Hosted by site sponsor WebMate.
iPhone Q&A
Update Published December 7, 2022
All Apple Q&As >> iPhone Q&A (Home) | iPhone Repair Q&A (Home)
To be notified of new Q&As, sign up for EveryMac.com's bimonthly email list.
What are the major differences between the iPhone XR and iPhone 11? Which is best for my needs?
Please note that the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 both have been discontinued. This Q&A has been updated with the latest iOS support details and more and can be quite useful to anyone buying one of these devices on the used market.
There are four different iPhone XR models and three different iPhone 11 models, but this EveryiPhone.com Q&A primarily covers collective differences to make it simple to decide which mobile is the best one for your needs.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Left: iPhone XR; Right: iPhone 11)
The iPhone XR and iPhone 11 are easy to mistake for one another, although the rear camera is an obvious point of differentiation when the two are side-by-side. The camera is a notable difference, but there are others that are less obvious and that are at least as important.
External Design & Functionality Differences
With the exception of some color options, and the rear camera, the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 look effectively identical. Both are a rounded rectangle with a glass front and back, an aluminum case, and a relatively wide black "lip" around the edge of the display. Both are the same dimensions, use the same 6.1" LCD "Liquid Retina HD" display (1792x828, 326 ppi, 1400:1 contrast ratio), and even weigh the same amount.
Both devices have stereo speakers, a Lightning port, and a side-mounted Nano SIM access panel on the right side for one or two physical SIMs (depending on model), and use "Advanced Face ID" authentication. They each support "wireless" -- really inductive -- charging with an optional charging base, as well. Waterproof capability and housing colors are different.
 iPhone XR |
 iPhone 11 |
|
| Material: | Aluminum/Glass | Aluminum/Glass |
| Display: | 6.1" LCD | 6.1" LCD |
| Water Resistance: | IP67 (1 meter) | IP68 (2 meters) |
| Speakers: | Two | Two |
| Security: | Face ID | Face ID |
| Inductive Charging: | Yes (Qi) | Yes (Qi) |
Housing Color Differences
Both the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 are housed in six different colors, but not the same ones.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPhone XR Colors)
The iPhone XR (above) is available in (PRODUCT) RED, yellow, white, coral (salmon), black, and (royal) blue, left to right. The iPhone 11 (below), on the other hand, is available in black, (pastel) green, (pastel) yellow, (pastel) purple, (PRODUCT) RED, and white, again, left to right.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Left: iPhone 11 Colors)
Black is pretty similar between lines, but in person, white and (PRODUCT) RED are a warmer tone on the iPhone 11 than the iPhone XR. In general, the iPhone XR colors are brighter and more vivid whereas the iPhone 11 colors are more pastel and subdued.
Camera Differences
The cameras in the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 are a significant point of differentiation. Both front and rear cameras are more capable on the iPhone 11.
Front Cameras
The front-facing camera on both devices -- which Apple refers to as "TrueDepth" -- supports "Advanced Face ID" authentication, augmented reality (AR), still photos, and video, but with 12 megapixels and 4K video support, the iPhone 11 front camera is more advanced:
iPhone XR |
iPhone 11 |
|
| Megapixels: | 7 MP | 12 MP |
| Aperture: | f/2.2 | f/2.2 |
| Video: | 1080p | 4K |
| Portrait Mode: | Yes | Yes |
| Portrait Lighting: | Yes (Three Effects) | Yes (Six Effects) |
Rear Cameras
The rear camera in both the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 shoot 4K video and stills, but the iPhone XR has a single 12 megapixel wide angle lens whereas the iPhone 11 rear camera has dual 12 megapixel ultra wide and wide angle lenses. Both support a variety of filters and processing options, but in general, the iPhone 11 is more capable:
iPhone XR |
iPhone 11 |
|
| Megapixels: | 12 MP | 12 MP x2 |
| Ultra Wide Angle: | None | f/2.4 |
| Wide Angle: | f/1.8 | f/1.8 |
| Telephoto: | None | None |
| LED Flash: | Yes | Yes (Brighter) |
| Night Mode: | No | Yes |
| Digital Zoom: | 5x | 2x (Out), 5x (Up) |
In basic terms, the most notable improvement with the iPhone 11 rear camera is its low-light performance. It's a big jump up in this respect, for sure.
Identification Differences
Although it is possible to identify iPhone XR and iPhone 11 models by their colorful cases and rear cameras, they can be easy to mistake for subsequent models. Accordingly, visual identification isn't a good long-method of differentiation. Visual identification isn't a useful method to identify specific iPhone XR and iPhone 11 models, either.
However, one relatively easy way to uniquely identify the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 models is by the Model Number listed on the cardboard shipping box and within the iOS "Settings" app.
Consequently, for the purpose of this Q&A, it is sufficient to note that the following model numbers refer to these iPhone devices:
iPhone Model |
Model No |
EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iLookup feature also can precisely identify these iPhone models by Order Number (referred to as "Model" within the iOS "Settings" app under General > About), and their Serial Numbers, as well.
Battery Life Differences
The iPhone XR and iPhone 11 both have excellent battery life. Apple reports that the iPhone 11 has "up to an hour" longer runtime (presumably referring to video playback from the device), but changed their reporting criteria a bit, as well:
iPhone XR |
iPhone 11 |
|
| Talk Time: | 25 Hours | -- |
| Internet Use: | 15 Hours | -- |
| Streamed Video: | -- | 10 Hours |
| Video Playback: | 16 Hours | 17 Hours |
| Audio Playback: | 65 Hours | 65 Hours |
Wireless Connectivity & Data Differences
There are notable differences in connectivity for different iPhone XR and iPhone 11 models depending on where either is sold, but most significantly, the iPhone 11 models support faster 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) and Gigabit LTE whereas the iPhone XR models do not. The iPhone 11 also supports Ultra Wideband "for spatial awareness."
All of the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 models support dual SIMs, but only China-specific models have dual hardware Nano SIMs. The other models have one hardware Nano SIM and one eSIM in software.
Internal Differences
The iPhone XR and iPhone 11 are significantly different internally:
iPhone XR |
iPhone 11 |
|
| Clockspeed: | 2.49 GHz | 2.66 GHz |
| Processor: | Apple A12 Bionic | Apple A13 Bionic |
| Cores: | Six | Six |
| RAM: | 3 GB | 4 GB |
| Architecture: | 64-Bit | 64-Bit |
| Neural Engine: | 2nd Gen | 3rd Gen |
| Orig. Storage: | 64/128/256 GB | 64/128/256 GB |
| Apple Pay (NFC): | Yes | Yes |
In benchmark tests, the iPhone 11 is around 14% faster in single-core tasks and 26% faster in multi-core tasks than the iPhone XR.
iOS Support Similarities
The iPhone XR originally shipped with iOS 12. The iPhone 11 originally shipped with iOS 13. Both models later shipped with iOS 14 and fully supported the operating system. Both models also fully support iOS 15 and later iPhone 11 models shipped with it installed by default.
Support for the current version of the iOS -- iOS 16 -- differs more significantly. Both models support the operating system, but neither the iPhone XR nor iPhone 11 support Accessibility Detection and improved Depth of Field features.
The iPhone XR does not support Live Captions, Visual Look Up, or Apple Music Sing (Karaoke), either, wheras the newer iPhone 11 models do support these features.
Accessibility Detection and improved Depth of Field features.
iPhone XR & iPhone 11 Comparison Chart
These differences as well as other details and pricing information is summarized below:
iPhone XR |
iPhone 11 |
|
| Introduced: | Sept 2018 | Sept 2019 |
| Discontinued: | Sept 2021 | Sept 2022 |
| Processor: | 2.49 GHz A12 | 2.66 GHz A13 |
| RAM: | 3 GB | 4 GB |
| Orig. Storage: | 64/128/256 GB | 64/128/256 GB |
| Battery Life: | 15-65 Hours | 17-65 Hours |
| Display Type: | LCD | LCD |
| Display Size: | 6.1" | 6.1" |
| Resolution: | 1792x828 | 1792x828 |
| Pixel Density: | 326 ppi | 326 ppi |
| Contrast Ratio: | 1400:1 | 1400:1 |
| Front Camera: | 7 MP (1080p) | 12 MP (4K) |
| Rear Camera: | 1 (12 MP) | 2 (12 MP) |
| Dolby Atmos: | No | Yes |
| Material: | Alum/Glass | Alum/Glass |
| Waterproofing: | IP67 (1m) | IP68 (2m) |
| Colors: | Six Colors (Bright) | Six Colors (Subdued) |
| SIM Card: | Nano/eSIM | Nano/eSIM |
| Fastest Wi-Fi: | 802.11ac | 802.11ax (6) |
| Gigabit LTE: | No | Yes |
| Original iOS: | iOS 12 | iOS 13 |
| Maximum iOS: | iOS 16 | iOS 16 |
| Orig. Price* (US): | US$749 US$799 US$899 |
US$699 US$749 US$849 |
* Note that these prices are for devices unlocked and paid in full upfront. Carrier subsidized options also are available. On September 10, 2019, Apple discontinued the 256 GB option for the iPhone XR and dropped the price of of the remaining 64 GB and 128 GB configurations to US$599 and US$649, respectively. On October 13, 2020, Apple again dropped the price of the 64 GB and 128 GB iPhone XR options to US$499 and US$549, respectively. On October 13, 2020, Apple dropped the price of the iPhone 11 models to US$599, US$649, and US$749, with 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB of storage, respectively. On September 14, 2021, Apple discontinued the iPhone XR entirely, discontinued the 256 GB iPhone 11 configuration and cut the price of the remaining 64 GB and 128 GB iPhone 11 configurations to US$499 and US$549, respectively. Finally, on September 7, 2022, Apple discontinued the iPhone 11.
For pricing in dozens of countries, see the "Global Prices" on the specs page for each iPhone as well as the "By Global Original Prices" section of EveryiPhone.com.
So, which is for me? Should I buy an iPhone XR or iPhone 11?
Just comparing the iPhone XR and iPhone 11, and ignoring newer and more expensive models, you really should buy an iPhone 11.
The iPhone XR remains a capable iPhone, and if you are on a tight budget, it still is well worth considering (particularly given now lower prices on the used market), but new, it was only US$100 less than the iPhone 11 when the iPhone 11 was introduced.
The modest extra amount for an iPhone 11, then or now, provides (1) more speed and more RAM (which likely means it will be supported by the iOS for longer), (2) better cameras, especially for low-light photos, (3) faster Wi-Fi and faster LTE, (4) modestly better battery life, and (5) better waterproofing. These five factors provide a lot of additional value for the price.
In the US, site sponsors Other World Computing and JemJem sell used and refurbished iPhone XR and iPhone 11 models with free shipping. On the other hand, if you need to sell an iPhone, A+ BBB-rated Cash for Your Mac and GoRoostr will buy your older iPhone with an instant quote and prompt payment.
In Australia, site sponsor Mac City likewise has a variety of used iPhone models sold at low prices and available with a free warranty and fast shipping across Australia.
Please also see EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iComparison feature to dynamically compare any iPhone model to any other iPod, iPhone, or iPad.
Permalink | Report an Error/Typo | Sign Up for Site Update Notices
<< iPhone Q&A (Main) | All Apple Q&As
Established in 1996, EveryMac.com has been created by experts with decades of experience with Apple hardware. EveryMac.com includes, and always has included, original research incorporating detailed, hands-on inspection of packaging, computers, and devices as well as extensive real-world use. All information is provided in good faith, but no website or person is perfect. Accordingly, EveryMac.com is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind whatsoever. EveryMac.com, and the authors thereof, shall not be held responsible or liable, under any circumstances, for any damages resulting from the use or inability to use the information within. For complete disclaimer and copyright information please read and understand the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy before using EveryMac.com. Copying, scraping, or use of any content without expressed permission is not allowed, although links to any page are welcomed and appreciated.