Apple released the iPhone XR in September 2018 and its successor entered the market exactly a year later. The company continues to sell both the devices by reducing the price of the two devices over the years. The iPhone 11 of course has a lead over the iPhone XR because of its slightly newer internals.

The iPhone XR is powered by Apple’s A12 Bionic chip whereas the iPhone 11 is powered by the A13 Bionic chip. The major difference however comes in the amount of system memory (RAM) – the iPhone XR packs 3GB of RAM whereas the iPhone 11 packs an additional gigabyte of RAM. The iPhone 11 has an upper hand as it will be able to keep many apps open in the background for longer.
Camera and battery performance
In terms of cameras, the iPhone 11 features an additional ultra-wide sensor which is very useful when taking group photos or even landscape photos. While the quality of the ultra-wide camera is not stupendous, it’s a nice addition to have. The main camera on the iPhone 11 is also slightly better compared to the iPhone XR’s main shooter. Not to say that the iPhone XR has a bad camera but the iPhone 11 is able to take slightly better shots.
The iPhone XR lacks a dedicated Night Mode for taking photos in the dark. While artificial adjustments may not be particularly great, having a night mode on the iPhone 11 is sometimes useful. The iPhone 11 also packs in Deep Fusion – a feature which combines nine different exposures into one image for better quality images.
On the front, the iPhone XR packs a 7 megapixel camera whereas the iPhone 11 has a 12 megapixel camera. Apart from the cameras, the iPhone 11 and the iPhone XR features the same display, the same design, and the same body. On the battery side, however, the iPhone 11 features a slightly larger battery which is able to provide an extra hour worth of battery.
The iPhone 11 is clearly the best iPhone to buy right now for $599. The lower price of the iPhone XR, at $499, may seem nicer, it is recommended to spend the extra $100. If the camera, the battery, and performance is not exactly a top priority, the iPhone XR is also a commendable device.