iPhone 11 Pro: Small device packs a powerful punch

The iPhone 11 Pro gives smartphone users the option of getting some of the best hardware available in a relatively small body. If you need some help deciding if the iPhone 11 Pro is for you, keep reading.

With its Android competitors opting for bigger and bigger screens, the iPhone 11 Pro’s relatively small 5.8-inch screen is big enough for the kind of multimedia tasks you expect of a smartphone; without the bulk of similar flagships.

Most new releases this year pushed the boundary between phone and phablet, and a ‘regular-sized phone’ is a refreshing change for once.

iPhone 11 Pro: Hands-on review

Camera

Apple’s cameras have long been the high water mark for mobile photography. In recent years, Google and Huawei have put a lot of work into rivalling the iPhone in the camera department.

The iPhone 11 Pro with its triple camera can once again make the claim of being the best camera phone on the market with the inclusion of its new Night Mode and improved Smart HDR.

The iPhone 11 comes with a dual-camera. The extra camera on the Pro is for digital zoom increasing the iPhone 11 Pro’s range.

Camera comparison: iPhone 11 Pro vs Huawei P30 Pro

Those who know me, know I’m that I have an undying love for Huawei.

I needed to compare the iPhone 11 Pro’s camera to the Huawei P30 Pro, and well, that was a mistake. I simply cannot decide which of the two devices take the best photos.

Both images below were taken with the respective devices’ Night Mode feature, at around 3:00 on a morning when I couldn’t sleep. While I’ll admit that the iPhone’s image is crisper and clearer, I wasn’t all too fond of the lighting.

Doesn’t it look a bit like daylight? While the Huawei’s photo isn’t as crisp, it’s clear as daylight that it was taken at night. (That was a bad pun. I’m sorry.)

That said, I think I prefer the Huawei’s night shot, although it may just be my bias speaking. Here, have a look for yourself.

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Storage

The only real gripe one can have with the iPhone 11 Pro is the 64GB of storage the base model comes with. When it comes to flagship phones, Apple’s competition tends to be a lot less stingy with device storage.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 as a point of comparison offers 256GB.

Battery and performance

The iPhone 11 Pro battery life is similar to other phones in its class but understandably won’t last as long as the bigger iPhone Pro Max, which lasts about 12 hours on a charge.

The iPhone 11 Pro should give about 10.5 hours of battery life and comes with a fast charger which can charge the phone to about half power in 30 minutes.

Despite its size, the iPhone 11 Pro has not made any compromises when it comes to performance. It is powered by the A13 Bionic processor which Apple claims makes it the fastest phone on the market.

Appearance

Apple have offered a substantial upgrade in hardware while preserving the iPhone’s iconic form. The phone sports the now-ubiquitous notch in the screen.

The iPhone 11 Pro is almost identical at first glance from recent iPhone models which is great news for Apple die-hards of the “if it ain’t broken don’t fix it” variety.

However, with the amount of innovation happening in the smartphone market, the iPhone 11 Pro hardly captures the imagination design-wise.

Display

Its 5.8-inch Super Retina XDR display does not disappoint.

The screen is bright and the colours are vibrant. With all the focus on the size of screens these days, I don’t think Apple gets enough credit for the quality of their displays.

The screen size means you’ll most likely not be making the iPhone 11 Pro your primary device for watching videos. However, when you do, you’ll be impressed by the vivid display and the support for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos.

Audio and video

The phone’s sound is rich and immersive and won’t disappoint should you decide to try out Apple TV+’s offerings on the handset.

The iPhone 11 Pro main camera can shoot 4k resolution video at 60 frames per second, which is what you’d expect from a flagship phone in 2019.

That said, the Pro can do it from any of the three rear cameras. As a result, you can shoot smooth 4k video using the Ultra Wide-angle and zoom lens.

The iPhone 11 has also curiously enabled 120 frames per second slow-motion video from its front camera. Apple have coined the term Slofies for the slow-motion selfies users will be able to take.

iPhone 11 Pro: Verdict

As a die-hard Android fan who is also really (and I mean really) loyal to Huawei, I’ll have to admit that the iPhone 11 Pro swayed me a little. I went over to the dark side and bought the 3rd Gen iPad Air the following week.

Also read – iPhone 12 rumours: Here’s everything we know so far