After the Macbook and the iPad, the iPhone also has a pro version. The iPhone 11 Pro is in fact a successor to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max and a souped-up variant of the iPhone 11. This new generation of iPhones also has a larger version with the iPhone 11 Pro Max. You can read what makes Apple's best smartphone Pro in this review.
iPhone 11 Pro (Max)
Price from €1159 (iPhone 11 Pro) / €1259 (iPhone 11 Pro Max)Colors green, gray, silver
OS iOS 13
Screen 5.8 inch OLED (2436x1125) / 6.5 inch OLED (2688x1242)
Processor hexacore (Apple A13 Bionic)
RAM 4GB
Storage 64, 256 or 512 GB
Battery 2,658mAh / 3,969mAh
Camera 12 megapixel triple camera (rear), 12 megapixel (front)
Connectivity 4G, Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi, GPS
Format 14.4 x 7.1 x 0.8cm / 15.8 x 7.8 x 0.8cm
Weight 188 grams / 226 grams
Other Lightning, no headphone port, esim
Website www.apple.com 9 Score 90
- Pros
- Ease of use
- Performance
- Build quality
- Camera
- Screen
- Negatives
- Too little innovation
- no usb-c
- No 3.5mm jack
At first glance, the iPhone 11 Pro seems to have changed little compared to the previous generation iPhone X and iPhone XS, which we will call the predecessors of this Pro iPhone for the sake of convenience. Although this iPhone can of course also be seen as an extended variant of the iPhone 11. At the front we still find a beautiful screen with a notch at the top, with aluminum edges around the screen. The back is also still made of glass, which is of course always a vulnerable material, but makes wireless charging possible. Fortunately, you don't suffer from dirty fingerprints because of the matte finish
The build quality is remarkably good, you notice that when you get your hands on the device. The iPhone 11 Pro is quite heavy, but is solidly finished down to the last detail and therefore feels more solid than its predecessors. This is also reflected in the IP rating of the smartphone. The iPhone 11 Pro is guaranteed to survive 40 minutes underwater up to four meters deep, while the iPhone XS can survive for two minutes for about 30 minutes.
However, there is also a downside to the design of the iPhone 11 Pro. A square camera island has been placed at the back, in which the camera lenses are located. This island protrudes from the housing and the lenses also protrude from the island. Not pretty, and that really requires a case. Which again is a waste of the design. But with the extortionate prices Apple dares to charge for repairs, you have a second argument for a smartphone case.
triple cam
But what makes an iPhone Pro? Apple did not make that clear during the introduction of the latest generation of iPhones. But it probably had something to do with the camera, because that's where the innovation lies. Apple also has to catch up here, because not only its competitors such as Samsung and Huawei have been going for years in the camera field, especially with the Huawei P30 Pro, Huawei managed to put all competition at a great distance in terms of possibilities and quality of the cameras.
The iPhone 11 Pro has three cameras on the back. This can lead to cynical reactions, because it seems to have become a kind of marketing gimmick, where more cameras (wrongly) equals better photos. While Apple's marketing might even be able to sell sand to Arabs, this triple rear camera is by no means a gimmick.
In addition to the main lens, a telephoto lens and a wide-angle lens have been placed. This allows you to zoom in (0.5x) and zoom out (2x) respectively by switching lenses. This is not new, many other smartphones in different price ranges have this too. The difference, however, is that with other smartphones you have to sacrifice a lot in quality if you switch to the telephoto or wide-angle lens. That is not the case with the iPhone 11 Pro. That makes a huge difference, no matter which lens you use. In addition, the iPhone 11 Pro manages to leave the competition behind. The colours, the details, the contrast and dynamic range. Kite. Apple is teaching all competition a lesson here.
There is also innovation in terms of possibilities. For example, the iPhone 11 Pro has a night mode, with which, thanks to a long shutter speed and stabilization, a photo can also be taken without ambient light. This is a very valuable addition that works very well. The Huawei P30 Pro only manages to take better photos, in low light, but also with the night mode. The Chinese manufacturer also offers more in terms of options, such as a periscope lens that offers a deeper zoom.
However, if you look purely at the photos, the iPhone 11 Pro takes by far the best photos of all smartphones at the moment. In terms of capabilities and low-light photography, there are better options. You can read more details about this in our review: does the iPhone 11 Pro have the best camera?
The front camera is fine. New here is the option to use the front camera for making slow motion videos. Apple calls this Slow Fies. For example, Apple has still managed to push through its gimmick in the camera area.
Screen
So the camera gets an honorable mention, but the screen panel is also fantastic. Not only is the full-HD OLED screen clear, the color reproduction and contrast are also perfectly fine and all just a bit better than its predecessor and in particular the iPhone 11, which unfortunately has a slightly different screen area (just like the iPhone XR). falls short. It is nice that the screen is excellent to read in bright sunlight and the OLED screen and the dark mode of iOS 13 go well together. Black areas are not only deep black because they are not illuminated in OLED panels, but that also ensures that unlit black parts of the screen consume less energy. This allows the dark mode to make optimal use of the screen.
Battery life and performance
The previous generation of iPhones had the Apple A12 Bionic processor, which is still impressive in terms of performance and is still not overtaken by the Snapdragon equivalents in benchmarks. The new A13 processor takes it a step further in terms of performance. Impressive in the benchmarks, but in practice you don't really notice the difference. It was soon, leaving the power difference unnoticed. What you may notice is the support of WiFi 6 and faster 4G, which means that the internet connection does not have to be a bottleneck. As you may expect, so few loading times in games and other heavy games.
The A13 processor runs circles around the fastest competitors.The battery life, that is something that Apple is working hard on. With previous generations from a few years ago, the battery life was substandard, you had to ration to get through a day on a battery charge. This was not due to the energy required by the device and iOS, but mainly due to the small battery capacity, which also did not benefit the life of the battery itself. Apple is right about this by simply putting in bigger batteries that are on par with competing Android alternatives. 3,969 mAh for the iPhone 11 Pro Max, which we got to test. This makes the battery life equal to other smartphones. Depending on your use, a day and a half should certainly work. The battery of the regular iPhone 11 Pro has remained the same at 2,658 mAh. We have not been able to test how long this battery lasts. However, the battery life of the iPhone XS, which had the same battery capacity, was a bit disappointing when reviewing last year.
The iPhone 11 Pro can charge wirelessly, which is not new. It is nice, however, that Apple is no longer so stingy to sell a fast charger separately, but supplies it as standard in the box.
iOS 13 on the iPhone 11 Pro
The iPhone 11 Pro runs by default on the latest iOS variant, iOS 13 (although a new update already appeared during the review: iOS 13.1). As is known, iOS is the most user-friendly mobile operating system, which can count on long update support from Apple and seamless cooperation with other Apple services and devices. On the other hand, there is also plenty to say. The overview with only app icons has looked static and outdated for years and the restrictions make the operating system (and I use my own words here) a closed device. Especially a visual renewal of iOS, in which the static icon overview is modernized, would not be a superfluous luxury.
What makes a smartphone Pro?
Although this iPhone makes a big impression, we still lack a bit of guts at Apple. The previous generations of the iPhones were not known for innovations, and Apple also falls into the same trick with this very first Pro iPhone, while Apple should have shown real guts here. Where is the 90 or 120 hertz screen? Why is that outdated Lightning connection still being held? The iPad Pro knows these innovations. Why no fingerprint scanner under the screen? Why no options for additional storage with memory cards or external storage, especially since the 64GB of storage is insufficient for the base model? Why still that hideous screen notch? Which, incidentally, is brushed away by Apple itself in marketing communications as much as possible. How does Apple envision the Pro audience?
The iPhone 11 Pro is simply a very good smartphone in the well-known areas, with which Apple is playing it safe again.For an iPhone Pro you can simply expect a smartphone that is more groundbreaking than this. Especially if you include the price, although the iPhone 11 Pro is no more expensive than its predecessor, the price is still in no way justifiable, even for those who are glued to their device 18 hours a day. The additional prices in accessories (such as covers, but also dongles and Airpods to compensate for the lack of a 3.5 mm port) and the unethical repair policy are also higher than can be justified. The iPhone 11 Pro is simply a very good smartphone in the well-known areas, with which Apple is playing it safe again.
Conclusion: buy iPhone 11 Pro?
The design, the fantastic camera, the beautiful screen, the excellent battery life, performance and the good update support. Yes, the iPhone 11 Pro is without a doubt the best smartphone of the moment. Still, we expected a little more guts from Apple for an iPhone that can bear the Pro stamp. Apple plays it safe, as a result of which innovation is not forthcoming and there are still no arguments left to pay almost 1,100 euros for a smartphone.
