high-quality displays.

Overall, lab tests confirm that the iPhone 11 Pro’s display is one of the best in the industry, offering outstanding brightness, color accuracy, contrast, and HDR performance.

Battery Life of the iPhone 11 Pro: Impressive Performance

The iPhone 11 Pro is equipped with a 3,046 mAh battery, which Apple claims offers significant improvements over its predecessor, the iPhone XS. Here’s how the iPhone 11 Pro performs in real-world and lab tests:

1. Video Playback:
   In lab tests, the iPhone 11 Pro delivers up to 18 hours of video playback, making it ideal for watching movies or streaming content. This is an improvement over previous models, providing users with a longer-lasting entertainment experience.
2. Web Browsing:
   The iPhone 11 Pro offers up to 11 hours of continuous web browsing on Wi-Fi, thanks to its energy-efficient OLED display and optimized A13 Bionic chip. This is among the best for smartphones in its class.
3. Audio Playback:
   For music lovers, the iPhone 11 Pro offers up to 65 hours of audio playback, allowing for extended listening sessions without needing to charge the device frequently.
4. Fast Charging:
   The iPhone 11 Pro supports 18W fast charging, which can charge the battery to 50% in just 30 minutes when using the included USB-C to Lightning cable and power adapter.
5. Battery Optimization:
   Apple also includes Optimized Battery Charging, which helps extend the battery’s lifespan by learning your charging routine and reducing the time the device spends at 100% charge.

In conclusion, the iPhone 11 Pro offers exceptional battery life, making it one of the best-performing iPhones for daily use. With improvements in video, web, and audio playback, it provides reliable and long-lasting performance throughout the day.

Charging Speed of the iPhone 11 Pro: Fast and Efficient

The iPhone 11 Pro offers impressive charging speeds, thanks to its support for 18W fast charging. Here’s a breakdown of its charging performance:

1. Fast Charging:
   Using the included 18W USB-C power adapter and USB-C to Lightning cable, the iPhone 11 Pro can charge up to 50% in just 30 minutes. This is a significant improvement over previous models that used slower chargers, offering users a quick boost when in a time crunch.
2. Full Charge:
   While charging to 100% takes longer, in lab tests, the iPhone 11 Pro reaches a full charge in about 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on usage and the charging environment.
3. Wireless Charging:
   The iPhone 11 Pro also supports Qi wireless charging, providing convenience when charging without cables. However, it charges slower wirelessly, with a typical wireless charger providing about 7.5W of power, taking longer to reach a full charge compared to wired fast charging.
4. Optimized Charging:
   With Optimized Battery Charging enabled, the iPhone 11 Pro can learn your daily charging habits and delay charging past 80% until you need it, preserving battery health in the long run.

Overall, the iPhone 11 Pro offers fast charging with the 18W adapter, along with the convenience of wireless charging for less time-sensitive situations.

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Loudspeakers of the iPhone 11 Pro: Impressive Sound Quality

The iPhone 11 Pro features stereo speakers that deliver a rich, dynamic audio experience for a smartphone of its size. Here’s a look at its loudspeaker performance:

1. Stereo Sound:
   The iPhone 11 Pro features a stereo speaker setup—one speaker located at the bottom of the device and the other in the earpiece. This creates a balanced, immersive sound experience, with a noticeable improvement over older iPhone models that only had a single speaker.
2. Audio Quality:
   The stereo speakers produce clear and full-bodied sound, with balanced mids and highs. The audio output is crisp, making it suitable for phone calls, watching videos, and listening to music. The bass, while not as deep as larger audio systems, is sufficient for casual listening.
3. Spatial Audio:
   The iPhone 11 Pro supports Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos, enhancing the sound experience for compatible content. This feature provides an immersive surround sound effect, making media such as movies and games feel more engaging, especially when using the device in landscape mode.
4. Loudness:
   The speakers are loud enough to fill a small room, but for large spaces or noisy environments, external speakers or headphones would still offer better sound performance.

Overall, the iPhone 11 Pro’s loudspeakers offer high-quality, stereo sound with Dolby Atmos support, providing an excellent listening experience for everyday use.

Software of the iPhone 11 Pro: Smooth, Intuitive, and Feature-Rich

The iPhone 11 Pro runs on iOS, Apple’s mobile operating system, which offers a seamless, user-friendly experience with powerful features and regular updates. Here’s a breakdown of the software experience:

1. iOS Features:
   The iPhone 11 Pro was originally launched with iOS 13, which introduced several key features like Dark Mode, Swipe Typing (QuickPath), and Improved Privacy Features such as Sign in with Apple and enhanced location tracking controls. Over time, the device has been updated to newer iOS versions, each bringing performance improvements, new features, and security updates.
2. A13 Bionic Chip Optimization:
   The powerful A13 Bionic chip ensures that iOS runs smoothly, even with demanding apps or multitasking. It also enhances machine learning and AI tasks, allowing features like Face ID and real-time camera processing to work faster and more accurately.
3. App Store and Ecosystem:
   The iPhone 11 Pro integrates seamlessly with Apple’s App Store, giving users access to millions of apps. The device also works well within the broader Apple ecosystem, syncing with iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and more through services like iCloud and Handoff.
4. Privacy and Security:
   Apple places a strong emphasis on privacy, and the iPhone 11 Pro includes features like Privacy Labels in the App Store, App Tracking Transparency, and end-to-end encryption for iMessages and FaceTime.
5. Updates and Longevity:
   iPhones typically receive iOS updates for several years, making the iPhone 11 Pro a long-term investment. New features and security patches are consistently delivered to enhance performance and user experience.

Overall, the software experience on the iPhone 11 Pro is smooth, secure, and continually evolving, thanks to Apple’s regular updates and thoughtful integration with the hardware.

Performance of the iPhone 11 Pro: Speed and Efficiency

The iPhone 11 Pro offers top-tier performance, powered by the A13 Bionic chip, which includes a 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, and 8-core Neural Engine. This setup makes the iPhone 11 Pro extremely fast, handling everything from everyday tasks to demanding applications like gaming and video editing with ease.

The phone excels in multitasking, with 4GB of RAM ensuring that apps switch smoothly without lag. The A13 chip also optimizes energy usage, offering a balance of power and efficiency that enhances battery life.

When it comes to gaming, the iPhone 11 Pro shines. The A13 Bionic chip delivers impressive graphics performance, allowing for smooth gameplay even with resource-heavy titles, providing a console-like experience.

Benchmark tests show the iPhone 11 Pro outperforms many of its competitors, both in raw speed and energy efficiency. The device also features excellent battery life, offering up to 18 hours of video playback and 11 hours of web browsing, thanks to the A13’s power management capabilities.

In short, the iPhone 11 Pro offers unmatched performance, combining speed, efficiency, and gaming capability to meet the needs of demanding users.

Camera of the iPhone 11 Pro: Professional-Grade Photography

The iPhone 11 Pro features a triple-camera system that includes a 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP wide, and 12MP telephoto lens, delivering outstanding photo and video quality.

1. Triple-Camera System:
   The wide lens (f/1.8) captures sharp and vibrant images in most lighting conditions, while the ultra-wide lens (f/2.4) offers a 120-degree field of view, perfect for landscapes and group shots. The telephoto lens (f/2.0) lets you zoom in with impressive clarity.
2. Night Mode:
   A standout feature, Night Mode automatically activates in low-light conditions, ensuring brighter and more detailed photos with reduced noise, rivaling more professional cameras.
3. Deep Fusion:
   This technology improves image detail and reduces noise in medium to low light by combining multiple exposures for optimal texture and color.
4. Video Quality:
   The iPhone 11 Pro supports 4K video recording at 24, 30, or 60 fps and features extended dynamic range for smoother transitions between highlights and shadows. The slow-motion feature supports 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps.
5. Front Camera:
   The 12MP TrueDepth front camera supports 4K video recording, Portrait Mode, and Smart HDR, offering excellent selfies and FaceTime quality.

In conclusion, the iPhone 11 Pro’s camera system offers professional-level features, making it ideal for photography enthusiasts and videographers alike.

Photo and Video Quality of the iPhone 11 Pro: Exceptional Imaging

The iPhone 11 Pro offers outstanding photo and video quality, thanks to its advanced triple-camera system and powerful A13 Bionic chip.

1. Photo Quality:
   The 12MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, and 12MP telephoto lenses work together to produce sharp, vibrant images in various lighting conditions. The wide lens excels in bright environments, while the ultra-wide lens captures expansive landscapes and tight spaces with minimal distortion. The telephoto lens allows for high-quality zoom without losing detail. Night Mode automatically activates in low-light situations, capturing brighter, clearer images with reduced noise. Additionally, Deep Fusion enhances texture and detail in medium to low light, providing more accurate and vivid photos.
2. Portrait Mode:
   With the triple-camera setup, the iPhone 11 Pro excels in Portrait Mode, offering natural-looking bokeh (background blur) and customizable lighting effects for professional-looking portraits.
3. Video Quality:
   The iPhone 11 Pro supports 4K video recording at up to 60 fps, providing stunningly smooth, high-resolution video. The extended dynamic range ensures excellent detail in both shadows and highlights. Slow-motion video at 1080p with up to 240 fps adds an artistic touch to action shots.

Overall, the iPhone 11 Pro’s photo and video capabilities offer pro-level performance, making it perfect for both casual and serious content creators.

Alternatives to the iPhone 11 Pro: Powerful Options at Different Price Points

1. Samsung Galaxy S20
   The Galaxy S20 offers a 6.2-inch AMOLED display with a high refresh rate (120Hz) and a powerful Exynos 990 or Snapdragon 865 chipset (depending on the region). It comes with a triple-camera setup (12MP wide, 64MP telephoto, 12MP ultra-wide) and supports 8K video recording. It’s a strong competitor with an excellent display and camera features.
2. Google Pixel 5
   For photography enthusiasts, the Google Pixel 5 delivers exceptional camera performance with a 12.2MP rear camera and Night Sight for impressive low-light photos. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 765G chip and has a clean, stock Android experience, with regular software updates directly from Google.
3. OnePlus 8 Pro
   The OnePlus 8 Pro offers a 6.78-inch Fluid AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 865 processor, and quad-camera system (48MP wide, 48MP ultra-wide, 8MP telephoto, and 5MP color filter). It also supports Warp Charge 30T for fast charging, making it a great alternative for power users.
4. iPhone 12
   The iPhone 12 offers similar features to the iPhone 11 Pro, including the A14 Bionic chip, 5G connectivity, and a dual-camera system (12MP wide and ultra-wide). It has a sleeker design with flat edges and a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, and it supports MagSafe accessories.

These alternatives offer strong camera systems, powerful processors, and high-quality displays, catering to various user preferences, from Android enthusiasts to iPhone users looking for an updated experience.

Pros and Cons of the iPhone 11 Pro

Pros:

1. Exceptional Camera System:
   The triple-camera setup (wide, ultra-wide, telephoto) delivers stunning photos and videos with features like Night Mode, Deep Fusion, and 4K video recording.
2. Stunning Display:
   The 5.8-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display offers excellent color accuracy, HDR10 support, and high brightness, making it perfect for media.
3. Powerful Performance:
   Powered by the A13 Bionic chip, the iPhone 11 Pro handles gaming, multitasking, and demanding apps smoothly.
4. Premium Build:
   With a textured matte glass back and stainless steel frame, it feels durable and luxurious, plus it has an IP68 water and dust resistance rating.
5. Strong Battery Life:
   Offers up to 18 hours of video playback, thanks to the efficient A13 chip and optimized battery management.

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Cons:

1. Expensive:
   The iPhone 11 Pro is pricey, making it less affordable for some users.
2. Base Storage (64GB):
   The 64GB base model might not be enough for users who store large files.
3. No 5G:
   Lacks 5G support, which may become a downside as 5G networks expand.
4. Similar Design:
   The design is similar to previous models, lacking a major update.

Verdict on the iPhone 11 Pro: A Premium Choice with Powerful Features

The iPhone 11 Pro is an outstanding device that combines top-tier performance, an exceptional camera system, and a stunning display. With its A13 Bionic chip, it offers lightning-fast performance and efficiency, handling everything from gaming to multitasking with ease. The triple-camera system provides incredible versatility, delivering impressive photos and 4K videos, even in low-light conditions thanks to Night Mode and Deep Fusion.

The 5.8-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display is one of the best in the industry, offering vibrant colors and deep blacks, making it perfect for media consumption. The premium build quality with a matte glass back and stainless steel frame gives it a luxurious feel, while the IP68 water and dust resistance ensures durability.

However, it does come at a premium price, and the base 64GB storage may not be sufficient for users with large media libraries. Additionally, it lacks 5G support, which could be a drawback as 5G networks expand.

Overall, the iPhone 11 Pro is a fantastic device for users looking for high-end performance, excellent photography, and a premium design. It’s a great choice for those who want the best of Apple’s technology in a compact package.