There’s never been a perfect time to purchase an iPhone, since the iPhone 12 series, complete with four new models to pick from, is Apple’s most comprehensive and most nuanced iPhone range yet.
The regular iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max (which is the biggest iPhone yet from Apple) and, Apple iPhone 12 mini.
That’s on top of the budget iPhone introduced slightly before them, iPhone SE (2020), plus a range of previous iPhones that you can still get ahold of. Given that Apple has long backed its smartphones with software upgrades purchasing an older variant may also be an excellent choice to save some cash.
So there is a vast range to choose from, covering several formats, sizes, price ranges, and characteristics. We have also included all the iPhones that Apple now offers and previous models available in the market, to make your choice easier. With complete details of each model, you’ll find all that below, so you can see what makes them tick.
There should be one for almost all in the 12 choices below, as long as you want iOS. But if you’re open to Android, then some of our other mobile tutorials, linked below and to the right, are also worth checking out.
And it’s worth noting that the company has new phones on its way at all times. First up is the iPhone SE 3, which could arrive in or near April, then the iPhone 13 lineup, which will almost definitely be launched in coming September. So if nothing catches your attention now, to see what’s coming next, keep an eye on this guide.
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Best iPhone: What is your top choice?
1. iPhone 12
Weight: 164g Dimensions: 146.7mm x 71.5mm x 7.4 mm OS: iOS 14 Screen size: 6.1-inch Resolution: 1170 x 2532 CPU: A14 Bionic RAM: 4GB Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB Battery: Unknown Rear camera: 12MP+12MP Front camera: 12MP
The iPhone 12 provides a higher cost than the iPhone 11 with a wealth of new technologies, which can be useful in the coming months and years.
This includes proofing for the upcoming 5G support and adding MagSafe connectivity to mount things such as a charge or case to your handset.
The camera may be somewhat too close to the iPhone last year, and the life of the battery remains just all right, but there’s no doubt that the iPhone 12 is a superior bird to the previous phones.
Style-wise, he’s gotten back to some of the iPhone 4 or 5 stylings, and it’s nice, he looks more relaxed in his side. The long-overdue turn to a vibrant OLED display that again shows us that Apple knows how to make an elegant and future-proof device.
2. iPhone 12 mini – Same as iPhone but smaller
Weight: 135g Dimensions: 131.5mm x 64.2mm x 7.4mm OS: iOS 14 Screen size: 5.4-inch Resolution: 1080 x 2340CPU: A14 Bionic RAM: 4GB Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB Rear camera: 12MP+12MP Front camera: 12MP
For the first time in the history of manufacturing handsets, Apple has launched an iPhone mini, and it’s almost the same as the iPhone you’ve just read about above, except it’s smaller.
There is a range of tiny feature variations – for instance, on the iPhone 12 mini, wireless charging is slightly slower – but otherwise, you get top-end features such as the powerful rear camera, 5G support, and even MagSafe support.
The style makes it easier to keep this phone in a single hand, so this might well be for you if you have been crying out for a smaller iPhone that does not miss out on the top-end features you get from other Apple smartphones.
The show is still outstanding on this smartphone, as with the iPhone 12. You may not love the battery life because the iPhone 12 mini isn’t great, but if that’s your main priority, you’ll like one of the phones below.
3. iPhone 12 Pro – Most Favourite iPhone
Weight: 189g Dimensions: 146.7mm x 71.5mm x 7.4 mm OS: iOS 14 Screen size: 6.1-inch Resolution: 1170 x 2532 CPU: A14 Bionic RAM: 6GB 128GB/256GB/512GB Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP Front camera: 12MP
The iPhone 12 Pro is also more pricey and has more outstanding features than the regular edition, and is more mature than the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini. There’s a more excellent interior, and there’s a superior camera.
In addition to the usual iPhone 12 fare, a fourth sensor in the shape of a LiDAR scanner makes it easy for the iPhone to figure out what it is looking at, doing a fine job of identifying faces in low-light conditions.
There is also a RAM upgrade on the iPhone 12 Pro – up to 6GB from 4GB – and that’s sure to make you get the best out of everything you do on your devices. The iPhone 12 Pro is perfect for such a reason to edit videos on your tablet.
Elsewhere, it’s business as usual for the iPhone 12 Pro, delivering most of what the iPhone 12 already has for less. Still, it’s an exciting improvement if you want the extra oomph at a price.
4. iPhone Pro Max
Weight: 228g Dimensions: 160.8mm x 78.1mm x 7.4mm OS: iOS 14 Screen size: 6.7-inch Resolution: 1284 x 2778 CPU: A14 Bionic RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP Front camera: 12MP
After the very best iPhone that can buy money for you? That’s just what the iPhone 12 Pro Max is, and we enjoyed everything that it could do. To make it even more comfortable, it takes a lot of what makes the three phones you can read about above and only tweaks a few components.
So why is it so low on our Best iPhones list? This is a pricey handset, and this handset’s sheer scale ensures it won’t be for everyone.
You would be happy with the iPhone 12 Pro Max in your wallet if you are happy to spend money on it because you want a handset with a mammoth 6.7-inch screen. Most of what we said about the iPhone 12 Pro is right here, but there are a couple of advantages.
Compared to the other iPhones on this list, the battery life on the iPhone 12 Pro Max is higher, and you’ll also note it has a much more powerful rear camera than even the iPhone 12 Pro.
You’ll have to pay for it if you want the absolute best. This is the perfect iPhone for you right now if you’re pleased.
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5. iPhone 11
The iPhone 11 is not the highest-spec Apple handset, but it replaces the ‘budget flagship’ of the iPhone XR in better ways to become its generation’s standout phone in terms of sheer importance.
This was our favorite iPhone previous to the launch of the iPhone 12. True, it loses out on a telephoto lens, but as we find with the Samsung Galaxy S10e, most photo needs are met by a coupling of primary and ultrawide lenses.
While it does not have an OLED display, its LCD screen helps the phone maintain its best-in-generation battery life crown. And it also gets a little bit of RAM – up to 4 GB from the 3 GB of its ancestor.
Connect all the latest tweaks in the iPhone 11 series to iOS 14, and this handset is a lean, mean, photo-taking unit.
6. iPhone SE – Comparatively a Cheaper Phone
Weight: 148g Dimensions: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm OS: iOS 13 Screen size: 4.7-inch Resolution: 750 x 1334 CPU: A13 Bionic RAM: 3GB Storage: 64/128/256GB Battery: 1,821mAh Rear camera: 12MP Front camera: 7MP
The new iPhone SE, launched in April 2020, might look like an older iPhone, but it has many advantages over the rest of the line. The biggest reason you may want to purchase this is that it’s the cheapest iPhone you can buy right now from Apple.
It comes with the same configuration as the iPhone 8, but it has improved internal components such as the A13 Bionic chipset, which is the same as the three phones you can see in this list above.
A Contact ID fingerprint scanner is also included, something we haven’t seen on recent iPhones. The camera is acceptable on this handset, but it won’t compete with the very best iPhones, and it also has average battery life.
Overall, you’ll enjoy the iPhone SE if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the ones that you’ve heard about above.
7. iPhone 11 Pro – Best but too Pricey
The iPhone 11 Pro is a handset that is more advanced than the base iPhone 11, but since its price is still a significant step up, it is not the best iPhone.
Sure, the smaller screen is one-hand-friendly, the brightness of the screen is a plus, and with three rear cameras, it is Apple’s most inexpensive smartphone, so it’s a good phone all in all, which is why it once sat on this list of our best iPhones in the second place.
But money is a problem for most consumers when they’re shopping for a new handset, and when you place the numbers side-by-side with the iPhone 11, the vast price spike may be controversial for most people.
Since the iPhone 12 Pro’s debut, you will now find it cheaper, however, so you might want to choose this over the new handset. The iPhone 11 Pro is a more sophisticated device than the base iPhone 11, but it is not the best iPhone just because its price is still a significant step up.
Sure, the smaller screen is one-hand-friendly, the brightness of the screen is a plus, and with three rear cameras, it is Apple’s most inexpensive smartphone, so it’s a good phone all in all, which is why it once sat on this list of our best iPhones in the second place.
8. iPhone 11 Pro Max – Big phone, big price
Weight: 226g Dimensions: 158 x 77.8 x 8.1mm OS: iOS 13 Screen size: 6.5-inch Resolution: 1242 x 2688 CPU: A13 Bionic RAM: 4GB Storage: 64/256/512GB camera: 12MP+12MP+12MP Front camera: 12MP
Not only was the iPhone 11 Pro Max a misleading improvement in the naming tradition – it was once the most enormous, cheapest, worst iPhone out there. It was also the most pricey at a starting price of $1,099, which only rises as you extend storage.
Apart from the updated camera suite, not much has improved from the iPhone XS Max – but then again, having an ultra-wide lens is a significant update. The picture program has also been updated, and there is much easier transitioning between zoom stages here than on other phones.
The battery level has been increased over the iPhone XS Max by a staggering 4 hours, which remains steadfast in our tests. And this is a marginally cheaper version of the iPhone 12 Pro Max above if you can get past the weird-looking triple-lens rear camera block.
But money is a problem for most consumers when they’re shopping for a new handset, and when you place the numbers side-by-side with the iPhone 11, the vast price spike may be controversial for most people.
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9. iPhone XS – A compact choice
Not only was the iPhone 11 Pro Max a misleading improvement in the naming tradition – it was once the most enormous, cheapest, worst iPhone out there. It was also the most pricey at a starting price of $1,099, which only rises as you extend storage.
Apart from the updated camera suite, not much has improved from the iPhone XS Max – but then again, having an ultra-wide lens is a significant update. The picture program has also been updated, and there is much easier transitioning between zoom stages here than on other phones.
The battery level has been increased over the iPhone XS Max by a staggering 4 hours, which remains steadfast in our tests. And this is a marginally cheaper version of the iPhone 12 Pro Max above if you can get past the weird-looking triple-lens rear camera block.
With the iPhone 12 Pro’s debut, though, you will now find it cheaper, so you may want to do this for the new smartphone.
10. iPhone XS Max – Big & speedy
Believe it or not, the iPhone XS was once the best ‘little’ handset from Apple. It has a 5.8-inch screen, so it is more one-hand-friendly than many of the bigger phones on this list, but it still packs a punch in terms of features.
Today, the iPhone XS could be a little older, but it has a 12MP Smart HDR-capable camera, an upgraded front-facing TrueDepth camera, and a fast A12 Bionic chipset, much like the larger iPhone XS Max.
In reality, this all-screen phone in a smaller form factor is pretty much the iPhone XS Max. It has a smaller battery than the Max and a smaller screen, but you’re always going to take the same amazing images and videos and play the same games on this phone.
And, since it was the newest and best iPhone, it is cheaper than it used to be.
11. iPhone XR – Most cheaper phone
Weight: 194g Dimensions: 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm OS: iOS 12 Screen size: 6.1-inch Resolution: 1792 x 828 CPU: A12 Bionic RAM: 4GB Storage: 64/128256GB Battery: 2,942mAh Rear camera: 12MP+12MP Front camera: 7MP
If your hands and pockets are big enough, this was once the very most delicate iPhone. To render colors pop, it has an enormous 6.5-inch OLED screen with HDR10 support. If you want a giant screen, it’s the ideal handset, but now it has been replaced by the iPhone 11 Pro Max and 12 Pro Max that we mentioned above.
A dual-lens 12MP camera is behind the big frame. It was equipped with Smart HDR by Apple and raised the sensor scale to catch larger pixels. Do not let the static 12MP figure fool you. For customizable bokeh (background blur) before and after a shot, the iPhone XS Max (like the XS) has depth-sensing capability.
With quicker Face ID detection, the TrueDepth camera returns, and your 7MP selfies get improved depth control and Smart HDR, too. This is still cheaper now than at launch, so if you want lots of specs, but don’t want to buy the new iPhone, it might be a decent choice.
12. iPhone X – Range changer
Weight: 174g Dimensions: 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7mm OS: iOS 11 Screen size: 5.8-inch Resolution: 1125 x 2436 CPU: A11 Bionic RAM: 3GB Storage: 64/256GB Battery: 2,716mAh Rear camera: 12MP+12MP Front camera: 7MP
The average user who doesn’t want to pay for the most costly iPhone money (much money) might afford, the iPhone XR is a perfect improvement. Before the iPhone SE 2020 came out, this was Apple’s ‘cheap’ iPhone.
Several iPhone XR colors make it stand out: blue, white, orange, yellow, coral, rose. This compares sharply with the somewhat subdued iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max colors. The same internal specifications are shared: the Apple A12 Bionic chipset and a 12MP dual-lens camera with a single rear lens.
You don’t have a dual-lens camera as you do on an iPhone with a higher-level camera, so you skip telephoto shots. But the Smart HDR is the real benefit of taking amazing videos, and here it is.
It’s smaller, more colorful, and it’s got a big 6.1-inch display. This is enough for most people, particularly those who are not insistent on a spectacular OLED showing.