We’re certain that some people are already planning to purchase an iPhone 12 when it becomes available, but a new iPhone release should also bring good news for those who are happy with a model that isn’t the latest release. Sure, buying a slightly older iPhone means you will not have the latest release, but just because your iPhone isn’t the newest, that doesn’t mean it will be any less capable. In fact, grabbing a previous-generation iPhone is a great way to save some money, and Swappa is here to help.
Today we’ll be taking a look at the iPhone X, which ushered in the gesture-based iPhone in late-2017, and the iPhone 11, which was released in late-2019. The iPhone X and iPhone 11 are both very capable phones, even in 2020, and trying to pick one over the other really comes down to a few specific features and your budget.
iPhone X vs 11 spec comparison
The iPhone X was released as part of the 11th generation, and the iPhone 11 was released as part of the 13th generation of the iPhone. The iPhone 11 is the newer phone, which means it will have some obvious improvements as compared to the iPhone X. For example, the iPhone X is powered by the Apple A11 Bionic chip with the Neural engine, while the iPhone 11 has the newer A13 Bionic chip with the third-generation Neural engine.
On paper, that sort of points to the iPhone 11 as being the better, more powerful phone. But in actual real-world, day-to-day usage — the iPhone X and the A11 Bionic chip will be just fine. Otherwise, both models are running the same version of iOS, which is iOS 14, which puts them on more equal footing, and once you scroll further down in this post, you will see that the iPhone X may actually top the iPhone 11 in some areas.
| iPhone X | iPhone 11 | |
| Display | 5.8-inch Super Retina HD True Tone display (2436 x 1125) | 6.1-inch Liquid Retina HD True Tone display (1792 x 828) |
| Chipset | Apple A11 Bionic chip with Neural engine | Apple A13 Bionic chip with third-generation Neural engine |
| RAM | 3GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 64GB, 256GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
| Battery | 2,716 mAh | 3,110 mAh |
| Wireless Charging | Yes (Qi) | Yes (Qi) |
| Fast Charging | Yes (Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes) | Yes (Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes) |
| Size | 5.65 (H) x 2.79 (W) x 0.30 (D) -inches | 5.94 (H) x 2.98 (W) x 0.33 (D) -inches |
| Weight | 6.14 ounces | 6.84 ounces |
| Water Resistance | IP67 (Dust, Splash, Water Resistance) under IEC standard 60529 | IP68 (Dust, Splash, Water Resistance) under IEC standard 60529 |
| SIM | nano-SIM | Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) |
| Front Camera | 7MP TrueDepth camera | 12MP TrueDepth camera |
| Rear Camera | 12MP wide-angle and telephoto cameras | 12MP ultra-wide and wide cameras |
As noted in the spec list, the iPhone 11 has more RAM and a higher IP rating. You will find 3GB of RAM in the iPhone X and 4GB in the iPhone 11, and an IP rating of IP67 for the iPhone X and IP68 on the iPhone 11. But similar to what we noted in regards to the iPhone 11 having a better processor and looking better on a spec sheet — the 3GB of RAM and IP67 rating on the iPhone X should meet your day-to-day requirements without issue.
The display on the iPhone X is a bit smaller but it is a Super Retina HD display with a resolution of 2436 x 1125. The higher resolution is a solid plus on the side of the iPhone X. Not to mention, the iPhone X is also a little smaller in size and a little lighter in weight, which could make it more appealing to some users.
iPhone X vs 11 display
iPhone X
- 5.8-inch all-screen OLED multi-touch display
- 2436 x 1125 at 458 ppi
- True Tone
- HDR
- Wide color display (P3)
- 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio
- 625 cs/m2 max brightness
iPhone 11
- 6.1-inch all-screen LCD multi-touch display with IPS technology
- 1792 x 828 at 326 ppi
- True Tone
- Wide color display (P3)
- 1400:1 contrast ratio
- 625 nits max brightness
iPhone X vs 11 size
The size difference on the display is minor, 5.8-inches on the iPhone X versus 6.1-inches on the iPhone 11. The bigger more, noticeable differences between these two devices will be found in the overall dimensions and weight.
iPhone X
- 5.65 (H) x 2.79 (W) x 0.30 (D) -inches
- 6.14 ounces
iPhone 11
- 5.94 (H) x 2.98 (W) x 0.33 (D) -inches
- 6.84 ounces
The iPhone X is smaller and lighter, and for some, this could be a deciding factor. The smaller overall size and the lighter weight make the iPhone X feel lighter when held — and maybe more important for some, it should fit a little better in your pocket.
iPhone X vs 11 camera
Earlier in the post, we mentioned that deciding between the iPhone X and iPhone 11 would likely come down to a few specific features and your budget. Well, the camera is one of those specific features. The front-facing camera on the iPhone 11 brought some improvements, but the differences in the rear-camera setup may end up swaying you one way or the other.
| iPhone X | iPhone 11 | |
| Camera | 12MP wide-angle and telephoto cameras | Dual 12MP ultra-wide and wide cameras |
| Aperture | f/1.8 (wide-angle) and f/2.4 (telephoto) | f/2.8 (ultra-wide) and f/1.8 (wide) |
| Digital Zoom | Up to 10x | Up to 5x |
| Optical Zoom | Yes | Yes |
| True Tone Flash | Quad-LED True Tone flash with Slow Sync | Brighter True Tone flash with Slow Sync |
Both phones offer robust camera software with features such as Portrait Mode, Portrait Lighting, Panorama, Live Photos, and Burst Mode. In terms of hardware, both offer optical image stabilization and a sapphire crystal lens cover. Both models also have support for HDR, with Apple noting the iPhone X as having auto HDR for photos and the iPhone 11 as having “next-generation” Smart HDR for photos.
The Smart HDR functionality puts the iPhone 11 a step up. With Smart HDR, your phone begins capturing images as soon as you open the camera — even before you tap the shutter button. This process begins creating a buffer of images, which get combined with “interframes” to help bring out highlight and shadow details. The bigger magic then happens once you tap the shutter button. At that point, your iPhone goes into the (done behind the scenes) “computational photography” mode, which not only combines but also analyzes the images before combining them into a “smart” photo.
Another perk found on the iPhone 11 camera setup includes Night Mode, which is something that is not available on the iPhone X. But the real difference could come down to the type of cameras. They each have a dual-camera setup on the back, but the iPhone X has a wide-angle and telephoto lens, whereas the iPhone 11 has an ultra-wide and wide-angle lens. The wide-angle is a 12MP with f/1.8 aperture on both models, so your decision should be based on whether you want the telephoto on the iPhone X or the ultra-wide on the iPhone 11. A telephoto lens allows you to capture images close up, whereas the ultra-wide allows you to get a much wider field of view. The ultra-wide camera on the iPhone 11 has a 120-degree field of view.
Shifting over to the front, you’ll find that each has a TrueDepth camera — though the iPhone 11 is 12MP and the iPhone X is 7MP. Despite the difference in the megapixels, they each have an f/2.2 aperture and include features such as Portrait Mode, Portrait Lighting, Burst Mode, a retina flash, auto image stabilization, and HDR support.
iPhone X and 11 image formats
The iPhone X and 11 are both capable of capturing images in HEIF or JPEG. The JPEG format is more commonly known, but the HEIF, which was introduced with iOS 11 has a key benefit. The HEIF (High-Efficiency Image File Format) format will help you to save on storage space. The “high-efficiency” portion of the name means the format offers better image compression, and in turn, that means you should end up using less storage space on your iPhone. One potential drawback of using the HEIF format is that it may not be supported by every website or service.
iPhone X and 11 video recording
The rear camera setup on the iPhone X and the iPhone 11 each allow you to capture video in 4k, 1080p, or 720p. In fact, there are quite a few similarities in the video recording functionality.
- 4k video recording at 24, 30, or 60fps
- 1080p video recording at 30 or 60fps
- 720p video recording at 30fps
Both models also allow you to capture slow-mo video at 1080p resolution at 120 or 240fps. You can also capture 8MP still images while recording 4k video. Other shared features for both models include optical image stabilization, optical zoom, digital zoom, time-lapse with stabilization, True Tone flash, continuous autofocus, and playback zoom. They both also offer cinematic video stabilization, though that is limited to 1080p and 720p on the iPhone X, whereas the iPhone 11 support includes 4k video.
iPhone X vs 11 battery life
The iPhone X and 11 each have a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and each supports wireless charging using the Qi standard and fast charging using the Lightning connector. The fast-charging brings the ability to get a 50% charge in 30 minutes.
In terms of battery capacity, the iPhone 11 edges out the iPhone X. The iPhone X has a 2,716 mAh battery and the iPhone 11 has a 3,110 mAh battery. Of course, it is important to remember that any rechargeable battery will see some battery degradation over time. Having said that, Apple offered the following estimates in terms of battery life for audio and video playback:
| iPhone X | iPhone 11 | |
| Audio Playback | Up to 60 hours | Up to 65 hours |
| Video Playback | Up to 13 hours (wireless) | Up to 17 hours, or up to 10 hours when streamed |
Our opinion is that both of these phones are worth buying, even in 2020. It is a little hard to make a direct price comparison when looking at the original retail prices. After all, the iPhone X launched at $999, which at the time, made it the most expensive iPhone. We’ve since seen that price climb on other models of the iPhone, but the iPhone 11 originally launched at $699. Perhaps more important when considering a newish purchase — each of these phones can now be purchased for a fraction of the original price. Current pricing and availability for the iPhone X and the iPhone 11 can be found below.
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Read more about how the iPhone X compares to the iPhone 11 in our comparison guide.
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