EDITOR'S NOTE:
Apple stopped manufacturing and selling the iPhone 12 and iPhone 11. You may still be able to find refurbished models of these devices through retailers such as Amazon or eBay.
The iPhone 11 was originally released in September, 2019, and the iPhone 12 followed in October, 2020. Both phones still receive regular support and iOS updates, and should be supported until 2026 and 2027 respectively. While the latest iPhones offer upgraded hardware and specs, the iPhone 11 and 12 still work as cheap but reliable devices.
If you want to save some cash, read on for our original comparison of the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 12 to see how they stack up and if either is right for you. Or if you think they won't work for you, check out our iPhone deals page for offers on newer models.
Apple unveiled their new set of smartphones on October 13, and… they’re pretty cool. But how do the new 5G-compatible devices compare to 2019’s iPhone 11 phones? We’re comparing the iPhone 12 with the iPhone 11 to help you decide which is the best iPhone to get and whether it's worth the upgrade.
iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 11: Specs
There are three models of the iPhone 11 and four of the iPhone12. Rather than overwhelm you by comparing all the specs for each model, here's a general rundown comparing the base iPhone 11 to the base iPhone 12.
| Specs | iPhone 11 | iPhone 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Debut price | $599 | $799 |
| Display | 6.1” | 6.1” |
| Camera | Dual-rear 12MP | Dual-rear 12MP |
| Processor | A13 Bionic | A14 Bionic |
| Internal Memory | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
| Battery Life | Video playback: 17 hours | Video playback: 17 hours |
| Water Resistance | 2 meters up to 30 minutes | 6 meters up to 30 minutes |
| 5G Compatible | No | Yes |
| See Plans | See Plans |
iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 11: Pricing and availability
Image: Alex Choros | WhistleOut
The debut starting prices for the new iPhones closely resemble those of the 2019 iPhones upon release. The iPhone 12 mini is the cheapest of the bunch, starting at $699. From there, the prices break down thusly:
- iPhone 12: Starts at $799
- iPhone 12 Pro: Starts at $999
- iPhone 12 Pro Max: Starts at $1,099
As per usual when new iPhones get released, the previous year’s models have gotten cheaper. iPhone 11 now starts at $599, dropping from the original $699. iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max have been discontinued by Apple, but most carriers still offer these devices at lower prices than their original costs. AT&T, for example, has the iPhone Pro Max starting at $999, down from the original price of $1,099.
Overall, the pricing gaps between the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 series are fairly modest. But the iPhone 11s, being the older set of phones, are cheaper than the new iPhone 12s and take the edge in the budget battle.
Winner: iPhone 11
iPhone 11 256GB
- 6.1 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 12MP, 12MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
iPhone 11 64GB
- 6.1 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 12MP, 12MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
iPhone 11 Pro 256GB
- 5.8 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 12MP, 12MP, 12MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
iPhone 12 64GB
- 6.1 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 12MP, 12MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
iPhone 12 128GB
- 6.1 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 12MP, 12MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
iPhone 12 256GB
- 6.1 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 12MP, 12MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
Display Sizes
Image: Alex Choros | WhistleOut
Both base models of iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 feature 6.1” displays. The iPhone 11’s LCD screen is a big upgrade from the iPhone 12’s Super Retina XDR OLED display, which is present on all iPhone 12 models. The 11 Pro models are the only ones that feature OLED screens.
The iPhone 12 Pro also features a 6.1” display, an improvement upon the iPhone 11 Pro's smaller 5.8” display. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is Apple’s biggest iPhone yet at 6.7 inches—slightly bigger than iPhone 11 Pro Max's 6.5" display.
Think phones are oversized these days? The iPhone 12 mini might be the pick for you. At 5.8” the 12 mini is, as its name might suggest, the smallest of the iPhone 12 lineup. Apple also claims that it’s the smallest and slimmest 5G phone available.
From one of the smallest modern flagships to the largest Apple smartphone ever, the iPhone 12 gives you more size options compared to its predecessor, and takes the win here.
Winner: iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Vs. iPhone 11: Processor
For some time, Apple’s proprietary processors have been the cream of the crop as far as mobile processing chips are concerned. The A13 Bionic, which comes in the iPhone 11 devices, hasn’t been topped… until now. Each iPhone 12 is powered by the new A14 Bionic, which supports a mind-boggling 11 trillion operations per second.
What does that mean for you? Better and faster overall performance, and support for more advanced software, apps, and games. In fact, the iPhone 12 is perfect for gamers who want the console experience while playing on the go. Even the casual user will notice the marked improvement in performance over the iPhone 11.
Winner: iPhone 12
Cameras
If you regularly watch smartphone unveilings, you've also probably noticed that phone makers tend to place heavy focus on their new device’s cameras. This is because innovations in smartphone camera systems have turned us all into part-time photographers, and it’s easy to highlight the phone’s camera improvements through pictures.
Before the iPhone 12 came out, the iPhone 11 cameras—especially in the Pro models—were good enough to send the iPhone from the middle of most "best camera phones" lists towards the top. But Apple has improved everything camera-related for the iPhone 12. Each iPhone 12 camera has better Night mode, Deep Fusion, HDR, and image stabilization. The iPhone 12 Pros are even more sophisticated, with a 4x optical zoom telephoto lens and LiDAR sensor for AI support. If that wasn’t enough, in an upcoming iOS update both the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will get the new Apple ProRAW, which allows photographers to shoot in RAW while still getting all the benefits of the iPhone’s image computation capabilities.
All the iPhone 12 models can now shoot in 4K HDR 10-bit video, adding much more color to highlight all the details in your shots. And on top of that, the phones can also record directly in Dolby Vision. It's really not even a contest—the iPhone 12 camera is the superior option.
Winner: iPhone 12
iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 11: Design
Image: Alex Choros | WhistleOut
The iPhone 11 designs didn’t really deviate much from the past few previous iPhones, defined mostly the slim rounded edges. The iPhone 12 models finally break away from that basic design to go back even further in iPhone history for a bit of a retro feel. Gone are the round edges, replaced by straight aluminum edges to create more of a boxy feel.
Whether this is better than the rounded design is mostly based on your preference. We feel like the boxy design feel a little easier to grip and is a nice change over the past few iPhones.
Winner: iPhone 12
Battery life
Surprisingly, the iPhone 12 doesn’t offer any upgraded battery support over the iPhone 11—base models of both series can deliver up to 17 hours of video playback battery life. As you'd expect with its diminutive size, the iPhone mini packs a smaller battery so naturally has the shortest battery life of all compared models, and both 12 Pros have slightly shorter battery lives than the 11 Pros. They either have smaller batteries, or there’s just a little more going on inside of them. Either way, though, the iPhone 11 remains the longest lasting iPhone of the bunch.
Winner: iPhone 11
5G connectivity
Okay, this one isn’t entirely fair, as 5G networks are still so new and limited. That said, iPhone 12 models are 5G compatible while the iPhone 11s are not, making the 12s more ripe for embracing whatever 5G connectivity you might have access to.
These are Apple’s first 5G smartphones, which is a big deal not only for them, but for 5G in general. The more phones that are 5G ready, the more the carriers are going to work to develop their 5G networks—especially when one of those phones is the most sold in the country.
Winner: iPhone 12
Which iPhone is the winner? iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 11
Some iPhone upgrades aren’t all that exciting, improving only slightly on the previous year’s model. The iPhone 12, however, is a pretty big deal. So, should you buy the iPhone 12 over the iPhone 11?
In short: Yes. We didn’t even mention all the new features on the phone, but from all these major categories, it’s pretty clear to see that the iPhone 12 is a pretty serious upgrade. Sure, it’ll be slightly more expensive, but the deals you can get from the carriers will likely eliminate most of that price difference.
As for whether you should you upgrade from an iPhone 11 to an iPhone 12, the answer is a little trickier. The new and improved features that come with the iPhone 12 are quite impressive, but if you’re happy with your iPhone 11 and you’re trying to stay on a budget, you probably won’t miss out on having the iPhone 12 too much, since you already have a very capable high-end phone. Having 5G would be nice, but keep in mind that 5G is still very much in its infancy and nowhere near ready to provide the general public with the reliable lightning fast speeds that we are all expecting from the new network technology.
Winner: iPhone 12
iPhone 12 64GB Plans
|
#1
|
Gen Mobile
Unlimited Talk, Text & 2GB Data
$10.00/mo
$30 advance payment for 3 months (equals to $10/month)
+ $249 Upfront
|
|
#2
|
TracFone
1GB Data 1-Month Smartphone Plan
$10.00/mo
with Auto-Refill discount for the first 2 months
+ $249.99 Upfront
|
|
#3
|
Wing
1GB Data Plan
$17.00/mo
+ $999.99 Upfront
|
|
#4
|
Simple Mobile
15GB Data Plan
$23.75/mo
with AutoPay
+ $204.98 Upfront
|
Angelo Ilumba
Senior Writer
Find a better phone plan
Thousands of cell phone plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
.png?w=280&h=280&usm=20&usmrad=0.8&fit=crop "Best Cell Phone Deals for June 2026: Get the New iPhone 17 for Free")
