Is the iPhone 11 still worth buying?

With the excitement around the iPhone 14 Series finally slowing down, we can look back at older iPhone generations to see how they fare in 2022. Namely, the iPhone 11 – Apple’s most ‘budget’ flagship phone that’s still on the market.

It can be hard to keep up with all the new and advanced features introduced to the iPhone family at each launch, but with rapidly rising costs and drastic spending cuts, models like the iPhone 11 ensure you can upgrade to a quality iPhone without a premium price. 

The iPhone 11 is the earliest model still available on the market but boasts plenty of the advanced features sought after in newer generations like the iPhone 13. One main asset to the iPhone 11 is the battery life, supporting 17 hours of video playback – only 2 hours behind the iPhone 13­ – and the device supports Qi wireless charging. Alongside that, the iPhone 11 processor holds its own against the newer models in 2022. The A13 Bionic Chip with 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, and 8-core Neural Engine packs a punch, and for light smartphone users the processor will keep up with all your needs. 

When comparing camera, the iPhone 11 and iPhone 13 come close in ability. The models share a 12MP front camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera. The iPhone 14 Pro is where we saw a drastic upgrade in the camera, moving to a 48MP ultra-wide main camera. But the iPhone 11 still hosts all the advanced camera features that make for your best pictures. Night Mode, Deep Fusion, and Portrait Mode are all included, with Smart HDR too for enhanced photo processing. Plus, the iPhone 11 supports 4K video recording at 60fps. The main shortfall is the screen display, with the LCD panel on the iPhone 11 struggling to compete against the OLED panel found on iPhone 13.  

In terms of durability, the iPhone 11 is resilient with an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, which falls under the same rating as devices from the iPhone 14 Series. But the iPhone 11 is only covered for up to 2 metres of submersion in water, whereas the iPhone 12 and 13 can both withstand up to 6 metres of submersion. Regardless, testing has shown that older iPhone models can weather more drops and bumps than newer models and tend to be more shatter resistant. 

One main factor to note is that the iPhone 11 isn’t 5G capable, so if you live in an area with 5G connectivity you won’t be able to get the best use out of your network data. But if you don’t rely on 5G speeds for your streaming and you top out at 4G in your area then the iPhone 11 could be the device to consider. 

The iPhone 11 is an affordable iPhone option that still packs all the advanced camera, durability, and processing features that are included in 2022 launches. For the everyday user it’s a great option if you need to upgrade but are mindful of spending.

Check out and compare our range of iPhones online, including the iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone SE and iPhone 14. Find the ideal upgrade for you today. Or visit us in person by finding your nearest store.