Two weeks after the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max launched, Consumer Reports has named the most expensive model the best phone on the market. And just to drive home the publication’s fondness for the latest smartphones from Apple, the slightly cheaper and smaller iPhone 11 Pro came in second place.
Consumer Reports explains that the battle for the top spot was highly contested, as just six points separated the first place phone and the tenth place. Nevertheless, despite retaining a similar design to last year’s phones, Apple made “some key improvements that helped lift the phones into the top two spots.”
One of those improvements, and the one that put the iPhone 11 Pro Max over the top, is the battery life. When the site tested the iPhone 11 Pro Max, it lasted a “more than impressive” 40.5 hours, which is more than 10 hours longer the iPhone XS Max lasted and the best results of any smartphone Consumer Reports has ever tested. The iPhone 11 Pro was no slouch either, going 34 hours on a single charge vs. 27.5 hours for the iPhone XS last year.
In regards to the camera, Consumer Reports concedes that adding a third lens was necessary to stay competitive with other high-ranking smartphones, such as the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10. But the site’s testers also say that the Pro Max rated Very Good in still images and Excellent in rear-video quality.
As for durability, Apple claims that the iPhone 11 models are the most durable ever, but the iPhone 11 Pro did not survive a ride in Consumer Reports’ “admittedly tough” tumbler. All three phones did survive the water-resistance test, though, and were fairly resilient through the drop tests.
Consumer Reports wraps up by saying that the iPhone 11 series probably isn’t a substantial enough update for most iPhone XS or XS Max owners to consider upgrading, but calls them “high-performing, sleek machines” that will serve anyone who is ready for a new phone well.
