It recommends my first iPhone (specifically my first Apple device). For so many years I had and have Android phones, I once had Windows Phone as well. I am rewriting the review since I have had the phone for over 2 years as my main phone and I am considering switching to the iPhone 16, as the 15, while it brought Type C, has a bad reputation with overheating and constant bugs, although the phone is performing well so far. Listening and seeing so many years about Apple devices and software, I ended up with this little gem from Apple, because I want 3 simple things and Apple offers them at the expense of its high prices: 1) smooth user experience without lags and bloatware, 2) flawless software and hardware integration and between devices, 3) premium well-crafted design and build quality. Let's move on to the positives of the iPhone 11 (256GB) RED model, with a Spigen case. The differences with the iPhone 12 in terms of speed, cameras, and user experience are very small to negligible, but with the 14 and 15, enough to switch to another IF you are a very demanding user...... - Very good build and beautiful design. / IP68 certification. - The screen is Liquid Retina and although it is LCD and not OLED, it is honest and satisfactory, of course if you are used to Amoled screens it might seem a bit off.... - The phone does not lag at all and performs smoothly no matter what I do to it, even though it only has 4GB of RAM (it manages resources well, logical since software and hardware are designed by Apple to run everything). It has been tested with heavy games on Ultra settings and feels lag-free. - It receives software updates, meaning it will even get iOS 18, but imagine it started from iOS 13 in 2019 and has long support. - The cameras, especially the two on the back of the phone (wide and ultra wide 0.5), are simply outstanding, at a level that after this you go for a DSLR camera, very good also the night mode. The video is stable, cinematic as if you have the phone on a gimbal, in night shooting the video could have a better night mode but it's not a big deal. - FaceID is incredibly convenient and incredibly capable, unlocking the phone instantly even in complete darkness. - Much safer and smoother operating system with a flawless user experience compared to android, but also very limited and closed in terms of customization and other practical uses as a developer / automator that I am I have a second Android phone for these tasks..... - It syncs my contacts, gmail, outlook, everything works as it should from social media to phone calls. - Perfect and bidirectional collaboration with Macbook and AirPods and generally with all Apple devices. Let's move on to the negatives and neutral impressions... - I wanted the battery to last longer, it lasts a day for me with heavy usage, for a high-end phone (with a 3110 mAh battery it's a bit of an issue) it could last 2 days with heavy usage but generally all smartphones have this issue, but still it is a very quality battery since I have the phone new from July 2021 until now November 2023 with 90% health it is incredible of course I don't play games, nor am I on social media all day, and I charge it from 30% to 90%.
- It does not include a charger, only the cable, which is unacceptable considering that even devices worth 150€ had a 22W fast charger included in the box. So, you have to buy a genuine Apple 20W fast charger for about 25€ or a high-quality 20 ~ 30W charger with a Type C port that supports Power Delivery.
- Transferring mp3 files, photos, pdfs, and zip files from a PC (Windows 10) was difficult for me because iTunes did not help as much as I thought, and I had to search for third-party apps to transfer them to my iPhone from a PC with Windows 10. While on Android, you can simply copy and paste and you're done. Here, try using 3utools.
- The price is a bit high, but if you bought it in early 2020 or 2021 and have it until now, keeping it until the end of 2024, it has paid off. The processor, software, and cameras are unbeatable.
- The upgrade to iOS 15 made the phone noticeably faster, and the battery lasts a little longer. Along with the new features, iOS 16 initially caused the phone to freeze, but it improved after version 16.4.
- The Lightning charging port is an issue when all Android phones and now the iPhone 15, as well as many gadgets, have USB Type C. So, you have one cable for everything instead of many different ones.
- The phone does not lag at all and performs flawlessly. From 2021 to now in 2023, even with only 4GB of RAM, it manages resources well, which is logical since the software and hardware are designed by Apple to run everything. It has been tested with heavy games on Ultra settings, and there is no lag. Everything opens and runs smoothly.
- In Benchmarks (November 2023 tests) with iOS 17.1.1, the phone impresses in performance, surpassing many Android mid-range phones from 2023 with 8GB of RAM in Geekbench 6 and Antutu v10. The A13 Bionic processor from 2019 is very powerful, and sometimes I think it is wasted in a phone, let alone the A17 Pro in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which has so much power that it surpasses the average processing power of desktop computers used by many businesses and homes in Greece and other countries. The iPhone 11 still counts if you have it; it will comfortably serve the average user until the end of 2024. But if you are a demanding user, go for the iPhone 14 Pro or higher, where you will see significant differences. If you want to buy a good mid-range phone, it is not worth getting the iPhone 11, even if it is refurbished, as it will not have the same excellent battery as the original and may not have the special adhesive around it for waterproofing, or an OLED screen, 120Hz, 5G support, and updates beyond iOS 18. If it does receive iOS 19, the 4GB of RAM and overheating will become an issue. I recommend the Samsung Galaxy A54/A55 for this price range, which would be a better choice than the old iPhone 11. If you still want the Apple ecosystem or are willing to spend more money, you should go for at least the iPhone 14 to make it worth the money...
The iPhone 16 Pro, with its new USB Type C port and 8GB of RAM, will be a worthy replacement with significant differences. But still, I love my iPhone 11, as many others who have it do. It is a historic phone in terms of sales.