The 2020 holiday season is quickly approaching, which is really just another way of saying the holiday shopping season has already begun. You’ve likely gathered up wish lists from family members, and even made some notes and suggestions of your own. Now comes the time when you review the list and figure out how many items can be purchased without blowing your budget.
We suspect a fair amount of shopping lists will include an iPhone, and while that sounds simple and easy enough — there are actually quite a few options to consider. You could head over to Apple and pick up the newest iPhone 12. But while the iPhone 12 is the latest release, it may not be the greatest release for everyone. In fact, lots of people will be better served by getting a newish model that is a year or two older.
Buying a newish iPhone means getting a phone that can still meet your daily-use needs with ease. It also means spending less money.
Best iPhone Value
Oxford defines value as “the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.” When you apply value to an iPhone, most people tend to try and find a good mix between features (function) and the price. This often means following a pattern we favor at Swappa — which is that you probably do not need the latest generation iPhone, in this case, the iPhone 12 series. Buying a generation or two back is a great way to save money.
Our top pick for a value iPhone is the second-generation iPhone SE. This model was originally released in April 2020, so it is a relatively new model. The iPhone SE has the exterior look of an iPhone 8 and shares many of the same features and specs as the iPhone 11. Basically, that is to say, the iPhone SE is a small-form-factor phone with a home button and Touch ID, and is powered by modern components such as the Apple A13 Bionic chip. Choosing the iPhone SE would mean getting a 4.7-inch display, up to 256GB of internal storage, a 7MP front-facing camera, and a 12MP rear-facing camera.
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Next up in the value iPhone category is the iPhone 11. Some of the iPhone 11 specs match the iPhone SE, which means an Apple A13 Bionic chip, and up to 256GB of storage space. But the iPhone 11 has a larger display, coming in at 6.1-inches, and it also features a better camera setup on the front and back. The iPhone 11 camera setup includes a 12MP TrueDepth camera on the front, and a dual 12MP wide and ultra-wide camera on the back. The iPhone 11 also has support for Night Mode, which will help you get better images at night and in low-light situations.
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Our final recommendation in this category is the iPhone Xr. The iPhone Xr was the model that was released prior to the iPhone 11, which means it is a year older and was released in late-2018. But it is important to note how the iPhone Xr has a very capable processor, the Apple A12 Bionic, and how it runs the latest version of iOS, which is currently iOS 14. You will also find quite a few similarities between the iPhone Xr and the iPhone 11. For example, the iPhone Xr also has a 6.1-inch display, and both models are the same size and weight. One difference between the iPhone Xr and the iPhone 11 is the camera setup. The iPhone Xr has a 7MP TrueDepth camera on the front, and a single 12MP camera on the back, which means it doesn’t have Night Mode.
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Of course, as you would expect with an iPhone, all models have features such as WiFi for connectivity, and Bluetooth, which can be used for another item that may be topping these wishlists, AirPods.
Best iPhone for Photographers
Choosing the best iPhone for photographers is a fun topic, it is also a topic that has us making a recommendation we don’t often make — that you should buy the newest and most expensive iPhone. Apple tends to bring a slightly better camera experience each year, and they also tend to bring the most camera-related features to the biggest Pro model.
Essentially, this means that right now, the best iPhone for photographers is the iPhone 12 Pro Max. And yes, it is also the most expensive iPhone. But, Apple has added some camera features that are not available on any other iPhone. On the front, you’ll find a 12MP TrueDepth camera, and on the back, you will find a triple camera array with ultra-wide, wide, and telephoto.
- Ultra-wide: f/2.4 aperture and 120-degree field of view
- Wide: f/1.6 aperture
- Telephoto: f/2.2 aperture
Other highlights for the 12 Pro Max camera setup include Night Mode portraits enabled by the LiDAR scanner, dual-optical image stabilization, up to 10x digital zoom, up to 2.5x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, and a 5x optical zoom range. You also have a Night Mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3, Apple ProRAW, and the following for video recording;
- HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 60 fps
- 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
- 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
- 720p HD video recording at 30 fps
- 1080p HD slo‑mo video at 120 fps or 240 fps
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The iPhone 12 Pro Max certainly isn’t an iPhone that will fit into the value category, but if you want the best for photography — this is the best option. That said, we realize the iPhone 12 Pro isn’t cheap, and as we like to keep some money left in our bank accounts — we do have a runner-up in this category, the iPhone 11 Pro.
Picking up an iPhone 11 Pro will set you up with an iPhone that can capture great photos and videos. It also means not have to spend quite as much money, which is a good thing. The iPhone 11 Pro has a 12MP TrueDepth (f/2.2 aperture) camera on the front with features such as Portrait mode, Portrait Lighting, next-generation Smart HDR, and a Retina Flash. The front-facing camera can also record 4K video at 24, 30, or 60 frames per second, 1080p video at 30 or 60 frames per second, and 1080p slow-mo video at 120 frames per second.
The rear-camera setup for the iPhone 11 Pro is a triple-camera array. This includes an ultra-wide with f/2.4 aperture and 120-degree field of view, a wide with f/1.8 aperture, and a telephoto with f/2.0 aperture. Other highlights for the iPhone 11 Pro rear-camera include Portrait mode, Portrait Lighting, next-generation Smart HDR, a True Tone flash, dual optical image stabilization, and 2x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, and up to 10x digital zoom. Video recording for the iPhone 11 Pro rear camera setup is as follows;
- 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
- 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
- 720p HD video recording at 30 fps
- 1080p HD slo‑mo video at 120 fps or 240 fps
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Best iPhone for Games
If your primary reason for buying an iPhone is to play games, you’ll likely want to find a mix of a larger display, a newer processor, and good battery life. The larger screen size will make playing a bit easier, especially considering you will be playing with on-screen controls. And, the newer processor means less worry about sluggish performance. Similar to how Apple includes a new processor with each new generation of the iPhone, they also increase the battery life year-over-year, so looking for a bit newer of a model means you will be getting a bit better battery life.
For these reasons, we recommend the iPhone 11 for gaming. The iPhone 11 features a 6.1-inch display, and it is powered by the Apple A13 Bionic processor. Perhaps equally important — because the iPhone 11 is not the newest iPhone on the market — you will be able to get a really good deal if you shop newish in the Swappa marketplace.
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Of course, if the price is a concern and you prefer spending less you can safely look back another generation and still get great performance in terms of gaming. Going back a generation from the iPhone 11 would mean the iPhone Xr, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max. These three models are part of the 12th generation of the iPhone lineup, and they are all powered by the Apple A12 Bionic processor. The iPhone Xr has a 6.1-inch display, just like the iPhone 11. In fact, the display is the same between the iPhone 11 and Xr. The iPhone XS has a slightly smaller display, coming in at 5.8-inches, but it does have better over quality. Similarly, the iPhone XS Max also has a better overall quality. The iPhone XS Max also has a larger, 6.5-inch display.
| iPhone 11 | iPhone Xr | iPhone XS | iPhone XS Max | |
| Size | 6.1-inch Liquid Retina HD display | 6.1-inch Liquid Retina HD display | 5.8-inch Super Retina HD display (HDR) | 6.5-inch Super Retina HD display (HDR) |
| Resolution | 1792 x 828 | 1792 x 828 | 2436 x 1125 | 2688 x 1242 |
| PPI | 326 ppi | 326 ppi | 458 ppi | 458 ppi |
| Contrast Ratio | 1400:1 contrast ratio | 1400:1 contrast ratio | 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio | 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio |
| True Tone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wide color (p3) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Max brightness | 625 nits max brightness (typical) | 625 nits max brightness (typical) | 625 nits max brightness (typical) | 625 nits max brightness (typical) |
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Best iPhone for Kids
Choosing the best iPhone for a kid is somewhat dependent on the age, level of maturity, and level of trust. After all, you want to trust that your child will not immediately drop and destroy an expensive iPhone. For this reason, we recommend getting something smaller, and less expensive for a younger kid.
The second-generation iPhone SE fits in that category. They are small in size, which will make it easier for small hands to hold. And, it is also less expensive, which means a bit less worry in terms of accidental damage. Of course, despite being smaller and less expensive — the iPhone SE is a really great phone, which is why this model was also recommended in our best overall value category.
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Shifting from younger kids to older kids and things get a bit trickier. You still need to trust they aren’t going to destroy the phone, but you also need to factor in the age, specifically, the teen years, which can be tricky for a variety of reasons. We’re not one to say you need to buckle to peer pressure, but you may be looking for a newer, more modern-looking iPhone.
In this case, we recommend checking out the iPhone 11. You’ll be able to get an iPhone that will handle all of your day-to-day use cases with ease, and you’ll be able to find one at a great price. And, if you are still hoping to spend a bit less, the iPhone Xr will also be a great model to consider.
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Lastly, if you just want to get a really low-priced iPhone, regardless of the age, you can look towards the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 7. These models are a bit older, and they won’t be quite as powerful, but they are still running the latest version of iOS, and they are still very capable, especially when it comes to regular usage such as social media, watching videos, and messaging.
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Swappa’s Quick Picks
We get it, shopping can be difficult — especially with all of the different options that are available. In an effort to simplify the decision-making process, here is a quick pick list outlining the top five phones that other Swappa users are buying:
- Great low-priced iPhone: Apple iPhone 8
- Top value-priced iPhone with great performance: Apple iPhone Xr
- Perfect choice for strict budgets: Apple iPhone 7
- Excellent and affordable iPhone for older kids: Apple iPhone 11
- Best affordable iPhone with an excellent camera: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Earlier in this guide, we mentioned that you can save money if you buy newish instead of new. But saving money is only one of the perks of getting your next iPhone from Swappa. The Swappa marketplace is also easy-to-use, and perhaps more importantly — it is safe, and we do not allow junk, which means you can shop with confidence.
