Unless you don’t watch television commercials or ignore all social media, you already know the new iPhone 11 lineup was released.. Every year, electronics like TVs, computers, and mobile devices become more advanced, and most people are excited to get their hands on the next best model that comes out. However, along with these advances come climbing prices that seem to be reaching extreme levels. So this can cause one to consider whether or not the investment is worth it or not.

A new Processor boasts a faster and smaller chip. But, the daily life difference will be little to none if coming from last year’s models. Most apps are not optimized for the new chip and will run at the same speed, as this was the case during a test between the X and the XS last year.

Another important upgrade is the massive bump in battery life. The iphone 11 gets another hour, while the pro models get an increase of 4-5 hours of the previous generation. The improvement in battery life may be a lifesaver for some, but even the previous generation iphone will last most people a full day of use. Last year’s iphone XR was known for its long lasting battery.

Iphone 11 Pro

The main selling point, and most questionable part of the iPhone 11 pro’s design is the new camera, or should I say cameras. There are now 3 lenses on the back of the phone that consists of a standard front facing camera, an Ultra Wide with a 120° field of view, a standard Wide 12MP camera, and the final camera being a Telephoto for higher quality zoom photos. The new set of lenses also boasts an improved “Night Mode” and “Portrait Mode”.

The new iPhone finishes are very different from the previous ones. Most iPhones from the X generation have a back glass finish. However, this iPhone has a frosted glass finish, reminiscent of the iPhone 7’s matte finish, with the area around the camera being glass. Luckily though, it still has wireless charging, a continuation of last year’s model. But this new finish doesn’t include many new colors; the only new one being a subtle dark green. Other colors include gold, grey, black, and white.

But how does it compare to the previous-gen iPhone XS and XS Max? First, consider the price, the XS costs $1,000, which is the same as the 11 Pro. The XS Max was $1,100, which is also the same as the 11 Pro Max. The size of the phone has stayed the same, and the actual screen quality has only minorly improved. The old camera was still 12MP but now it has the 2 extra lenses for Ultra Wide and Wide shots. The longer water resistance might save some people a lot of money. The display has remained relatively the same with only very minor upgrades. The new frosted glass finish of the Iphone 11 Pro may be liked or disliked by some, over the glass finish that the XS had.

 Iphone 11

The main improvements in the iPhone 11 over last year’s XR include an extra camera, a better processor, and an extra hour of battery life.

A new set of pastel colors kick out the rainbow line up on the XR, but the red, white, and black shades have stayed. Storage capacity is also the same, with the base model 11 shipping with 64 GB, and with higher end models having 128 or a new 256 GB option for $100 more.

One of the most controversial things about last year’s XR was the screen. It had a much lower resolution than it’s cheaper competitors, and it was using old LCD technology. Apple still chose to carry over that exact same screen in the 11, with no improvements in brightness or quality. The dimensions of the phone are also identical, making it one of the bigger and thicker phones in its class.

The new cameras are much better than the previous ones. The front camera gains 5 megapixels over the outgoing XR, and the back gets a second camera unit. But, the bump in quality will be not immediately noticeable. In reality, there is only one camera unit on the back that is used for most photos, and that one is the same as the XR’s.

The iphone 11 can be bought new starting at $699 from apple, and the XR is still available for $599. The XR is expected to be offered in many deals in the coming months. AT&T is already offering it as a BOGO deal. These deals make the XR almost $400 cheaper than the 11.

It is worth considering that Apple radically redesigns their phones every three years, and the 11 and 11 Pro are part of the third year in this current generation. That means that holding another year may result in getting a much better phone for around the same price. In the end, it is up to you to decide whether the new features are worth the hefty prices on Apple’s latest lineup of iPhones.