Photo test: iPhone 11 pro or Apple’s return to the top

Even if wireless recharge is always there, still no reverse recharge, which I find a shame, especially with the wireless loading box of the AirPods.

IPhone 11 Pro test: Apple is out (finally !) Heavy artillery

2019 is the year of “a lot” for the iPhone. The 11 pro is much more powerful, much more autonomous, its screen is much brighter and its camera much more efficient. A reason for “a lot” crack ?

01net’s opinion.com

Apple iPhone 11 Pro

• + The design always as neat
• + The three photo modules
• + The screen to die for
• + Autonomy finally indisputable

• – The price…
• – … And we will have to buy a Lightning adapter to Mini Jack

Writing note

Note published on 09/27/2019

Technical sheet

Apple iPhone 11 Pro

System	iOS 13
Processor	Apple A13 Bionic
Size (diagonal)	5.8 “
Screen resolution	458 ppi

See the full file

Forgotten in the half-innovation years, decked out. Dodged in the years in full, more snoring, but not always exciting. Apple A, the air of nothing, broken a well -established rhythm (although abused) by leaving, for the iPhone, a new name of its marketing hat. The qualifier “pro” we know to meet him for years on our Mac, then our tablets, was still a little vague applied to the world of iPhone.
After the keynote of September 10, we would have been tempted to say that the iPhone Pro is a simple sum of improvements. It’s true, but not just. Because, these pieces of promise deposited in our basket over the Apple conference are nothing, taken separately. It is their fusion in a device that gives them all their meaning. After a few days of use, the meaning of the pro appellation lights. This is what you can buy better (and more expensive) on this side of iOS … is it enough to pack ? Is it enough to tackle the competition ? Are you ready ? Let’s go.

Priority to autonomy ?

The temptation to quickly pass on the exterior design of the iPhone 11 Pro is strong. It retains the same features as its predecessor, the iPhone XS. A stainless steel strapping to combine a screen edge of 5.8 inch on the front and a glass back which has two notable particularities. The first is that it is one room, which means that the rear and the small pavement that buys the three photo modules and the flashes are only one. The second is that the back is polite so that it offers a matte rendering to the eye. So he takes a little less fingerprints. In any case on the slightly dark colors. For the record, the iPhone 11 Pro is available in its three usual finishes: sidereal gray, silver and gold, to which is added a newcomer fairly attractive green. It should also be noted that this new matt rendering offers softer contact with fingers. It’s good to know if you are not followers of shells.

At first glance and from the front, therefore, nothing distinguishes the iPhone 11 pro from its elder. However, when you consult your technical sheet, you see that it is both heavier (11g, for a total of 188g), higher (0.6 mm, for 14.4 cm), wider (wider ( 0.5 mm, for 7.14 cm) and especially thicker (0.4 mm, for 0.81 cm).
Yes, you have read that the iPhone 11 is larger and thicker ! We will not draw from it a hasty conclusion that the race for finesse is over or that the use finally takes precedence over design, but it must be noted that the iPhone grows the year when autonomy takes off. As if we had done everything, in addition to reducing the size of the motherboard, to slide a more imposing battery. In fact, that of the iPhone 11 Pro displays a capacity of 3046 mAh against 2658 mAh for that of the iPhone XS.

Record endurance

Apple’s awakening in the field of autonomy is surprising enough and welcome to start our test there. The news may have reached the ears if you had read our preliminary article: autonomy: our tests prove it, the iPhone 11 and 11 pro are finally doing better than the competition under Android.

Thus, at the end of a promised but unexpected turnaround, the iPhone 11 Pro simply amazed us. Apple had indicated that he would add four hours to the autonomy of the XS … In this case, it is 6:43 that the iPhone 11 Pro Amoncelle on the time obtained by its elder in versatile versatile.

With 6:01 p.m., our iPhone 11 Pro not only records a huge progression but it allows itself to get ahead of – a great first ! – its Android competitors. Its best enemies, those who occupy the first places in our permanent ranking of high -end smartphones, are thus defeated.

In video autonomy, the iPhone 11 Pro has not shaped and outperforms all the best Android smartphones that we have tested lately. On the other hand, our autonomy in communication tests – a call without interruption, with the extinguished screen – continue to see the smartphones under Android largely dominate. You can telephone without interruption for 10:19 p.m. with the OnePlus 7 and only 6:51 pm with the iPhone 11 Pro. Hoping that you will not be cut in the middle of a necessarily breathtaking conversation to be so long ..

In fact, on a daily basis, the iPhone 11 PRO will keep up all day long. We even arrived at us a particularly calm weekend day of having lost only ten percent on the battery load. Never seen.

Recharge: a first step towards the best

For the first time in the history of the iPhone, Apple does not slip an AC adapter 5W in the packaging. The iPhone 11 Pro are entitled to a pro treatment, namely an 18W charger, which makes it possible to reduce the charging time in a draconian manner. Thus, where the iPhone XS went from 0 to 100% battery in 3:04, its successor takes only 1h39, while its battery, as we have seen, is more substantial.

We are still far from the performance of tenors of the Android world, nevertheless we approach the big peloton, a hope is therefore allowed.

To find out more about the compared charging times of iPhones and the best Android smartphones of the moment, read our article iPhone 11 Pro: Apple makes efforts on quick recharge, but is it sufficient ?

Beautiful, bright and economical at the same time

If these autonomy gains are very important on the greater battery and a more dynamic management of the iPhone energy resource, another element undoubtedly weighs in the balance: the new screen.

Named Super Retina XDR, he would be able to consume up to 15% less energy than the Super Retina HD slab, according to Apple Apple. Is this new screen less good ? Not really, it would even be the opposite.

It is indeed capable of adjusting its brightness between 800 and 1200 cd/m², depending on two cases. First case, for all uses (when the screen is pushed to the bottom, outdoors for example), it will display around 800 cd/m². Our measures allowed a statement at 813 cd/m². Above the promise displayed by Apple and above all much better than what the iPhone XS and its 672 cd/m² was asleep.
The high -end iPhone last year did not have to be ashamed of its performance which had allowed it at the time to be brighter than the Galaxy S9, before being dethroned by the Galaxy S10. Themselves, you will understand, ousted by the iPhone 11 Pro. Thus goes the life of calendar outings in staggered.
Second case of automatic adjustment, when you consult HDR (or Dolby Vision) content. The brightness then automatically goes to 1200 cd/m², to ensure the best viewing experience, whether it be photos or a series. In fact, our iTunes 4K HDR movies frankly throw it on the 11 pro.
Anyway, for this new screen, Apple is not trying to follow Samsung and its ultra-defined screens. It retains the definition chosen last year, 2436 × 1125 pixels for a resolution of 458 ppi, still. Apple, however, announces an astronomical contrast rate at 2000,000: 1, our test probe made arms in front of this score, leaving us to believe the Tim Cook teams.

Of course, the slab is always compatible with Tone (to adjust the heat of the colors displayed, depending on the ambient lighting) and P3 (for a very large gamut). On this point, the iPhone tiles keep their course and their domination. Our statements attribute to the iPhone 11 Pro a Delta E (2000) of 2.06. This is better than what the iPhone XS proposed last year (2.27) and far ahead of the screens of the best current Android smartphones.

For the record, the delta e establishes the gap between the rendering of a color and the reality, which implies that the more the figure which qualifies the difference is small, the better is the rendering. At this level of precision, it is difficult for ordinary people, of which we are, to make the difference. The iPhone 11 Pro slab is therefore excellent, nothing less. For the anecdote, it will be indicated, however, that on colorimetric fidelity, it is the iPhone 11 which offers the best service, despite (or rather thanks to) its LCD slab.

Finally, last small point, let’s say a few words about the (announced) disappearance of 3D Touch and its replacement by Haptic Touch technology, led to XR last year. To speak, this solution is quite reactive and practical to use. It produces a vibration in reaction to pressure or prolonged contact with your finger with the screen. It is no longer possible to differentiate between these two interactions, but iOS 13 and the contextual menus have evolved to take it into account. So you will just have to get used to.

If you want to know a little more about the performance of the new Super Retina XDR slab, we send you back to our preliminary screen test: iPhone 11 and 11 pro, that their screens are worth in the face of iPhone XS and XS … and competition ?

Power all in restraint

Now let’s move on to the last element that contributes to the independent performance of iPhone 11, the Apple A13 Bionic chip. Apple announces that it consumes up to 30% less energy than the A12 Bionic, which equipped the iPhone XR, XS and XS Max.

Like its elder, the A13 Bionic contains six cores for the processor part, two high performance hearts and four low consumption. The graphic part is ensured by four hearts.

To these two main axes are added a third generation of neural network, an imagery processor designed by Apple and some handfuls of coprocessors. In total, the chip consists of 8.5 billion transistors, that’s enough to leave dreamer … and ensure the show.

Because the A13 Bionic is not content to consume less, it is more powerful than the previous generation. We already indicated it in our first salve of article: First tests: the iPhone 11 and 11 pro are they really so powerful ? It largely outperforms the A12 Bionic, which nevertheless still gives a hard time with embedded fleas in current high -end smartphones under Android.

But to first speak only of an intergenerational duel, the iPhone 11 pro dominates the iPhone XS nicely. By referring to the results obtained with Geekbench 5, there is a gain of the order of 25% in favor of Apple’s latest addition to the multicore part of the processor. When you want to feel the GPU, 40% are displayed displayed.

Certainly, the iPhone XS were not lacking in power, but the iPhone 11 pro adds. You should therefore have enough to run your professional applications without the slightest hiccups, slide from one application to another quietly and also play all your drunk. This is a good thing, because the Apple Arcade offer was able to look at the mobile player that we are. More performances mean prettier and fluid games, and more autonomy means that pleasure will last longer … The iPhone has just added one more braid to their status as a multifunction console.

Faced with Android competition, whether it is the note 10 freshly arrived or other a little older devices, released since the arrival of the 2018 iPhone, the discussion does not have to be. With Antutu 7, the iPhone 11 Pro is largely essential, both CPU and GPU side. Only its RAM score is quite close to that of its competitors, but in this case, it can be estimated that the fact that it has only 4 GB where all its competitors have 8 is probably for something ..

Of course, this does not presage the next updates of these Android stars, but for the moment, if you are looking for the most powerful smartphone, it’s easy, it has an apple on the back.

Face ID passes the third

Apple’s facial recognition system wins in operation with iOS 13. It would be up to 30% faster. Difficult to accurately time the gain offered, on the other hand, it is true that unlocking is now almost instantaneous.
The fact that Face ID works with wider vision angles also makes it possible to no longer have to look too much over your iPhone to access its content. However, we must admit that there is still a good margin of progression so that it is possible to unlock your phone placed on a table without having to tilt or bring it closer. Perhaps for security and confidentiality reasons.

Photo: Apple folds … in three

Now that we have gone around the screen, super sights, we know that the iPhone 11 Pro will last for a long time and that the power will be there, let’s go to the dessert, unless it is the dish of Resistance: photo.

For the first time, Apple offers three cameras modules at the back of an iPhone. The family is enriched with an ultra-angle. In this case, Apple does not innovate. On paper, it hangs the wagons with high -end smartphones under Android which have integrated one for several months now.

Thus, the iPhone 11 Pro offers the choice between a telephoto lens, 52 mm equivalent, which now opens to f/2 against f/2.4 Previously, a large angle, equivalent 26 mm, at f/1.8 and finally, the new new one, an ultra large-angle, 13 mm equivalent, with a maximum opening at f/2.4.
Put on end to end, this triptych offers an X4 optical zoom (X2 by enlarging the focal length and X2 by tightening it from the Grand Angle), to which is added an X10 digital zoom. We are clearly not at the level of a Huawei P30 Pro which displays an X8 optics. Especially since on the megapixel side, Apple remains faithful to its line: 12 Mpixels, or nothing. In view of its technical partition, the iPhone 11 Pro is therefore clearly not aligned with the one who is the “Reference photophone” Since early 2019.

However, Apple has other talents, that of mastery and hardware/software integration is undeniably a. With its trio of camera modules, Apple therefore opens the door to new compositions, to new shots. Whether to take the field, play with a perspective or counter-angle effect, the ultra grand angle brings a good asset to the photographic palette of the iPhone 11 Pro.

Not only will it save you the bet when you have no hindsight, but you can finally grasp all the beauty of a cove or a mountainous landscape without the need to juggle a panoramic.

And if the iPhone 11 Pro does not do as well in terms of focal coverage as the P30 Pro, it succeeds on the other hand better on at least four other points.
The first is the perfectly fluid transition, without microcoupure, moving to black or jerk between the three modules. Whether by widening the plan or tightening it, in photo or in video, each module responds present without hitting, in continuity.

The second point is that this continuity is also ensured on the side of color rendering and light. Of course, there are sometimes very light variations in a shade of blue or green, but nothing in common with what the P30 pro offers. The grass or foliage does not become tender green after being fluorescent green (or vice versa) because you have gone from one module to another. To succeed in this small feat, Apple makes its factory modules calibrate and then worked its software processing to avoid overly blatant aberrations.

The third point is due to the speed of reaction of the camera application and the performance of the autofocus, on the three modules, which have gained speed and have returned to a very good level since last year.

Finally, the fourth point is the interface. Without upsetting our benchmarks, Apple has made some welcome modifications and finds. The transparency of the frames of the frame when using the telephoto lens is one, among others. We also think of the evolution of the use of the trigger with the Quicktake function. Keep him pressed in photo mode and he will launch the recording of a video to avoid missing a memorable moment that must be had in action with the sound and not only in burst.

We also draw our hat from the advanced composition function capture outside the frame, which must be activated for the photo from the settings and which is operational by default for the video. It allows, when you have taken a cliché with the grand angle or the telephoto lens, to crop its photo a posteriori. This is particularly practical when someone leaves the frame at the wrong time or when you see the viewing of a shot that a detail at the limit of the framing spoils the whole. This function requires a kind of double photo taken automatically: one with the focal length and a second with the wider focal length. If you want to modify the framing, the material is there, otherwise this second photo will be erased automatically after thirty days.
Obviously, for questions of confidentiality (and perhaps respect for your work), if you send one of these pictures to a friend, he will only receive the default version, and will not be able to edit it to know what was traveled outside the selected field of vision.

The night belongs to us ?

The other big novelty of these iPhone 11 (it is available on the three 2019 models) is night mode. It is necessary to specify that Apple has obviously did not try to tickle the Huawei P30 Pro on this option. Where the Chinese smartphone produces incredible and impeccable shots in absolute darkness, Apple works above all to save, bring back, backfill, the photos that you systematically miss with the previous iPhone, when the ambient brightness was too low. An effort all the more laudable as it is always accompanied by the concern to make the colors as justly as possible, sometimes by saturating them a little, to strengthen their visual impact, but never in a caricatural way.

Two photos taken with the iPhone 11 Pro. On the left, with the activated night mode. Right, with the Disable Night mode.

Two photos taken with the iPhone 11 Pro with very low lighting. On the left, the activated night mode and the exposure time pushed to the maximum. Right, the downgraded night mode.

The iPhone night mode has the advantage of activating automatically and offering a break time that seems to him the best. You are then free to lengthen it (better will then stabilize your smartphone with a small tripod, or at least a balustrade or a wall) or to deactivate the mode, simply.

The photo on the left is taken with the iPhone 11 pro, a nighttime mode activated. On the right, the photo is taken with the iPhone XS.

When the light is still sufficient, this can avoid a sometimes a little too large clarification of certain areas, which will provide a cliché closer to what your eye presented you. Nevertheless as a rule it is better to be guided and possibly try to grab some more diaphragms by pushing the break. Beware, however, of the generation of noise which will not fail to invite itself with the deterioration of lighting conditions.

Especially since the treatment of clichés retained by Apple remains the same. If the colors and the exhibition are often excellent, the dive and the details are missing a little.
It’s discreet in full light, a little more shocking in low light. But it is mainly when we play digital zoom that the effect of flattened, similar to a watercolor, manifests the most. This does not make the iPhone a bad camera, but we regret that the American giant cannot reconcile its sensitivity to compliance with colors and the bit of Korean or Chinese smartphones, for example.

Anyway, what is pleasant with this night mode, despite its limits, is that it feeds the photographic possibilities offered by the iPhone, like the ultra grand angle (which is not elsewhere not compatible with night mode). The iPhone thus becomes an even more versatile camera, even more able to comply with your artistic attempts. More simply, it is more capable of immortalizing a memory when you request it ..

Video Killed the Radio Star ? Really ?

If the video does not benefit from night mode, which rests heavily on the computing power of the iPhone, it must however be said two words. It also takes advantage of the ultra-angle, gaining possibilities, in wealth of composition. However, it should be noted that, as for the photo, there is a slight degradation of quality when you arrive at the end of “digital zoom” between two focal lengths.
For example, and this is all the more true when the light is missing, we see the appearance of digital noise when starting from the ultra-angle (13 mm equivalent), we approach the great angle (equivalent 26 mm). The image produced then seems to be a wider image cropping. The image quality improves as soon as we arrive on the focal length (fixed, native, would we be tempted to say) of the great angle, before re-degrading little by little until arriving at the 52mm of the telephoto lens.

In full light, the result is not really problematic, but indoors, at the end of the evening, things really get complicated. The noise is a little too present. However, if there is a positive thing that must be emphasized concerning the video, it is that even bruity, it remains incredibly stabilized. On this point, Apple has managed a nice tour de force. If only for that (and also to have fun filming with the three focal lengths simultaneously with Filmic Pro), fans of videos should give a chance to the iPhone 11.

The most egocentric of them will also appreciate that the True Depth Camera module, on the front front, now benefits from a 12 Mpixel sensor. He is also able to film in 4K at 60 frames per second and even make videos at idle in 1080p up to 120 I/S. Slofies !

Photo test: iPhone 11 pro or Apple’s return to the top

If the iPhone 11 Pro brings nothing new to the photo side, the quality of integration, control of components and Apple software excellence place it in the top of the competition. All that is missing is a large sensor for the score is perfect.

At first glance, reading the technical specifications of the iPhone 11 Pro does not impress: if we welcome the arrival of the ultra-angle focal length, it is nothing new in the landscape of smartphones. The total zoom coefficient remains quite modest – we go from an equivalent of 13 mm to 52 mm, an X4 zoom – when compared to the Huawei P30 Pro and other Oppo Reno (X10 optical zoom !), the main sensor is not a “giant” model. No optical opening is record. On paper, the iPhone 11 Pro seems to be content to catch up with a more active and more innovative Android competition – 1/1.5 inch sensors, Bayer RJJB matrix, quadruple cameras modules, macro modules, cinema sensor 3/2, etc.

It would be to forget that in terms of “smart-photography”, the hardware often disappears in front of the software: from the quality of the interface through the interpretation of colors, the way of managing zeros and some premium On the size or number of photosites. The iPhone 11 Pro is proof of this. With quality components, but far from being extraordinary, Apple has concocted a whole that gives a lesson in the Android world.

Three modules, three useful focal lengths

If you have read our material presentation published during the announcement of the terminals, you know that the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max have three camera modules: a brand new ultra-angle equivalent 13 mm f/2.4 and the two modules of the iPhone XS, namely a main angle module equivalent to a 26 mm f/1.8 and an average telephoto objective equivalent to a 52 mm f/2.0.

A triplet which therefore offers a X4 zoom coefficient (52/13 = 4) which has the deserves to be fully usable in all circumstances. Indeed, the small size of the sensors and the small amount of light collected by the tighter focal lengths such as the 125 mm f/3 equivalent.4 of the P30 Pro, make them more delicate to handle as soon as the light is rare. With its 52 mm equivalent, the iPhone 11 Pro does not promise to replace the super zoom in your compact on a trip, but it pays the luxury of being (almost) always usable. An intelligent choice when you take into account the “Swiss knife” character of the smartphone.

Apple did not go and seek pure performance for its optical trio, but did what few Android manufacturers take the time to do: sit five minutes (or more) and sharpen the software part in order to pull the most of the material. At the defense of the Android universe and the charge of Apple, while the first did not stop improving their partition with each terminal, Apple was rather soft and was widely exceeded at the time of the exit iPhone X. Heckled, Apple began by working on the autofocus partition for iPhone XS to take over the fastest apparatus wreath – see our top 10 photo smartphones last July – before reviewing its camera software and software partition for this iPhone 11 Pro. And before you even talk about image quality, you have to talk about the application. And a really photographic novelty.

Out of scope becomes visible

To discover also on video

In ultra-angle, the iPhone 11 Pro frames like any other device. But as soon as we tighten the focal length-great angle or telephoto lens-we discover a new capacity of the application: display the off scope. Concretely, this means that the black parts on the left and right of the frame 4/3 (sensor ratio displayed on an x/y screen) become partially translucent and display what the wider focal sensor perceives. In a big angle, the application uses the ultra-angle module. At the telephoto is the grand angle module that is used.

Gadget ? That Nenni: Like a Leica M telemetric camera frame, we see part of the off scope, which allows you to anticipate the arrival of subjects. Some photographers swear by this telemetric aim for this ability to display more than the optics can perceive.

Useful for photographers who prepare and make up frames, this function may not be the most impressive on paper. But it highlights not only Apple’s photographic attention, but also its mastery of the implementation: no image fitting bug, no slowdown and a natural passage when switching from one module to the other. Basically: a flawless.

The most beautiful colors of the competition

Observed with 100 % magnifying glass on the big screen, the shots of the iPhone 11 Pro are less bitten and a little less rich in detail than those of the Huawei P30 Pro. The fault of a smaller sensor, less provided in pixels, and software processing which smooths a little too much. But who therefore spends his time examining the clichés with a microscope apart from the grumpy journalists ? Not many people, in any case an infinitesimal portion of users, more busy sharing their shots on Instagram and others.

Apple understood this well and has focused on what makes the difference in all viewing formats: colors. And in this area, the iPhone 11 Pro gives a lesson to Android competition.

First, because tones are always natural. Apple has chosen to behave like a Fujifilm, whose devices interpret the colors in order to make them pleasant to the eye – on the contrary of a sony, more clinical, more rigorous. Unless very difficult artificial light situations, the clichés combine just what is right and heat.

The partition remains perfectible, with in particular greens who still fart a little too much when our star flambé in a grazing way – but all the tones are more natural than the interpretations of Asian devices. Even if it must be recognized that the latter have made great progress and that there is now no caricatural rendering like Galaxy S6 for example.

Second, the iPhone 11 Pro is the smartphone that ensures the best colorimetric consistency between the three camera modules. It is thus quite rare that the colors of a shot taken in the telephoto lens are different from those of a photo captured in the ultra-angle-angle. This can happen when a leading element distorts the white balance to the telephoto lens, but the colorimetric deviation is low.

Tertio, Apple turns out to be the color champion in low lights. Not the champion of low lights, various devices sharing the crown – in Huawei the total black, in Samsung the autofocus -, but the apple device is clearly the one that produces the most natural colors.

Low lights: just colors but fewer details

No other smartphone that the Huawei P30 Pro can produce images in total darkness. Its single sensor – large area, rjjb or 40 mpix matrix to produce an image of 10 Mpix – makes shoots possible that we do not even imagine with a “real” camera. In night mode, the P30 Pro is even able to make readable what is only porridge for all the others.

With its classic sensor, the iPhone 11 Pro does not fight in the same category … but its software makes miracles. If he cannot see in total darkness or produce the same level of details in very low lights, it turns out to be extraordinary in the return of colors. The colors, again the colors ! While the renderings of the P30 PRO are distorted in normal mode at 51,200 ISO, the algorithms of the iPhone 11 Pro allow it to restore the tones wonderfully – note the low variance between the yellows and the bruises which frame this photo of cereals.

Unlike Huawei – and to a lesser extent Google – who seek to capture the invisible, Apple is content to reproduce the sensitivity of the human eye (an improved hair) in order to keep the colors and the atmosphere. If the digital noise is high enough, the rendering is just impressive.

Deep Fusion, a random promise

Presented during the iPhone 11 launch conference, Deep Fusion is technology for improving image quality with very vague contours. A process which, like the first portrait modes, arrived in beta before being integrated “in hard” only since version 13.2 of iOS.

Compared to portrait lighting modes, Deep Fusion has a major problem: the function is automatic … and random. Look at this image: taking into account the low light in which this photo of aged rose has been taken, and taking into account the classic rendering of the previous iPhones in similar conditions, it is a safe bet that the Deep Fusion function was put into road. “Striker” ? Yes, this is only a suspicion, because this super sampling technology that combines 9 images to produce only one is impossible to activate. It is the device that decides to activate the function according to the light conditions. Deep Fusion Capture 4 images of the buffer memory of the device before trigger, the photo strictly speaking, then four images after the shooting. All to different exhibition gradients.

This “HDR Super Sampling” is in our opinion one of the best technologies to improve the image of the moment, but we regret that we cannot decide on or not to activate. For landscapes, we would appreciate for example to be able to force it. Hopefully Apple can change the function to put it a little more under the control of the photographer.

Neither macro nor pro mode

Two other grievances come to mind: the minimum focusing distance, a little too large as well as the absence of “pro” mode in the software interface. For the minimum focusing distance, this means that the iPhone is not very good at proxiphotography. Without even going to dedicated macro modules (often decked out of mediocre sensors of the genus 2 Mpix as in the Honor 20 Pro), the optical construction of the Main Module Modura of the Huawei P30 Pro offers more magnification potential as shown by the two Comparative images above. It might be time for Apple to go further in terms of optical development.

The software, meanwhile, is even more frustrating. On the one hand it is almost perfect in automatic mode and opens a little with the possibility (finally . ) to modify the quality of the videos without having to go through the menus systems, on the other it does not offer any manual skating to the pros. Impossible to recover RAW files, it is impossible to control ISO or Hand Speed, etc. Admittedly there are applications like Halide that offer these kinds of controls, but it is a little annoying to have on a stock market to loosen to access the settings of a camera. Especially when the pros modes are on all Android smartphones…

Apple’s comeback in the photo

Apple signs with the iPhone 11 pro its big return to the top of the photographic competition. Many Android devices have weight assets such as giant sensor that see the night, super telephotauxes zoom x10 or macro modules. But in addition to the arrival of the ultra-wide-angle module which fills the lack of its predecessors, the iPhone 11 Pro also stands out thanks to its absence of technical weaknesses, its software refinements (outdoor display, Deep Fusion) and colors which are simply the best on the market – and this, in all situations. On the pure hardware level, Apple did not innovate at all and just put itself at the level of the minimum vital Android. But once again, it was on the software that Apple made the difference. It is time for Asian manufacturers to do the same.

IPhone 11 PRO test: faster, more autonomous and better photo

The iPhone 11 Pro is Apple’s new standard. Is it up to expectations and its € 1,159 ? Answer in my test of the iPhone 11 Pro, a powerful smartphone which fills a large part of the shortcomings of the previous XS.

Posted on April 9, 2020 at 6:53 p.m

Everything passionate about tech knows, the release of a new iPhone is always an event in itself. Apple follows its rate of update with the release of the iPhone 11 Pro and 11, with subtle differences between the two. This iPhone 11 Pro test is also largely valid for the little brother iPhone 11, and if you hesitate between the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 11 Pro, you can consult our complete comparison between the two models.

Test The iPhone 11 Pro on video

As for most of my tests, you can discover my opinion on the iPhone 11 pro video. To not miss any video of the channel, nothing could be simpler: join the community by subscribing. And you what is your opinion on these new iPhone 11 and 11 pro ? Give your impressions in the comments of this iPhone 11 Pro test. To see the iPhone 11 Pro on our YouTube channel, it’s here:

Design & Hardware

While the battle on Android is played on the SOC / quantity of RAM combination, Apple never puts any figure in front of the RAM. Successor of the A12 Bionic, the A13 Bionic house chip is simply the most powerful in the whole market. Add to that a perfect integration between software and hardware, you get a very bicycle smartphone, despite the low RAM (4 GB according to benchmarks). Apple already had ahead with the previous one, the A13 Bionic chip outlets the Snapdragon 855+, the current reference under Android.

iPhone 11 pro at the best price basic price: € 1,159

As you can imagine, our iPhone 11 pro test allowed us to validate the power of the device: navigation and all actions are done without any slowdown at all, very gourmet games run without worries, and the Chip manages very heavy tasks (modification of live video colorimetry, augmented reality, etc.) no problem. The brand seems to have one time ahead of the competition on this point, and the iPhone 11 Pro is off to hold the charge for a very long time. The observation is strictly the same for the iPhone 11, which benefits from the same power.

The brand has always been recognized for the quality of design sound, and that of iPhone since the X is still talking a lot. On this new iPhone 11 Pro, there is a front front identical to that of the iPhone XS, with an always quite large notch, and more important contours than in direct competitors such as the Huawei P30 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy Note 10. The size of the notch is due to the sensors for Faceid, the latter gaining responsiveness, and in angle of view. It is still not possible to unlock the iPhone 11 Pro when it is placed on a table, but it is much more pleasant to use. The new stainless steel outline is of the most beautiful effect.

Even if the screen is a little spoiled by the notch and the contours, its quality simply impressed me during this test of an iPhone 11 pro. The colors of the 5.8 ″ OLED slab are very faithful, and the brightness has improved compared to previous versions. This is one of the only differences with the iPhone 11, which uses LCD technology on its screen (which makes it possible to lower the bill). On the other hand, it is a bit of a shame, on a model sold as “pro”, not to offer a greater rate of refreshment, as is the case on the OnePlus 7T, the iPad Pro or the latest Galaxy S20.

Very subjective point, I find the size and handling of the iPhone 11 Pro for this simply perfect test. The iPhone 11 Pro is also slightly heavier than the iPhone XS. Another point that I really appreciate on the iPhone 11 Pro, the treatment of the glass on the back. The feat of engineering is there with a treatment of a single piece of glass for the back and the camera, to strengthen the solidity of the latter.

The glass all over the rear side (except the apple) is brushed, which gives both a beautiful impression to the touch, but above all avoids the multiplication of fingerprints. The iPhone 11 on its side does not have this treatment, and is therefore a fingerprint nest. The new triple sensor in the back still takes on an important place, and will appeal to some, when it will move to others. One thing is certain, the quality of finish is there, and our test of the iPhone 11 Pro made us validate it.

The big black point of the iPhone 11 Pro is its storage management. Only 64 GB for a smartphone at 1159 €, it’s really a shame, A version of 128 GB would have been more logical, especially with the place taken by photos and videos. This is the point that will more lean towards an iPhone 11 after this test of the iPhone 11 Pro – if I choose to stay on iOS, the 256 GB version being much more accessible than the 256 GB of the iPhone 11 pro.

In terms of sound, this iPhone 11 pro is a success, and I find the same immersive side as on the Galaxy Note 10 for example. The double SIM is also there with an ESIM / Nanosim combination, as last year, but with a major difference: operators are on it. In France it was almost impossible to use ESIM, this is no longer the case today – as in particular at Orange or SFR. For those who are not cold in the eyes, water resistance is still improved on this iPhone 11 pro, going at 4 meters for 30 minutes. And you, did you take a test the iPhone 11 pro in the water ?

To conclude on the design part and technical characteristics, The iPhone 11 Pro is the most powerful smartphone on the market today, And, even if the design has changed very little, we feel Apple’s know-how on finishes, which have everything premium. For a slightly more discreet notch, you will certainly have to wait until 2020. Now let’s go through our iPhone 11 pro test for the operating system, iOS 13.

iOS 13: subtle and very welcome additions

Testing an iPhone is (re) putting a foothold in the Apple ecosystem, which is the real strength of the brand. User of a mac and airpods it must be noted that having an iPhone instead of an Android smartphone is quite practical on a daily basis. iOS 12 had put a big emphasis on stability, and iOS 13 brings welcome new features, even if some small bugs remain in the first versions.

Among more than 80 novelties, three seem particularly interesting to me. The first is the Dark Mode (or dark fashion) which had been expected for a very long time. In fact, it is well integrated into most applications, and very pleasant on a daily basis. The second is very stupid and very practical on a daily basis: access to Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth devices, directly in the control center. Performing long support allows you to access it quickly, while the operation was very long in the past.

The third is the arrival of external peripherals such as controllers. The iPhone 11 Pro (like the iPad Pro) being overpowered, games are increasingly advanced, and the possibility of using its Xbox or PS4 controller is a real plus. The advent of the Cloud Gaming will also allow you to benefit from it. Another interesting novelty out of parallel with iOS 13, Apple Arcade. For less than 5 € per month you have unlimited access to a multitude of very good games, such as the excellent What The Golf. It’s a great way to test new titles on a daily basis.

For the rest we remain on the qualities of iOS with integration into the Apple ecosystem. When the bugs have all disappeared, iOS 13 will be excellent iteration and, as for design, attention to detail is there. Now let’s come to a key part of this iPhone 11 Pro test: the photo.

Photo: Apple is back

If you are used to reading or seeing my testing test videos you know, I find the high-angle, ultra-angle, very relevant zoom combination. This is the choice that Apple made on its three sensors, and it is a success. I find the shots very successful, with a very coherent colorimetry between the 3 sensors, and night photos largely more qualitative than on the previous versions.

Portrait mode is still there, and available with zoom. Some love this simulated bokeh, I have always had trouble, preferring the real bokeh of reflexes or hybrids. The sensors are also able to film in 4K in 60 frames per second (FPS), new proof of the power of the A13 Bionic chip. And to say the least we can say, it is that our iPhone 11 pro test comforted us on the quality of the latter.

One of the great strengths of the photo (and video) on iOS is the quality of the Apple application. Indeed, it is very intuitive, and we do not get lost in infinite settings. Several innovations facilitate the management of photos and video, with in particular the wheel which allows you to change the level of zoom in a very intuitive way. Another feature borrowed from social networks, the long supports on the Shutter turns into a video, a perfect way not to miss a magical moment with your loved ones.

In night mode, the exposure time is indicated at the top, to find out how long you will have to last without moving. Another interesting feature, the out -of -frame capture. When you activate it (settings> Camera> Excluding sensor), the iPhone 11 pro (like 11) records a photo or video with the ultra-angle sensor in addition to that of the classic. You can therefore refer (in de-zoomant) a posteriori. It therefore becomes very difficult to really miss a photo, and it is a fairly impressive part of this test of the iPhone 11 Pro.

The Selfie sensor also benefits from a high-angle mode, group practical, but also slofies, video slow motion. Funny to use, but it’s still a gimmick marketing. While the photo has greatly improved, This is another point that seduced me even more in the test of the iPhone 11 and 11 pro: the video.

This is for me the best smartphone at this level and the use is multiple sensors, coupled with excellent stabilization make it a real mini mini pocket camera. If you want to start your YouTuber or Reporter career, an iPhone 11 (or 11 pro) is therefore very much sufficient, when you coupled it to a microphone.

Autonomy

I would never have thought of saying that, the‘Autonomy of the iPhone 11 Pro is … excellent ! This is the main point that dismissed me from the iPhone since the 7th, and the XS had disappointed me for that, it is now from the past, the iPhone 11 pro is very enduring and it is a superb new. Apple announced 4 hours more than the iPhone XS according to their protocol, what I know is that the device holds a lot more than a day with my intensive use. It was far from being the case for the iPhone XS. Another positive point for this iPhone 11 Pro test.

Apple A (finally) Choose to put an 18W charger in the 11 Pro box ! The charger uses a USB-C to Lightning cable which is consistent, the MacBooks using all USBC-C-C. According to my tests done on the iPhone 11 Pro, a 30 -minute load is enough to recover 54% battery, 1 hour 84% and about one hour and forty minutes for full recharge (the last ten percent are always the longest )). New Arrival with iOS 13, you can opt for the loading optimization of the iPhone 11 Pro, depending on your habits. The goal is simple: limit battery degradation.

Even if wireless recharge is always there, still no reverse recharge, which I find a shame, especially with the wireless loading box of the AirPods.

My opinion on the iPhone 11 Pro

The observation is simple with this test of the iPhone 11 Pro. He is overpowered. The photo is at the level of the best. Autonomy is finally at the level that we expected. iOS 13 is even better (even if it remains unstable). The iPhone 11 Pro offers excellent finishes, but its design of the front part is late on its competitors. The iPhone 11 Pro is (very) dear.

Having had the iPhone 11 in the hands in parallel, it seems to me today more convincing with a much more content price. I will integrate a video of the iPhone 11/11 pro comparison here as soon as it is published, but to put it simple it has only one sensor less, and a slightly worse screen. But the € 350 that separate the two models represent a significant amount.

iPhone 11 pro at the best price basic price: € 1,159

If you want the top of the top on iOS, the iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max will not disappoint you, and as we know, the Apple ecosystem is always expensive, but never disappoints. To try it is to adopt it.

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