by : Sukhdeep Singh Phones

The Best iPhone For Every Type of Person and Budget

Apple’s iPhone lineup has grown to include three new phones: the iPhone 11, the iPhone 11 Pro, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max.

We highly recommend the iPhone 11, which costs a relatively reasonable $699, but still includes the most important new tech on any phone: the latest processor.

The iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max are great buys for tech addicts who want the absolute best, shutterbugs who love high-end camera tech, and people who want a larger (Max) or smaller phone (11 Pro). Last year’s iPhone XR is still a great choice, thanks to its new lower $599 price tag. If you can find a good deal on the iPhone XS and XS Max at Best Buy or from your carrier, they are still solid options, though it’d be smarter to buy the iPhone 11.

The two-year-old iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus are still decent options if you can find a deal, but you’d do better to buy the iPhone XR.

There are so many options now it can seem overwhelming when it comes time to choose the right iPhone for you. We break it down so you know exactly which iPhone to buy for your needs and budget. We also tell you which ones to avoid at all costs so you don’t end up paying hundreds of dollars for a three-year-old iPhone that is already obsolete.

Why should you listen to me? I’ve personally reviewed every iPhone since the iPhone 6 in a professional capacity as a tech writer and editor. Before that, I owned an iPhone 3GS and an iPhone 5, so I have run the gamut, so to speak.

Here are some key things to know before you decide which iPhone to buy:

  • Processor and RAM: The processor and RAM are the two most important parts of any phone. They determine how smoothly it runs and works through intense tasks like gaming or multitasking. The newer your iPhone, the better the processing power and RAM. That’s why we recommend you buy the most recent iPhone models and we don’t recommend any iPhones from three years ago.
  • Storage space: Storage is also incredibly important because the amount of storage you have determines how many photos, songs, videos, and apps you can have downloaded on your phone. Never buy a 16GB iPhone – you will run out of space and regret it. 32GB is okay for most people, but if you take a lot of photos, have tons of songs or videos downloaded, or you’re an app junkie, you will want 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB of storage. Unfortunately, adding storage costs money. Luckily, the newest phones start at 64GB, which is a truly respectable amount of space.
  • Screen size: iPhones come in several screen sizes now: 4 inches (iPhone SE), 4.7 inches (iPhone 6, 6S, 7, 8), 5.5 inches (iPhone 6 Plus, 6S Plus, 7 Plus, 8 Plus), 5.8 inches (iPhone 11 Pro and XS), and 6.2 inches (iPhone 11 Pro Max and XS Max) – the 11 and the XR are 6.1 inches. Phones with small screen sizes have smaller physical bodies, which are easier to hold. The iPhone 11 Pro Max and the Plus line are the largest phones to hold and they are the same size. The Max has a much bigger screen, though. The iPhone 11 Pro is physically a tad bigger than the iPhone 6, 6S, 7, or 8, so it’s very comfortable to hold.
  • Battery life: Most iPhones don’t have great battery life. The smaller the iPhone, the worse the battery life. The iPhone 11 Pro Max has the best battery life of any iPhone, but the iPhone 11 Pro also gets good battery life, as does the new iPhone 11. This year’s iPhones made a huge leap in terms of battery life.
  • Ports (or lack thereof): All iPhones have a lightning port for charging, but the iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, iPhone XS, Max, XR, iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max all lack the 3.5mm headphone jack. That means you can’t plug your headphones in unless you buy the adapter or the earbuds that come with your new iPhone. We recommend you get a nice pair of wireless headphones and live happily ever after.
  • Software: Apple provides updates to its iPhones for about four years after their release, so theoretically, you can have your iPhone safe and up to date for four years before you should buy a new one. Always update your software to get important security patches and new features. You may experience slowdown on older devices, but iPhones typically hold up well.
  • Price: Consider your purchase an investment. Your smartphone is more than a communication device – It is your camera, your computer, your photo album, your record player, and your gaming console, too. A good smartphone can last you for years, but a cheap one with poor specs will be outdated more quickly, and you’ll end up spending more in the long run. That $1,000 price tag on the iPhone 11 Pro looks less scary when you consider that it could last you for four to five years.
  • How to buy: You can get an iPhone from your carrier by paying full price or paying in monthly installments. You can also buy one at stores like Target and Best Buy or directly from Apple. We recommend you buy it from Apple unlocked so you can switch carriers any time you choose. The Apple iPhone Upgrade Program lets you get a new iPhone every year so long as you’ve made 12 monthly payments on your current phone. It’s basically like renting your smartphone so you can upgrade all the time. Some carriers, like T-Mobile, offer a similar program.

Here are the best iPhones you can buy:

  • Best iPhone overall: iPhone 11
  • Best small high-end iPhone: iPhone 11 Pro
  • Best big high-end iPhone: iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • Best budget iPhone: iPhone XR
  • Best small iPhone for less: iPhone XS
  • Best big iPhone for less: iPhone XS Max
  • Best big iPhone for less than $500: iPhone 8 Plus
  • Best small iPhone for less than $400: iPhone 8

Updated on 09/27/2019 by Malarie Gokey: Updated copy to reflect new buying recommendations based on the arrival of the new iPhone 11 lineup. Added writeups for the new iPhone 11 lineup.

Buying advice for current iPhone owners

Buying advice for current iPhone owners

Here’s who should (and shouldn’t) upgrade, and which iPhone we recommend for you:

  • If you have an iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR: There’s no reason to upgrade at all unless you’re a huge tech geek who needs the latest and greatest. If you’re upgrading every year, you may as well get one of the Pro models.
  • If you have an iPhone X, 8, or 8 Plus: You could definitely wait another year for the next big update. If you just really want to have an exceptional camera on your phone or you want the longer battery life, you could upgrade to the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, or 11 Pro Max. We think the iPhone 11 is the best deal for most people.
  • If you have an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus: You deserve an upgrade. These phones are starting to stutter and won’t last much longer. You may as well grab an iPhone 11, 11 Pro, or 11 Pro Max.
  • If you have an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, or 5S: You don’t just deserve an upgrade, you deserve a medal. You made your phone last 4-5 years. If you’re going to do that again, treat yourself and get the iPhone 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max. It’ll be like blasting off to a new planet. If you want to save a bit and don’t mind compromising on the camera features, the iPhone 11 is an excellent buy at $699.

How should you buy your new iPhone?

  • Tech geek? Join the Apple iPhone Upgrade Program. You’ll basically rent your phone with monthly payments, and you can upgrade to a new one after 12 payments. If you do that, you end up paying half price for the phone and you get a new one every year without hemming and hawing over the cost. T-Mobile has a similar offer, in which you can upgrade as soon as you’ve paid off half of the phone’s entire balance.
  • Tech-savvy traveler? Buy your iPhone unlocked so you can pop in local SIM cards when you travel abroad. To do this, buy from Apple, preferably through the iPhone Upgrade Program. Alternatively, you can buy from T-Mobile or Sprint because they have free international service in 100+ countries.
  • Budget hunter? Check out all the carrier promotions and maybe wait a few months to buy your new iPhone. You can also get the $699 iPhone 11, which costs several hundred dollars less than the 11 Pro and Max, but has most of the same tech. You can also get a year-old model for a good price now. You could also jump ahead to our Android alternatives section in this buying guide.

The Best iPhone Overall

The best iPhone overall

The iPhone 11 is the best iPhone for almost everyone with its reasonable $699 price tag, dual-camera set up, speedy new processor, and crisp LCD screen.It’s been years since a brand-new iPhone cost this little. The $699 price of the iPhone 11 makes it the best iPhone for just about every shopper. It has all the specs most people need for $300 less than the top-of-the-line iPhone 11 Pro and for $400 less than the iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Here are the only important differences: The iPhone 11’s 6.1-inch screen is made with an LCD panel instead of an OLED and it has a larger bezel (the back border around the screen), the 6.1-inch screen is smaller than the Max’s 6.8-inch screen but larger than the 11 Pro’s 5.8-inch screen, and the iPhone 11 Pro has an extra telephoto camera lens for zooming in on objects.

Otherwise, everything is the same. The iPhone 11 has the same fast A13 Bionic processor, an ultra-wide and regular wide rear camera setup, wireless charging, and better battery life than previous iPhones. Unless you regularly zoom in on objects in pictures or you really want an OLED screen that’s either larger or smaller than 6.1 inches, there is no reason to pay more for the iPhone 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max.

In our tests, the iPhone 11’s two 12-megapixel camera setup was able to handle everything we asked of it and it took excellent photos — especially in low-light situations. The front-facing camera is also 12-megapixels and it can create the blurred background effect on your selfies so you’re the focus — not the background. You can also use the front camera to securely unlock your phone with Face ID.

The entry-level 64GB of storage should be more than enough for most people, but if you want more, you can get 128 or 256GB of storage instead — for a few hundred dollars more.

The iPhone 11 comes in yellow, green, purple, black, white, and red. It’s also water resistant for 30 minutes in depths of up to 2 meters.

Pros: Excellent price for an iPhone, fast new processor, great 6.1-inch screen, long battery life, dual-camera setup on the back, wireless charging

Cons: It’s missing the OLED screen and the telephoto camera lens of the iPhone 11 Pro lineup

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