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- Apple's latest iPhone lineup has been out for a while now, including the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
- The iPhone 11 is an excellent "entry-level" flagship phone from Apple, with specs and a camera that are solid upgrades from the iPhone XR.
- If you're upgrading from a device that's more than a year old, we recommend choosing the iPhone 11.
- See also: The best iPhone deals happening right now — save $50 on an iPhone SE
Back in 2017, Apple introduced a new type of release cycle for its iPhones — it would release a top flagship with a higher price tag than ever before at $1,000, as well as a "cheaper" flagship that essentially cost the same as Apple's top iPhones before 2017.
And so, the debate began: Should you buy last year's top flagship to get premium features while saving a few bucks, or should you buy the current year's "cheaper" flagship? This is what we're looking at today — should you buy Apple's top iPhone XS flagship from 2018, or should you buy the current "cheaper" $699.00 iPhone 11 flagship from 2019.
The long answer is: Sure, technically if you can find a new iPhone XS for less than the iPhone 11, then the iPhone XS is great value. As for refurbished models, I can only vouch for Apple's own refurbished units, which cost the same as the iPhone 11 right now.
The short answer is: Get the iPhone 11.
Check out the main differences between the iPhone Xs and the iPhone 11 to see why you should go with the latest "cheaper" flagship rather than last year's top flagship.
Updated on 7/28/2020 by Tony Villas-Boas: Added new sets of impressions to better fit both of the phones' relative and respective positions at this point in their life cyles in the face of the would-be iPhone 12 expected to debut this September.
The iPhone 11 is the better choice for people who are upgrading from an older iPhone.
At $699.00, the iPhone 11 is the most affordable iPhone we've seen in the past two years. Even last year's reasonably priced iPhone XR started at $749.00. Plus, if you trade in an older phone that's in good condition, Apple is offering up to $450 of trade-in credit, meaning you can get the iPhone 11 for as low as $249.00.
The XS, meanwhile, started at $999.00 at launch, and carriers tend only to offer discounts if you open a new phone line, purchase with an installment plan, or comply with other caveats. These days, it's also harder to find a new iPhone XS that's less expensive than the iPhone 11.
But don't let the iPhone 11's price fool you: It shares many of the same high-end specs as the more-expensive iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max models, and it's a solid upgrade camera- and battery-wise from its predecessors.
Apple iPhone 11 Check price at Walmart Check price at Straight Talk The iPhone 11 has a better processor.
The iPhone 11 is powered by Apple's A13 Bionic chip, which the company claims is the fastest smartphone processor in the world. Being the latest and fastest chip that Apple has put into an iPhone so far, the iPhone 11 will last longer before you start feeling its age, like apps that take longer and longer to open and sluggish performance during general use.
The contrast between the iPhone XS and iPhone 11's performance isn't as stark as it has been in previous years. Where the new chip matters is the camera. The new chip should give you an easier time editing video, a better experience with demanding features like Animoji, a faster Face ID, and a smarter camera that better processes photos.
Apple iPhone 11 Check price at Walmart Check price at Straight Talk The iPhone 11 has better battery life.
The iPhone 11 has better battery life than the iPhone XS. Tom's Guide clocked the iPhone XS in at 9 hours and 41 minutes of continuous web browsing, while the iPhone 11 lasted 11 hours and 20 minutes.
Apple iPhone 11 Check price at Walmart Check price at Straight Talk The iPhone 11 has a better camera.
- An improved Smart HDR system that can differentiate between faces and their surroundings, and process shades and shadows accordingly
- A night mode that produces excellent low-light shots
- A Deep Fusion feature to better capture details and reduce noise
- 4K60 video support for all three cameras (and you can switch between the wide and ultra-wide lenses if you're recording in less than 60 frames per second)
- An ultra-wide camera
- Finally, the iPhone 11 has a better front shooter (12 megapixels, to the iPhone XS's 7 megapixels), with the ability to take slow-motion selfie video.
Apple iPhone 11 Check price at Walmart Check price at Straight Talk The iPhone XS has a few things going for it. For one, it's slimmer and sleeker.
One of the most significant differences between these two gadgets is actually their sizes: The iPhone 11 measures 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm, while the iPhone XS is 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm. This may not seem like a big difference, but if you hold the two devices, you'll likely notice that the iPhone 11 is heavier, and more difficult to use with one hand. It feels large.
Another difference you'll notice: bezels. The iPhone 11 has more visible bezels surrounding its screen; it may be hard to re-introduce those to your life if you've spent the past year with the comparatively bezel-free iPhone XS.
Apple iPhone XS Check price at Amazon The iPhone XS also has a better display.
The iPhone XS has an excellent 5.8-inch OLED screen with 2,436 x 1,125-pixel resolution. The iPhone 11 has a 6.1-inch LCD screen with 1,792 x 828-pixel resolution.
Indeed, that means the iPhone XS' screen is better than the iPhone 11's — technically. In real life usage, few people have complained about the iPhone 11's screen, even when comparing it to the iPhone XS' and iPhone 11 Pro series' technically superior screens.
Apple iPhone XS Check price at Amazon And the iPhone XS has a zoomed lens, while the iPhone 11 doesn't.
If you're into zoomed lenses for better quality zoomed photos, the iPhone 11 isn't for you, and the iPhone XS suddenly looks more appealing.
The other option, if you're looking for a zoomed lens, is the iPhone 11 Pro that starts at $999.00. But if you're looking for bargains, the iPhone 11 Pro's price tag may not match your criteria for a "deal".
Apple iPhone XS Check price at Amazon Should iPhone XS owners upgrade to the iPhone 11?
Not really; especially not at this point before the next iPhone is expected to drop in September 2020. If your iPhone XS still works and you're enjoying it, stick with the iPhone XS.
The iPhone 11 has better camera chops than the iPhone XS, and I'm a big fan of the iPhone 11's ultra-wide camera. Still, it's not like the iPhone XS takes terrible pictures.
Sure, if you're a photography enthusiast, perhaps you can justify upgrading to the iPhone 11, or even the iPhone 11 Pro. But, the camera improvements are hardly worth the effort and price of upgrading — you'd still be spending a few hundred on a single generational upgrade.
If you find the iPhone 11's superior camera appealing alongside other things, like the newer chip and better battery life, go ahead! Just know that you'd be missing out on the zoomed lens, which you can find on the $999.00 iPhone 11 Pro.
Apple iPhone 11 Check price at Walmart Check price at Straight Talk 
Antonio Villas-Boas Senior Tech Reporter Antonio is a senior tech reporter for Insider's Reviews team, where he helps lead coverage, reviews, and guides of smartphones, tablets, accessories, wearables, smart home products, as well as audio devices from Apple, Google, Samsung, OnePlus, and other major tech companies. Before joining Business Insider, Antonio was a consumer-electronics analyst at PCMag. He graduated from Colgate University in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in history. You can contact Antonio with tips and cool tech via email at: avillasboas@businessinsider.com Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test tech and electronics. Read more Read less 
Monica Chin Former Senior Tech Reporter, Insider Picks Monica Chin was a senior tech reporter for Insider Picks. Monica was also a staff writer at Tom's Guide. Her work has also appeared in such publications as Mashable, Marketwatch, Fox, Yahoo, and the New York Post. She has appeared on a number of radio broadcasts to discuss technology news and trends. She has a degree in literature from Brown University. Monica is also passionate about social justice, music, fitness, and spirited debate. You can finder on Twitter @mcsquared96 and Instagram @monicawchin. Read more Read lessYou can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
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