iPhone 11 vs. iPhone XR: Which iPhone is the better buy?

The iPhone 12 may be Apple’s latest iPhone, but there are still plenty of reasons to consider Apple’s older phones like the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR, especially if price is your primary consideration. We’re comparing the iPhone 11, which starts at $599, with 2018′s iPhone XR, currently available for $499, to see which phone is the better buy today. 

Don’t forget there’s even the $399 iPhone SE, released in April 2020, to cater to the most cost-conscious iPhone buyer.

Read more: <a website camera comparison: iPhone 11 with Deep Fusion vs. iPhone XR

Apple iPhone 11

The future-proof iPhone

Sarah Tew/CNET

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With dual rear cameras, Night Mode shooting and a 12-megapixel front-facing shooter, the <a website 11 does have more tricks up its sleeves for photos and videos. But compared to the iPhone XR, which already takes fantastic pictures and video, the advantages are slight for the extra money you’ll pay. In addition, the iPhone 11 has a new U1 chip and Wi-Fi 6 and Gigabit LTE capabilities. You will see these next-gen features in future iPhones and Android devices, so if you want to have a modern phone for the next few years, the iPhone 11 is the best bet. But because Wi-Fi 6 and Gigabit LTE are not fully built-out networks yet, you won’t see any immediate advantages — another reason why we still prefer the iPhone XR.

Read our Apple iPhone 11 review.

$599 at Apple

$589 at Amazon

$452 at Back Market

Refurbished

Apple iPhone XR

The better value

Josh Miller/CNET

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It might have an older processor and specs, but for the money you’ll be saving with the <a website XR, we think it’s worth it. It runs iOS 14 just as smoothly as the iPhone 11 on its A12 chipset, and though it doesn’t have an ultrawide camera and the updated camera tech, the iPhone XR works just fine for posting photos on Instagram and social media, too. In general, if you’re on a tight budget, the iPhone XR is still a great value. We’d suggest either pocketing that extra cash for something else or using it to upgrade to the 128GB model.

Read our Apple iPhone XR review.

$327 at Amazon

How we tested

Design: Nearly identical and still as durable

The iPhone 11 and XR look nearly identical — the quickest way to identify them is by the iPhone 11′s extra camera and square bump. But besides that and the different color choices (the iPhone 11 comes in lavender, mint green and a pastel yellow, while the Phone XR comes in a canary yellow, coral and blue), there are no obvious differences. They are the same size and weigh the same, and the phones have the same 6.1-inch LCD display with the same resolution and pixel density.

We performed a series of drop tests on the iPhone 11 and XR, and both phones are quite sturdy. <a website dropped the iPhone 11 on its front and back on smooth concrete from 3 feet, 6 feet and 8 feet, 7 inches. On all drops, the phone’s back glass and screen didn’t crack. There was a small, cosmetic scratch above the camera lens from 8 feet, but the camera lens was completely fine.

Read more: <a website iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max cases you can get now

When we <a website the iPhone XR back in 2018, we dropped it on a concrete sidewalk. At waist height (about 3 feet), the phone’s camera glass cracked, but the back glass survived. The screen also was unscathed. At eye-level (or around 5 feet), the iPhone XR survived a fall on its back with no new damage, but when we dropped it on its screen, the display ultimately cracked. Though that was unfortunate, the fact that the iPhone XR survived waist-high drops was still good.

Both phones are water-resistant, but the iPhone 11 has a higher IP rating of IP68 and can survive underwater at 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) for 30 minutes. The iPhone XR, meanwhile, is rated IP67 and can survive underwater to a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes on paper. When <a website took it out on dives, however, the iPhone XR kept on ticking even after 19 minutes underwater at a depth of 5 meters. In our water tests, we were unable to drown the iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro, both phones surviving 30 minutes at a whopping 12 meters underwater. When it comes to water resistance, the iPhone 11 far exceeds both its own promises and the iPhone XR’s hardiness.