iPhone XR Vs. iPhone 11 - Which is better?

Although Apple has discontinued the iPhone XR and 11 productions, many users are still very interested in owning one of these iPhones. However, the differences between the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 are so few that one would require adequate information to choose the better one.

Typically, the iPhone 11 should come out on top since it was released later, but what if Apple kept a surprise in the XR? Therefore, our head-to-head comparison of the iPhone XR vs. iPhone 11 will help you decide which is best.

iPhone XR Vs. iPhone 11 Spec

Features	iPhone XR	iPhone 11
Display	6.1 inches	6.1 inches
Resolution	828 x 1792 pixels	828 x 1792 pixels
Weight	194g	194g
Brightness (nits)	625 nits	625 nits
Dimension	150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm	150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm
Processor	iOS 12 (upgradable to iOS 16.5)	iOS 13 (upgradable to iOS 17)
Storage	64GB, 128GB, 256GB	64GB, 128GB, 256GB
Memory	3GB	4GB
Camera	12 MP, f/1.8 (wide); 12 MP, f/2.4, 120 degrees (ultrawide)12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide)	12 MP, f/1.8 (wide) 7 MP, f/2.2, 32mm (standard)
Battery & Charging Power	2942 mAh & 15W (wired) and 7.5W (wireless)	3110 mAh & 18W (wired) and 7.5W (wireless)

Display

The iPhone XR and iPhone 11 boast a 6.1 inches Liquid Retina IPS LCD screen with a brightness of 652 nits. They also include the True Tone and P3 wide color feature to produce vibrant color quality. However, the iPhone 11 features the 3D Touch and the Haptic Touch technology implemented in both iPhones for faster response.

Processor, Memory, And Storage

When comparing iPhones, their processors are one of the significant factors to consider. While the iPhone XR features the Apple A12 Bionic chipset to run the iOS 12 (upgradable to iOS 16.5), the iPhone 11 stands taller with the featured Apple A13 chipset to run the iOS 13 (upgradable to iOS 17).

Although few, the enhancements that come with a higher bionic remain significant. The A13 chipset, combined with the 7 nm+ architecture, provides 4 high-efficiency and 2 high-performance cores that are 20% faster, 30% more efficient, and consume 40% less power than the A12 chipset.

With availability only in 4GB RAM, the iPhone 11 exceeds the iPhone XR, which is only available in 3GB RAM. Also, iPhones 11 and XR are available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256 GB.

Camera

Vividly, two is better than one when it comes to mobile devices, especially when it comes to high-end mobiles. The camera configuration of the iPhone 11 and XR is one of the apparent features that differentiate them.

The XR takes a single 12 MP camera with the same features as the iPhone 11. The iPhone 11 features an extra 12MP ultrawide camera to complete the dual camera configuration vertically placed in a box-shaped bump at the back.

Furthermore, the extra camera of the iPhone 11 enables it to get more advanced features than the iPhone XR. Some of the most prominent advanced camera features of the iPhone 11 include the enhanced Night Mode, Neural Engine, Smart HDR, and improved Portrait Mode (for detection of faces, pets, and objects).

There are also six available Portrait Lighting effects on the iPhone 11 compared to just three effects offered by the iPhone XR.

Battery Life And Charging Speed

In the early days, Apple struggled to provide its users with devices having extended battery life. Therefore, giving extra attention to the battery life and charging power in this contest of iPhone XR vs iPhone 11 is essential.

The iPhone XR has a battery capacity of 2942 mAh, falling behind the 3110 mAh of the iPhone 11. Both support wireless charging and are believed to charge up to 50% in just 30 minutes.

Alternative Options

You can consider many options for something better or cheaper than the XR and iPhone 11.

From the low-end iPhones to the upper side of iPhone 11 (iPhone 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, SE 2nd Gen, 12 models, 13 models, and 14 models), your budget is the magic decider of which model you should look at.

Nonetheless, we take a stand somewhere between the iPhone XR and the iPhone 11 by offering the iPhone SE 2nd Gen (2020) as an alternative.

The iPhone SE 2nd Gen (2020) combines the iPhone 11 vs XR specs and is affordable. It takes the A13 Bionic chipset to support the iOS 13 (upgradable to iOS 17) but has the same 3GB RAM as the iPhone XR. However, the iPhone XR is smaller when compared to any of our focused iPhones.

Here is the complete outline of the specs of the iPhone XR

Features	iPhone SE 2nd Gen (2020)
Display	4.7 inches
Resolution	750 x 1334 pixels
Weight	148g
Brightness (nits)	625 nits
Dimension	138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm
Processor	iOS 13 (upgradable to iOS 17)
Storage	64GB, 128GB, 256GB
Memory	3GB
Camera	12 MP, f/1.8 (wide) 7 MP, f/2.2 (Selfie)
Battery & Charging Power	1821 mAh & 18W (wired) and 7.5W (wireless)

Recommendations

As stated earlier, your budget should determine your choice, as the two iPhones are up to the task. However, the iPhone 11 surpasses the iPhone XR, which did not come as a surprise considering their release dates. Over the years, Apple has consistently aimed to beat their latest major release with a new one and achieved this quite well with the iPhone XR and iPhone 11.

Yet, the iPhone XR is a good option, especially if you want to save cash on your purchase. It has almost all the features of the iPhone 11, with the apparent differences coming from the memory, camera configuration, processor, and battery capacity.

Also, if you are on a low budget, the iPhone SE 2nd Gen (2020) can be an excellent choice to give you that iPhone XR + iPhone 11 vibe.

Conclusion

The iPhone XR vs. iPhone 11 comparison has revealed that the two phones are similar in many ways, although the iPhone 11 appears better. The iPhone 11 features a higher processor, larger memory, and enhanced camera configuration to surpass the iPhone XR. On the other hand, the iPhone XR boasts a 6.1” screen, a 12MP camera, and A12 bionic chipset.

Nevertheless, purchasing any of the two phones will still provide you with the same fantastic user experience and maximum satisfaction since they are similar in size, display quality, and storage capacity. You can also check out the iPhone SE 2nd Gen (2020), which was suggested as an alternative if you are on a tight budget.

iPhone XR Vs. iPhone 11: Which Is Better?